We started 2017 high on adventure...
We're so incredibly proud of our latest crew of Kilimanjaro climbers. While most people were sleeping in or nursing a champagne hangover, these 14 adventurous women were enjoying their first moments of 2017 standing on top of Africa's tallest mountain. This was our fiercest Kilimanjaro summit to date (snow, hail, rain...this mountain always keeps us on our toes), but together this group's strength and determination shined through!
Read moreWomen Of The Mountain
At WHOA, we want to spread this message and encourage the success of all the women who aspire to be guides on Kilimanjaro because we believe the best way for sustainable change is to have a positive impact on local women and their communities. This is why our Kilimanjaro climb is so important to us, because we see first hand the empowerment of women, both from WHOA group and the local community, grow both physically and mentally, on and off the mountain.
Read moreWHOA is ME! with ANGIE
ANGIE RAIZIS
AGE // 30
OCCUPATION // Fitness Director
LOCATION // McAllen, Texas
HOMETOWN // Willoughby, Ohio
Angie joined us on Mt. Kilimanjaro for our Full Blue Moon Summit! Angie could be seen break dancing, showing the group some crazy yoga moves, and laughing hysterically all while climbing the highest mountain in Africa!
Window or aisle seat?
Window.
What are the three things you never leave home without when you're traveling?
1) My passport.
2) My camera.
3) My credit card.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Bringing people back from the dead.
Would you rather spend a day scuba diving with sharks, hiking in the Himalayas or hot air ballooning in Turkey?
Ooooh... I want to do all of those things, but if I can only choose one I would go on the Hot Air Balloon in Cappadocia.
What’s the hottest place you’ve been to? What about the coldest?
The hottest place I've ever been to is definitely where I live in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. It was 117 Fahrenheit one summer day. The coldest place was when I went home to Cleveland this past February and it was -16 Fahrenheit. The worst is that it felt even colder with the lake effect. My family lives right against Lake Erie and the wind chill factored in.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your life?
Walking on to the Bowling Green State cross country and track teams at Division I collegiate level. Being able to compete throughout my entire college career with such amazing runners made me improve as an athlete and a person.
In what moment or trip did you fall in love with travel?
When my boyfriend took me to Chicago on an Amtrak train back in 2008.
What is the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? Where did you eat it?
Definitely escargot in Paris, France. They were so slimy and covered in this green "butter." I usually don't eat meat or dairy, but I promised myself I would try the snails. Honestly, it didn't taste too bad, but it was really flavorful and just... snails.
What is your dream adventure?
Traveling all around Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Number 1 is to hold a koala! Then visit Sydney, Ayers Rock, scuba in the Great Barrier Reef, visit Coober Pedy and find the perfect Opal and see the underground living. Visit Melbourne, stay in the Q1 tower in Queensland and go to Castle Hill. Go to the Telstra Towers located on the summit of Black Mountain in Canberra where there is a revolving restaurant... and go to Tasmania. Visit the Bay of Fires and Cradle Mountain where there is also a Tasmanian Devil and wildlife Sanctuary. I'd then go to New Zealand and definitely try Zorbing and after that, end in Fiji to possibly cliff dive, watch a firewalking ceremony, and just relax and enjoy the culture. I've been thinking about this for a long time which is why there's so much I want to do :)
What is your mantra or favorite quote?
It is usually:
"All that we are is a result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become."
-Buddha.
But then I just heard Nelly's "Heart of a Champion" and that's sticking in my mind at this moment:
"If hard work pays off then easy work is worthless
My work habit ain't no habit man, I do it on purpose
I push myself to the limit so my talent'll surface."
WHOA IS ME! with DOROTHY
DOROTHY CARMONA
Age // 47
Occupation // production account manager
Location // New Jersey
Hometown // Brooklyn NYC
Dorothy is a true WHOA triple threat! She summited Kilimanjaro on our inaugural International Women's Day climb, danced at with us at Machu Picchu in 2014 and will be rocking a dirndl with us at the Oktoberfest in Munich this fall! There's never a dull moment with D - we can't get enough of her!
Window or aisle seat?
Window.
What are the three things you never leave home without when you're traveling?
Cell, passport, and money.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Telepathy.
Would you rather spend a day scuba diving with sharks, hiking in the Himalayas or hot air ballooning in Turkey?
Hiking in the Himalayas, for sure!
What’s the hottest place you’ve been to? What about the coldest?
Kenya was the hottest & the summit of Kilimanjaro the coldest.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your life?
Reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro..
In what moment or trip did you fall in love with travel?
As a young girl; on my first trip to Puerto Rico, I knew then life without travel would not be a happy life for me.
What is the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? Where did you eat it?
Bull testicles in Dominican Republic.
What is your dream adventure?
A trek in the Himalayas.
What is your mantra or favorite quote?
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.” - Albert Einstein
A MOUNTAIN + A MARATHON: The ultimate way to do Kilimanjaro
Run the Kilimanjaro Marathon and summit Mount Kilimanjaro on International Women's Day
For our third annual International Women's Day summit of Kilimanjaro we're upping the ante and bringing together a group of kick ass sporty adventuresses.
On February 28, 2016, three days before we embark towards the highest point in Africa, the Kilimanjaro Marathon takes place in Moshi, Tanzania. This Marathon is a 26.2 mile race (you can also do the half marathon or the 5k) that takes you around Moshi and it's surrounding villages, all the while with in breathtaking view of one of the world's seven summits.
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