Story
09/06/10
Decided that it's easier to just upload photos once so I'm afraid there's only a taste of my photos on here. If you would like to see more then please come and hook up with me on my Facebook page where you can see the whole 200 odd snaps that got taken on my tramp through the Jordan desert.
This page closes in just over a month and I'm hoping by then to have reached £3500 which would be £1000 over the minimum sponsorship originally required. I am already so very grateful to all those who have generously given to these 4 causes and to send me off on such a fabulous challenge but if you know of anyone who hasn't yet dropped a few coffers in the pot could you give them a wee reminder as it does all still count and of course the charities continue to benefit.
THANK YOU ALL!
29/03/10
YEAH! WE MADE IT - EVERY ONE OF US! SOOOOOOOOOOO PROUD OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS.
Got back late Saturday night. Just adjusting to being home and to not being in camp with my trekking buddies.
Realised that the sub-editor (Andrew) never got round to doing the updates so I will be back soon with more info & photos. Suffice to say I'm very elated!
18/03/10
I'm Off!
Well almost - don't think I'll have time to check in tomorrow - too busy with last minute packing and trying to head off with time to spare - that'll be the day!
What can I say?
Thank you for all the support. It'll keep me going as I trudge along. Not yet excited but glad the time has come and I can just get on with it.
See you when I get back!
Lots of love
Carolyn
x
17/03/10
Happy St Patrick's Day!
I've already said that mobile phone communication may be a little patchy whilst we're trekking. My plan is to try to text Andrew each evening once we've made camp. How doable this will be remains to be seen but when I succeed he hopes to update this site afterwards so that those of you checking in get some sort of idea about what I've been up to each day. It may be that you'll have to wait until I get back or what info there is may be quite brief.
Anyway, as the children say, 2 more sleeps until I leave for the south and just 3 sleeps until we fly to Jordan - wow! The huge pile of "stuff" is now much less since it shed it's packaging which is actually very scary - quite an amount for recycling. Managed to get some isotonic powders that don't contain aspartame so feeling much happier about that.
And when in doubt - I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine!
16/03/10
Now reached the stocking up stage - some might incorrectly call it comfort eating! On the basis that chocolate will melt in the desert I'm making sure that I've stored plenty up before I go!
Been looking at the very small pile of clothes that's going with me and comparing it to what seems like a very huge pile of first aid/toiletries/snacks/loo roll/and other kit! Beginning to wonder whether I really needed to empty Boots?
Back to the mantra - I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine!
15/03/10
5 days to go! Leave here on Friday 19th.
I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine - my new mantra!
11/03/10
Info Re The Weather
During March the temperature is likely to be 20-25C during the day, however we will need to be prepared for extreme weather. There are two very different weather zones on this trek. In the Arava desert at the start of the trek it can be very hot if the "chamsin" wind blows in from the east, temperatures can soar up to 40C without warning. On the second part of the trek as we approach Petra we may experience very severe cold temperatures, sometimes dropping to below freezing without warning. We should therefore be prepared for both extremes with our clothing. There is also the possibility of rain, wind and even snow so it is recommended that we bring a waterproof jacket and a warm wear layer! (They don't mention wellies!)
Time Difference and Mobile Phones
Jordan is 2 hours ahead of UK time and mobile phone coverage can be patchy throughout our route. (So those of you who thought a piece each evening to webcam would be a good idea - sorry!)
10/03/10
That's a nice neat date! Anyway just popped by to upload the new "official" photo with the new "official" T-shirt. Suspect that may be the cleanest that T-shirt ever is...now it and it's friend go to Jordan for a week of dust and sunshine!
