Hat's Off to Michelle R. for her brilliant donation and Many Thanks for your support!!!!!

Went to London at the weekend for the pre-trip get together. It was well attended and it was nice to meet some of my fellow trekkers! We received a trip briefing on each day of the hike and some important information on the kit we need, the climate, the weather and what it will be like. There was also a slide show with some amazing pictures that just whet your appetite even more. Our trip will be lead by Greg of Discovery Adventure. He has done the Inca Trail twelve times, so this is number 13! He told us about the problems with altitude sickness. He sressed to us how importnant it is not to walk too fast as you can burn yourself out regardless of your fitness. He also told us, rather worringly, that on seven of the trips he has been on at least one or more of the participant has had to be sent back!!!!! Yes, I am still looking forward to going and I am getting excited but I am rather daunted, all at the same time!!!! He kept stressing that the challenge of the trek is being at 4oo0m above sea level which he constantly reminded us is three times higher than Britain's highest moutain Ben Nevis! Interesting fact - the trail involves going up and down somewhere around 78,000 steps.

Twelve weeks to go!!!!!!!! Or put it another way 3 months or 84 days or 2000 hours etc etc etc. Time flies and I'm amazed at how quickly the departure date is now looming. My first post was back on 19th March 2006 and since then there have been over 150 more.

I'll be going down to London this weekend for the pre-trip meet up. So I'll get to meet for the first time some of the other participants. I'll also get to find out a bit more about what we'll all be doing. I've enjoyed all the training I've been doing so hopefully that will help to make the trip a little easier. Just need to get the rest of my kit put together and the necessary injections - yellow fever, tetnus, rabies and take some malaria tablets. Just in case you were wondering the rabies shots are in case I get bit by a bat!!!!

Many Thanks to Tim & Danielle for your support and brilliant on-line donation. Good Luck in your New Home!!!!

Wonderful donation from Tim at Hilton Docker Mouldings. Many Thanks for your support!!!!!

Big Thumbs Up to Greta for your support and donation. Many Thanks!!!

Huge "Thank you" goes to Mr. & Mrs.Kirkwood for your wonderful generosity and support!!!

Thank you to Mr. & Mrs.Hill for your kind support!!!!

Just received details of my flights -
Outbound - Heathrow to New York, New York to Lima, Lima to Cuzco;
Return - Cuzco to Lima, Lima to Miami, Miami to Heathrow.
Looks like nearly 24 hours travelling each way! Well, I suppose South America and Darkest Peru aren't just around the corner, are they!

Big Thumbs Up to all of the following for your donations and pledges this week, that's - Z.Malik; Mr. & Mrs.Bamford; Mrs.Salam; Mr. & Mrs.Lewis; and J.Richardson.

Nearly reached £4,000! So, it's time to raise the stakes!!!!! The New Target is £5,000. I'm hoping to reach that by selling the memorabillia I've obtained. Then, I'll have to set myself a new target!!!!
Training has been going well. I've now got into the routine of going to the gym twice during the week and once at weekends and taken to going for a run when I can. I'm planning to do the Three Peaks in mid March. That's the highest peaks in England (Scafell - 978m), Scotland (Ben Nevis - 1344m) and Wales (Snowdon - 1085m). I'll be doing them over a long weekend not in one mad day - good stamina training for Peru.
February already!!!! That means it's only three and a half months to go!!!!