Day 3: Emotions Run High on Mt. Kili

Day three of the BT Red Nose Climb started off with a special sing-song for birthday boy Ronan Keating over breakfast – swiftly followed by the singer being presented with a giant cake. But as the day wore on, the celebrations were halted as the celebrity climbers were forced to take on board the enormity of their fundraising feat for the first time on their grueling trek up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Just as the girls reached camp towards the end of a long day’s climb, word reached the team that a male climber not far ahead in another group was suffering from acute altitude sickness.

The celebrities’ mood quickly turned from one of jubilant confidence to sombre reality when they witnessed the climber being stretchered down the mountain in an attempt to save his life.

It came after a successful acclimatisation trek up Mount Kilimanjaro’s treacherous Cathedral Ridge, a face of the mountain so steep that the climbers had to scramble with their hands and feet for the first time on the climb. As the news spread, the BT Red Nose Climb doctor rushed on ahead to assist the man taken ill.

In a state of shock, the girls were all tearful as they stopped for the night at a barren camp 3800 metres high. Cheryl described how she felt when she witnessed the climber being dramatically taken down the mountain to a lower height:

"He looked scared’ She said. ‘Really frightened and it shook all of us up. You feel really strange at this altitude anyway, emotional and strange - then to see that really got to us. I started to wonder if I was suffering from it too - but I'm alright and we've got each other to help us get through and hopefully get all the way to the top."

Kimberley said: "This is hard, the walking is tough, but the altitude makes you feel so different. It was great to climb so high today but to see that man looking so panicked was horrible. I'm so glad we are all here to support one another, it would be impossible otherwise."

After witnessing such a dramatic event the celebrities are now keeping a close eye on each other for symptoms of altitude sickness among the team. The A-listers have experienced mild headaches and nausea so far with Fearne also suffering from occasional nose bleeds. Thankfully, overall, the group are coping with the altitude fantastically well so far.

Still suffering from severe back pain, Gary Barlow was forced to wait behind during the optional acclimatisation walk today. Gary said "I woke up with bad back this morning. The rest of the guys did a big acclimatisation climb, but I gave my back a rest and went with a guide on my own for a lonely 4 hour trek. It was the right thing to do though - I'm feeling better tonight - big day tomorrow."

Chris Moyles faced a huge challenge of his own today when he had to overcome severe vertigo to reach the dizzy heights of Mount Kilimanjaro’s terrifying Cathedral Ridge. While reflecting on his detox to prepare for the challenges of the climb he exclaimed “Never mind Gary's back, my liver is in danger of turning a normal colour!”

It’s certainly getting tougher for the BT Red Nose Climbers as each day wears on. Make sure you give them all the support you can and sponsor them here!
http://www.rednoseday.com/climb/diary/day_3_emotions_run_high_mt_kili

by JAMES ELLIS - Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Greg Whyte, 41, is a former Olympic medallist in pentathlon who spends much of his time training stars for Comic Relief fundraisers. He is currently around 3,800m up Kilimanjaro with a host of other celebs. We spoke to him before he started the climb

How did the training go?
Initially, when we did altitude exposure training, there was a variable response. Some cope with it well, some don’t. We found Ronan Keating to be one of what we would call ‘poor responders’ but we have addressed that quite aggressively and it seems to have got better.

Sounds like you got the whip out.
We beat them up and then suffocated them for so long they got used to hypoxia. I have a special chamber that allows you to go up in altitude, even to Everest and beyond. Importantly for the guys, they got to experience the symptoms of ‘acute mountain sickness’ so they know what it is like to feel light-headed and nauseous.

Are your mates asking you for gossip?
My wife certainly is. She’s a huge Take That fan and as I have Gary Barlow on the trip, she is very interested. I might find her in my backpack at this rate.

