Hello everyone, RMI’s Kilimanjaro expedition is underway. The team members arrived late last night after some very long flights, two back to back 9 hour legs to be precise. Needless to say we didn’t do much other than check into our hotel and head to bed. We started today off with a team meeting/orientation to the program and gear check. After getting to know one another a bit we explored the beautiful grounds of the Dik Dik Hotel, which was teaming with monkeys and exotic birds and some views of the surrounding mountains. The team had a nice lunch then headed off to visit the nearest town of Arusha, a bustling city of about 1.2 million people. Its a diverse culture made up of Christians, Muslims and local tribes people from the Chagga and Masai. We had a quick stop off at the local grocery store called Shop Rite to pick up a few last snacks, then visited the local cultural museum. We also picked up a few umbrellas to protect us from any rain that might try and dampen our spirits on tomorrows trek. Last but not least we finished up the night with a delicious five course meal that left everyone with a smile on their face. Just a few last minute touches on packing and its off to bed. Everyone is doing great and we are very excited for tomorrow's start to this grand adventure. RMI Guide Casey Grom and crew