CAA to crack down on unclear websites and brochures

May 9, 2013 / admin / No comments

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has warned it, along with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), are reviewing travel companies’ websites and promotional material to check they are providing “clear, transparent and timely information” on the holidays and flights they are selling. In a statement the CAA said this is aimed at making sure the industry is “fully aware of its responsibilities under existing consumer legislation”.

Charity Challenge has campaigned from day one (way back in 1999) to provide clear and transparent pricing for its participants and charity partners, specifically, including all known air taxes at the time of launching a challenge. Many challenge companies do not include known air taxes and simply pass them off as surcharges a few months before departure. This is misleading and whilst the challenge appears cheaper, it is only deceiving the clients (or the charity) who have to pay later!

The CAA said key points of the guidance include a reminder of:
•    All unavoidable and foreseeable charges for flights must be included in the headline price – this includes taxes, fees and any other mandatory charges such as a booking fee.
•    Information on the financial protection arrangements for the booking and other key information must be made clear to consumers.
•    Terms and conditions relating to a booking must be clearly available and easy to understand.

Cavendish Elithorn, senior director of the OFT’s Goods and Consumer group, added: “Booking a holiday should be simple. People should be able to make a clear choice and should not be surprised by hidden charges or conditions after they have booked. Our guidance makes life easier for consumers by leaving the travel industry in no doubt about its responsibilities.”

The full guidance is available online here and a shorter version for quick reference is here.

To see more information about the array of amazing challenges we have, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all our challenge news, please subscribe to this blog. You can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Charity Challenge News, Responsible Tourism, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , ,

Supporting SOS in Ape-ril!

May 7, 2013 / admin / No comments

Unfortunately I can’t claim praise for the ingenious pun found in today’s blog title; it seems that the Sumatran Orangutan Society have already staked their claim on it as they promoted last month’s ‘Ape-ril’ campaign, which encouraged supporters across the world to grow a beard in solidarity with our orange relatives. We actually share a huge 96.4% of our DNA with orangutans, but we are pushing them to the edge of extinction due to the boom in palm oil plantations and other agricultural expansion across Borneo and Sumatra, the only homes left now to these iconic animals that were once widespread throughout the forests of Asia. Through their Ape-ril campaign, SOS is raising awareness (and money!) to make a lasting impact on the survival of the orangutans and the conservation of their rainforest home.

I’m pleased to say that Charity Challenge has also been able to support SOS throughout April, with 3 groups going out to Indonesia to take part on our Sumatran Jungle Expedition. Because of the huge presence of the Sumatran Orangutan Society directly in the area that we trek in, we make a donation of £50 for each person on this challenge, and we’ve just had the amazing news that we were able to make a humungous donation of £1400 for our 3 April groups! SOS rely principally on donations to carry out their work, so this money will go towards the campaigns, projects and other incredible work that they are already carrying out.

Our Sumatran Jungle expedition is not just a physical challenge, but also a learning experience as the group treks through the Gunung Leuser National Park, home to hundreds of our orange friends, and learns about their plight and the conservation efforts taking place in Sumatra to try and protect these endangered animals. The Sumatran Jungle Society plays a massive part in supporting the reforestation of the national park, promoting conservation among villages and communities who depend on the Gunung Leuser National Park for their livelihoods, and helping these communities to live sustainably and without animal-human conflict. If it wasn’t for the continued effort of SOS, we would not be able to run this challenge with a clear conscience, but because of them we are able to send groups out in the knowledge that they will be contributing to the protection of the Sumatran wildlife.

I think our participants can express their thoughts better than we ever could:

“To actually see the palm oil industry moving in and hearing the chainsaws while walking in the jungle was a strong reminder that we need to stop this deforestation and destruction of the orangutans’ natural habitat. If you think life is hard when you struggle with climbs and descents – think about the orangutans that get killed every day”.

“To have the opportunity to experience an adventure like this whilst doing good, with an amazing group of people was an honour. It was tough but when we all got back to the Eco Lodge and thought about what we had done and what we had achieved, from the fundraising to the trek itself, it left you feeling incredibly proud.”