07/03/10
Along with the T-shirts came some more info about flights & accommodation. Not sure how closely any of you are planning on following this but since you've paid the money I think you're entitled to the detail -
Flight Details
Outbound
20th March 16:05 hrs London Heathrow - 23:05 hrs Amman - RJ112
Return
27th March 12:15 hrs Amman - 14:45 hrs London Heathrow - RJ111
Accommodation
Saturday 20th March - Dead Sea Spa Hotel, Sweimeh
Sunday 21st - Wednesday 24th March - Camping in Bedouin Tents
Thursday 25th & Friday 26th March - Edom Hotel, Wadi Musa, Petra
04/03/10
Things are starting to get very real - our official Trek T-shirts arrived this morning! Would we please wear one for identification purposes at the airport! Ooh - so no hiding behind the pot plants! Better finish off the itinerary then hadn't I?
Day 4
Helat Sufer - Wadi Araba 20km / 5-6 hours approx
After breakfast we start our trek heading south along the jeep track from the campsite to Asajula. Today our terrain is mostly flat, with some minor undualtions in places. We soon reach the hiking trail which we follow all the way to our lunch stop. We stop for lunch after about 13 km and then continue on to a Bedouin village and its water source. Here we will have time to learn more about the Bedouin way of life. Our trek continues from here over the jeep track and through an area with a few acacia trees, until we reach a wide wadi area with lots of small terraces, our camp for the night.
Day 5
Wadi Araba - Little Petra 20-24km / 8 hours approx
We continue this morning hiking along the jeep track. The terrain becomes more undulating, but the scenery is really beautiful. We will be able to enjoy views over the Petra Mountains, including Jebel Haroun. Prophet Aaron, brother of Moses and Miriam, died in the Petra area and was buried on Mount Hor, now known as Jebel Haroun (Mount Aaron). After 5km, we leave the jeep track and follow the trek of Nakev Sleisel. We have about a hike of about 2 hours which will take us to the summit at 1023m. From here we trek down and up again until we reach Mount Quaran, part of the Red Mountains Ridge with beautiful views over the Araba Valley. Here we will stop for lunch. After lunch we trek through the Wadi to Baidah (Siq al-Barid/Little Petra), one of the caravan stations from Nabatean times. We will tour the old caves and temples before continuing to our overnight campsite just outside Little Petra, Ras Suleman. (Vertigo sufferers may find today challenging at times.)
Day 6
Little Petra - Petra 13km / 8 hours approx
Our last day, and what a magnificent one it is. We trek from our campsite on relatively flat terrain towards the famous Red Rose City of Petra. Built more than 2000 years ago it stretches over several kilometres. Petra was the strategic centre for the old silk and spice routes. It prospered for many centuries with a population of about 25,000 at the height of its power, before its decline during the expansion of the Roman Empire. It was rediscovered in 1812 by the Anglo-Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. The Nabateans built Petra on a terrace pierced from east to west by Wadi Musa (Moses) one of the places where tradition has it that Moses struck a rock and "water gushed forth". The valley is enclosed by sandstone cliffs veined with shades of red, purple and pink, out of which the city's monuments and temples were hewn. On arrival at the site (after about 2 hours trekking) we climb up to the Monastery. It is Petra's most awe-inspiring monument and is also one of the most challenging to reach. There are well-worn steps that lead up to it and the climb takes about an hour. The incredible views from the top over the entire Petra basin and Wadi Araba make the exertion worthwhile. We then re-trace our steps back to the site for a guided visit (3 hours approx) of this amazing site. Tonight we overnight in Petra.
Day 7
Free day in Petra
Free day to explore Petra on your own or optional tour to Wadi Rum. Tonight we enjoy a special meal to celebrate the end of the event. Overnight in Petra.
Day 8
Petra - Amman - London
2 hour transfer to Amman for flight back to UK
01/03/10
What a FANTASTIC way to start March - the walking month - the total raised has just crossed £3000! Thank you, thank you, thank you! What wonderful, fabulous, generous folk you are. Of course the problem is that every time a new milestone is reached it is very tempting to head for the next one - soooooo if you know any friends or colleagues who might just be persuaded to part with a few quid then point them in this direction. Every pound counts. And just think about my poor wee feet trudging through all those wadis! Back later this week to give you the rest of the itinerary. Thank you again - everyone of you.
