Longford and Cavan charities to benefit from Arva man's amazing adventure to the top of the world

Mount Kilimanjaro. Its name conjures up images of swirling clouds, an exotic land very far from Arva.

Located in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano, the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world.

At the end of January Michael Ellis and his daughter Claire Ellis arrived at base camp in the East African country before embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. The duo would be part of an expedition scheduled to spend seven days on a trek that brought them a monumental 5,895m above sea level and back down.

“As the saying goes, I've the certificate to prove it,” Michael told the Leader of his thrilling escapade.

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“I collected sponsorship money for a number of local charities: St Christopher's, Longford Hospice Homecare, Cavan Monaghan Palliative Care and for our local community hall. Between myself and Claire we collected a total of around €20,000,” the recently minted mountaineer said.

Most high mountains are part of ranges, but Mount Kilimanjaro sits alone; the result of the fusing of three volcanic cones. It lies just 205 miles from the equator.

“It took us five nights and five days to go up, then two nights and two days to come down. We slept in tents at night,” Michael told, “It was tough going up for a fellow of my age. But even the younger people found it hard to get to the top with altitude sickness.”

That “fellow my age”, description is to put him past “retirement age”, but he wouldn't be drawn on how far past. The Arva man said his preparations involved “just a bit of walking”, but added: “I'd be fit enough. I'm still working away at Fresh Today. I just generally keep fit, you know what I mean.”

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The journey was not one of luxury: “We slept in the tents every night. The porter carried up the tents and the food. Every morning we had stirabout, porridge, and a bit of fruit and we drank plenty of water.”

There were challenges along the route: “You go up hills and down valleys. On the second day we come to The Wall as they call it. It was hard.

“On the first day we left, it was warm. As we climbed up it got cooler. Then it rained for three days, lashed.

“They were saying that it doesn't normally rain at this time of the year. We were unlucky. We got a lot of rain and a lot of floods.”

Though he enjoyed the experience he says: “I wouldn't do it again.”

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The climb was the focal point of the African undertaking, but Tanzania was an eye opener for Michael: “It was great. I'll tell you something, we met the most wonderful people. The Tanzanians are so lovely, but the poverty out there is unreal.”

The gap between rich and poor was very apparent: “It's either extreme poverty or extreme wealth. Even though there's a democracy, it's not a fair democracy now.

Michael said there was a tremendous bond forged with his fellow adventurers: “There were 18 in our group, from Earth's Edge. Four from Waterford, a father and two daughters from Skerries.

“You go through the same turmoil every day, and you sleep in a tent at night, and basically you drink a lot of water during the day, as much as possible.”

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Michael's daughter, Claire, suggested the opportunity, and accompanied him on the journey. At 4,600m altitude sickness prevented Claire from progressing.

The cultural differences struck Michael: “It was a great experience. I was never in Africa before. We got a real insight into the way the people live.

“The land is all common land. It's all owned by the State. The farmer gets up in the morning, not like in Longford or Cavan or Westmeath, gathers up his 50 goats, his thin cows or whatever he has and he heads out to his bit of a patch and he stands with his animals all day, watching them to make sure they don't wander off across the road.

“In the evening, he walks them back home. It's a completely different way of life, but a very interesting experience.”