Up, up, up, up, up and away!

What a week!!!! Last full week before heading to Tanzania and it's fair to say it wasn't without a number of crises!

Started the week as per usual with a spinning and weights session, before heading out on Tuesday night to do the walk from Quartebridge to Mt Murray but unfortunately for us the TT was on and the roads were closed. We therefore did the shorter walk around Marine Drive, but still keeping the legs going.

On Wednesday the final football before the trip was on and it was a decent session. With no hockey now on Thursday, and with the squash double booked, it meant a night off! Took a break as we are winding down and watched Ross Noble at the Villa which was a hilarious night! Friday night met Marky B for lunch and managed to buy quite a bit of kit for Kilimanjaro, including gaiters, 3 season sleeping bags and walking poles! Looking fairly adventurous now! Also managed to get a picture in the paper which is hopefully going to get a little more publicity and raise a bit more money!

Finished the week with the standard gym session and sauna/ice bath combo before a sober appearance at the beer tent! Completely shattered at the end of the week and was looking forward to a weekend of not much to do except wind down! Saturday headed down south as Karen Hardman had agreed to kindly run some dance classes to raise funds, the first of which was on Port Erin beach. Although we didn't get into the dancing, it looked like great fun and I might even throw some shapes out at the next one! Saturday night had a standard barbie at my mate Jack's place, who has been mega useful in giving us nutritional, physical and mental advice for the walk. He's finished it twice and coaches football so is a great source of info!

Sunday we did a standard walk but nothing too heavy, started in Castletown and went round to Port Erin before back round to Castletown. Was a decent way to finish the week and I was feeling good on Sunday night, just needed to sort out the fine details of the trip, and came back home to grab my passport to put with the tickets.....ooh dear!

This week so far has consisted of searching both my flat and my office for my passport and my family searching their house.....no luck! Between spinning, the gym and work I have turned my flat over to no avail! I therefore today decided I would have to fork out for a new 'same day' service passport, which hits both my preparation and even more fundamentally my wallet!!!! The motto 'fail to prepare, prepare to fail' is etched on my mind and I have had to accept an epic failure! It turns out I am so keen to sort out my physical preparation I've never had a head for the administrative side!

Still, after taking today off work, I've managed to sort out my new passport and check through all my equipment to make sure I have everything. I need to grab a waterproof jacket and some gloves but everything else is sorted thank god!

So tomorrow is the day we set off down to London, for the very very early flight over to Amsterdam and then flying into Kilimanjaro on Friday. Apprehensive about the flights and the main worry of altitude stopping me from getting to the top I just need to put my all into it and fingers crossed it will all go well. I feel I'm prepared as I'll ever be, I even got glacier glasses through the post! I will update this blog (if anybody is reading) on my return and have bucketloads of pictures to show everyone!

My frankly pathetic Kilimanjaro beard is as beardy as it is going to get, so it's time to man up! Wish us luck!!!!

Dave.