26/02/10
Oh my! 3 weeks today and I leave the safe haven of home and fly down to Heathrow ready to fly out to Jordan on Saturday 20th March. Woohoo! Almost there and what's going on? What's going on is that I've got a stinking cold and am in an even worse mood! Messing up my training schedule. Humf! So instead of worrying about that thought I'd start to give you all some details of this trip - save you having to find the Action for Charity website. What follows is per their blurb - apologies to any Arab scholars out there but some of the Anglicised names are appalling! Here goes -
Discover Jordan!
Jordan is mainly desert; from the dramatic red sands and towering cliffs of the far south to the stony plains of volcanic basalt in the east. Also packed into this small country are the lush hills of the north and the plunging rift of the Jordan Valley, which runs into the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth.
Day 1
London - Amman (capital of Jordan)
Fly from London Heathrow to Amman. Transfer to overnight hotel in Amman.
Day 2
Amman - Mount Nebo - Dead Sea - Feinan Ruins 6-9 km / 2-3 hours approx
We start today with a transfer to Mount Nebo. This is the most revered holy place in Jordan where tradition has it that God showed Moses the Promised Land into which he was never destined to enter. On a clear day there is a breathtaking view across the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, to the domes and spires of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We will have time here to visit the Moses Memorial Church and the mosaics. From here we get back on the coach for our short transfer to the start of the trek. We follow a narrow wadi (dry river-bed), up to a hill point, where we have our first stunning views over the Jordanian desert. Our trek continues further up the wadi, along a ridge to another beautiful view point. We then make our way down towards the Dead Sea, following the trail of the wadi as we go, and trekking through some Bedouin settlements. Our buses will be waiting for us when we reach the gravel road for the short transfer to the Dead Sea Spa Rest House where we will have lunch together. After lunch we have the chance to "swim" in the Dead Sea before transferring to Greigria. From here we take Bedouin pick-up trucks for the last 7km to reach our campsite. (Vertigo sufferers may find today challenging at times)
Day 3
Feinan Ruins - Helat Sufer 25-30 km / 7-8 hours approx
After breakfast we start the hike from the ruins, cutting through the small wadis and over small ridges, keeping the Edom Mountains on one side of us. We have a long trek this morning to lunch (about 15km) and we will have donkeys with us to carry water. We stop for lunch at Wadi Um Sakakin. Time permitting we will walk through the wadi to the water source and to a small waterfall before heading to the campsite at Helat Sufer. The terrain today is mainly flat, but it will be stony underfoot and there will be very little shade so be prepared for a challenging day. We camp tonight in a beautiful spot next to the dunes.
More to follow...
January 2010 Fresh from our week long Xmas Social Development Project, it is easy to explain how the money you are raising will help people at Kith & Kids. The project is for 40 young people with learning disabilities, they may also have sensory or physical disabilities too and over half have autism. Their needs vary greatly and so we link two trained volunteers with each person with a disability on the project and tailor the week according to individual interests and areas for development. The Xmas project offers a daily timetable of activities led by trained creative therapists which are lots of fun but which also develop key life and social skills. A few areas we explored on this project were relationship building and independent living skills. We did this by designing a huge Christmas Tree and making presents for each other in the art and craft sessions, cooking Christmas cookies, and role playing in drama workshops. Plus, as holiday times (especially Xmas holidays) can be particularly stressful for parents, carers and siblings, the project provides a short break and time for families to relax. So I hope that this explains just a few of the ways which you are helping to improve the lives of children and young people with disabilities and their families. Think about this when you are training and trekking and remember that so many people are cheering you on and thanking you for your support. To learn more please visit our website at http://www.kithandkids.org.uk/ Best wishes Danielle Taylor Fundraising manager
ABOUT MEDEQUIP4KIDS
