Kilimanjaro Diaries: Or, How I Spent a Week Dreaming of Toilets, Drinking Crappy Water, and Making Bad Jokes While Having the Time of My Life Paperback – March 26, 2014

In the normal course of existence I do not think about the things I do not think about. What should I have for lunch? Where did I leave my shoes? How many days until retirement? That's what I think about. If I were removed from my routine and thrust into an alien experience, where would my thoughts turn?I would probably think a lot about bathrooms and drinking water. But I would also think about what it really means to be human.Kilimanjaro Diaries chronicles just such a displacement. An average mother and homekeeper (if you can call a family of six who, in the course of their lives, had been transplanted from Singapore to North Carolina to Kansas to South Africa "average") takes on the challenge of scaling the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. And she does it in the company of her sixteen-year-old son. Thieme details her preparations leading up to the expedition, providing a handy guide to anyone considering an attempt on Kili. But she also paints an endearing portrait of a friendship and family bonding as she describes the day-by-day trek up the mountainside.You'll enjoy Kilimanjaro Diaries at several levels, as I did. The pacing is good, and the author's use of language to describe the scenery, events, and personal interactions is memorable. If I had one criticism, it would be this: the book isn't sure if it's a travel guide or a personal journal. It can be both, of course, but I would like to have heard more about the bonding experience between the author and her son Max. I found those parts to be the most charming but too infrequent.

I felt the story was really good because there was a lot of personal information about the author other than just facts about climbing the mountain. She wrote of many different things, such as being a mother, having children. The book was also funny and very enjoyable.

I'm a month away from embarking on my own Kilimanjaro climb, and in my preparation, I've read countless articles, blog posts and books by authors chronicling the story of their Kilimanjaro excursions. This book is by far the best of them that I've read. There are numerous passages from the book that I've been compelled to share with family and friends, as they so aptly describe what I'm feeling and/or looking forward to as I prepare for my own expedition to the top of Africa -- especially the camaraderie felt among the team of climbers and porters. On many pages I was chuckling. And on many others I was welling with tears, especially about the events that transpire during the night of the summit attempt. Eva is a talented writer who "tells it like it is" about all aspects of the experience, from the practical to the emotional, and I look forward to reading more of her writing. If you're preparing for your own climb, read the latest edition of Henry Stedman's Kilimanjaro book, and also read this one. And then you'll be all set with everything you need to know.

Amusing in places, moderately informative, and mildly inspirational. And that is the extent of my positive appraisal.Ms Thieme strikes me as a fickle woman who is easily distracted. Her Kili diary is filled with ramblings about what happened one Christmas, or during holidays somewhere else, or her many moves from country to country, or her laborious role as an overworked mother. I admit I had to skip through these sections in search of Kilimanjaro material. Her motive and attitude for climbing the mountain left me rolling my eyes and shaking my head. For example, she agreed to join a gang of acquaintances during a pub binge, immediately bought a pair of walking boots that she broke in by wearing while she sat at her computer, and couldn't understand the need of even moderate physical training. She let others arrange the trip, not even knowing which route they would be taking up the mountain until they arrived at the gate. Her main concern while on the mountain was the lack of modern sanitary facilities, litter, and keeping her toes warm. Her greatest memories were all the coarse jokes and camaraderie with her friends, and all the childlike nicknames she gave everyone.Some woman may read this book and be glued to every word. Many men, I predict, will yawn and sling it aside. However, I will congratulate Ms Thieme on reaching the summit with relative ease. Who knows, maybe she has the right attitude after all.

I grew up not far from Kilimanjaro in Arusha, Tanzania. A few years ago I began to dream of returning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with my sons (my daughters think I'm crazy). I picked up this memoir thinking it would help me be more realistic about my dream. After all, I am over 50 and not in the best of shape. The result has been to make me even more determined to find a way to go. This is a delightful mix of humor and information. Thieme gives all sorts of helpful tips about packing for the trip; what was helpful, and what was not. She has a lovely appreciation both for her traveling companions and for the porters and guides who worked so hard to make the journey a success. I think I will have to buy copies to send to all my sons so that I can keep the dream alive!

