Enjoy xx
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Remember...
...to read from the bottom up if you are catching up on my blogs...., there's also older posts as well from March, full link is here:
!
Enjoy xx
Enjoy xx
This is it...
Well it's tomorrow a few of us are flying out to join the team...I've rechecked my gear, picked up last bits and fully packed now...I think this will be my last post. I'm not sure if I will have the ability to post when I'm out there, we only have emergency satelite phones.. for emergencies... so chances are small... but rest assured that I will continue to write my blog out there and will repost when I get back...I will be bringing a mascot with me but you'll have to wait to see which one I bring...
I actually wrote the post "Ressurection of the Royal(s)" a week and a half ago...
I've come to realise that although it was Royal that gave me the courage. strength and sheer determination to carry on it was something that was taught rather than given and it was all in the mind he was just a medium and allowed this to be opened to me.
I'm off tomorrow and I know I can do this myself, I know Royal's out there somewhere but he taught me to believe in myself, and I do, I have him to thank for it (**thank-you** Royal) but ultimately as messed up as this is in my head I do know that it's me that I believe in and I know I don't need someone to tell me I have it in me and that I can do it... sometimes it's nice that's all...
I'm finally mentally there, I'd never thought I'd get here but I am, there's no barriers for expectations and no doubts about my ability, I'm so glad I'm getting to prove this over the next few weeks... not many people do or get to because life gets in the way and it's a sad sad thought.
I hope friends and family, God-son (Jamie) and God-daughter (Alexia) and who ever reading this can have the comfort to know that anything is possible and it's certainly never too late to do something you've always wanted to do, go get up and do it! If you don't expect then you won't have any surprises, but sometimes ... just sometimes, expecting something shapes your adventures and although I'm still unsure what to expect, I am sure ready to see what will be thrown at me out there.
Unlimited adventure lies out there for me and for all of us, waiting to be mapped out and explored...and I certainly can not possibly wait to embark on mine, when will yours be??
I actually wrote the post "Ressurection of the Royal(s)" a week and a half ago...
I've come to realise that although it was Royal that gave me the courage. strength and sheer determination to carry on it was something that was taught rather than given and it was all in the mind he was just a medium and allowed this to be opened to me.
I'm off tomorrow and I know I can do this myself, I know Royal's out there somewhere but he taught me to believe in myself, and I do, I have him to thank for it (**thank-you** Royal) but ultimately as messed up as this is in my head I do know that it's me that I believe in and I know I don't need someone to tell me I have it in me and that I can do it... sometimes it's nice that's all...
I'm finally mentally there, I'd never thought I'd get here but I am, there's no barriers for expectations and no doubts about my ability, I'm so glad I'm getting to prove this over the next few weeks... not many people do or get to because life gets in the way and it's a sad sad thought.
I hope friends and family, God-son (Jamie) and God-daughter (Alexia) and who ever reading this can have the comfort to know that anything is possible and it's certainly never too late to do something you've always wanted to do, go get up and do it! If you don't expect then you won't have any surprises, but sometimes ... just sometimes, expecting something shapes your adventures and although I'm still unsure what to expect, I am sure ready to see what will be thrown at me out there.
Unlimited adventure lies out there for me and for all of us, waiting to be mapped out and explored...and I certainly can not possibly wait to embark on mine, when will yours be??
Ressurections of the Royal(s)?
Er since my post of introducing Royal and then the subsequent fall of him, I've had really touching emails and presents/packages (some out of the blue) given/sent to me... I just wanted to share the support I've received for this... two even have the tear in his right shoulder, one is white and not blue... love them all the same...you guys are funny... Thank-you, I'm speechless...
I said to myself I didn't want to mention Royal again but seen as some of you have asked, I'm doing ok without Royal, there are moments when training where I'd have him as a passing thought in my mind, but that is all it will be-a passing thought, it's a bear after all and I'm yes a sentimental git but I know that extra support out there from all you lot will more than help.
