When in Rome....

When it comes to incredible, kick-arse, jaw-dropping, beautiful cities, Rome has got to take the cake.

Everywhere you wander, thousands of years of human history is laid out before you...or crumbling before you in many cases.....and it rocks (no pun intended).

The city centre of Rome is very compact, cobble stoned and incredibly fun to explore. It
will test your self-control as every cafe will tempt you in for wicked coffee, every shop will wink suggestively at you with the latest fashions, and every taverna will grab you around the throat and just insist that you have yet another pizza.

Mmmmmm, pizza.

Around each corner is yet another church (there are 2300 of them in Rome), piazza, fountain, ice cream shop or taverna - the place is definitely up there with my fav cities in the world.

The plan was simple: stopover in Rome for 4 days on the way through to Paris for Christmas. The fact that Singapore Airlines fly in and out of both cities is massively convenient for Australians - you can easily fly into Rome, spend a few days, jump on Easyjet to Paris (our flight cost $50 one way :) then fly directly back to Oz from Paris. A great itinerary.

So over our 4 walking-filled days we hit all of Rome's famous sites: the Vatican, the Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona etc etc

 

Piazza Venezia. Above, the view from the top towards the Colosseum.

One thing that did strike us during the trip was the commonalities that exist between cities all over the world:

• Wherever you go, each major city will always have a Peruvian panpipe band
• There will always be buskers dressed up in ridiculous outfits outside every major monument offering to have their photo taken with you (in the case of Rome, it is bunches of blokes dressed up as Roman soldiers)
• Every time it starts to rain, you will start being accosted by gypsie-looking men trying to flog you cheap umbrellas, even if you already have one
• Every time the sun comes out and it's scorching hot those same men will try to flog you bottles of water (probably refilled from a scungey bucket in a backstreet)
• Taxis will always rip you off, regardless of how hard you haggle or how good your language skills are (this is one of the 10 great facts of life, I think. Don't ask me about the others)
  
• You'll meet at least one person at a cash register who will scowl at you, unhappily take your money then throw your change in a little dish in wanton disgust.
  

One of those pesky buskers










We ate at the funky Ducati Cafe (dedicated to the famous Italian motorcycle) - this funky restaurant/bar/shop is definitely worth a stop. The food is brilliant (although pricey if you're a student), and it has great atmosphere. The other standout meal (amongst all the brilliant food we ingested) was at Lo Zozzone, a tiny pizza joint packed full of locals in the streets behind Piazza Navona. Our reviews are on our tripadvisor profile.

One afternoon, standing under a crystal clear blue sky with the cold eating into our bones, we spotted pigeons in the sky.

Now I'll admit that in itself doesn't sound so exciting, but the fact that there were 100,000 of them probably was. Every pigeon in Rome was up there and they were flying formation - breaking into huge groups of thousands of pigeons, ducking and weaving. These black clouds were dancing across the sky like live art - it was truly something spectacular to see. Who would have thought that humble pigeons could create such a visual spectacular!

Simply amazing. Here, tens of thousands of pigeons doing what they do best: mindlessly flocking.

The Romans, who live with the miserable, cretinous pigeons day in day out just looked at us like we were idiots on drugs.

Not happy, Jan.







Rome is full of great little tavernas where you can eat for just a few euros and, as cities great for tourists go, it is right up there. We'll definitely be back!

Marine makes a wish and throws a coin into the Trivi Fountain

Rob, somewhere in Rome, on a crisp crystal clear European winter's day. 









Sometimes it's nice to play tourist: taking a ride in a callech.

Generic Pre-Departure Session

If you missed your pre-departure webinar for your program you can now view a generic pre-departure webinar online.

Click here to view AIM Overseas' generic pre-departure webinar

When will I get a final itinerary/schedule for my program?

A common question is "When can I expect to have the final schedule about my program?"

It's a good question and one that's understandable - it's nice to know that everything will be in place and ready for our arrival!

Universities overseas who put together intensive study programs have a lot of logistics that need to be arranged. There is accommodation to be booked, academics and lectures to be arranged, visits to be organised and facilitated, transport connections to work out and plenty of administration to crunch through. Programs can take 12 months of work to get ready to the point where the doors are ready to open to students.

With all the details and logistics that go into these programs, it's not unusual that you might not have your final schedule until just a few weeks before departure. Some things such as visits, lectures and even accommodation can only be confirmed by host institutions in the final weeks before a group arrives, so receiving this information just a few weeks before departure should not be a reason for concern.

Often you will receive several draft schedules from AIM Overseas in the weeks and months leading up to your departure showing the different layers of the program as they are finalised.

Sometimes, when a program has been running for many years or does not have a lot of dynamic content (i.e. visits, field trips, cultural activities away), you may have your schedule from day one. These types of programs are more often the exception than the rule.

AIM Overseas works with excellent, experienced universities abroad and we have full confidence in them as they arrange their programs. If you have any questions or concerns about your program, schedule or any of the details regarding your program, do not hesitate to contact us via the details on our website: www.aimoverseas.com.au

Sustainability of Tropical Heritage in Malaysia

In July 2009, Jorja from Griffith University in Australia went on the Universiti Kenbangsaan Malaysia program covering 'Sustainability of Tropical Heritage'.


Listen to an interview with Jorja here (2'01").



This overseas study program is offered exclusively to Australians through AIM Overseas

"[This program was a] unique experience. You will never get to see and experience such things outside of a program such as this...In terms of field work, it was very intense, but awesome. I learnt a lot more from such field trips then I would in the class room. In terms of free time, where possible, we were never restricted in with what we wanted to do....this enabled us to experience another side of the different culture."
          - Nathan West, University of Newcastle

The Oxford Interlude – by Kabu Okai-Davies

This past winter, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2009 Summer Creative Writing program at Oxford.  It was an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my writing life.

It all started two yeas ago like a wish, but this year the plan was made real, with help from University of Canberra as a student in Writing. With permission from my family; I set off to England to experience the mystic and awesome history of Oxford University.

The ride from London was like any good Highway ride. But when we arrived in Oxford – driven by my brother Jeff with whom I had stayed while in London – the gothic images of Oxford I had held imaged and English country living, blended together to form one mosaic of fascination mixed with a feeling of being out of place.

For starters the lay out of the town was configured to serve the interests of it’s many tourists groups from around the world.  It was as if I had entered a labyrinth and it took us over an hour driving around in circles, trying to find our way to Exeter College. Eventually we parked our car on the outskirts of town and walked to the College.

For three weeks, I lived in Oxford, studying new techniques of writing from some of the most experienced writers in the business. There were budding writers from all over the world, especially form America. But most of us were from Germany, South Africa, India, England, Costa Rica, China, and of course Australia.

I enrolled in the Life-Writing and Poetry program and everyday there were Plenary Sessions, where we received lectures from literary agents, writers, and industry specialists.

