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Trio climb to African summit
From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Friday 23rd Mar 2001.
THREE men from north Wiltshire took on the trek of a lifetime to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.
The three friends, Dick Tonge, Jim Harvey and John Bull, all come from Colerne.
Mr Tonge, the district councillor for Lacock, said it had been very hard work.
"After three days of serious walking, altitude becomes a real problem, making sleep nigh on impossible," he said.
"The final ascent starts at 11pm to avoid the heat of the day and lasts for about eight hours.
"It is pitch dark, the temperature drops to about minus 20 degrees Centigrade and the air seems to be devoid of oxygen, making every movement an effort."
He said the idea had come from all three of them, and they were delighted to complete the five-day journey a month ago.
"Jim has done it before, but did not get to the top," he said.
"We did it for its own sake really, although we did raise money for a Tanzanian orphanage and Save the Children. I don't think I'll be doing it again, but I am pleased to have done it."
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