I decided I will pick a Royal lookalike to take with me on the ice. Space I have is next to none as any weight will add to the toll I'd have to drag behind me but this is one thing I'd like to bring and I'll do one of those sad things where I'd take pictures of it everywhere. I hate being on the otherside of the lens myself so this would be a good way of living through my adventure. Unfortunately the bigger Royals will have to be a no no...
I never took a photo of the original royal as I'd never thought I'd loose him and besides he was my little secret, who wants to admit that being a grown up lady I'd still have a stuff toy and not only that a stuff toy that I've attached so many emotions to...? Serves me right for relying so much on one thing...I've learnt my lesson. Yes I'm still bitter and sad and I'd reclaim him anytime, even if it means going back to Chamonix to do it, but truth of the matter is the courage and motivation he gave me, it was all in the mind. He was probably like the Littliest Hobo (do you remember that program?...classic!), he's done his job and now he's moved on...
I said to myself I didn't want to mention Royal again but seen as some of you have asked, I'm doing ok without Royal, there are moments when training where I'd have him as a passing thought in my mind, but that is all it will be-a passing thought, it's a bear after all and I'm yes a sentimental git but I know that extra support out there from all you lot will more than help.
I decided I will pick a Royal lookalike to take with me on the ice. Space I have is next to none as any weight will add to the toll I'd have to drag behind me but this is one thing I'd like to bring and I'll do one of those sad things where I'd take pictures of it everywhere. I hate being on the otherside of the lens myself so this would be a good way of living through my adventure. Unfortunately the bigger Royals will have to be a no no...
I never took a photo of the original royal as I'd never thought I'd loose him and besides he was my little secret, who wants to admit that being a grown up lady I'd still have a stuff toy and not only that a stuff toy that I've attached so many emotions to...? Serves me right for relying so much on one thing...I've learnt my lesson. Yes I'm still bitter and sad and I'd reclaim him anytime, even if it means going back to Chamonix to do it, but truth of the matter is the courage and motivation he gave me, it was all in the mind. He was probably like the Littliest Hobo (do you remember that program?...classic!), he's done his job and now he's moved on...
The team's out there already!
Well some of the team are out there already and I'll be joining them soon!
They've already got some photos back and I'm so jealous and it all adds fuel to my excitement as the days are drawing closer to when I can go. My flights have finally been booked for 14th April, a week later! But nevertheless I'm glad as I've been ill so this has given me time to regain my strength and get better to join my team...
The containers were all packed and shipped across about two months ago... lot's of gear for lots of important work!
The team have been getting all our kit over to base camp 1 then will be moving onto base camp 2. They would have stocked up on their individual rations already and by now would have completed their gear check list and hopefully have reached BC2 all of this for me to look forward to...
They used a band wagon (BV?) to trasnport all our goods. Jon was telling me in the marines they had rope hanging off the back for troops to 'ski' off...awesome!
Here's the team setting up camp after a hard days work...again jealous I'm not there! Just look at all that snow!!
They've already got some photos back and I'm so jealous and it all adds fuel to my excitement as the days are drawing closer to when I can go. My flights have finally been booked for 14th April, a week later! But nevertheless I'm glad as I've been ill so this has given me time to regain my strength and get better to join my team...
The containers were all packed and shipped across about two months ago... lot's of gear for lots of important work!
The team have been getting all our kit over to base camp 1 then will be moving onto base camp 2. They would have stocked up on their individual rations already and by now would have completed their gear check list and hopefully have reached BC2 all of this for me to look forward to...
They used a band wagon (BV?) to trasnport all our goods. Jon was telling me in the marines they had rope hanging off the back for troops to 'ski' off...awesome!
Can't wait to join them...
Polar Bear prep...! (Do not run!!!)
There will be a very high chance that we will see polar bears out there. Whilst polar bears are photographically pleasing and great as stuffed toys, in reality they are meat eat, human slicing machines. They are the worlds most dangerous animals known to humans... So what have we as a team done and going to do to prepare for this?