On weekends we will tour other parts of England to feed our imagination with ideas and be inspired by the English countryside. I choose to visit Kelmscott Manor, the country home of English engraver and craftsman, William Morris.  The second weekend I joined my mates to visit the birth place of Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace and the village of Woodstock. The last weekend I decided to indulge my Tudor sensibilities and went on a tour bus to visit Hampton Court Palace for an entire day. I was enchanted by the experience. It all brought to life the magnificent and philanderers’ life of Henry VIII.

Oxford the city, with its museums, libraries, Colleges, walkways, gardens, myths, legendary alumina, and buildings of spires, each with its own story, set against the historic struggles between the town and the colleges inspired many stories and poems in me. The most significant of which is the story of Sir Thomas Bodley, benefactor/founder of the Bodleian Library, whose life I am dreaming of writing about as a fictional bio/historical novel, set in England and Ghana, to be called The Bodleian Conspiracy.

In the end, it is not how long you study and stay at Oxford, but how long Oxford stays with you as you continue to study the craft of creative writing.

Cambridge Summer School Testimonial

Lindsay Bainbridge went to the Cambridge Summer School earlier this year. Here's what she had to write about it:

What was the highlight of the program for you?
I most enjoyed the diverse range of friends I made and the insight I gained of all of there cultures and countries.

What comments would you make about the academic course?
I like how Cambridge is very focused towards creating a well-rounded person and therefore provided plenary lectures and evening lectures by prominant professors on many controversial issues.

What comments would you make about the extracurricular activities?
I took part in some extracurricular activities which had been organised prior to my departure. They were great - but there was no need to have them organised. You make so many friends and there is always endless things you can do during spare time.

What was your accommodation like?
Accomodation [at Newnham College] was very spacious.

A summer spent in Berlin - by Zac Denman

Zac Denman from the University of Southern Queensland went to the Berlin School of Economics and Law in July 2009 to do the Markets and Management program.

Have a listen here to Zac's account of his time on this short course in Berlin.





Information about this overseas study program is available through AIM Overseas - www.aimoverseas.com.au

Malaysian Hospitality Program

Malaysia, I think, is a country that is often off the radar with Australians. It's one of those countries kinda to the north, somewhere in the mass of islands and continent that is South East Asia.

But Malaysia is an awesome place.

The people are fantastically friendly, the food is amazing, English is spoken everywhere, the shopping is the bomb and it is....cheap!

Getting there is cheap (see AirAsiaX), cost of living is cheap, shopping is cheap, transport is cheap.

It is a perfect study destination.

AIM Overseas currently has a group of students in Malaysia. You can read about it as it unfolds on the Tourism and Hospitality program blog.

Next year AIM Overseas is working in conjunction with the National University of Malaysia on two great programs: the Sustainability of Tropical Heritage program and Indigenous Communities program.


Students might also be interested to consider an internship in Malaysia.

Either way, think about Malaysia as a study destination - it is a fantastic place to spend time!

Study in France Webinars

You can download a copy of the webinar's powerpoint presentation here (.ppt document, 2.8Mb)You can view a recording of the webinar here.

Information about short term French language programs in France is available here.

Temporary Accommodation

Most students like to arrive at their program city a day or two before their program begins. This helps to adjust to a new timezone and gives the chance to get oriented in a new city.

Many programs will have accommodation arranged for you just before and just after the course begins (check with us for details), but you may need to book some temporary accommodation either before or after your program.

We recommend that you book accommodation through Hostel World who's booking engine allows you to book one of 20,000 hostels in 170 countries. Great for your post-program travels too!

When can I expect my results from overseas?

Good question!

Intensive overseas programs are run by universities, so things like assignments, exams and marks all need to go through the usual approval and ratification processes before you will receive your transcript or certificate of attainment.

It is not unusual that it can take 3-4 months after the end of a program for you to receive your final results. That said, it can often be much faster!
In some rare cases, your host university may even provide you your certificate/transcript before you leave.

The rule of thumb is that a little patience is generally needed for the international university's processes to be completed. If your program ended less than 8 weeks ago then there is nothing to worry about. After about 10 weeks it is reasonable to enquire as to when you might expect your results.

AIM Overseas will always keep you up to date with whatever information we have available regarding your results. If you need your results urgently, or are worried about getting them in time, feel free to email us - our contact details are at www.aimoverseas.com.au

A Global Leadership Conversation

AIM Overseas recently caught up with Alex, Shaun and Nathan from Griffith University who went on the Global Leadership Program in Prague.

This is a simply awesome opportunity for anyone who is keen to develop their skills as a leader, who is passionate about international issues and who wants to both learn a lot and have the most incredible time possible. This program has 100% positive feedback - listen here to our conversation with the guys (3min50sec long) and you'll see what we mean!



A Global Leadership Conversation

Living the Dream: Creative Writing at Oxford - by Angela Dyson

"Can you ever imagine living one of your dreams? I just have! My experience has been a life changing one for me."

 Can you ever imagine living one of your dreams? I just have! My experience has been a life changing one for me.


I was accepted by Oxford University into the Creative Writing Programme held at Exeter College which began in late July this year. This College is one of the oldest at Oxford. It took me a few days to settle down into day to day life because I was overawed as a resident in a College which was founded in 1314.

My first memory of Exeter was stepping through a heavy, wooden, fortress door into a portico where the porter greets new students or visitors which opens out into a quadrangle of manicured lawn. To the left of the lodge is Exeter Chapel, a perfect example of Gothic architecture which was built on the original site of the old Chapel in about 1847. There is a magnificent tapestry in the Chapel hanging under stained glass windows which was designed and created by two founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement, also previous members of the College, William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones. The tapestry is the Adoration of the Magi.

 On leaving the Chapel you walk around a corner stepping onto cobblestones. Nearby, racks of student bikes some with wicker baskets attached, reminded me of scenes from an English war movie. They lay in silent rows waiting for the student’s return to College after their vacation. After depositing my bags in my room I wandered into Fellows’ Garden, a sanctuary of flora typically English country garden in design but which is surrounded by part of the town’s original, stone wall. Near neighbours are the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera.

"My fellow students came from all parts of the globe; South America, UK, USA, Germany, Cyprus, Ireland, Canada, India and Ghana. We had the time of our lives."

My fellow students came from all parts of the globe; South America, UK, USA, Germany, Cyprus, Ireland, Canada, India and Ghana. We had the time of our lives. There was some free time on weekends for organised tours to Blenheim Palace, punting on the river, (a surreal experience) and a plethora of walking tours. Imagine straw boaters, flat bottomed boats, summer afternoons eating strawberries, rowing past ancient trees and you begin to imagine why I had to pinch myself I was there. As well, most Colleges had a choral concert, chamber music ensemble or Shakespearean play you could attend in the early evening. Many students met after dinner in the under croft bar then went on a local pub walk. 

