WE ARE BACK!!!
Back in one piece - minus a few cuts, brusies, blisters, dodgy knees and some seriously weird tan lines and sun burn!!!
It was a fantastic week - started with a 26 hour journey from heathrow to madrid and then on to san jose, via a quick stop in guatemala city (of course!). arrived finally in san jose only to be whisked on a surreal coach journey for 3 hours across bridges that looked to be supported by nothing but chicken wire. arrived finally at 1.30 am at a best western hotel (!) in Quepos on the Pacific coast. We were told go time was 6am....
No time for jet lag - we saw the pacific ocean, got our bikes and headed off. A quick 20km bike later we stopped for lunch near a local football field on the edge of the rainforest. The organisation of the trip was impecable - lead by 2 ex marines, Kerry and AD - fab guys with a great team behind them. They fed us incredibly well - 4 square meals a day - the fruit was out of this world! Although we did all get a little fed up of rice and beans. Our first costa rican inhabitant encounter - he told us there were two speeds in CR - slow and stop. We didnt seem to be doing either.
Changed over to hiking - a 14km hike up to 900m above sea level through the rain forest. It was incredibly humid and this was just warm up day. then down to 700 m to first camp - we again were lucky - the tents were set up - so we could crash in our cold showers and eat - everyone was so tired we all just went to bed... Zoe having cunningly managed to grab us a tent for 4 people instead of two two people tents. Go Zoe!
The next day was the first day of the competition - it began with a 12km uphill hike in the blazing sun, combined with a scavenger hunt and a brief stop for a shower/swim in a waterfall. then back on to the bikes until we reached second camp. a football game ensued with the locals - 8 year kids who were naturals at playing and naturals at acting like they had been fouled. they made the portugese national team look like wooden dolls... then came the news the next day was a 4 am get up with a 5.30 am start for a 14km uphill bike race. nice. and the marines sabotaged our bikes to increase the challenge. We aced it - 14km going up 700 m to 2200 m above sea level knocked off in an hour and 40 minutes. We were on fire and racing up the leader board.
This was followed by our second breakfast - it was a great feeling to be 7.30 in the morning and already having accomplished so amazing - breakfast was brunch, lunch, dinner all rolled into one. But it didnt stop there - 45km of biking still to go: we started our first downhill section, then off road downhill, then steep off road downhill, then steep off road downhill with sand underneath so there was no traction - I went A over T and my bike smacked into me leaving a few brusies and tears. People started to get off and walk. There were sections so steep that EVERYONE had to get off and walk - but the views were breathtaking. The landscape had changed so quickly. We were now out of the rainforest and into mountainous hillside, sweeping vallies and farm steads. Camp that night after 55 km of biking was welcome - it even had a swimming pool!
The next day was another mammoth day - another 60km biking - but this time with some great down hill - started off by another 25km race - with a bar stop with everyone dancing to MTV... there were also lunchtime competitions - like at the river side where we had to build the hightest pile of stones... we didnt unfortunately excel!!
next team competition: who can get furthest as a team up a hill so steep even the marines could hardly bike up it.... nice! my chain broke. thats my excuse anyway and I am sticking to it!
The afternoon took us through the low lands, the industrial sugar cane plantation area of costa rica and past their newest hydrodamn. Then there was one more thing to be done: a steep uphill climb to the "Hotel". sods! The steepest bit was the actual drive way of the hotel. We got to the hotel to be told that half of us wwere staying in another hotel further up the hill. back on the bus and we took our life in our hands, as with music blaring, the bags on the roof, we climbed this off road track along the edge of the mountain to the "hotel" - which though it had a great view didnt have ceilings that met the walls - so every creepy crawly known to man was waiting for us - lovely! we even had birds living in our bathroom! We went back down for dinner in the bus - another rollercoster ride in the bus in the dark and then to let our hair down with the others for a well deserved big night. Then the bus back, with some guys riding on the roof... yikes!
THere was one more half day of biking - a welcome relief to many of the boys who were getting very sore in the nether regions...! But it was uphill - steep uphill, leading to off road down hill and then to the river where we gave the bikes back, ate and changed for white water rafting. we got a guide in our raft and set off - soon we were into a 2km race challenge which brought us to our camp for the night - by far the best of the whole trip - we beached the rafts on the water side, entered into the jungle to our small jungle camp: tents and a bar floor up on stilts. no electricity, just oil lamps, candles and the sounds of the jungle. it was so noisy and the sky was so clear - we all fell asleep looking at the stars from the bar area. the food was also amazing. on gas burners they managed to cook sumptuous chicken in mushroom sauce with mash and veg and rice. and in the morning pancakes and maple syrup - heaven.
