My dad has done it!
One of the party texted or tweeted or something from Kilimanjaro to my cousin who has emailed the news to everyone - the whole party has made it to the top, except for my brother Phil who had to retreat due to mountain sickness.
Poor Phil, his family will never let him hear the last of it. His three teenagers get to the top, even their mum with the dodgy knees manages to get to the top, but Big Strong Mountaineering Phil has to give up. (But there you go, that's altitude sickness for you - if you get it you get it, and there's nothing to be done.)
Still, hooray for my disreputable old papa! And here's hoping they all take care and don't wreck themselves coming down again (classic mountaineering syndrome, to have an accident coming down, because you're (a) tired and (b) complacent).
Poor Phil, his family will never let him hear the last of it. His three teenagers get to the top, even their mum with the dodgy knees manages to get to the top, but Big Strong Mountaineering Phil has to give up. (But there you go, that's altitude sickness for you - if you get it you get it, and there's nothing to be done.)
Still, hooray for my disreputable old papa! And here's hoping they all take care and don't wreck themselves coming down again (classic mountaineering syndrome, to have an accident coming down, because you're (a) tired and (b) complacent).