My tutors were both published authors and poets. They were highly qualified in Poetry, Biography and Creative Writing. They were also current lecturers at Oxford University. I had a choice of two units of study to be completed in three weeks. Our twice weekly tutorials and daily plenary lectures were stimulating, informative and academically challenging. We were introduced to editors, publishers, agents, authors and poets who gave their time, knowledge and advice about writing, publishing and the realities of working in the literary world today. One of my tutors created more workshop hours to assist us with our work/assignments. Our Director, Dr Sandie Byrne even offered her time for a lunch time poetry reading as well as organising evening mic sessions where we all had an opportunity to read our work to a wider audience. Undergraduate or post graduate students had the opportunity to have their grades credited to their Degrees if prior arrangements had been made with their home Universities. 

Meals were taken in the Hall. It was like walking onto the set of a Harry Potter film. Long, dark-stained tables, bench seats, table lamps, white china, surrounded by gilt framed portraits of past Rectors and benefactors of the College peered down at us as we ate our meals. Gothic, stained glass windows reflected morning light onto us in a way I will never forget. 

One evening after dinner a local, Shakespearean, dramatic group performed a play in the Hall for us. The Oxford Township was regularly abuzz with tourists, student groups, and local holiday makers enjoying the historical landmarks during their summer vacation. I enjoyed walking to Rewley House where I had access to excellent library resources which was within walking distance to the Oratory, local restaurants, second-hand shops, fashion, book and antique shops. 

One of the highlights of my visit to Oxford was the friendships I made during the course. One student organised a Talent Night which was held on our second last evening at Exeter. It showcased the talent of some of the students who claimed they were better at performance than writing! The final song by Britta an American student, in conjunction with a German student on piano was, “All You Need Is Love, Love Is All You Need”. 

Our final evening culminated in pre-dinner drinks in Fellow’s Garden, a formal dinner, presentation of certificates, many photographs, some tears but an experience we all will be forever changed from as a result of being students at Oxford University Summer Programme 2009.

I want to give very special thanks to Rob Malicki for his encouragement, enthusiasm and support of my application to Oxford. At all times from my first contact with him until our final email before my return to Australia, he was at all times the consummate professional. In the beginning, I received regular emails about accommodation, academic programmes, Oxford University requirements, course details, university web site information, travel insurance, emergency contact in the UK and a myriad of answers to my personal queries. Without his assistance and the umbrella AIM Overseas provided, I would never have considered that one of my dreams could possibly come true. 


All photos and text by Angela Dyson. All rights reserved.

The work trip: pleasure and pain

International education is a beautiful industy. Like many others, I ended up in International Ed because I did an exchange at uni, got hooked, and ended up working in an international office.

There's just nothing like helping Aussies to study overseas and seeing the passion an infectious enthusiasm that they come home with.

As the name would suggest, working in international education can involve quite a bit of travel - both domestic and international. The people who work these roles, sometimes referred to in the industry as 'Road Warriors', can spend days, weeks and even months away from home at a time going about the business of helping students circulate around the world to study. Which gets me to the interesting duality of travelling for work.

Your first interstate or international work trip is a buzz.
Hang on! Someone is actually paying you to travel and meet people? This isn't work at all!
This is living the dream.

In some senses the buzz never really wears off.
I've been in the industry nearly 10 years but every time I'm on the net searching for that next flight or booking the next hotel I'm still a little bit stoked....Anyone who travels for work and tells you that they don't enjoy it is either a masochist or a liar.

The reality of the work trip, though, is like anything. Once is a thrill, twice is a novelty, but after the tenth time it starts to become a bit of a routine.

There are the parts that are awesome: flying to new, or familiar, cities; meeting new people or catching up with old friends; staying in hotels and eating at different restaurants.

Then there are the parts that suck. The alarm going off at 3:45am for the 5th day in a row so you can be at the airport for the 6am flight. Delays. Constant packing and unpacking. Missing a good home cooked meal, your partner or pets. Crap weather. Cancelled meetings.
And most of all, the never-ending work day.

The internet is one of the banes of the modern working traveller.
Yes, you're connected all the time and can check your emails at will but.....well.....you're connected 24 hours a day and can check your email at will.

The reality is that even whilst you are on the road, travelling, going to meetings or doing other business, your friends, family and colleagues will still treat you like you're at home and going to the office. Sure you're in that nice hotel room where the in-house movies are free....but you'll never get to watch them because you've got two working days: Working day A from 9-5 including travelling, meetings, transit and other business; and Working day B from 6-11pm catching up on emails, doing follow up or 'putting out fires'.

A few months ago I was going on a work trip with a colleague. My colleague ran into a mutual friend, they had a chat and at the end the friend said, "Well, have a good holiday"
This can be normal if you travel a lot, people get confused where you are and where you're going. So my colleague explained that it was a week-long work trip where we'd probably be working 14 hour days but we'd still make the most of it.

A few hours later I ran into the same mutual friend, had a chat and at the end also got told "Have a nice holiday".

This is very frustrating for the working traveller because until you've done it yourself it is almost impossible to explain.

"We're going to be working 14 hour days and have three 6am flights this week" somehow gets translated into "Woo hoo, we're off to Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and are staying in 4-star hotels".

There's no malice in the translation in someone else's mind, just the lack of the experience to really understand the full picture.

And after awhile you do get your routines to make the crap stuff a little easier: pre-booked taxis, flying the night before, decent suitcases that fit in all your stuff, identifying decent hotels and restaurants to give a work trip a little more of that 'home' feel.

And as I say, anyone who doesn't like it shouldn't be doing it because there are plenty of others who would take up the mantle. I love it. Give me that ticket and I'm off.
But don't forget to tell me that it's okay to turn my computer off after 10pm.

Studying Arabic in Morocco - by Peter Ford

"Going to Morocco has been a highlight of my studies"

Studying a language overseas is an amazing experience. It adds considerable depth to your studies in Australia, whether in politics, international relations, history, or simply arts. I undertook Arabic at Mohammad V University in Rabat, Morocco in June/July 2009. This should have been my mid-year break in between Semester 1 and 2 at ANU but going to Morocco has been a highlight of my studies.

Being able to immerse myself in a culture and language that I am studying has provided a real insight into real-world situations. I can’t recommend overseas study highly enough. Traditionally Australian universities have not focused on exchange programs like their USA and British counterparts, perhaps due to distances and costs, but this is changing with OS-HELP loans, scholarships and travel grant assistance, which are all often available to help make the experience much more affordable.

There were 19 students in the course while I was there, and only 3 in my beginners class. After a thorough orientation, we were matched with a host family that would look after us for the duration of our stay. I chose a family that didn't speak English (everyone in Morocco speaks Arabic and French) to maximise the experience. The host family stay was amazing. My host father and brother (10yo) picked me up from the university and took me home to their house which was in the old medina of Rabat. Once meeting all the family, a customary and lengthy delight of Moroccan culture, I was treated to the first of many fantastic Moroccan meals and several glasses of the super-sweet mint tea.

The host family were wonderful, helpful, kind, generous - true ambassadors for Morocco. My family showed me to the closest bus stop and even took the bus with me some mornings to keep me company. Getting to and from the University was easier than it was in Australia!! The local mosque was 20m away (many an early morning start with the azan or 'call to prayer'), and the Hammam (bath-house) was about 200m from the house I stayed in. If you go to Morocco a trip to the local hammam is a must.