To learn more about the Sumatran Orangutan Society and their conservation efforts, go to http://orangutans-sos.org/. Or alternatively, why not take the opportunity to visit Sumatra and see for yourself! For each person on our trip we donate £50 to SOS, so you can go in the knowledge that you are not only supporting the charity of your choice, but you are also helping to give back to the people, wildlife and environments you will be seeing during your time in Indonesia.

You can also find out more about our Sumatra Jungle Challenge by clicking here. If you have any questions on this challenge, please contact Jo, our Ops Manager on jo@charitychallenge.com. To see more information about the array of amazing challenges we have, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all our challenge news, please subscribe to this blog. You can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Charity Challenge News, Jungle Diary! -Leading the Sumatran Jungle Trek, Trekking Blogs, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Great Wall Challenge 2013 – Edel’s Story ‘’I did it!! You can do ANYTHING.’’

May 2, 2013 / admin / No comments

My video to sum up the China trek starts with two words “My Journey”.

To people who don’t know me, ‘my journey’ doesn’t just simply sum up my Charity Challenge from the UK to China and trekking along the Great Wall. It means so much more than that. You see my journey, which for me culminated at the top of the “stairway to heaven”, started at the lowest point in my life to date, in so many ways.

“Life is full of CHALLENGES”

After an accident, I ended up spending a considerable length of time in a wheelchair. Until you are in that position, you never fully appreciate what you have. I now realise that before my accident I was far lazier than I should have been. I was too lazy to even walk around the corner to the shop; searching for the TV remote was just a chore! Now I found myself envious of those around me: running up stairs, nipping to the toilet, going into shops…even getting in and out of a car. These things were all a struggle, and involved immense pain. I felt frustrated and completely dependent on other people, particularly my boyfriend Matt who now felt more like my carer.

“after an accident it took surgery and physiotherapy for over a year before I could walk again”

“my biggest challenge once out of my wheelchair and onto crutches was stairs…”

Stairs were my biggest enemy: it once took me forty-five minutes, with Matt’s help, to get to the top of the stairs in my house. I wasn’t a good patient either; I’d snap and shout in frustration, feel sorry for myself after every physiotherapy session and question “why did this have to happen to me?”

Then my granddad became very ill. He had bowel cancer and it broke my heart to see him in pain. Travelling to Ireland to see him, I promised myself that if I got to say goodbye to him, I would do something completely out of my comfort zone that would help other people like my grandad.

It was two years later when I signed up to Charity Challenge. Even then, I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for. Training was hard, and painful; I would have struggled with training even before my accident! Fundraising for my charity, Action Cancer, was a whole emotional journey on its own: I really didn’t think I’d manage to raise the money and then all of a sudden, four months before I was due to leave, fundraising took off completely. Friends donated from different parts of the globe, strangers clicked on my justgiving page. As a teacher, I was and still am so overwhelmed by the support of my kids at school; over two hundred kids aged between eleven and sixteen donated their pocket money and spare change to my charity. Kids did sponsored silences and cake sales. They donated by text. They got their parents to donate and to take sponsor forms to their own workplaces. It made me appreciate what we as human beings
can achieve when we really try.

My experience in China is only touched upon in the video – how could I possibly put into words and pictures what I and others went through, witnessed and achieved? I started this journey to do something for other people, to pay the universe back as it were for letting me say goodbye to my granddad. But what I didn’t expect was to get so much out of this whole journey myself, physically and emotionally.

It’s made me a stronger person, and restored my faith and confidence in myself and other people too. I’m only human, and I’m not perfect. I make mistakes and I get frustrated and fed up. I still eat junk food and I still use a TV remote. But if my story inspires others then I think it’s worth telling. It’s only one of many stories that found themselves on the Great Wall, but that’s what this challenge was all about: reaching the happy ending of my journey. Except now, I feel like my real journey is just beginning because now I know I can do
anything I set my mind to.

Thank you so much to everyone who supported me,  I couldn’t have done it without you!!! You can do anything and overcome any Obstacle …just don’t give up!