When a child is poorly, or injured in an accident, it can be a terrifying time for the entire family and you want to be reassured your child or baby is receiving the best possible care. MedEquip4Kids is the children’s charity working to make sure that happens. By supporting MedEquip4Kids, you will be helping children and babies across the north of England receive the best treatment when sick or injured. Your fundraising will allow MedEquip4Kids to provide vital medical equipment which has been designed specifically for children and babies, but may not be readily available within the NHS’ limited budgets. MedEquip4Kids works in partnership with medical staff, play therapists, community nurses, the ambulance service and other registered charities and is also supporting community health projects that enable children to be treated in their own home whenever possible. CASE STUDY Toby Rowbottom was born at North Manchester General Hospital two months premature when mum Catherine showed signs of pre-eclampsia. Weighing just 2lbs 12oz, he was transferred to Royal Salford Hospital to be put on a ventilator until strong enough to breathe on his own, and returned to North Manchester a week later. After two weeks, Toby moved to St Mary’s Hospital with a suspected tear in his stomach. A drip was used to feed him, which led to an infection causing his heart rate to drop. For the next few weeks, Toby was transferred back and forth between North Manchester and St Mary’s as he battled his infection. He was finally allowed home at three months old - two weeks after his original due date. Catherine said: “At Royal Salford Hospital, we saw a MedEquip4Kids leaflet and references to MedEquip4Kids everywhere on the medical equipment Toby was using. If the equipment was not there, I dread to think what would have happened so we are really grateful charities like MedEquip4Kids exist.” To learn more please visit our website at http://www.medequip4kids.org.uk/
06/06/10
Glorious news! Due to all your kind and generous donations we've made it to the base line before Friday's deadline. By then Let's Trek for Charity needed to know that I had raised the minimum sponsorship of £2500 before I would be confirmed on the trek. Hopefully that means that they're happy to agree my place and I can concentrate more fully on the fitness side of things. Of course any further donations still go towards the charities so please keep telling folk about my endeavours and if anybody is reading this who hasn't dropped by with a donation - don't be shy! every penny counts!
THANK YOU!
01/01/10 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! A bit of info about Dreams Come True - Dreams Come True is a national children’s charity based in Midhurst, West Sussex, which since being founded in 1988, has made a huge and positive difference to the lives of nearly 4,500 children with serious and terminal illnesses. What do we do? Here is a quote from Martin Plowman, our Dreams Manager: “Children have an enormous gift for finding joy whatever the circumstances – and every child has a dream. Making that dream come true for a terminally or seriously ill child not just brightens their life, it is a gift of joy and wonderful memories that parents and family will treasure forever. That is what we do every day”. Each child has their own unique dream. Everything we do is dedicated to understanding and fulfilling each and every dream in a sensitive and appropriate way. Our Dream Coordinators develop personal relationships with all our Dream Children and with their families and carers, to ensure that their experience with Dreams Come True is the best it can be. We have a dream too! With 25,000 children moving into palliative care every year, our vision for the next 5 years is to bring joy to 1,000 Dream Children every year. This may be an ambitious goal but with your support we believe that we can start the exciting process of achieving our own dream! To learn more please visit our website at www.dctc.org.uk/ Many thanks to all the Let’s Trek for Children Jordan Desert Challenge participants – we are very grateful for your help! Toni Cook Fundraising Administrator Email: toni.cook@dctc.org.uk21/12/09
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
As this week will doubtless get madder and madder for everyone I just wanted to wish you all a wonderful, and very possibly, white Christmas. May you have a joyful and peaceful time. Wherever you are in the world. Whoever you spend this festive season with.
Thank you to everyone of you who has made a donation towards the trek. The total is creeping up and I am really hopeful that I will make the minimum by the deadline of 8th January 2010. They need to know that we have the basic funds by that time. Obviously anything over and above still goes to the charities.
I have added another £210 to the offline donations which came mainly from the Pampered Chef evening held 2 weeks ago. This was made up from entry funds, raffle tickets and a couple of generous donations. There should be a cheque coming very soon from Pampered Chef themselves as a percentage of the evening's purchases. Thank you to all those who came along and practically refitted their kitchens with Pampered Chef equipment and/or did all their Christmas shopping that evening! You've made a huge difference to the total.
