Monday 16 February 2009

Big Hills and Afternoon Tea







Training started in earnest today. We thought that the snow had gone, but little did we know that it was still lurking up in the hills!

A real boost this morning as the wii gave me a fit age of 21 - 32 years below my real age. Of course, I know that all that means is that I have mastered the balance challenges. Nonetheless a good start to the day.

My gorgeous husband Chris is not doing the WSPA Trek with me. He is, however, my training partner and will be doing lots of strenuous walking with me.

So, a two and a half hours walk into the hills around where we live. It was very pleasant but did make me wonder how I will survive a whole week of walking. I guess that's where the training will come in.

The first lesson we learnt was that it will probably be wise to take a map with us - a very big circle brought us back to our original path about 500 yards away from where we had started. It was cold and the ground was very soggy from the melting snow but we eventually got ourselves back down into town.

Oh dear - we ended up in Cherries which is just about the best tea room I have ever been in. Proper afternoon tea with a two tier cake stand, eight little finger sandwiches, scone, cream, jam and two large pieces of cake. I resisted and just ordered a sandwich. I did however give a lot of help to Chris with his afternoon tea.

One other bit of great news - I have received my first online donation. £2300 still seems a awful lot of money to raise, but as with the training I will work away at it a little bit at a time.

www.justgiving.com/dawnjames1

Friday 13 February 2009

It's Happening!

This is where I shall report my progess in training for the WSPA Bear Adventure trekking 50 miles at heights in excess of 2,500m through the Carpathian Mountians in Romania. Currently I am old and fat by the time I go I hope to be old and fit!


Oh - today I have received confirmation of my place on the trip. If I was scared before I am now terrified! I have seen the list of things I need to take - it includes toilet paper and nappy sacks - I'm really not sure I like the sound of that!

On a positive note now the snow is melting I am looking forward to a good walk in the hills over the weekend.

Also today I received my first online donation. Yay - thanks Hilary. The fund-raising is almost as scarey as the trek itself.