Who knows where my next challenge will take me?

If you have been inspired by Edel’s story and would like more information on our Great Wall Discovery, please click here. If you have any questions on this challenge, please contact Jo, our Ops Manager on jo@charitychallenge.com. To see more information about the array of amazing challenges we have, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all our challenge news, please subscribe to this blog. You can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Uncategorized /

Our Challenge Leader Penny Knight shares her experience with her Great Wall Trekkers April 2013

April 30, 2013 / admin / No comments

Before even meeting my great wall trekkers, I sensed a friendly, sociable and self motivated bunch as I approached the collection of people sprawled on the floor of Terminal 3 chatting excitedly.

As we trekked along the wall, climbing up steep ledges and clambering over broken stone steps, the real life stories started to emerge.  By the end of the trek, I realised that I had been incredibly privileged to spend such a memorable time with such an inspiring group.

Margaret, Kerri and Andy Chapman were a pleasure to spend time with, although I didn’t see much of them as they disappeared over the horizon! They had trained hard together prior to the challenge, were fit and driven, never failed to smile and effortlessly worked together as a family unit.

Edel McCaul and I walked together for much of the trek and my distraction tactics to encourage Edel up the numerous steps resulted in me discovering more and more about her astonishing story.  Edel was walking in memory of her beloved Grandfather who had died of cancer.  She had always felt a close bond with him and before he passed away she had vowed to do a challenge for him that took her out her comfort zone. After a selfless act whilst a teacher had resulted in an accident which left her in a wheelchair, Edel had worked on walking and then being able to get up a flight of steps. This challenge caused her severe pain in both knees but she remained determined throughout, conquering every step of her Great Wall Challenge.

Despite a heart condition, Marie (with her trusted colleague, Edel at her side) overcame many individual challenges, resulting often in tears which were instantly followed by laughter.  Marie had a naturally upbeat and jovial nature and nothing got her down for long.

Donna Freeman was another inspirational lady who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and had major surgery and after recovering from all of that, she was then told that it had failed and that she had only 6 months to live. Instead of giving up, she put her life and family in order, ensuring that they would be looked after in her absence and sorted all the practical aspects she could.  Out of the blue, Donna received the incredible news that there had been a mistake and that she was for now cured – she vowed to live life to the full.

Abbie Ross and James Dennis were the only couple on the trek and won everyone’s hearts in no time. They were just adorable together, always watching out for each other and showing a respect and mutual admiration to be envied in any relationship. At a colourful oriental temple perched on the side of the hill below Jinshanling, James got down on one knee and proposed to a tearful but ecstatic Abbie.

The school holidays seem to have bought an influx of teachers and nurses to this group and the pre- natal and maternity crowd from Bristol Hospital were excellent value on this trip.  Claire and Kirsty although challenged by the trek remained inseparable and their unique friendship gave them a strength as well as a much needed sense of humour in order to tackle the many hurdles. Kath, Paula, Hien and Sheena all completed the challenge even throwing in some energetic dance moves and high spirits at the top watchtower!

Emily, Michelle and Zahrah knew no-one else on the trek when they started but I feel certain that some lifelong friendships will have been made during the trip.  Emily was already well travelled and despite this being uncharacteristic of the rest of her family, she is driven by her motivation to raise money for Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital and the bear came with us as support. The hospital has asked Emily to go up in person to have photo’s done when she donates the money.

Michelle never faltered. She was physically fit, determined and always positive bringing fun to every situation.  Her and Donna will remain strong friends after this trip, I suspect. I hope her dance students appreciate her dynamic personality.

Zahrah was such a strong character and we got to spend a great deal of time together.  Backed by her class with their notes and pictures to encourage her on, Zahrah refused to miss any part of the challenge even when she found it tough.  It seemed that the more I put her under pressure, the more she raised her game and we finished the trek below Badaling at a run.

Naomi, with her infectious laugh, was a naturally caring and giving member of the group who was often more than happy to chat at a slower pace with those at the back.  She has overcome her own health issues which no-one would ever have suspected.  Nothing Naomi did was ever about herself and she was invaluable to the team.  I understand that she and Joe will also be tying the knot before long and he is a lucky man.

