The first three stages were done in the blistering heat and took us 12 hours. By 8.pm we were all suffering from serious blisters and complete physical exhaustion. Motivated by a quick morale boost from Tom’s parents, we began Stage 4 –the most difficult stage of the trek from what we were told.
We got lost in the middle of the night, costing us an
extra hour of time/energy, and climbed ‘Ma On Shan’ in a thunderstorm with two
weak head-torches. The SMS messages about the incoming donations kept us going.
We trekked on through the night and reached our second pit stop after 24 hours
of trekking, having only reached the 50km mark. After a quick rest we moved on.
At Stage 7 we reached by far the hottest point during
the trek, which coincided with the steepest climb (Needle Hill) of the trek. It
was a case of mind over matter. Running severely low on water we then began to
climb Tai Mo Shan (highest peak in HK). The combination of heat and dehydration
led to Hamza’s collapse on Stage 8. We dug deep to push ourselves to the end of
Stage 8 – our last pit stop.
Met by Luke Berry and a support crew with 2 stages
left and severe sleep deprivation and hallucinations, we were determined to
finish strongly. We eventually crossed the finish line 38 hours and 30 minutes
after setting off.
This was as much a mental challenge as a physical one and wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s support. This was done purely to raise awareness and funds for one of the biggest natural disasters of our lifetime. Although it pushed us to our limits, at the end of it all we were able to go home to our warm beds and full fridges. Many people in Pakistan at the moment are fighting what we fought and much worse, on a daily basis. With continued support from all of us hopefully we can bring the same comfort to their lives that we all have.
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” – Churchill
Up to 20 million people have now been displaced. 1,700
have lost their lives. Over 1.7 million acres of crop have been destroyed in
Punjab, the 'breadbasket' of Pakistan. 3.5 million children are at high risk
from deadly water-borne diseases.
The conditions in Pakistan have now dramatically
worsened. To take action, in the midst of the currently harsh weather,
constrained by time and with minimal planning, we will be doing the 100
kilometer Maclehose Trail in Hong Kong this Thursday - 19th of August. The
official average completion time is 36 hours. With your support, we aim to
complete it in 24 hours.
We will be documenting the trek along the way and aim
to keep the site updated with pictures and videos for as long as necessary.
Your continued support will be appreciated as the situation is only just
escalating.
Nobody wants to see 1/5th of their country, the land
where they were born, to be inundated under water. So spare a minute, dig deep
and donate now.
Thank you.
"The UN estimates that the humanitarian crisis is
now larger than the combined effects of the three worst natural disasters to
strike in the past decade" - The BBC
"In the past I have seen scenes of natural disaster around the world, but nothing like this. The scale of this disaster is so large. So many people in so many places in so much need." - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon