Berg

Hear Wally's Call from Africa

Click for [RealPlayer]  [Windows Media]

(Requires FREE RealPlayer or Windows Media)

Arusha is the safari capital of northern Tanzania and it is where we run our Africa program from, of course. We'll be in and out of here all summer. It's great to be back. Reconnected with a lot of old friends, who you'll hear about through the season here, who support us in our efforts on the mountain and in our safari. Great, warm reunion with all of these folks, we've had a pretty long–standing program here in recent years. And it's become a second home for Sally and myself, as well as for Todd, and Jamie Pierce, and others involved in the Alpine Ascents program over here.

It's five o'clock in the morning, still quite dark, and those of you who have been following my exploits over the last few months know that I spend a lot of time in different latitudes. Pretty interesting getting down on the equator, I've always enjoyed one thing about this and that is the days are the same length all year, virtually the same length.

You get on a schedule that stays the same and is not as wild, you know, as flying up to high latitudes and experiencing light all the time. So, it's a beautiful area and I keep talking about this, but it's really hard to imagine how wonderful it is to drive into the cool, green areas, like here in Arusha on the slopes of Mount Meru; a beautiful, lush area, but at the same time exceptionally temperate—standing right now on the balcony of the hotel room, five in the morning, very dark, very cool and pleasant.

A very familiar sound or experience for me in Arusha all the time I spend here: it's 5am and the loud speakers come on with prayers. There is a large Muslim population here in Arusha—one of the very interesting things about it. And for me, it's always sort of a peaceful feeling to either lay in bed when I am able to sleep a little later, and hear these sounds, these prayers come over the loud speakers in the morning. Or as is often the case, having been up for awhile, preparing to go out on the mountain or starting on a safari early or just being up—because I often am early—and to be outside and enjoy the morning and waking up in this community in Arusha. A pretty large city, but also a very rural feeling.

I look up at the slopes of Mount Meru all day long and, as I keep saying, I enjoy being reunited with friends who support us in our program here—who you are going to hear a lot about during the season. A few things to get ready, a lot of preparation to do...transmission fails.

—Alpine Ascents Guide Wally Berg, MountainZone.com Correspondent