I hope that this exceptional group will continue to inspire others as they have done me. It has been a pleasure and a privilege.

Penny

You can also find out more about our Great Wall Discovery by clicking here. If you have any questions on this challenge, please contact Jo, our Ops Manager on jo@charitychallenge.com. To see more information about the array of amazing challenges we have, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all our challenge news, please subscribe to this blog. You can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Charity Challenge News, Trekking Blogs, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dog Sledding in Sweden

April 24, 2013 / admin / No comments

After being lucky enough to join the dog sledding trip at the last minute I had no pre-conceived ideas as to what to expect, all I can say after doing it is…it was amazing!

The peace and tranquillity that you experience is second to none and the camaraderie amongst the group really made this trip a once in a lifetime experience.

After meeting the group at the airport there was the initial drama, after as one member of the group lost her passport and tickets before we even checked in! Frantically phoning the hotel to see if she had left them there the night before, she realised that she had put them in a very safe place; in the hidden compartment of her bag, of course! With two hours to spare we made the most of the last minute shopping and snack buying!

After a 2 hour flight to Stockholm, the group piled off the plane and queued up to go through the passport control, where upon Kirsty, who had previously lost her passport announced she couldn’t find it again! Drama ensued again, apart from this time it wasn’t hidden in the secret pocket! Thankfully the passport control staff and local police saved the day and were very helpful and escorted her back on to the plane where it was finally found in the pocket of the seat! Phew! It was then time for a well-deserved lunch.

Our next flight up to Kiruna, 200kms above the Arctic Circle was stress free. We were greeted by Kent and Jordana, our amazing leaders for the week, who whisked us away to our hotel in Kiruna, and after a speedy check in we headed down to the bar for our briefing and a well deserve drink. We also had to make the most of our last shower, as we would be reliant on wet wipes for the rest of the trip.

The following day we stopped off at the world famous ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, and had a great guided tour. This hotel was the first of its kind in the world, and is re built from scratch every year using large blocks of ice cut from the Torne River, which is located next to the Ice Hotel and each block is completely unique. Artists from all over the world bid to have their designs picked for the luxury rooms which are built in their own individual style. The hotel is kept at a constant -5°C, I’m not too sure I’d want to stay there!

We then continued on to the kennels to meet our furry friends for the rest of the weeks challenge, and after a hearty lunch it was time to be kitted out in our warm weather gear and have a full safety breifing briefing on how to harness the dogs, and how to drive the sled. With Kent hurling himself on to the ground whilst being pulled along by Jordana, they finally showed us what to do if you tipped your sled over. we were hanging on his every word whilst trying not to cry with laughter, most of us failed in this task.

It was then time for us to actually put what we’d just learnt to practice, and we very slowly harnessed up all of our very excited dogs, and by the time we were finished the sound of them barking was like nothing I have ever heard before. After a final check we were off, most of us started slowly, worried about tipping over, but after about 10 minutes of getting used to the speed of the sled and figuring out how to brake, all of the worries disappeared! As far as the eye could see we were surrounded by a thick blanket of snow, which glistened in the sunshine that we were lucky enough to have all week. The pine trees popped out, to add an extra dimension to the perfect Christmassy landscape, and to top it off we occasionally had a reindeer running by…what more could you ask for.

The thing that got me the most was the complete silence, the only noises that you heard were the dogs paws pounding through the soft powder snow, the whooshing of the sled and the occasional shout if someone got distracted and fell off their sled – which happened quite a lot at the start of the trip! We got used to stopping and waiting for the person to right their sled  and then once they were up and ready and had managed to remove their snow anchor, we would trundle off again. We were only out for 25kms today which was our shortest run as we had to get back to the cabin before dark. I say cabin but what I really mean is an uninsulated traditional wooden tepee, with only a central log fire for heating. But before we could get settled in our ‘luxurious abode’ for the evening it was time to take care of the dogs. We had to unharness them, put them back in their kennels, prepare their food, clear up the poo in their kennels and then finally chop the wood for our fire that would keep us warm tonight.

