So if you are visiting my page it probably means I have persuaded you to part with some cash ;o) So what's it all for?

 

A great UK charity!!

 

Many children have to travel far from home when they need specialist hospital treatment. The last thing a child wants in this situation is to be alone, they need their family.

RMHC is a remarkable charity offering families free  "home away from home" accomodation at hospitals and hospices across the UK enabling families to stay close to their very sick child and maintain a level of normality.

The facility offers a comfortable bed with cooking facilities, saving  the mounting fiancial costs of hotels and restaurants/takeouts. Just as important it also provides families with emotional support from it's well trained staff and other families in simular situations, at a time when they can feel very isolated.

However there are still a large number of families spending countless nights on camp beds or in cars trying to stay close to their sick child and RMHC is determined to help as many of those as possible.

 

So what will I be doing to earn all this sponsorship ....

 

Spending 13 days in Vietnam, a holiday I hear you cry. Well kinda, but a REALLY painful one ;o) Here's the itinery..

 

Day1: Depart from th UK

Day2: Arrive in Hanoi for our full trip briefing

Day3: Leave Hanoi early to beat the morning commuters and arrive in the countryside of Hoa Binh where our first day cycling begins, and the first ascent! Finish the day in the valley of Mai Chau Approx 50KM 

Day4: Today is a tough day cycling a 1000 metres above sea level (OMG) through paddy fields to an area of traditional minority thai cultures ending in Moc Chau. Approx 70KM.

Day5: Thankfully what goes up must come down and today we start with a descent from Moc Chau through undulating lush, terraced rice paddlies....against a jagged cliff backdrop, GULP!  Finally ending (120KM) in Son La, an area steeped in french colonialism.

Day6: More hills to climb (wipe that tear) and off to see the White Hmong tribes with the decorative black head dresses and colourful pompoms. Our day ends with a descent into Tuan Giao, positioned on the crossroads between Northern Vietnam and Laos. Approx 90KM.

Day7: Today we leave the bustle of Tuan Giao to cycle through picteresque gorges, forests and faming communitities...and yes you guessed it more hills, before ending in Dien Bien Phu (no turning back now!). Approx 80KM

Day8: Heading off from Dien Bien Phu we cycle through extremely rural towns and villages climbing to our next stop in Muong Lay to stay at an authentic home for the night (No tempa matress for us!). Approx 100KM

Day9: If I still have any legs left today has some of the most spectacular scenery of Vietnam as we make our ascent following the course of the river (I thought they went down hill..I feel anothe rtear coming on) to arrive in Lai Chau. Approx 100KM

Day10: The final day I will be making my way to the highest pass in South East Asia with the glorious views of Mount Fasipan to the heavans gates (interesting name...any thoughts?). Here we celebrate our achievement (pray) and make our final descent to Sapa. Approx 50KM

Day11: After a relaxing morning exploring the hidden markets of Sapa (rigamoritis may be setting in at this point) we will board the overnight train back to Hanoi.

Day12: Just enough time to freshen up before we catch a flight back home to share our stories with friends and family.

Day13: Arrive in the good old UK a little bit lighter....fingers x'd!

 

I hope you can see that although this is an experience of a life time it is no walk in the park. The trip will require some serious training beforehand to ensure my position..........is somewhere near the back of the pack and not on the support vehicle (with the trained doctor...OMG, why would we need that!) ;o)

So if the thought of me in pain isn't enough please remember this is a fabulous charity that supports families in the UK (that's us) in their time of need.  So dig deep and part with the paper NOW!

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

xx