The language course was intensive and was conducted entirely in Modern Standard Arabic - important for quality assurance and academic standards. We started at 8.30am each morning and finished at 3.30pm, and covered vocab and listening, grammar, writing, speaking and reading. Each day contained additional vocabulary and dealt with key concepts of the language, progressing quickly, but thoroughly through the early stages of language acquisition. There was also an hour of Darija (Moroccan Arabic) to help students interact with the locals. Exams were held at the end of every week, as well as being assessed throughout the classes. Homework (this took around 3-4 hours each day) was also given daily and greatly assisted in the overall study. There was a final exam which covered everything that had been learnt through the course.

"There is a city in northern Morocco called Taza, where the inhabitants are known as Tazzi's. One of my teachers was from this city and as soon he found out I was from Tasmania (which we call Tassie) that was it - we were brothers!!!"

Twice a week there were cultural events such as Moroccan cooking or movies after class had finished. The University also arranged two small excursions, one to Asilah, a fantastic little fishing village in the north, and another to Essaouria to the south, known for its great beaches and surfing. The staff were extremely professional and helpful, and were so enthusiastic about having a student come all the way from Australia to study their language and culture. For example, there is a city in northern Morocco called Taza, where the inhabitants are known as Tazzi's. One of my teachers was from this city and as soon he found out I was from Tasmania (which we call Tassie) that was it - we were brothers!!!

Travelling so far I arrived a few days earlier to recover from the flights. This also gave me an opportunity to head south and see Marrakech - possibly the best city in Morocco Experiencing the culture that your are studying is a great way to improve your understanding and to put the language that you are learning into practice. Marrakech has an amazing history from its days as the final destination of the Sahara Caravans. Djemaa el-Fna is the centre square, and the thriving heart of the city, it comes alive at night but during the day it is filled with snake charmers, orange juice stalls, and spice shops. Second to Djemaa el-Fna are the endless souks and streets you can buy carpets, tea sets, leather products, anything you can imagine. Don't even bother with a map, just walk were you want and enjoy.

For the party-minded, Marrakech also has Africa’s largest nightclub - Pacha (an off-shoot of the clubs in London and Ibiza). It has a setting and a sound system unlike anything else I have seen. Marrakech is also a good base for getting out into the Sahara Desert. On a separate trip, four other language students and myself hired a guide and driver to take us up through the Atlas Mountains and into the Sahara. This was incredible - a totally different Morocco to explore. Highlights include getting into Berber Caves and drinking tea, the amazing scenery and landscape, the film studios at Ouarzazate were you can still see the sets of films like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven, 3 hours in a Camel Caravan into the Sahara, Dades and Todra Gorges and sleeping in a sandstorm in the desert. Many of the banks in Morocco have digital clock/date/temp signs and the sign in last town before we entered desert was reading 55 degrees!!

Another weekend I headed north to Fes and Meknes via train (it was easier to catch trains in Morocco than it is in Australia, too!!). Fes is an amazing city on its on, with the oldest university in the world, and the largest car-free CBD in the world. The streets are so thin that not only can you not fit a car, to get along some you have to walk sideways to get through!! Fez is also renowned for its leather tanneries, a smelly, but memorable experience. Outside of Meknes are the ruins of an old Carthage and Roman city which looks like a mini Roman Forum…something I did not expect to find in Morocco.

Morocco is a country that's changing, while still an Islamic country, and although parts are conservative it is quite progressive. An obvious example is fashion. The Hijab is quite common for women to wear and yet on the beach, bikinis are all the rage. There are strong ties to Spain (being less than 1 hour on a Ferry), and France (Morocco was a French protectorate until independence in 1956). There are close ties to the Middle East and the Arab world through religion and language, and also a strong feeling of being part of Africa. For female students, no problems were raised and the University took particular care to ensure everyone’s safety - you will get marriage proposals though, so be prepared to break some hearts!

Morocco is such a wonderful destination with so much diversity of landscape, people and culture. But there are similarities with Australian culture - family and friends are all important, rarely will you get time to yourself. There is a strong beach culture if you’re anywhere near the coast. Moroccans also have a love of good food, so you'll never go hungry…I started walking to and from the university to burn off all the food I ate! Many meals resemble an Aussie BBQ but with a few more flavours. Moroccan hospitality lived up to everything I had heard, from the famous Mint Tea (so sweet you can feel yourself booking an appointment at the dentist as you drink it) to the warm handshakes that reach to your heart.

For those looking to take their Arabic to the next level I recommend time in Morocco very highly. AIM Overseas will help set this up for you - www.aimoverseas.com.au. Intensive study and total immersion in the language and culture really helps the acquisition and retention of the language. For those just looking for something different in their studies, Morocco will certainly give you this. Studying overseas has greatly added my studies and was an experience to remember.

All photos and text by Peter Ford. All rights reserved.

Jewellery Design program in Milan - what a great experience!

In July 2009, Prue from the University of South Australia and Sandra from the University of Newcastle went to take the Jewellery Design program in Milan.

In Prue's words, "It was the best thing I've done".

In Sandra's words, "If you are into art or design you should go for it!"

Listen here to Prue - Jewellery Design in Milan


 Listen here to Sandra - Jewellery Design in Milan

Kuala Lumpur - A great Asian megalopolis!

Walk into any of the major Asian cities and you’re going to find some similarities: chaotic traffic, masses of people, hazy skies…..Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Beijing and Shanghai all have it.

But, having now been in KL just 2 days, I’ve got a great feeling about this place. This is one awesome Asian megalopolis, a place that has somehow managed to steal the best bits of lots of other big Asian cities, whilst leaving lots of the worst bits behind. Two days here and I love it!

Transport
There are two sides to transport in KL: Yes, it is cheap and easy to use, but in peak hour it is massively congested.

Staying in the city centre is great because there is a lot within walking distance. The monorail or metro (LRT) costs about 30-80c per trip depending on how far you're going and, worst case scenario, taxis are plentiful and cheap too.

Taxis in and around KL are safe to catch, though depending on where you take them the driver might refuse to run the meter (particularly if you are taking the cab from a touristy area like Chinatown) and want to negotiate a fixed price.

Wherever possible, insist that your driver uses the meter. If not, either find another taxi or remember that short trips around KL (e.g. the hotel to Chinatown) shouldn’t cost more than about 10 ringgit (depending on traffic).

Food
The food in Malaysia is an absolute highlight. From the hawker stalls on the roadsides (which are for the most part fine to eat from unless you've got a really sensitive stomach) to the restaurants, it's hard to go wrong.

Malaysian food is influenced by the country's three main cultural sub-groups: Malays, Indians and Chinese. Mix them together and you've got a culinary dream!

If you head into a food court you can generally pick up a meal for about AUD$1.50-3, and you'll be full afterwards! Restaurants are more pricey but still cheap by Australian standards - $10 will get you a great meal just about everywhere unless you are really going upmarket.

