One week until I depart for home today; my time here has absolutely flown by. I can't believe how quick the time has gone. I've tried my best to embrace every moment. I've had a truly fantastic time and will be very sad when my trip comes to an end.

So, day 4 of the hike.... The hardest day. Drew woke up with a headache and a hangover this morning which doesn't surprise me, he's been drinking vodka and konyagi every day as well as smoking up with Chris Brown! Usually he's like a little lepricorn leaping about, but not today, he's walking like a dog with his tail in between his legs. The smell of porridge at breakfast churned my stomach this morning, I found it very difficult to eat it. Chris Brown had told us that the higher we climb the harder it becomes to eat. Again I had a dodgy stomach, and I wasn't feeling that great, my body felt drained and tired. I took some energisers and tablets to help my stomach in hope that it would help me feel better.

Our first stint of climbing looked worse than it actually was, straight up Barancu Wall. I had to get myself back into rock climbing mode, but today, it was steeper than Day 2. There was no walking involved whatsoever, literally up up up through the rocks. At some points, you had to take a leap of faith, walking along the rock edges. Today I felt someone was looking down and looking after me. I have no idea how I made it across some of the rocks, and I required no help. I felt courageous but cautious. Climbing today I felt stages of fear that I have never experienced in my life. One wrong step, and that could be it forever, there was no way of being saved, and what was worse was that today there was no fog, you could see exactly where you would end up. There were a lot of 'traffic jams' whilst climbing which annoyed the porters, as they would have to stop and wait whilst carrying a heavy load. I bow down to the porters, they do an absolutely amazing job! Their strength is beyond belief. It must be so difficult to carry such heavy loads and have to reach camp before the group does. Tents have to be erect before groups reach camp so that the walkers can relax; and they never fail. Reaching the top of Barancu Wall felt like a great achievement. The view of Kilimanjaro was amazing! We have had views of it all morning from camp, up to the top of Barancu Wall. It seems so close now, seeing Kilimanjaro motivated me to keep going. It's one of the first times we've had a proper sight of it.

After the top of Barancu Wall it was a mixture of descents and ascents before the final stint towards the camp..... A huge descent into a valley, some parts of which were almost vertical. Rafiki tried to sprint like yesterday, but it was way too steep, and too many of the group were falling over and so he took it back to a light jog for us. It was so slippy. My trick was to try and find the rocks underneath the loose sand and step on those as something to grip on to and prevent me from falling; it seemed to work - along with the help of my boots. Just when we got to the bottom of the valley, we had to ascend back up the other side, pole pole all of the way up. From the bottom of the valley you could see tents, so we knew camp wasn't far away from us. Although, this campsite was for lunch only, Karangu Camp, a very small campsite. Those who complete Machame Route over 7 days stay at this campsite. My body, for the first time, felt exhausted. I think i've done rather well so far; I've not had hardly any aches of pains, and felt energised. The first night I had a cramp in one of my calf muscles, but after a few big gulps of water it disappeared, day 2 my groin felt slightly pulled after our rock climbing but nothing too taxing and yesterday I felt fine, but today, it's all hit me.

Lunch was carrot soup followed by chicken and chips. I love their chicken and chips! So tasty! The food up the mountain has been unbelievable! We departed very promptly after eating, straight on the ascentagain. Karangu Camp was at 4100m, Barafu Camp, where we are staying is at 4600m. Walking straight after food did not do me any favours, and gave me yet again a dodgy stomach and left me feeling slightly sick. I tried to walk as far as I could, but once we reached the top of the first ascent my stomach could not handle anymore walking. Chris Brown stopped and waited for me. Everytime you stop for a toilet break, you start a search for the perfect rock to hide behind. Some rocks are huge, but are positioned wrong in that porters walking up from behind can see you. Searching for a good rock was like a little expedition, and I always found it rather entertaining. You knew you picked a good rock when you stumbled across an array of tissues nearby it! I rejoined the group whilst Chris Brown remained sat down chilling and smoking up. All of the porters smoke up throughout the day.