There are a lot of egos. Any hissy fits?
Not yet. To achieve in any walk of life you have to have an air of self-confidence that some people might find arrogant but there is also an understanding of how hard one has to work to achieve something. When you ask guys like these to work hard, they understand what it means – maybe not from a physical aspect but their mental abilities are not that far from those of an elite athlete. But where we are likely to see an unravelling of personalities is on the mountain. Seven days at altitude in varying weather conditions and with no home comforts could do it. There is a BBC documentary which is showing on March 12 – I think that is where you will see the changes

Is Chris Moyles an elite athlete in a fat suit?
It’s a bloody realistic one if so! Chris is a self-confessed smoker, drinker and non-exerciser. It’s wonderful to see someone such as Chris do this. It’s a fantastic advert for the public watching. It shows the public that, whatever state you are in, you can achieve something. Look at Gary, Ronan or Ben Shephard: they are in great shape so there is expectation they will do well but someone like Chris, I find inspirational.

There are five beautiful women on the trip. Have you had a sneaky peek at their bums in the gym?
I have an equally beautiful wife and three beautiful children… but it’s one of those things, it’s good fun to have beautiful women about you and my mates are always asking me about them.

How will they deal with no lippy and mascara on the mountain?
It’s something that will affect all the girls and, in fact, all the climbers as the home comforts are not just lippy and mascara. We’re talking about no porcelain toilet behind a locked door, no shower, no comfy bed with a soft pillow… it’s a short time but they will be very tired and affected by altitude so that will be very tough, especially in the latter stages.

How should our readers get over any mental challenges they face?
First you have to believe anything is possible. But for it to be so, you need to have planning and commitment. To do that, you need to set a long-term goal, then you must set short-term goals so you have success along the way. Once you reach those goals, make sure you celebrate success and enjoy it. If you take a progressive step-by-step approach and believe in yourself you can make it.

How will you be celebrating the summit?
I will be unfurling a Luton Town flag in preparation for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final at Wembley. Thanks to our points deduction [for financial irregularities] we’ll probably be the only team to appear at Wembley the same year we go out of the league. As a Leeds fan, I empathise. Chris Moyles is a Leeds fan too.

RedNoseClimbChris: never mind Gary's back, my liver is in danger of turning a normal colour!около 9 часов ago from txt

Gary Barlow, Chris Moyles from Kilimanjaro - Radio 1 - (Part 1b2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTdHuhB05uM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6BS10n2fTA

Published: 03 Mar 2009
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THE SUN is following the progress of a team of celebs climbing Africa’s 19,330ft Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief.

Here is Day Three of GARY BARLOW’s diary of the trek.

DAY Three and my back is the worst it’s been in two weeks.

Climb medic Raj took the decision to send me on a shorter route than the seven-hour walk the rest of the group were taking.

I reached camp before the others but we all saw a man in a group ahead of us being stretchered off the mountain with an oxygen mask and it hit home just how hard this trek is and what we have ahead of us.

We are all suffering from altitude sickness and everyone is emotional, especially the girls.

Being so high up makes you feel really strange. It’s a bit like being drunk, and you feel really light-headed and nauseous.

We’ve all been starving and I’m eating more than I have in years.

I’m really missing my wife Dawn and the kids but I’m trying hard to keep a mental picture of the people I’m helping back in the UK and in Africa firmly in my mind.

Here’s a thought before I sign off for the night – we are sleeping in the clouds tonight and tomorrow we’ll be above them.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....316.ece

The BT Red Nose Climb has sets off for Kilimanjaro with the aim of raising a mountain of cash for Comic Relief, but celeb mountaineers didn’t leave without a little extra ‘support’ from their Tempur Travel Pillows.

The BT Red Nose Climb will see Alesha Dixon, Ben Shephard, Cheryl Cole, Chris Moyles, Denise Van Outen, Fearne Cotton, Gary Barlow, Kimberley Walsh and Ronan Keating undertake the climb of a lifetime. Mount Kilimanjaro stands at a whopping 19,340 feet above sea level and will take the celebrity climbers an exhausting 8-day trek to reach the summit.

Tempur Pillows are made from a supportive, pressure relieving material that conforms to the shape of the sleeper so the head and neck remain aligned in a natural position, offering unrivalled comfort.

Unlike conventional pillows, this will support the tired shoulder and neck muscles of the celebrity climbers, helping to relieve aches and pains to improve sleep, as well as speeding up the recovery process. Clinical research has shown that the Tempur material can ease pain, enhance deep sleep, and reduce tossing and turning by 83%.