People
The Malaysian people are fabulous - really friendly and smiley. English is spoken everywhere (we've had only rare instances where someone we've met hasn't spoken excellent English) making it really easy to get around.

The city is really clean, connected to the world by super-cheap airfares (thanks to Air Asia) and definitely worth visiting. It would be a great place in which to undertake studies or an internship.

Frequent Flyer Points

When you fly it is normally possible for you to accumulate frequent flyer points.

Definitely sign up for the frequent flyer program of the airlines you fly! The cost of the program is calculated in your airfare, so you should make the most of it!

Frequent flyer points are points that you receive for each mile you fly (normally you get 1 point for each mile you fly) as long as you have booked an airfare that is eligible for frequent flyer point accrual. These days, many of the super special airfares don't accumulate points, but then again you are getting a great price!

The more you fly with a particular airline, or airline network, the more points you earn which can then be redeemed for free flights. Trust us, this is worth doing! We have earned free flights to Europe, New Zealand, Asia and New Caledonia over the years!

Airline Networks
Most airlines these days are part of airline networks.

Airlines in these networks have agreements so that if you have your frequent flyer points with, say, Singapore Airlines (Star Alliance network) and fly with another airline in the network, you will still accumulate points towards your Singapore Airlines account.

The major networks are:

Star Alliance: Our preferred network which includes the best airlines and most destinations worldwide.

Airlines include: Singapore Airlines, Thai Airlines, United Airlines, Scandinavian, Lufthansa, Swiss, South African Airways, US Airways, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Air China and many more.

One World: The One World network includes Qantas, British Airways, LAN Chile and Japanese Airlines (JAL) amongst others. Not a bad network.

Sky Team: The much smaller Sky Team network includes Air France, KLM, Delta, Aeromexico, Korean Air and China Southern. The network does not have good links into Australia.

Useful Frequent Flyer Point Resources

Webflyer: Mileage Calculator to help work out how many points you'll earn for certain flights and lots of other forums and tools.

Flyer Talk: Lots of forums and information about Frequent Flyer programs.

How to Book Flights

Everyone likes to find the best price on their airfare - that's totally natural! Here is how we go about booking our flights when we travel internationally.

1. Work out the dates you want to travel
Check out our post about working out when you should arrive at your host institution.

2. Check out a couple of sites online to get an idea of prices
Online sites are getting easier and easier to use in order to search for international airfares.

The two sites that we use are:
Expedia.com.au
and
Zuji travel

These sites are great because you can search as much as you like and it is very easy to book. They are very powerful in that they can search multiple airlines (and sometime multiple destinations) at once.

3. Choose your preferred airline and search their website
Once you've used the search engines to identify suitable airlines, go directly to the airline's webpage and check the price they offer for the same flight.

Usually the price will be the same or similar as the online travel search engines (see step 2). If so, we will often book using Expedia or Zuji just to have the support of another organisation behind us if something were to go wrong with our travel plans (i.e. you can ask them to sort out changes for you instead of having to deal with the airline yourself).

4. Finally, go to a travel agent to compare prices
A good travel agent may be able to find other flight routings, airlines or dates that help make your flight cheaper or easier. However, if the travel agent doesn't come back with a better price we always book online.


AIM Overseas' recommended airlines
Finally, here are the airlines that we usually fly. Of course, it all depends where you want to go!

To Europe: We fly Singapore Airlines whenever possible.
The cheapest way to fly to Europe is to fly Air Asia X to London via Kuala Lumpur. Note this is a discount carrier, so your flights will be efficient and no-frills.

To North America: We recommend V Australia. New planes and great service make this the best way to get to the USA. You may need to book onward flights separately.

To Asia: Lots of airlines fly to Asia, so who we fly depends on where we need to go.
Singapore Airlines is our choice carrier, though we've also had great experiences on Thai, Asiana and Cathay Pacific.

Air Asia X is most often the cheapest way to fly to Asia cities, connecting via Kuala Lumpur.

To South America or Africa: There aren't many direct options from Australia to these destinations and you'll most likely end up on Qantas.

Round the World: The beautiful round-the-world option is a great way to see heaps for a great price. We strongly recommend the Star Alliance network which incorporates many of the world's best airlines and gives you access to the widest range of destinations on a single round-the-world itinerary.

Also check out our post on frequent flyer points.


Other Useful Online Tools

Here are some other tools that you'll find very useful when booking flights:

Seat Guru: A MUST to check out EVERY TIME YOU TRAVEL. Seat Guru has reviews of every seat on every type of plane for every airline. This allows you to check if you have been given a good seat or a crap seat by your travel agent or when you check-in online.

Seat counter: For people who know what they're looking for - find how many seats are still available in particular booking classes for flights.

When should I arrive at my host institution?

A common question is 'When should I plan to arrive at my host institution?'

Here is a guide.

1. Check what day your program begins

Most often, programs actually begin on a Monday with classes, meaning that the arrival day for the program will be the Sunday before classes begin. For some programs, however, the arrival day is either the first Monday of the program or even the Saturday before, so read your program information carefully.

2. Plan how much time you want to allow for pre-program sightseeing and adjusting to time difference
We normally recommend that students arrive in the correct time zone at least 2 days prior to the start of their program. This allows for plenty of time to adapt to the rhythm of being in a different country, culture and time zone - your body will definitely appreciate having the time to adjust to the new sights, sounds, smells and sleeping pattern!

Most students also like to plan on some time to do some travelling before or after their program. Remember that you'll definitely meet people on your program, so travelling at the conclusion of your program allows you to plan trips with new friends.

3. Ensure you know when you are able to move into your accommodation

Finally, make sure you've checked when you are able to move into your program accommodation and that you've got the address with you. In the case that you'll be brought to your accommodation as part of a group, make sure you've noted the meeting place for the group and know how to get there. Google Maps is a great way to be able to find locations in Australia and abroad.

4. Book your flights accordingly

Book your flights according to what you have worked out to be your ideal date to arrive. If you want further advice, you can always contact AIM Overseas and we're happy to help!
Check out our post on booking flights here.

Arriving in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is located about 75km from the city centre - quite a haul as international airports go. The airport itself has three times won 'World Airport of the Year' in the definitive annual Skytrax poll.

There are two main ways to get from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to downtown Kuala Lumpur: train or taxi.

A train will set you back about 35 Malaysian ringgit, about AUD$14, and the express service takes you all the way to KL Sentral station in about 35 minutes with no stops. See the KLIA Ekspress website for more information.

Once you get off at KL Sentral you'll then either need to connect onto public transport or take a taxi to your final destination in the city.

A taxi will cost you roughly double the train but will, of course, take you right to where you want to go.

Taxi tariffs from the airport to the city centre are fixed according to 'zones'. It currently costs about 70 MYR (AUD$30) for a taxi right to your destination. As soon as you pass through customs you'll find a desk selling tickets for the taxis. Pre-purchase your taxi ticket here. Make sure you get the 'budget' option ticket as they have a tendancy to automatically sell you the 'luxury' option if you're not paying attention (which costs more than double!)

