The flight into Tanzania provided an impressive view of the mountain.

In addition to being the tallest mountain in Africa, it's also the world's tallest free-standing mountain.

Flying south from Ethiopia over Kenya and into Tanzania, the land is relatively flat. You spend two hours flying over a landscape where clouds are the highest thing around. So when Kilimanjaro appeared on the horizon, it was just as beautiful and awe-inspiring as I expected it to be. But it was also a bit surprising to me just how tall it was.

I knew the numbers but, in that moment, I saw for the first time just how high 19,341 feet really is and had a glimpse of what I was in for.

Three weeks before that moment, I was wondering how I would spend my 50th birthday. 21 days later, I was in Africa and hoping to celebrate on the summit of Kilimanjaro. Three months (or more) would have been far more reasonable.