We all piled into the tepee, as by this point the temperature had dropped to -25°, so it was a welcome relief to have a hot dinner waiting for us and a lit fire to warm our extremities. We all made a last minute dash for the loo which was a hut on the other side of the yard before being physically tucked into our 2 sleeping bags that we would have to use tonight. I am so glad that they provided an extra one, as I do remember waking up, I think it was with Rob’s snoring and feeling ice on my buff that was over my face for warmth. Brrrrr…

The next day after a good night sleep it was time to set off in to the wilderness and this time we weren’t coming back, well not for four days anyway! The next four days were a totally amazing experience as  we mushed over 200kms. We chopped fire wood, in fact Jamie was a demon when it came to chopping anything, however Kate did give him a run for his money when it came to chopping the dog meat. I have to say I was a pansy when it came to slopping the dog food into the bowls, so we helped each other out when there were tasks that other members of the group struggled with.

We were all gaining in confidence and even starting to run alongside our sleds to help the dogs out up the hills. I even thought it would be a good idea to hang off the back of the sled whilst trying to get a good shot of Nick’s dogs and promptly ended up face down being dragged through the snow whilst desperately trying to put the brake down. I did get the shot so it was well worth it!

Our evenings in the cabins were spent talking about what we had seen during the day and trying to outdo each other with the highlights of the day. This was until Barry came up with a corker of a story which included a flying reindeer that he had encountered. At this point we all started looking around for the illegal substances he must have taken to concoct a story like this…”a flying reindeer”, we all said in unison! The story began as Barry came around a corner, there was a reindeer standing in his path and the only place for it to go was towards him… the next thing he knew it was sitting on his sled. Sitting may have been a bit of an exaggeration but I couldn’t figure out when I came round the very same bend there was a very dazed and confused reindeer trying to figure out what had just happened! Barry was standing there, mouth ajar, also wondering what had just hit him…I think the answer in this case was a flying reindeer! Then next thing we know we are being called outside to have a look at one of the most breathtaking things I have ever seen, the natural phenomenon of the Northern lights. We had seen it the previous night, just faintly, but this was amazing and so much brighter than I had ever imagined. A real once in a life time experience. It didn’t matter that it was -25° outside – we didn’t feel the cold. I really didn’t want to go back inside but it was either that or freeze to death!

I could go on forever with other highlights – if you are sitting on the fence, what are you waiting for, sign up today! It is not the most physically demanding of our challenge portfolio but it tested me to my limits in other ways. The group of people on this trip were fabulous and it would be an absolute pleasure to travel with each and everyone of them again.

You can also find out more about the Dog Sledding Challenge by clicking here. If you have any questions on this challenge, please contact Kathryn, our Ops Manager on kathryn@charitychallenge.com. To see more information about the array of amazing challenges we have, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all our challenge news, please subscribe to this blog. You can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Charity Challenge News, Trekking Blogs, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , ,

How to get the best out of online fundraising

April 16, 2013 / admin / No comments

In the last ten years or so, the field of fundraising has been revolutionised by the arrival of the internet. No longer is fundraising the act of knocking on every door in the neighbourhood with a clipboard in hand. Now, thanks to the internet, fundraisers are able to effectively knock on the door of thousands of people every day, via harnessing social media and email, with the proverbial clipboard being transformed into a ‘JustGiving’, ‘Virgin Money Giving’ or ‘EveryClick’ page. There’s no doubt that the internet has made fundraising – and fundraising to a high target – a lot more achievable, but online fundraising is no-one click fix, so read on to find out how to make your online fundraising campaign as successful as it can be!

It’s all about the emails
There are a lot of blogs and articles out there about social media, and what an amazing fundraising tool it is, and they’re not wrong, social media should be the life and soul of any online fundraising campaign. But don’t forget about good old fashioned emails. Due to the accent of social media, emails now tend to be used for more business-like transactions, so to receive a personal email in amongst formal mailings would be a real unexpected pleasure for the recipient, and stand out in their minds much more than a random post that pops up on a Facebook feed.