The taxi ride will take about an hour to cover the 70km, all depending on the state of traffic as you get into the centre of KL. Taxis in KL are safe and you should have no issues from the airport. Tipping is not required.

Tipping on Kilimanjaro

Tipping on Kilimanjaro can be a little tricky, particularly if you are not familiar with tipping. Your travel agent will certainly provide you some information about this, but here's some independent advice.

The thing to remember is that your tip isn't really a 'tip' - it is a supplement for salaries that are far too low for the work being done (see end of post for more info).

At the end of your trek you will be expected to tip your team (guides/porters etc). You will be told that this is 'entirely voluntary' and 'not expected', but unless you have had a completely shit experience that is not true. If you are trekking with an experienced company like African Walking Company (booked through Africa Travel Resource) you will have been extremely well looked after and would be purely nasty not to tip.

Tipping is customary in Tanzania - don't be mean! You earn a lot more than these great people!

How does it work?

On the last morning of your trek your chief guide will hold a 'Tipping Ceremony'. This is when your guides and porters will stand around and receive your group's tips.

At the ceremony your group might choose to say a few words, sing a song or something else short in order to celebrate the moment. We saw people playing harmonica, singing and our group led an all-in 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes', which was pretty funny (most porters don't speak much English so were following the actions looking a little bewildered).

Prior to this you will have decided how much you are going to tip (this is explained in 'how much...' below). We called up each of our head guide, assistant guides and cook one by one and gave them an envelope (a folded sheet of paper in our case) with their tip inside. We announced what we were giving them to the whole group.

If you are able to (i.e. if you have the exact change) it is also nice to tip the porters and 'helping porters' individually too. We had 30+ porters, so announced to everyone exactly how much we were giving each porter and each helping porter then gave that to the head guide to divide later. It is critical to announce this amount so everyone is clear on how much has been given.

Your guides and porters might then sing, dance and thank you in return. It's all very nice.

How much do we need to contribute?
I want to preface these comments by saying we are not wealthy - we are middle of the road people with middle of the road ideals, working hard and enjoying our traveling. These are suggestions only, but having conquered the mountain this is how we felt (which was different to how we felt prior to climbing).

Our group were given different advice depending on who we booked through. Some were told US$50-70, others US$60-80 and we were told US$80-100. The African Walking Company rep told us US$80-100, but on their 'Tipping Guide Sheet' it advised US$50-80.

Let's set the record straight. You should be tipping US$80-100 (unless you didn't have a good experience or have good reason to tip less) if your group has 6-10 people. If you are fewer you will need to tip more each to make up the total pool.

On the last night we sat around the dinner table and everyone in the group put their money into the middle. We then had to decide how to split it.

AWC had recommended the following breakdowns:
Chief Guide: US$50-70
Cook: US$40-50
Assistant Guides: US$30-50 each
Helping Porters: US$15-20 each (these are the porters who also help around the camp bringing meals, looking after the toilet tent etc)
Regular porters: US$10-15 each

If you have had a good experience, tip at the top of this scale.

Additional Personal Tips
Inevitably someone on your trip will go well beyond the call of duty to help you. A guide might carry your bag on the summit push, an assistant guide might always be there in the mornings with a big smile to get you going and someone has to empty the toilet....

These people make your trip special and you should not hesitate to tip them above and beyond the 'pool'. A few dollars for a porter, $5-10 for an assistant guide (or more) is gratefully received.

One of our assistant guides saved our bacon on summit night by carrying our bag all the way to the summit. Without him we would not have made it so we gave him $20, an extra $10 to the chief guide for keeping an awesome trip going smoothly (they do HEAPS of work, so be generous) and a series of $2-3 tips for the porters who helped most.

Bring up to US$50 per person in smaller denominations extra just in case. Consider all the money you are spending on the trip - if someone made it unreal, or helped you get there, then leave extra behind. Some of these guys only get one trip a month (or less in quiet times), so what you leave behind helps a lot. Let's be honest, the extra $50 won't destroy your bank balance.

Leaving Excess Gear and Leftovers
If you don't want to leave extra money, that's fine. Personal choice.
The other thing you can leave, though, is your spare gear.

By the final day you might realise that you don't need all those leftover energy bars, batteries or spare raincoat. Maybe you are happy to buy new gloves, a new daypack, gaitors, thermal or shirt.
Anything, it doesn't matter what it is - whoever you leave it to will be happy.

We left gloves with a porter, a headtorch with an assistant guide, batteries and energy bars with another guide. Other people left a lot more.

Your excess gear is also like a tip, so give it to people you feel have earned it.

The main thing is be fair.

Salaries aren't big in Tanzania, guides and porters make very little. Porters earn about US$5 a day, assistant guides not much more (US$8-10) and chief guides about US$20 a day (very little for the huge amount of work they do to arrange the trip). Follow your conscience and reward exceptional service.

Climbing Kilimanjaro

I am pretty fit, so when the logistics coordinator of our climb group for Mt Kilimanjaro told us that it would be the hardest thing we had ever done, I was a little skeptical.

Could it seriously compare to cycling 300km around Paris in a day, the 200km/4000m climbing of the Alpine Classic bike ride or beating my sherpa to the top of the Tserko Ri in Nepal?

Four days later at 1 a.m. staring up into the never-ending blackness of the mountain, watching the headtorches of 200 other climbers snake up into the freezing cold darkness, I had my answer: I have never done anything harder. This was something extraordinary that we only push ourselves through a few times in our lives.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is an incredible experience: a huge challenge and a great achievement. There is beautiful scenery, great camaraderie with your climbing partners, gratefulness to your team of guides and porters and dust, dust, dust. We climbed the Rongai route, which crosses the mountain from north to south and it was just epic.

The Rongai is a strongly recommended route as there are fewer climbers than on other routes and the more modest elevation gains makes acclimatisation better.

We were walking with the African Walking Company who were exceptionally organised and highly recommended by many people. We'd certainly recommend them. It is not possible directly with African Walking Company and we booked our trip through Africa Travel Resource and they were brilliant. Great service and seamless travel connections - everywhere we went, ATR had someone waiting for us and there to make sure we made the right travel connections and that we had arrived as planned. Even though they are based in England, it was very easy to deal them, even from abroad.

Day 1: Nalemeru Gate (1950m) to Moorland Camp (2700m)

The northern side of the mountain is typically drier than the south, so the first few days go up through some pretty dry conditions. It's a two hour drive from Marangu to the park gate for the Rongai Route.

Once at the gate you meet your guides as the Head Guide organisers the porters (who argue about the loads they have to carry - strictly limited to 15kg each).

Up through pine forest to camp 1 (Moorland Camp) we settled in and were a bit surprised by the constant arrival of many many other groups. By evening the camp was completely full - there were at least 200 people with sleeping tents and mess tents everywhere. Total chaos. Even our guides were shocked by the huge number of people, but fortunately it wasn't to last.

Tip for the day: If you are climbing Kili on this route, definitely buy some knee-length gaitors and wear them from the start. The dirt and dust is very deep for the first 2 hours of the climb and you will end up far cleaner and happier if you've got gaitors on.