we set off for a full day of white water rafting in up to class 4 rapids, with one of our team having to guide (go Koko!) then we had a team challenge of having to flip the raft, right it and get back on it asap - we did it in 18 seconds. not back given that we had never practiced!
more white water rafting brought us from complete isolation in the jungle back to bridges, people and cars. It felt like we had not seen anything like it for days - nor did we want to.
we said goodbye to the rafts and made our way to our final camp expecting a somewhat easier final day. no chance. get up was at 3 am, on the river by 5.30 am in our kayaks in the dark - we had to use our head torches to see!! That was followed by 40 km of kayaking - which took 8 hours, including a 15km hard race... in a river with crocodiles, surrounded by howler monkeys, sloths and more fish than you can shake a stick at. We were exhausted and there it was finally: the surf of the caribbean sea reaching into the river, with the water changing from green to azure blue. we raced to the line, dumped our kayaks and flung ourselves collapsed into the ocean... not too far though as there were sharks about! A quick drink of champagne and then onto motor boats to rendez-vous with our coach, get some supplies and then a bus journey to our gala night hotel - a spa with sulphur thermal pools! everyone was so tired at the dinner that things didnt really kick off until the alcohol kicked in and then we were away till dawn. brunch, another lunch and then off to the airport for 24 hours of travelling back to the UK (with 5 hours of delays of course and the requsite close inspection by a sniffer dog... actually that was just me... maybe it was dodgy beard...)
The best thing for me about the whole experience was that the sheer concentration on the activities in hand meant that you couldnt not think about anything else - everything about your life back home got pushed out of the mind - and it wasnt until you hit the airport that it came flooding back. It had been a week of real physical exertion but of complete mental break and change - I came back really revitalised and ready to go (at least in my head!) and for that kind of peace I would doing something like this again in a flash.
Thank you to everyone for your support - we were the top 4 person fundraising team. By the end of the biking section, we were in 4th place in the race competition but we slipped up during the water sports ( when teams of big lads overtook us) to end up 8th. Definitely not last though! We put in a good show and we did everyone proud. The whole challenge will raise nigh on half a million pounds for the Prince's Trust. Now thats worth shouting about.
Thank you for supporting us in making a dream become a reality. And thank you from me personally for having helped me face up to a challenge I never thought I could meet. Over and out. xx
Back in one piece - minus a few cuts, brusies, blisters, dodgy knees and some seriously weird tan lines and sun burn!!!
It was a fantastic week - started with a 26 hour journey from heathrow to madrid and then on to san jose, via a quick stop in guatemala city (of course!). arrived finally in san jose only to be whisked on a surreal coach journey for 3 hours across bridges that looked to be supported by nothing but chicken wire. arrived finally at 1.30 am at a best western hotel (!) in Quepos on the Pacific coast. We were told go time was 6am....
No time for jet lag - we saw the pacific ocean, got our bikes and headed off. A quick 20km bike later we stopped for lunch near a local football field on the edge of the rainforest. The organisation of the trip was impecable - lead by 2 ex marines, Kerry and AD - fab guys with a great team behind them. They fed us incredibly well - 4 square meals a day - the fruit was out of this world! Although we did all get a little fed up of rice and beans. Our first costa rican inhabitant encounter - he told us there were two speeds in CR - slow and stop. We didnt seem to be doing either.
Changed over to hiking - a 14km hike up to 900m above sea level through the rain forest. It was incredibly humid and this was just warm up day. then down to 700 m to first camp - we again were lucky - the tents were set up - so we could crash in our cold showers and eat - everyone was so tired we all just went to bed... Zoe having cunningly managed to grab us a tent for 4 people instead of two two people tents. Go Zoe!
The next day was the first day of the competition - it began with a 12km uphill hike in the blazing sun, combined with a scavenger hunt and a brief stop for a shower/swim in a waterfall. then back on to the bikes until we reached second camp. a football game ensued with the locals - 8 year kids who were naturals at playing and naturals at acting like they had been fouled. they made the portugese national team look like wooden dolls... then came the news the next day was a 4 am get up with a 5.30 am start for a 14km uphill bike race. nice. and the marines sabotaged our bikes to increase the challenge. We aced it - 14km going up 700 m to 2200 m above sea level knocked off in an hour and 40 minutes. We were on fire and racing up the leader board.