While traditional pillows can put strain on the breathing channels, causing sinus problems, the Tempur technology ensures sufficient airflow through the breathing channels, which may help our brave celebrities as they battle the reduced oxygen levels of high altitude. The Tempur Travel Pillow has all of these benefits, but packs down into a practical pouch compressing the volume 70%.

A whole host of other fans have claimed they have found the perfect sleeping partner in Tempur, including George Michael, Jane Seymour, Paris Hilton, Sir Paul McCartney, David Blaine, The Ozbournes, Kyran Bracken, Claire Sweeney, Charlie Dimmock, Susan Hampshire and Noel Gallagher.

Tempur Pillows are priced from £79.95, and the Tempur Travel Pillow costs £49.95. For more information and to purchase Tempur products, visit tempur.co.uk.

To help the team raise a mountain of cash, sponsor celebrities now at rednoseday.com/sponsortheteam.

But he says he's endured many obstacles along the way.

Most notably a very sore hammer and tack.

He says that his back has been the worst it's ever been in two weeks, and it's affecting his ability during the climb.

The Take That star injured his back during the preparations for the climb a couple of weeks ago.

"Climb medic Raj took the decision to send me on a shorter route than the seven-hour walk the rest of the group were taking," he told The Sun.

"I reached camp before the others but we all saw a man in the group ahead of us being stretchered off the mountain with an oxygen mask and it hit home just how hard this trek is and what we have ahead of us."

Cheryl Cole Cheryl Cole on the climbFellow climber Cheryl Cole broke down in tears upon seeing the drama: "He looked really scared. It shook us up.

"You feel strange at this altitude anyway. I started wondering if I was suffering too," she said.

"We're all suffering from altitude sickness and everyone is emotional, especially the girls," Gary said.

Gazza revealed the group also has only one thing on their mind whilst they climb the crazy heights, and that is filling their grumbling bellies.

"We've all been starving and I'm eating more than I have in years."
http://showbiz.sky.com/gary-talks-climb-drama

Here is Day Four of GARY BARLOW’s diary of the trek.

BAD night in the camp. Disaster struck in tent six. At midnight we were woken by Fearne calling out for help.

She had got up to go to the loo and collapsed on the floor outside from exhaustion and was too weak to move.

Fearne (pictured) was given an anti-sickness injection but when we woke this morning she still didn’t look good.

The medics had to give her a full examination before deciding that she could continue.

So, after a good breakfast, all nine of us once again started out on our seven-hour ascent up the rocky terrain which looked like something from Mars.

For me, it was the best day so far in that my back felt good.

Then there was a sudden steep ascent and I had a moment of breathlessness and feeling sick.

I insisted the rest of the team went on but I had to stop for a good 30 minutes before I felt able to continue.

The thing that picked me up was seeing Fearne come through the mist of the clouds.

We had thought she might not make it today so to see her walking up with a smile gave me the boost I needed to get to camp.

We are now at the coldest camp so far at Lava Tower – 4,600 metres above sea level.

It’s colder than anyone could have imagined.

The daunting view of the summit sits over us, showing what we still have ahead of us.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....316.ece

Our intrepid celebrity Kilimanjaro climbers have shed blood, sweat and tears as they’ve been making their way up the mountain – but it’s paid off today as their fundraising total reached a whopping one million pounds! Donations are still pouring in and the support has so far has been phenomenal.

The news came as the team reached camp after another freezing cold trek on their fifth gruelling day of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Cheryl had been unwell in the night and was given an anti sickness jab, but bravely tackled the days climb at a slow steady pace along with Fearne who had suffered badly with altitude sickness the previous day.

Later Chris was once again required to overcome his cruel fear of heights when the team completed a 250ft rock climb up a face of the mountain known as Barranco Wall. Calling into Radio 1 from the mountain, the DJ said ‘I still think not many people know how tough this is. It’s way, way, way harder than I thought it would be. We had to climb this part mountain today literally on our hands and knees and I’m scared of heights. Luckily It was so cloudy that I couldn’t see how high we were!’

After lunch at the top of the rock face, the heavens opened and the team received their first shower for nearly a week. It was one way to get a hair-wash which they could probably have done without!