Day 2: Moorland Camp (2700m) to Kikelelwa Caves (3600m)

We're in our sleeping bags, it's 5 a.m. and still dark and suddenly we can hear shouting in the darkness. Voices of staff of one of the other camps are yelling frantically and we start to freak out. Is it a landslide? Are we being attacked? What the hell is going on?

Outside it is freezing cold and one of the others in our team tells us there has been a gas fire amongst one of the other camps. Fortunately it was quickly controlled.

Each morning and each afternoon, AWC's guides provide you with a tub of steaming hot water for your 'Washi washi'. It can be pretty tough stripping down to undergarments in order to have a little wash either before or after the day's activities, but you become very happy to have it.

The day's hike climbs very gradually. Lunch is at 'Second Cave' and there are spectacular views of Kilimanjaro's flat topped crater almost all day long - it is temptingly close and deceptively far away.

The vegetation thins out a bit from Second Cave onwards - mostly just low shrubs and bushes and plenty of dust. More than half the huge group from the first camp stopped at Second Cave to camp for the night, so we finally feel a little more in the wilderness. Our team pushed on to Kikelelwa Caves, essentially just traversing across the lower slopes of the mountain to reach our camp for the evening.

Tip for the day: Drink heaps of water and take Diamox tablets. Puritans may want to climb the mountain without assistance of altitude medication (trust me, I wanted to as well) but anything you can do to improve your chances to summiting you should take. Drinking water is the first thing that will get you to the summit but considering how much it costs to climb Kili, you shouldn't hesitate to use every tool at your disposal to make it to the summit. Altitude medication should be part of your Kili toolkit.

Day 3: Kikelelwa Caves (3600m) to Mawenzi Tarn (4330m)

AWC are brilliant - there is always plenty of food, especially at breakfast although our team wasn't terribly fond of porridge (which unfortunately is also scientifically proven to be the best high-energy, easy to digest breakfast you can get for exercise).

From Kikelelwa the path goes straight up and it is a solid climb for 3-4 hours. If you don't feel the cold too much, shorts and gaitors are more than sufficient for this day's climb. Vegetation is down to grasses and all morning you stare up at the rugged and beautiful Mawenzi mountain (5149m), Kilimanjaro's twin mountain. We were actually heading away from Kili itself this day, but it's all in the name of acclimatisation.

After lunch the guides took us for an acclimatisation walk higher up above the little lake that sits beside the Mawenzi Tarn campsite. After this a few of us were feeling pretty sick (headache, nausea) so started on Diamox. It's not worth risking your chances of getting to the top, so take it if you can!

Once again, African Walking Company were great. Very thorough in making sure we were acclimatising properly through appropriate walks etc. This is the advantage of going with a reputable company, even if they cost a little more - do not compromise on your company as this will certainly compromise your chances of success!

Tip for today: An interesting tip about food culture in Tanzania: whilst it is not impolite for food to be left in the dishes on the table and not finished, it is considered impolite if you have put food on your plate and not finished it.

This is particularly important in camp as any leftovers in the dishes will always be finished either by guides or porters. So make sure you only put on your plate what you intend to eat.

Day 4: Mawenzi Tarn (4330m) to Kibo Hut (4700m)

My headache had lifted by morning, most likely thanks to a double dose of Diamox, and our team settled into the mess tent for breakfast. Altitude can be an appetite killer and several of us had lost ours, managing to get down a little porridge, eggs and bacon before heading off for the day.

After crossing a couple of little hills you reach 'the saddle'. This is the 5km long, barren shoulder of land that separates Kilimanjaro's Uhuru Peak from Mawenzi. On a normal day, at sea level, this would be an easy 1.5 hour stroll. But at 4700m of altitude, with chilly winds ripping up over the saddle from one side of the mountain to the other, it gets tough.

In the photo to the right you can see the long expanse of alpine desert stretching to the base of the mountain. The day's destination is just to the left of the top of Marine's head.

It is a long, shuffling walk across the col, past the wreck of a light aircraft that crashed in the changing winds of the saddle in 2006. The last kilometres are the hardest. Although the slope isn't steep at all, it is harder and harder to catch your breath. The Kibo Hut inches closer as you shuffle one foot after the other "pole, pole" the guides tell you "slowly, slowly". It's not really necessary since you couldn't go faster even if you really wanted to....

Tip for the day: Pole, pole!

Day 4/Day 5: The Summit Attempt
Around 1pm we arrived at camp at Kibo Hut, the final uphill section seeming impossibly difficult for such a gentle slope. By now we were truly breathless and collapsed into our tents after checking in with the rangers at the hut.

Our guides filled us with lunch and gave us our final climb briefing: dinner at 5:30pm, sleep as much as you can and we'll wake you at 11pm for breakfast. The climb starts at midnight. Good luck!

We hit the sack and tried to sleep. I managed 2 hours and Marine snuck in 30 minutes of shut eye.

Dinner:
A light dinner (nobody is hungry anyway) then straight back to the tents. The sun has gone down and it is already getting cold. We prepare all our things for the final ascent and crawl into our sleeping bags. Sleep comes fast.

11pm:
Our bladders have been bursting for half an hour but it's impossible to get motivated to get out of the sleeping bags. Then a guide is at the tent calling to you 'Good morning, time to go!'

Layer up: long johns, leg warmers, pants, overpants.
Thermal, breathable sports shirt, second thermal, arm warmers, wool jumper, down jacket, shell jacket, beanies (x2), gloves, two sets of socks, boots....

'Breakfast' is porridge: high energy food. We swallow down a little chocolate, fill our water bottles with hot water, put on the headtorches, grab our walking poles and....it's time.

It's a little after midnight and very cold. To the left and right, above and below, the headtorches of other groups going for the summit form thin chains of light snaking up the mountain. There are a lot of people on the mountain, 200 at least.

A crescent moon is already falling from the sky and sometime in the first hour it is gone behind the summit crest, leaving only a halo of light and the most spectacular display of stars....if only we felt up to appreciating them!

Our guides shepherd us - one at the front, one at the back and several on the sides. They are constantly monitoring us, checking our condition, keeping us moving, encouraging us.

You look up and can see the lights winding high high up on the mountain, out of view so high above. Then you put your head back down and focus on that little circle of light from your headtorch....shuffle forward a few steps...your heartrate is going nuts...just watching the boots in front of you. Don't fall behind.

This goes on for hours. Feet are cold, fingers are numb. At last the guides call a break and everyone collapses onto whatever rock they can find to rest on. We all try to swallow a little water..a little food...it's tough. One of the guides takes my backpack - with nearly 6 litres of water for me and Marine it is too heavy for me. My heartrate is at least 150 and my breathing is shallow and rapid.

Within a minute of stopping it is suddenly viciously cold and we all want to get moving. The group encourages each other and we push on - for 10 seconds you feel great, this is easy! Then suddenly your heartrate jumps, your head slumps and you're back following that little yellow circle of light.

