It has now been several weeks since I have returned from photographing a trip to summit the world's highest freestanding mountain, Kilimanjaro. Standing 19,341 feet above the surrounding Tanzanian plains, Kili is a towering beacon, daring adventurous travelers to climb it's snow covered flanks.

I've had several weeks to think and rethink about the trip, why did I go, what did I get from it? For seven days my eight companions and I slept in the pouring rain, endured thin high altitude air, sizzling hot jungle and bitterly cold alpine tundra for a chance to stand on the highest point in Africa. Many of my friends thought I was crazy for going. "Why would you want to go to Africa and catch Malaria and shit in a bucket?" they asked. We spent thousands of dollars on a goal that we weren't 100% sure was achievable but we knew would be extremely painful both mentally and physically. Now that we're back we can't wait for the next self flagellating adventure.