But make sure to be careful how you put together your recipient lists, and how you word your emails – different strokes for different folks! The type of email you might send to old classmates or parents of friends would be different to the one you send to your work friends. So bear this in mind,

Tell the Story
This is where social media really comes into its own! Don’t just send out one tweet/fb post about your challenge asking for donations, really tell the story of your challenge and your fundraising, tell everyone what you’re most nervous about for your challenge, what events you’re putting on for your fundraising, why the charity you have chosen is so important, etc – don’t forget to always include a link back to your fundraising page so people can donate easily.
Use all the mediums at your disposal to keep things interesting, post photos and videos of your fundraising events and efforts. Set yourself mini goals and build up a buzz on social media. We recently organised ‘The BT Red Nose Challenge: Hell and High Water’ which saw a team of celebrities white water raft down the Zambezi to raise money for Comic Relief. As a final push, Radio 1 DJ Greg James pledged to jump into the Zambezi River naked when a certain fundraising goal was reached, and (thanks to a massive social media buzz and a push by Radio 1) it was…and he did! We hardly recommend you go to such measures, but mini goals and extra forfeits like this, combined with a social media push, can really help tell the story and give people more reasons to donate!

Make use of new online technologies
There is always something new and exciting happening in the world of online fundraising. One of the latest is an easy two minute way to create your own challenge website at a cost of just £20. A website can provide a centralised hub which can host detailed information about yourself, your challenge, your charity, your fundraising page, your blog and pics. This is great as you can use this to engage your local press by sending them a link to your site – the easier it is for them to find info, the more likely they are to give you the coverage you need. You can also offer businesses the opportunity to feature their logo and information on your website in return for corporate sponsorship. To find out more info about setting up your own challenge website, visit thechallengenetwork.com.

Here at Charity Challenge, we’re going to be soon launching our very own new piece of online technology, that we hope is going to have a very big impact on online fundraising, and it going to be of special interest to our charity partners, so watch this space!
We hope you found this article useful! For more top tips, and to see the many other amazing challenges we offer, you can visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all Charity Challenge news, please enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Fundraising, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 reasons why doing a Charity Challenge is good for your health!

February 25, 2013 / admin / No comments

As the name implies, charity challenges are all about taking on huge personal challenges in the name of raising money for charity. But another great thing about charity challenges are that due to the immense physical nature of the challenge, you really have to dedicate some time to training and getting your body fit and healthy and up to the task, and there’s little else out there that gives you better motivation to get into shape than the thought that in a couple of month’s time you’ll be summiting Mt Kilimanjaro, scaling to Everest base camp, or trekking along the great wall of China!

And being fitter doesn’t just mean you’ll get out of breath less often, it also gives you a whole host of other life enhancing benefits!

1. Slows down the aging process

The more we use them, the stronger and healthier muscles and bones get and the more delayed the natural process of muscle and bone loss becomes. So a massive benefit of getting fit and healthy is that it helps stave off the effects of osteoporosis. But don’t just take our word for it; read an interview at New Scientist with a man who is still running marathons in his 80s! So you don’t need no Philosophers Stone or fountain of youth to stay young at heart – it’s all about maintaining a fit and active life-style!

2. Lowers blood pressure

When you run, stretch and exercise your arteries get flexed, in effect giving them as much of a workout as you are giving the rest of your body. So by keeping your arteries flexed and wide, you’ll be lowering your risk and developing high blood pressure.

3. Boosts your brain power

Regular exercise doesn’t just make you stronger, it makes you smarter too! Studies have shown that runners and those who spent a minimum of 25 minutes a day on aerobic exercise have significantly improved mental skills as they get older, and are less at risk from dementia than those who indulge in a more sedate lifestyle.

4. Improves your mood

It’s true, one of the best ways to handle a stressful day at work, or a hectic home-life is to pound it all away with run, or an exercise DVD or some aerobic sessions. When you exercise, endorphins are released and start coursing through your system, releasing a wave of positive vibes, which makes everything seem just that bit more manageable!