I don't admire someone who climbs "Kili" because I think they are absolutely nuts. And for a mother of four to put herself at such risk astonishes me. So much can and does go wrong. The idea is terrifying. But since it was someone else and not me, I felt brave enough to read about her experience. I am so glad she made it back safely in order to write about it. She does a great job of helping you to see what she sees and feel what she feels. There was a bit too much emphasis on toilet matters I felt, but otherwise, the details of the trip were interesting, as was the history of previous explorers. I would read this author's next book. Well done.

I came across this book by accident, it was on my kindle for a long time before I read it. It was funny, mischievous, awe-inspiring, and I could see what she wrote.

I enjoyed reading this Memoir - it made a change of 'type' for me and I found it 'encouraging' - How to climb a huge mountain Kilimanjaro no less ! Wow I take my hat off to the Author (& all the other folk who have done this & to the Guides) - …To do it with little preparation in a pair of hiking boots that you've not even worn-in yet - you get the picture - But, climb-it & summit the Author did… It's a good read - written in a no-nonsense way (which I like) - I did find myself gasping on occasions and laughing on others - I loved the way the Author undertook this 'challenge' with her Son Max. The Author is left with mixed emotions back at base when the decent is made which I believe is understandable after such an achievement... It's literally like being on a 'high' followed by a 'low'. I enjoyed 'meeting' Godlisten (Gody) the lead Guide who looked after the group & lifted their spirits when necessary with song ;o) Reading the points toward the end of this Memoir was interesting too - I really liked No.19 ! .... Good stuff and I shall look forward to reading more by this Author.

As someone who also never envisioned herself wanting to climb a mountain (ever), I can’t say enough how much I related to this story.My fiancé and I have decided to go to Tanzania for our honeymoon in 2018, and attempt to climb Kili while we are there. He has already climbed Kili once before, a decade ago, and he speaks of it with such incredible emotion and intensity that he managed to convince me I could too experience this and hopefully reach the summit.I came across Kilimanjaro Diaries and absolutely ate up every word. Eva had me laughing out loud many times, and a minute later I’d be crying as she poignantly described the intense mix of emotions throughout the experience and, most of all, the feeling of extraordinary accomplishment. After reading this, I am even more obsessed with this upcoming adventure in my life!Highly recommend and thank you, Eva!!

I'm a bit of a fan of adventure treks and mountain climb memoirs to put it very mildly, so this book appealed on many levels. The author decides, almost on the spur of the moment to climb Mount Kilamanjaro along with her teenage son plus a few friends and is happy to leave most of the trip pre-planning to them, but does prepare sensibly by buying a good pair of walking boots and wears them in prior to the climb. The feminine issue of using the toilet up a mountain and the contemplated purchase of various gadgets made me laugh out loud at times, but the problem was solved by the porter with a toilet tent who accompanied them on the trek. The book is very well written in a humerous and honest way with little snippets of historical information about the mountain, it's routes and famous climbers. The climb itself by the author, her son and the rest of the party is told in such a way that I felt as if I was there with them and kept me reading until the end. I hope to read more from this author.

This was an inspirational memoir particularly as Eva had done little actual preparation for the climb and suggests that we can all climb 'our own Kili'It took us through her pre trip thoughts about what to take - and I had to laugh at all the items which could help women with their toileting needs e.g. the Shewee!! The account was informative as well as just simply describing the ascent. She tells of the camaraderie and of the bond formed with their Guides. I have to say I was surprised at the hordes of people doing the climb at any one time - and sadly of the detritus left behind. I felt for her when her son Max fell ill with altitude sickness. However she did manage to reach the summit albeit with mixed feelings.