This afternoon I felt drained and fatigued, like all of the energy had escaped my body. So many times I felt like stopping, but I was persistant to carry on, I wasn't going to let a dodgy stomach prevent me from reaching the next camp. I am so near to the top, I am more determined than ever although it's a very introverted determination; I no longer carry the energy to show or express my motivation. Other members of the team feel the same. We are in this together and all do whatever we can in order to help one another succeed. The group have been brilliant; I've been very lucky to be with such a good group and we've all got on so well.

The last ascent towards Barafu Camp was nothing compared to what we've been faced with over the past few days. We could see camp becoming closer and closer with every step; although our bodies felt fatigued, our minds were focussed on what was vastly approaching. Arriving at Barafu Camp was very cold, freezing in fact! Tyler moved all of his stuff to Chelsea's tent and Parker put her stuff with Drew, she didn't even put her stuff in my tent this evening. Chris Brown asked if I would be okay sleeping on my own; what he wasn't aware of is that I've slept on my own from day 1 and so I knew I'd be okay. He said that if I were to get lonely to let him know and he would keep me company but I politely declined his offer.

The word lonely stuck in my head and made me all emotional. It triggered the fact that I do feel lonely up here. I have joined a group of people that I don't know and am almost an outsider to them, I planned to climb this mountain with my best friend who can't be with me and I haven't had contact with my family for a good few days. I'm in complete isolation up here, ironic, as you have all the space you could ever need to think; but I feel that if I think I isolate myself. I started to shed a few tears, but very quickly lost my breath and struggled to catch it again, I had to pull myself together. I've done well to get as far as I have done and I hope that my family and friends are proud of what I've accomplished.

The americans fly home on Tuesday and constantly speak of how excited they are to their families and friends; although I am so happy for them to be returning home, it doesn't help me when I am missing my family and know that I have a week until I see them. I don't want to disappoint my family or friends by not making it to the top, I want to make them proud. There's a 70 year old woman hiking this mountain at the moment, if she can do it then I can too! It's also crazy how much I miss Arnold.... it's baffling me! But then after seeing someone everyday for 5 weeks to not seeing or speaking to them for a few days it's going to be strange. I miss his annoying comments that he makes towards me thinking that he's funny but then I think of them here and they make me laugh and I feel fine again, for a few moments, my mind is taken away from endulging into thought on how much I miss my dearest and nearest. I have asked myself the same question everyday whilst walking up this mountain.... How is it possible to get so attached and comfortable around someone you've not seen for years in such a short period of time?!

This evening it was spitting with something, not rain and not snow, but apparently it's coming from the fog, but whatever it is, it's not helping with the coldness. The tent would be so much warmer with another body, but nevermind. I have a sleeping bag in my rucksack so feel like I will get that out tonight. In a way, the time on my own in the tent is quite nice, I spend my days talking and interacting with the group and the guides, so when i'm on my own I can reflect and think over the day.

Dinner was ready shortly after 6pm. Soup tonight was cucumber. The soups have been absolutely delicious! To follow was spaghetti which wasn't that nice, and I knew it would upset my stomach, so although I was reluctant to eat it, I had to. Italian hot pineapple for pud, lush, just what we needed for a bit of warmth! Corinne was sick after dinner, she is very nervous about the climb to the summit and has been sick several evenings. DJ told me this evening how she loves that I say toilet instead of bathroom. Following that Drew said he likes my happy, go lucky personality and Parker said she loves my positivity and that i'll find a positive to everything. This cheered me up a lot and put a massive grin on my face! Parker also mentioned how she felt like crying when she got to camp today, and I said that I did too but I soon realised how out of breath you get up here from crying. All of the girls said they felt very emotional today; the boys didn't quite know what to say or understand what was going on, but it was okay, because us girls understood eachother and knew that we weren't alone.

Okay, so early night.... 8pm! We have to get up at 11pm for final preparations, 11:30pm we meet for tea and biscuits before an anticipated departure for the summit at 00:00.

Goodnight!