When I got to our training outpost a few months ago, I didn't know what to expect and when it came to the polar defence training section, I was not prepared for what we were about to be taught. Firstly the stories they had of the past and the gruesome pictures and news posts they had up on the walls didn't help one bit... nervous about this, a little...but also excited if I could see one from afar and have a telephoto lens...
We were trained in rifles and the upkeep of rifles. The most ironic thing about this whole this is I knew exactly what the weapon was when they brought it out... a Kar98, my most favourite weapon when playing my all time favourite game: Call of Duty (the first few series on PC about 10 years ago...). I was always the assigned rifler for my clan and our matches were always accompanied by my trusty K98 is we played Axis, if we were British then the Enfield was my choice and American, well they didn't have nice rifles to use, so I settled always for the Garand (perCHING!!)... I was so excited at actually have one of these in my hand, it's definietly a lot heavier than I imagined... actually I lie, I never imagined I would ever hold one of these babies in my hands and there I was with one!!
The Karabiner 98 Kurz (often abbreviated Kar98k, K98, or K98k) was a bolt action rifle chambered for the 8x57 IS cartridge that was adopted as the standard service rifle in 1935 by the German Wehrmacht.[2] It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the German service rifle until the end of World War II in 1945.
Excitement over, back to polar bears!
We're meant to try not get the polar bears attention (so no putting on shows for it or entertaining it...), but if it shows sign of interest in use we all have to as a team create as much noise as we can to try and scare it off (there's a vdeio of one fo the past teams, bagging all sorts of pots and pans together and shouting as load as they can for what seemed like 30mins + ... yes interesting video...), whilst the two riflers are prepared... if it still shows sign of coming to us, then we have bare flares which we are also trained in using. We will each have two bear flares with us in our pockets and our camp will also be set with bear flare traps...
It is against the law to shoot or harm a Polar bear in the Arctic... unless they are within 25metres of you... so I've been keeping an eye on how far that is by looking at the length of my swimming pool at the gym... it's not that far and if they can run well it won't take bit a few seconds to get to us...! It's in all's best interest not to shoot a polar bear and I hope I'd never have to do it... not only mentally it will probably scar me for life, but also the strict laws out there... if we are in the middle of no where we'd have to wait for the authorities to get to us, which could take days,,, we're also not allowed to move from where we shot or move the polar bear so the authorities can start their investigation and paper work, it will seriously hamper our objectives out there.
As much as a polar would be great to see and photograph, I'm mixed in my feelings about seeing one... I want to keep the rose tinted glasses view of them in my head...
We were trained in rifles and the upkeep of rifles. The most ironic thing about this whole this is I knew exactly what the weapon was when they brought it out... a Kar98, my most favourite weapon when playing my all time favourite game: Call of Duty (the first few series on PC about 10 years ago...). I was always the assigned rifler for my clan and our matches were always accompanied by my trusty K98 is we played Axis, if we were British then the Enfield was my choice and American, well they didn't have nice rifles to use, so I settled always for the Garand (perCHING!!)... I was so excited at actually have one of these in my hand, it's definietly a lot heavier than I imagined... actually I lie, I never imagined I would ever hold one of these babies in my hands and there I was with one!!
Excitement over, back to polar bears!
We're meant to try not get the polar bears attention (so no putting on shows for it or entertaining it...), but if it shows sign of interest in use we all have to as a team create as much noise as we can to try and scare it off (there's a vdeio of one fo the past teams, bagging all sorts of pots and pans together and shouting as load as they can for what seemed like 30mins + ... yes interesting video...), whilst the two riflers are prepared... if it still shows sign of coming to us, then we have bare flares which we are also trained in using. We will each have two bear flares with us in our pockets and our camp will also be set with bear flare traps...
