Tanzania

The best picture I have ever taken...

THE BEST PICTURE I HAVE EVER TAKEN

This is the best picture I have ever taken! Sounds like I am blowing my own trumpet, doesn’t it? Well, this picture may not be the best quality or have any real meaning to anyone but I have a very valid reason as to why this is the ‘best picture I have ever taken’'. 

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This picture was taken on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania just as the sun was rising on the longest night of my life. We had set off from base camp at 12am to climb to the summit of Kilimanjaro (5895m) in the hope we would make it for sunrise. Throughout the night, all I could see was a trail of lights from other climbers ahead of me to map my way to the top and to show me how far I had left to climb. I had never been so cold in my life and all I could do was look over into the distance to where the sun would first rise and in the hope that I would see some light...I knew that as soon as the sun started to rise I would get that boost of energy and much needed heat. 

I did this all night, so when I finally saw those gorgeous orange colours creep over the side of the mountain...I wanted to cry! After taking it in, I tried to get my numb hands to function enough to take a picture and when I went to click the capture button...my camera let me down and ran out of battery as it was so cold. So, with my still extremely numb hands, I rummaged around in my bag in the hope that I had some spare batteries that hadn’t been affected. Luckily, I found some and it was enough to take this picture and a couple more when we eventually made it to the top, but not many more after that.  

So when I say ‘this is the best picture I have ever taken’ I mean it. For me, it represents motivation, passion, endurance, achievement, relief, and energy. It may not be the best quality but it means everything to me. I still remember standing in that spot and feeling the warmth on my face and knowing that I would make it to the top!