With the hardest part of the climb yet to come, please show the team your support and help them smash their fundraising target by sponsoring them here!

Here is Day Five of GARY BARLOW’s diary of the trek. THE difficult conditions are really starting to take their toll on the fifth day of the celebrities’ trek up 19,330ft Mount Kilimanjaro. CHERYL COLE was struck by altitude sickness, as FEARNE COTTON had been the night before. But the gang have all been cheered by the news that the climb has so far raised £1million for Comic Relief – and donations are still pouring in. Here is the latest report from Africa.

I have just had the coldest, bleakest, most miserable night I’ve ever had in my life.

It was freezing when we arrived, and at dinner, and -15° when we went to bed. I had every item of clothing on and was still cold.

I had a nose bleed before I went to bed – a sign of altitude sickness.

Cheryl was sick in the night and had to have an anti-sickness injection. She felt fine in the morning.

We arrived at the foot of Barranco Wall and started the climb up. If any of our wives or husbands realised how dangerous that wall was they would never have let us go. We didn’t only need our feet, we needed our hands as well. It was a rock climber’s paradise.

After an hour of heart-stopping scrambles we reached the top and had lunch. We thought we were close to camp but we still had another three hours to go. Then the heavens opened for the first time on any of the walk.

I’m so glad to be at our camp. For the first time in two nights the team are all feeling well enough to sit down together for dinner. It has put us in good spirits for getting to the summit.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....316.ece

Against all the odds, every single member of the BT Red Nose Climb team has made it to the highest camp on Mount Kilimanjaro! They’re now resting at the camp, loading up on high energy food and will attempt to get just a few hours sleep before setting off at midnight in an attempt to reach the summit in the early hours of Saturday morning.

They now face a final six hour trek in freezing cold conditions as they’ll push their way to the highest point in Africa – the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Today the celebrities needed all the mental and physical strength they could muster as they trudged painfully slowly for seven hours through ice fields which could have easily seen the team break down. Despite suffering from crippling altitude sickness just days ago, Fearne led the team up to the ridge, with fellow sufferer Cheryl right behind her.

Cheryl said “Today was really tough - everyday has been really tough. I was ill the night before and had to have an injection. We are all so, so close to making it now. Physically and especially mentally, this has been a very hard thing to do - but not once so far have I thought about giving up. When we are told the latest total that's been raised, it gives us such a massive boost to carry on up the hill."

An elated Fearne, Cheryl and Ronan were the first of the celebrities to reach High Camp with the African sun beating down on them. They waited anxiously for the rest of their team mates to arrive. Alesha, Denise and Gary were the next trio to make it despite of Gary’s ongoing back problems.

A nervous wait followed before Ben, Kimberley and Chris made it, meaning that all of Comic Relief’s celebrity climbers will be going for the summit as a team. On arriving at High Camp Ben said “Having Fearne and Cheryl here at camp after how ill they have both been is a big boost for the whole group - they have done fantastically well”.

Chris added "This is harder than I ever imagined. If a jeep came past now on the way down I'd jump in it - but the rest of the team wouldn't let me!"

The team’s got the hardest part to come later tonight - so please show them your support and sponsor them.

http://www.rednoseday.com/whats_o....rs_high

WAKE-up call was at 6am but all my sickness and worries had gone. Today was a big day and all we had to do was make it through the seven hours to High Camp – then we’d be nearly at the summit.

On the walk we split up more than before, all going at our own speed. Halfway along we all dialled in to CHRIS MOYLES’s show and heard messages from our families.

It was very emotional but just the kind of support needed to get us through the final night.

For the first time on the ascent we saw other climbers and had our pictures taken with them. It was weird and reminded us of who we are when we’re not on this mountain.

They also gave us advice for the summit.

Arrived at camp at 3pm with DENISE VAN OUTEN and ALESHA DIXON. We’d had a good laugh on the way up.

Early dinner tonight with a final briefing from our guide about what’s in store for us the following day. It’s 6pm and I’m off to bed.

Our wake-up call is at midnight and we set off for the summit at 1am.

Back’s been great today, getting better by the day.