It is against the law to shoot or harm a Polar bear in the Arctic... unless they are within 25metres of you... so I've been keeping an eye on how far that is by looking at the length of my swimming pool at the gym... it's not that far and if they can run well it won't take bit a few seconds to get to us...! It's in all's best interest not to shoot a polar bear and I hope I'd never have to do it... not only mentally it will probably scar me for life, but also the strict laws out there... if we are in the middle of no where we'd have to wait for the authorities to get to us, which could take days,,, we're also not allowed to move from where we shot or move the polar bear so the authorities can start their investigation and paper work, it will seriously hamper our objectives out there.
As much as a polar would be great to see and photograph, I'm mixed in my feelings about seeing one... I want to keep the rose tinted glasses view of them in my head...
Fieldwork Brief
Spring team 2011's brief is the same as previous years...so I thought I'd do a quick run down of what is being covered...
Glaciers currently hold 60% of the world’s fresh water and cover 10% of the land area. Glacier monitoring is becoming increasingly important due to global climate change and its effects on glaciers. Research began in the late-18th century but as technology has improved and remote areas are now more accessible, scientific research has increased and the understanding of glaciers has improved significantly. We must now use this knowledge to try and explain how glaciers will change due to warming climates and how this will impact on life around the world.
The Extreme Arctic expedition starting in Svalbard and heading beyond the arctic sheet began in 2006 and each year fieldwork projects have been repeated to allow us to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the processes occurring within the expedition area. This means that the main body of the fieldwork will be repeated in 2011 (although there will be ample opportunity for other projects of interest). By employing this method, we are able to build a picture of the region as an indicator for the whole of Svalbard and wider polar environments.
As the spring expedition returns to the same area each year it provides an ideal opportunity to investigate any contemporary changes in local glacial behaviour. During May 2009, five members of that team surveyed an ice cave discovered by one of the expedition leaders four years previously. In 2011, we will return to the cave’s location and re-survey the interior to see how it has changed and evolved over the past two years.
To support our science work, links have been made with the UK Polar Network, International Glaciological Society, Scott Polar Research Institute and University of Cambridge Geography department.
Glaciers currently hold 60% of the world’s fresh water and cover 10% of the land area. Glacier monitoring is becoming increasingly important due to global climate change and its effects on glaciers. Research began in the late-18th century but as technology has improved and remote areas are now more accessible, scientific research has increased and the understanding of glaciers has improved significantly. We must now use this knowledge to try and explain how glaciers will change due to warming climates and how this will impact on life around the world.
The Extreme Arctic expedition starting in Svalbard and heading beyond the arctic sheet began in 2006 and each year fieldwork projects have been repeated to allow us to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the processes occurring within the expedition area. This means that the main body of the fieldwork will be repeated in 2011 (although there will be ample opportunity for other projects of interest). By employing this method, we are able to build a picture of the region as an indicator for the whole of Svalbard and wider polar environments.
To support our science work, links have been made with the UK Polar Network, International Glaciological Society, Scott Polar Research Institute and University of Cambridge Geography department.
Arctic vs Antarctica
So I had a choice, Arctic or Antarctic... why did I go for Arctic...?
Why not!
-Arctic is the top of the world...being on top of the world is surely much better than being at the bottom?
-Antarctic is not owned by anyone, so there's no rules there and tourism via tour companies disrespectively do what the hell they like there, and I'm sure the pollution is taking it's toll there...
-Northern lights instead of southern...!
-Arctic is a series of ice caps floating over the North Polar region, antarctica is.... well just another continent...
-Polar bears vs Penguins.... Polar bears anyday!
I'll still jump at the chance to go antarctica if it comes up but my first choice is Arctic, it always has been, ever since I can remember, Antarctic was never part of the choice...
Why not!
-Arctic is the top of the world...being on top of the world is surely much better than being at the bottom?
-Antarctic is not owned by anyone, so there's no rules there and tourism via tour companies disrespectively do what the hell they like there, and I'm sure the pollution is taking it's toll there...
-Northern lights instead of southern...!
-Polar bears vs Penguins.... Polar bears anyday!