THANK YOU AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2010 TO YOU ALL!
16/12/09
Living in hope that this will finally load the update. I've been trying now for a month and it just keeps saying that there is a technical hitch and try again later - except that means retyping everything - infuriating! Point being that I have not been ignoring you all. I have been trying to tell you how well the Race Night went and to say a huge thank you to all who turned up, sponsored a nag or two, donated prizes, helped with the buffet, cheerily lost some money in a good cause! And a special big thank you to Brian for organising and hosting the event - extremely generous with time and money. I think everyone had a great evening and the cause benefitted to the tune of £500, give or take a few pennies! Thank you all. Fingers-crossed there will be another update soon!
A MESSAGE FROM BARNARDO’S
Thank you so much for signing up for the Let’s Trek for Children Jordan 2010 expedition! I realise the challenge you have taken on in terms of the upcoming months of training and fundraising before you complete this fantastic challenge, however I hope that you feel that it is all going to be worth it!
For the more than 100,000 vulnerable children, young people and their families that Barnardo’s works with each year, I can assure you it definitely is. Your fantastic fundraising efforts will help children like Lucy who is one of the estimated 175,000 young carers in the U.K.
Your brilliant fundraising of £2500 will help Barnardo’s pay for 25 young carers, like Lucy, who are caring for a parent with mental or physical ill health, to enjoy a variety of fun and different activities at their young carers group for a whole year. To learn more please visit our website at http://www.barnardos.org.uk/
Thank you for supporting Let’s Trek for Children!
23/10/09
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you to all you kind folk who came by to have a look and left behind very kind and much appreciated donations! Thank you, thank you and ta very much!
05/10/09
Ooh! Just sent out my first serious begging email for sponsorship for the trek and now I just want to stick my head under a pillow! I'm just not good at this whole "please give me money, pretty please" thing. I know the money isn't for me, I know I'm asking on behalf of 4 extremely worthwhile charities, so why does it feel so difficult? Might give me something to mull over as I plod off on another practise walk. Well "hello" if anybody has dropped by in response to said begging email. Please do give something to these charities and think of me as I trundle across Jordan, camping out in the desert and hopefully not gaining too many blisters in the process! If you do drop something in the money pot then a huge thank you!
10/09/09
Wow! The heavens turned the tap off, the sun came out, pilates got cancelled, so I decided I'd better do something about getting back into my boots and do some walking!
And was I repaid for it. Just look at that view. Yeh yeh...I know...I'm meant to put in action shots to make this more appealling to everyone. But noone with me to take photos of me striding out (or indeed mincing my way through the mud) & there is a limit to how much action I want when out walking. Me falling down the hillside? Rescue helicopter? I think not.
The picture is of Mill Dam which is the furthest point on this particular walk. Headed over to Dunkeld and walked the Atholl Woods route which is officially 6 3/4 miles. Good walk to do as it has a fair amount of rough track but also a steady climb at the start which certainly gets the heart & lungs going. Fair number of folk out enjoying the sunshine so of course with John's (trainer) voice ringing in my ears I had to lap everybody! Felt knackered and very virtuous at the end but boy did I suffer last night!
Sarah (4 years old) had to push me up the stairs to get a hot bath & soak my screaming limbs! Thankfully it seems to have helped as I'm actually mobile today!
Need to try to keep the pace up now though. The weather will start coming in and the inclination to get out will dwindle. Should really try to walk today but do need to do other things. Might get a smallish one squeezed in tomorrow morning before school pick up at lunchtime. Sarah starts full time next week which should start to free me up a little more. Except I seem to be off on hols quite a lot in the next few weeks! Mmmm! Isn't it the darnedest thing how life just keeps getting in the way? Funny that!