This was followed by our second breakfast - it was a great feeling to be 7.30 in the morning and already having accomplished so amazing - breakfast was brunch, lunch, dinner all rolled into one. But it didnt stop there - 45km of biking still to go: we started our first downhill section, then off road downhill, then steep off road downhill, then steep off road downhill with sand underneath so there was no traction - I went A over T and my bike smacked into me leaving a few brusies and tears. People started to get off and walk. There were sections so steep that EVERYONE had to get off and walk - but the views were breathtaking. The landscape had changed so quickly. We were now out of the rainforest and into mountainous hillside, sweeping vallies and farm steads. Camp that night after 55 km of biking was welcome - it even had a swimming pool!
The next day was another mammoth day - another 60km biking - but this time with some great down hill - started off by another 25km race - with a bar stop with everyone dancing to MTV... there were also lunchtime competitions - like at the river side where we had to build the hightest pile of stones... we didnt unfortunately excel!!
next team competition: who can get furthest as a team up a hill so steep even the marines could hardly bike up it.... nice! my chain broke. thats my excuse anyway and I am sticking to it!
The afternoon took us through the low lands, the industrial sugar cane plantation area of costa rica and past their newest hydrodamn. Then there was one more thing to be done: a steep uphill climb to the "Hotel". sods! The steepest bit was the actual drive way of the hotel. We got to the hotel to be told that half of us wwere staying in another hotel further up the hill. back on the bus and we took our life in our hands, as with music blaring, the bags on the roof, we climbed this off road track along the edge of the mountain to the "hotel" - which though it had a great view didnt have ceilings that met the walls - so every creepy crawly known to man was waiting for us - lovely! we even had birds living in our bathroom! We went back down for dinner in the bus - another rollercoster ride in the bus in the dark and then to let our hair down with the others for a well deserved big night. Then the bus back, with some guys riding on the roof... yikes!
THere was one more half day of biking - a welcome relief to many of the boys who were getting very sore in the nether regions...! But it was uphill - steep uphill, leading to off road down hill and then to the river where we gave the bikes back, ate and changed for white water rafting. we got a guide in our raft and set off - soon we were into a 2km race challenge which brought us to our camp for the night - by far the best of the whole trip - we beached the rafts on the water side, entered into the jungle to our small jungle camp: tents and a bar floor up on stilts. no electricity, just oil lamps, candles and the sounds of the jungle. it was so noisy and the sky was so clear - we all fell asleep looking at the stars from the bar area. the food was also amazing. on gas burners they managed to cook sumptuous chicken in mushroom sauce with mash and veg and rice. and in the morning pancakes and maple syrup - heaven.
we set off for a full day of white water rafting in up to class 4 rapids, with one of our team having to guide (go Koko!) then we had a team challenge of having to flip the raft, right it and get back on it asap - we did it in 18 seconds. not back given that we had never practiced!
more white water rafting brought us from complete isolation in the jungle back to bridges, people and cars. It felt like we had not seen anything like it for days - nor did we want to.
we said goodbye to the rafts and made our way to our final camp expecting a somewhat easier final day. no chance. get up was at 3 am, on the river by 5.30 am in our kayaks in the dark - we had to use our head torches to see!! That was followed by 40 km of kayaking - which took 8 hours, including a 15km hard race... in a river with crocodiles, surrounded by howler monkeys, sloths and more fish than you can shake a stick at. We were exhausted and there it was finally: the surf of the caribbean sea reaching into the river, with the water changing from green to azure blue. we raced to the line, dumped our kayaks and flung ourselves collapsed into the ocean... not too far though as there were sharks about! A quick drink of champagne and then onto motor boats to rendez-vous with our coach, get some supplies and then a bus journey to our gala night hotel - a spa with sulphur thermal pools! everyone was so tired at the dinner that things didnt really kick off until the alcohol kicked in and then we were away till dawn. brunch, another lunch and then off to the airport for 24 hours of travelling back to the UK (with 5 hours of delays of course and the requsite close inspection by a sniffer dog... actually that was just me... maybe it was dodgy beard...)
The best thing for me about the whole experience was that the sheer concentration on the activities in hand meant that you couldnt not think about anything else - everything about your life back home got pushed out of the mind - and it wasnt until you hit the airport that it came flooding back. It had been a week of real physical exertion but of complete mental break and change - I came back really revitalised and ready to go (at least in my head!) and for that kind of peace I would doing something like this again in a flash.
Thank you to everyone for your support - we were the top 4 person fundraising team. By the end of the biking section, we were in 4th place in the race competition but we slipped up during the water sports ( when teams of big lads overtook us) to end up 8th. Definitely not last though! We put in a good show and we did everyone proud. The whole challenge will raise nigh on half a million pounds for the Prince's Trust. Now thats worth shouting about.
Thank you for supporting us in making a dream become a reality. And thank you from me personally for having helped me face up to a challenge I never thought I could meet. Over and out. xx
posted by Michael at 12:04 PM
1 Comments:
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