I'll still jump at the chance to go antarctica if it comes up but my first choice is Arctic, it always has been, ever since I can remember, Antarctic was never part of the choice...
Preparation and packing!
So I'm preparing for the expedition, but how prepared am I?! All the kit and physical things I have to bring are finally sorted aside from a few bits and pieces! I had to eat into my savings but aside from that I'm ready with my kit. But what about the rest of it...sure there's training and although I'll never ever think I've trained enough I think I've come a long way from when I started.
Take my vertigo, I couldn't walk across waterloo bridge without feeling the need to jump over it a few months back... I've started walking over it again recently and all I have are memories of how I felt, I feel fine looking over the edge and no feeling of being drawn to jumping. Blessing or not I don't know. Someone once told me jealously that I was lucky to feel that way and I suppose I was but I only realise that now and and miss it somewhat... I loved the exhilaration and head rush it gave me (not so much the nose bleeds...). I know it doesn't sound like much and it sounds weak but i couldn't help feeling that way and it was something i hardly admitted to anyone (aside from when it hit me on Mount Sinaii with two of my friends who watched me climb up effortlessly only to come down the whole way on my arse, now that I could not hide (not cos I had a big arse (!) but my feeling of being drawn to the edge was very apparent!!)). Nevertheless, a bridge and a mountain are totally different and I know I still have a long way to go judging from how I was in Chamonix.
What else do I have to be prepared for...? The rest of the stuff I'd have to deal with when I'm there as there is no way of preparing for it, unless I'm very creative. But I haven't been creative, I've had no time to be creative... I don't know if you've ever let someone down, got your ass kicked, or straight up failed. But those are the moments that define us. They push you further than you've ever thought possible and force you to make choices, no matter what the cost. These are the moments I know I'm going to be up against out there and I have mixed feelings about that. I like the comfort of my own little bubble and yes sometimes I do crazy things and step out of that, but only because I still know that it won't last long or it's only a 'moment'...I'm going to be out there for a good few weeks, so if it goes wrong, it's going to go WRONG!
These are the things I can think of that I'd have to get used to:
24hour daylight Yes at the time we're going, the sun will never set! How odd will that be. I only worry about sleep at this time and gutted i might miss the Northern Lights but aside from that I'm hoping it won't affect me that much? How hard can it be? I have my trusty eye mask with me so perhaps I can try sleeping during the day and practicing with that?
Extreme cold I saw some photos of previous teams that went out there, temperatures hit a low of -31 degrees and that's not even taking into account the wind shield factor! Peoples hair were rock hard and froze up, hell even at -5 in Chamonix the rope we were tied to was like a stick-what will -30+ be? There is no way of preparring for this apart from kit, unless I go and live in a freezer for a bit. Somehow I don't think that would be wise....
6000 calories a day Partly due to the cold and how your body will try it's best to warm you up and mostly because of the sheer demand of working we'd be doing on the snow/ice.... I'll be using up a hell of a lot of energy! So our ration packs for the day includes 6000 calories… that’s 3 times the recommended amount a day for females… so this loosing and using up energy better work or I will come back needing the gym more than ever…! Our ration packs roughly contain the following per day: bag of porridge, 2 bars of chocolate, 2 flapjacks, biscuits, jam and cheese, freeze dried dinner and a pudding… I’m bringing a few things with me… my PTI Jon has done this before and I asked him what was the one thing he craved… “sweets” was what he said and Jelly babies are great, so I mustn’t forget to stock up on sweets for my adventure…!
