Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro was a goal that first attracted me at age 10, when my Dad uncovered an old projector to show me the slides from his own climb. He climbed to the top in 1978. Twenty years of Kilimanjaro stories and “do as I say, not as I did” training advice later, I followed his footsteps to the roof of Africa.
I went into the long journey expecting cold nights. Dad’s advice to sleep in my clothes saved me on those biting, freezing mornings. I prepared well for those headaches caused by high altitude. What I couldn’t have prepared for on this Kili climb, though, was the need for football shoes.
My husband, his brother, and I stopped at a gas station on the way to the Rongai trail gate to pick up snacks and water for the long journey. Sticking to a shopping list has never been our strong suit, which is one of the many reasons a tiny Manchester United football was the first item on our receipt.
Within minutes, this silly little impulse buy changed the entire dynamic of our trip. Our porters went from cold to smiling as we played with the football alongside the fuel tanks. A full game was held as we hit the Rongai Trail’s first camp. We went from climbing clients to fast friends — and then family — with the nicknames to prove it. Shemeji, Swahili for sister-in-law, became my climbing name (I was “in-law” because the porters saw the boys as brothers).
When I first boarded the flight to Kilimanjaro, I was laser-focused on reaching the summit. But this tiny little football — and the relationships it brought — quickly changed that. Our journey up Kilimanjaro was unlike any climbing experience I’d ever imagined. It’s also one I know my football — loving Dad — who passed away three months before our climb — would have been proud of.
【小题1】Why did the author decide to climb Kilimanjaro?| A．She wanted to improve herself. | B．She was inspired by her father. |
| C．She was eager for a change of life. | D．She will fulfil her father’s dream. |
| A．Football could be played anywhere. | B．The porter played football better than us. |
| C．The football became a bond of friendship. | D．It is special to play football on the mountain. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Confused. | C．Regretful. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．Mountain Climbing With a Football | B．Kilimanjaro, a Magical Mountain |
| C．Mountain Climbing, My Forever Dream | D．My Spiritual Support in Climbing |