The surface of the mountain is incredibly loose - a mixture of sand, thick dust, gravel and rocks. Every step you take the surface slips away a little and it is the case of 2 steps forward, one step back....very frustrating at over 5000 metres!

I feel abysmal. Marine is nauseous and a guide takes her by the arm and leads her quickly higher. I struggle to keep up. Somehow this does her good and the nausea passes after an hour or so.

My lungs are feeling rotten. 4 days of sucking in dust has taken its toll and I am coming down with a strong cough, which is a little stressful when thinking of pulmonary oedemas. I ask a guide about it and he reassures me it is just irritation from the dust.

A team mate, Bayju, appears in the darkness, looking strong. I feel like death and ask him how he's going 'I'm dead man' he tells me and suddenly I feel reassured. We're all in this together, we all feel rotten with the possible exception of 49 year old superwoman Janet who is already high above us on the mountain. Legend.

Hours crawl by and we lose two of our team: Anna and Jan who have been sick for days with altitude related conditions. Both made it a good way up the mountain and we are all in awe they even started the final night. Respect.

Shuffle shuffle, pause, breathe, shuffle shuffle, pause, breath, look up at long line of lights, shuffle shuffle...the hours pass and suddenly one of the guides announces 'Look, dawn is coming'.

In the east, the sky has melted just a little. We push on....

...some time later one of the guides, Rambo, yells and is pointing up. About 50 metres above we can see headtorches hovering on top of stacks of rocks. It's Gilman's Point! The crater rim!
The guide starts singing and I am sobbing....oh my goodness, we're actually going to make it!

6am: Gilman's Point is 5681m above mean sea level and it is a technical summit of Kilimanjaro. In this photo you can see the first shades of dawn in the eastern sky, but can't see how magnificent the hot cup of tea was that our guide Rambo poured for us. You can see how stoked we are to be there though.

From here Marine was in great form and I struggled. She had it together and took lots of photos of both us and the group.

The main peak of Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak, is actually visible from Gilman's. At sea level it would be a comfortable 40 minute walk on mostly flat path with a couple of uphill sections. For us, after 6 hours of battling the mightly slopes of Kili, it was a massive struggle. The path winds around the crater rim providing spectacular views.



Halfway to Uhuru we run into Janet who is already on her way down. How far is it left? Just 15 minutes, her guide tells us....







....an hour later we are within 50m of the true summit of Africa.....














Then suddenly we're there!
AIM Overseas on the roof of Africa!

It is one of my most emotional moments ever - a lump rises in my throat and tears come to my eyes. What an achievement! We are both so proud of each other!



Then it's time to go down, down, down and, quite frankly, I couldn't wait to be as far down as possible!

Back at Gilman's you look down off the rocks and it's quite a view: a 45 degree slope reaching about 1 kilometre or more back down to Kibo Hut. You realise straight away why it was so tough getting to the top.

Now it's fun time: scree surfing!
You take your poles and start jumping down the mountain, half running/half skiing down the ridiculously loose slope. Within seconds you are slipping/running down Kilimanjaro losing height 20 times faster than you gained it. Dust comes up in clouds and it's getting warmer. We realise that we haven't drunk anything in nearly two hours and we're dehydrated.


Down, down, down we slide (see photo to the right) - eating up huge chunks of the mountain with every lunge down the slippery slope. Woo hoo! You're accelerating, dropping, sliding, plunging down through the gravel and dust. It's a rush and reward for all the hard work. The sky is crystalline blue, not a cloud to be seen as you drop below the level of Mawenzi's summit (5149m) towards camp.

The roof of Kibo Hut comes up and soon enough you're back in camp.

I'm shot. I get given a sugary drink from Tosha, our head guide, but it irritates my oesophagus and I'm having difficulty getting it all down. I crash out in the tent, 10.5 hours after leaving it.

Tip for the day: Don't give up. It's hard, but worth it. Have courage and push through and you will be rewarded.

Day 5: Kibo Hut (4700m) to Horombo Hut (3700m) (via the Marangu 'Coca Cola' route)

After an hour or so sleep, we were woken up: lunchtime then time to repack everything and descend further to the Horombo Hut. Everyone was pretty buggered after an epic climb (7 out of 10 of us made Uhuru Peak, and a further girl made it to Gilman's on the crater rim), but there was still 3 hours to go down across the saddle towards Mawenzi and further down to Horombo.

But we pulled on our shoes and started plodding down, which is amazing how easy it is compared to going up! The hours melted away 3.5 hours later we came down into the very scenic Horombo clearing.

We were all very impressed by our guides. Not only had they carried our bags to the top and done all the same walking that we had, but they hadn't slept at all the day before. Whilst we had walked 21 hours out of the previous 32 hours, they had too and had not slept a wink.

They build them tough on Kili.

Dinner was done by 6pm and shortly afterwards Marine and I fell into our sleeping bags. We knew the wake up call would be coming at 6am and sleep was quick to come to us.

Tip for the day: Coca colas and beers are available at Horombo for 3000 Tanzanian shillings each (about $3). You'll need to have change if you want to buy these!

Day 6: Horombo Hut (3700m) to Marangu Gate (1900m)
Day 6 is all about going down down down, but the day starts off with your 'tipping ceremony'. I've written a separate post about tipping on Kilimanjaro because it is important to get it right, so if you're interested check out that post.

As you go down you feel better and better, stronger and stronger. The vegetation changes from alpine desert to scrub, scrub to health, health into forest and forest into rainforest as you drop down from above down through the clouds and out underneath. We didn't have rain but it often does on the Marangu side of the mountain.

Eventually we reached the bottom, ran the gauntlet of children selling things and begging for chocolate and money (this is not the place to leave spare food and money, by the way - if you feel the need to do so, give it to your porters as they've carried your gear for a week and have certainly earned it!) and arrived at the Marangu gate.

At the gate we signed out of the park, were handed our certificates and took final photos. There was a little time to just to say our final farewells to our guides and porters. Thank you to them all!

Tip for the day: strap your feet with tape, lengthen your walking poles, use talcum powder to reduce friction and wear two pairs of socks. These are all measures to reduce the pressure on your feet and knees which descending 2000+ metres in two days will place a lot of stress on.

Don't forget to stretch your main muscles (quads, hamstrings, calves as a minimum) because everyone from our group was sore at the bottom.

Here is our group (from left): Anna Braaten, Janet Vickers, Chris Higman, Paul Tynan, Jenny Tynan, Jan Tynan, Rob Malicki, Marine Hautemont, Priya Jamus, Bayju Thakar. A group of total legends!

The End
Back at the Kilimanjaro Mountain Resort our group put the feet up, shared some beers, exchanged email addresses and basked in the glory of an epic adventure. Even the ladies who didn't make it to the top deserved massive credit for the courage they showed pushing through serious sickness to battle their way up the slopes. If it had been me I'm not so sure I would have been as strong.

If you are thinking of an epic adventure then Kilimanjaro is one of the finest out there. Highly recommended by both Marine and I - once again we strongly recommend the African Walking Company and booking the trip through Africa Travel Resource.