Exhaustion
I’ve been ill running up to the departure for this trip and I’m constantly nervous that it will affect my performance out there. I’m a lot better now but with a few days to go and no training done whilst being in bed it’s a hit or miss if I’ll be able to be as fit as I should be… We will be pulling pulks 6/8 hours a day dependant on weather conditions so exhaustion is a major factor for this kind of expedition… I’m hoping the training that I have done before I became ill is enough to help me prepare for this. Somehow I don’t think so, but we will see…
Tent living
Yes, being in the middle of nowhere is great, and we will be living in tents for the whole of the expedition. The most I’ve done is 7 days in a tent and even then it was a campsite with electricity and running showers and toilets… We will have none of that there (yes Lisa, I can’t just check myself into a hotel there…!), we have to dig holes for toilets and take all the rubbish with us… girls have to use some thing called a shepee (hehe), I’ll leave it up to your imaginations what that could be… no showers means copious amounts of wet wipes and merino wear is a must… It will certainly be an experience and I’m sure I will not be able to wait to get back to Longy wear we have packed our luxuries for that one shower we will get before boarding the plane back (I’m sure they will not let us get on the plane in the state we will be in?). I could prepare for this by not showering for a while or peeing in bottles from now… but I’m sure that will go down well at work and around friends/family… I’m pretty sure I will have none of those left if I did… so unfortunately this is something I will just have to jump into the deep end at as it were… fun!
Kit
I’ve been over and over my kit list and there are a lot of stuff to bring… stuff I vowed I will use again! I recently got all my kit and laid it out on the floor and I’m baffled at how I will be able to fit this all into a 100L duffle…
I ended up getting a 140L duffle and I spent hours trying to get everything sorted into colour coordinated dry sacks and had numerous attempts at fitting things in different places. 'Start stuffing stuff and using up all space from the momet you start packing' says Andrew... okay I'm trying but this is the best I can do right now and there's still stuff left over!! Grrrr, time to call the team and see if they have the same problem... Henry does yes! Shall we wear our big plastic Scarpa boots on the plane, we don't know... is it a security risk to have such big boots.... we don't know... back to square one again for packing....
Time to pull stuff out and see what is absolutely necessary. My leader said that if all my stuff doesn’t fit into a 100L duffle you are either bringing too much or you are packing wrong. I really hope it’s the latter…as I can’t see what I can take out without hampering the expedition…
With the kit buying and training I believe physically and materially I’m all done and prepared, I just have to finalise myself mentally now… I won’t lie I think I am only almost there, but not quite, I’m content at what the expedition involves and what it requires for me, it will be a trip of a lifetime and something I hope I’ll never forget… but I think in all situations like this I’ll always have doubts, maybe to protect myself from disappointment, is that the wrong way to go about it? I don’t know. Whichever, I am truly excited now, a few more days to go!
Take my vertigo, I couldn't walk across waterloo bridge without feeling the need to jump over it a few months back... I've started walking over it again recently and all I have are memories of how I felt, I feel fine looking over the edge and no feeling of being drawn to jumping. Blessing or not I don't know. Someone once told me jealously that I was lucky to feel that way and I suppose I was but I only realise that now and and miss it somewhat... I loved the exhilaration and head rush it gave me (not so much the nose bleeds...). I know it doesn't sound like much and it sounds weak but i couldn't help feeling that way and it was something i hardly admitted to anyone (aside from when it hit me on Mount Sinaii with two of my friends who watched me climb up effortlessly only to come down the whole way on my arse, now that I could not hide (not cos I had a big arse (!) but my feeling of being drawn to the edge was very apparent!!)). Nevertheless, a bridge and a mountain are totally different and I know I still have a long way to go judging from how I was in Chamonix.
What else do I have to be prepared for...? The rest of the stuff I'd have to deal with when I'm there as there is no way of preparing for it, unless I'm very creative. But I haven't been creative, I've had no time to be creative... I don't know if you've ever let someone down, got your ass kicked, or straight up failed. But those are the moments that define us. They push you further than you've ever thought possible and force you to make choices, no matter what the cost. These are the moments I know I'm going to be up against out there and I have mixed feelings about that. I like the comfort of my own little bubble and yes sometimes I do crazy things and step out of that, but only because I still know that it won't last long or it's only a 'moment'...I'm going to be out there for a good few weeks, so if it goes wrong, it's going to go WRONG!