Thank you again to all who have already supported me. Please keep checking in and do encourage others to put a little in the pot - it all goes to 4 very good causes.
Cx
01/09/09
This isn't really an update but for anyone daft enough to be checking up on me on a regular basis I just wanted to say something.
I do honestly see this as a challenge. In many ways. I don't take 100km in 5 days lightly. We're not walking on nicely laid paths. It'll be rocky and rough underfoot and there will be a fair amount of climbing. The temperature should be bearable but can soar and then it could get pretty steamy. Camping is not my thing. I like my homely comforts, en suite bathroom being one of my favourites. And of course the challenge of trying to raise the dosh. Even with the base target being £2500 I consider that to be quite some funds to find.
But today I just feel so humble at what feels like a very minor charity challenge when you look at two (I admit of thousands of dedicated folk) chaps who are going possibly just a little further than most of us would.
Eddie Izzard, known to many as a comedian and actor, is running for Sport Relief. So? you say. Eh, not just running. He's done the equivalent of 30 marathons in 36 days (yes I did copy that correctly) and will run a total of 1100 miles. I just can't comprehend that - especially not being a runner of any distance at all. But more to the point, he's not a runner.
And then there is Eric Innes who has just finished kayaking around Britain - the whole coast - to raise funds for Help for Heroes. Unsupported. No motorhome trogging along behind him with hot food, dry clothes, cosy bed for when he staggers ashore each evening. He's been on his own. Often creating his own shelter, a sort of bivouac. Hoping to be near enough to a pub or cafe to get some hot food. Sometimes treated with suspiscion by locals where he's landed. Sometimes, thankfully, given assistance - bed for the night, bath, food. You can find Eric's page at www.justgiving.com/ericscoastalkayak
These two men have now become heroes of mine. Truly awe inspiring (if a little scarey) and I hope by keeping them and there endeavours in my head they will help to push me on in my challenge.
10/08/09
Not been very good at keeping things updated so far. My excuse being the kids are on holiday & time is not my own! Before the schools broke up I had been managing to do a reasonable walk each week, usually with at least one companion - thanks to Michelle, Ailie (& Mairi!) & Emma. Still plenty of folk need to get out there & stretch their legs!
Once the kids start back next week it'll be time to get serious about all this. In the main I'm not too worried about the walking aspect. Can practice for that. Training in general not a problem as I've already got my trainer, John, nagging away merrily - seems to think we all need to be marine level fitness to do this - and putting me through my general fitness paces each week.
The big worry for me is fundraising! I'm just not one of those people who comes up with brilliant fundraising schemes. Many of you know that I'm involved with another charity as a volunteer and whenever the F word comes up I'm the one doodling on my pad or staring at the floor! If you want me to sit in a supermarket & sell raffle tickets I'll be there. Happily rattle a tin at folk but I do not have the natural talent that says "I've got a fab idea how to raise some dosh!" So this one is going to be the struggle for me. Any ideas - welcome. Those of you who have already generously donated - can I ask you to pass on the details of this fundraising page to as many people as you can. Every little helps and the money is going to 4 very deserving charities. Thank you in advance.
Plan to try to update this site a wee bit more often. Need to also find some more suitable photos. Cannot believe that we didn't take a single camping photo whilst we were away last week! Would have been perfect! Will come up with something.
That's all for now folks.
Cx
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Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.
By the time the trek takes place both children will be at school and I thought it was time I took on something different for me.
Many of you know that I have been working hard at getting fitter in the last year especially since I had a major operation in February 2008. Training can be boring and easy to neglect and therefore having a goal is always a good idea. Having a goal that can help benefit others is always a bonus. Hopefully it will mean that however dreary the weather, however appealling the gogglebox may be, I will get up off my bum and get on with my training.
Please take the time to look at the charity's own website www.actionforcharity.co.uk and see just what I plan to tackle.
Please give whatever you can manage as every penny counts.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Let's Trek For Children - Kith and Kids gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
So please sponsor me now!
THANK YOU!