These are the things I can think of that I'd have to get used to:
24hour daylight Yes at the time we're going, the sun will never set! How odd will that be. I only worry about sleep at this time and gutted i might miss the Northern Lights but aside from that I'm hoping it won't affect me that much? How hard can it be? I have my trusty eye mask with me so perhaps I can try sleeping during the day and practicing with that?
Extreme cold I saw some photos of previous teams that went out there, temperatures hit a low of -31 degrees and that's not even taking into account the wind shield factor! Peoples hair were rock hard and froze up, hell even at -5 in Chamonix the rope we were tied to was like a stick-what will -30+ be? There is no way of preparring for this apart from kit, unless I go and live in a freezer for a bit. Somehow I don't think that would be wise....
6000 calories a day Partly due to the cold and how your body will try it's best to warm you up and mostly because of the sheer demand of working we'd be doing on the snow/ice.... I'll be using up a hell of a lot of energy! So our ration packs for the day includes 6000 calories… that’s 3 times the recommended amount a day for females… so this loosing and using up energy better work or I will come back needing the gym more than ever…! Our ration packs roughly contain the following per day: bag of porridge, 2 bars of chocolate, 2 flapjacks, biscuits, jam and cheese, freeze dried dinner and a pudding… I’m bringing a few things with me… my PTI Jon has done this before and I asked him what was the one thing he craved… “sweets” was what he said and Jelly babies are great, so I mustn’t forget to stock up on sweets for my adventure…!
Exhaustion
I’ve been ill running up to the departure for this trip and I’m constantly nervous that it will affect my performance out there. I’m a lot better now but with a few days to go and no training done whilst being in bed it’s a hit or miss if I’ll be able to be as fit as I should be… We will be pulling pulks 6/8 hours a day dependant on weather conditions so exhaustion is a major factor for this kind of expedition… I’m hoping the training that I have done before I became ill is enough to help me prepare for this. Somehow I don’t think so, but we will see…
Tent living
Yes, being in the middle of nowhere is great, and we will be living in tents for the whole of the expedition. The most I’ve done is 7 days in a tent and even then it was a campsite with electricity and running showers and toilets… We will have none of that there (yes Lisa, I can’t just check myself into a hotel there…!), we have to dig holes for toilets and take all the rubbish with us… girls have to use some thing called a shepee (hehe), I’ll leave it up to your imaginations what that could be… no showers means copious amounts of wet wipes and merino wear is a must… It will certainly be an experience and I’m sure I will not be able to wait to get back to Longy wear we have packed our luxuries for that one shower we will get before boarding the plane back (I’m sure they will not let us get on the plane in the state we will be in?). I could prepare for this by not showering for a while or peeing in bottles from now… but I’m sure that will go down well at work and around friends/family… I’m pretty sure I will have none of those left if I did… so unfortunately this is something I will just have to jump into the deep end at as it were… fun!
Kit
I’ve been over and over my kit list and there are a lot of stuff to bring… stuff I vowed I will use again! I recently got all my kit and laid it out on the floor and I’m baffled at how I will be able to fit this all into a 100L duffle…
Time to pull stuff out and see what is absolutely necessary. My leader said that if all my stuff doesn’t fit into a 100L duffle you are either bringing too much or you are packing wrong. I really hope it’s the latter…as I can’t see what I can take out without hampering the expedition…
With the kit buying and training I believe physically and materially I’m all done and prepared, I just have to finalise myself mentally now… I won’t lie I think I am only almost there, but not quite, I’m content at what the expedition involves and what it requires for me, it will be a trip of a lifetime and something I hope I’ll never forget… but I think in all situations like this I’ll always have doubts, maybe to protect myself from disappointment, is that the wrong way to go about it? I don’t know. Whichever, I am truly excited now, a few more days to go!
Sorry blog delays
I've been ill so I haven't blogged in a while, but I had a few I was working on from previously but just haven't had the chance to load them. They will be uploaded today as today is the last day before I set off (yes I'm still here, going later than I planned)...watch this space x
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