5. Helps you lose weight

This is rather an obvious one, but it’s such a massive benefit of getting fit that we had to include it in the list! Fast paced interval training is the best for fat burning, whilst jogging and regular exercise sessions are great at building your metabolism.

So there you have it, 5 extra reasons (as if you needed them!) to take on a Charity Challenge this year. If you want to know more about getting fit for your challenge, we do have a preparing for your challenge – fitness training page on our website which offers some great practical advice for your fitness training, so definitely check it out.

For more top tips, and to learn more about all our charity challenges, please visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com, and, to keep up to date on all our challenge news, subscribe to this blog by clicking on the orange RSS button, you can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Trekking Tips and Tricks / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Jack Dee talks on ‘the last leg’ about the ‘BT Red Nose Challenge: Hell and High Water’ – reminiscing about the Crocs, Dara’s misadventure & “Tarzan” Zambezi river guide Sven!

February 21, 2013 / admin / No comments

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Category: BT Red Nose Challenge: Hell & High Water / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Valentine’s Day all around the world

February 14, 2013 / admin / No comments

It’s that time of the year again! For many people, St Valentine’s day can feel monotonous and commercial, all fluffy pink love hearts and cherubs, and teenagers sending each other Justin Bieber themed E-cards! However, outside of the UK and the US, there are still places where the festival of love is celebrated in more traditional, unique and frankly bizarre ways! So if you’re looking for inspiration for new ways to mark the ‘day of lovers’, then read on…

Brazil
In Brazil, Valentine’s day is not traditionally celebrated on February 14th, since the nation is still in the throes of the Rio Carnival. Instead, they celebrate the “Dia dos Namoradas”, otherwise known as the “Day of Lovers” on June 12th, on this day a feast and parties are held to celebrate the patron saint of romance and matchmaking.

If your approach to St Valentines day mirrors Brazil’s work hard, party harder ethic, then you should check out our Brazil Trek and Kayak Challenge! This is one of our most unique and varied challenge – the combined elements of rainforest trekking and sea kayaking make this a very tough challenge! But on the completion of your challenge in Rio, you will definitely have reason to celebrate! And of course, what better place to celebrate with your Valentine than underneath a Rio sunset?

Romania
Romanians also don’t traditionally celebrate Valentine’s Day, they instead celebrate “Dragobete”, a more earthy rural festival on February 24th that denotes a celebration of lovers, spring and new life. It’s a day when traditionally “birds get betrothed” i.e. Start building their nests’, girls collect snow to melt for magic potions and children sing songs of spring. It is also said that if during a couple’s dance, one lover steps over the foot of another, then that lover will play the dominant role in the relationship! So if you’re planning on going out clubbing this evening to celebrate St Valentines, take note!

If you find these medieval notions of magic potions and rural living romantic, then you should defiantly check out our Trek Transylvania, where you and your beloved one could journey through rugged landscapes in a tough challenge that culminates in a visit to the enigmatic Dracula’s Castle.

China
China celebrates two Valentine’s Days, the first being the 14th of February St Valentines Day that we all know and love (or hate!). The second day of celebration of love is a little more unusual and falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. This day – known as “Qi Xi” or “Magpie Festival” comes from a Chinese legend over 2000 years old – and is the ultimate story of star crossed lovers! Like all folk tales, there are many variations of the Qixi Festival legend, but the basic story is usually the same: Niulang – a cow herder, and Zhinv – a weaver girl who is also the daughter of the Goddess of Heavan, meet on earth and get married. When the Goddess discovers this she orders her daughter back to heaven. The cowherd followed her there and in anger the Goddess cuts a river into the sky – the Milky Way, thus separating the two lovers. But once a year, all the magpies of the world fly up to the Milky Way to bridge the river and allow the two lovers to meet.

To celebrate this day, lovers visit the Temple of the Matchmaker and pray for love, happiness, and marriage. Singles also visit the temple to ask for luck in love. It is also traditional for young girls to carve melons and offer up fruit to the deities on this day.

If legends of star crossed lovers inspire you, then take a look at our Great Wall Discovery Challenge, where you and your lover will have to overcome 1000s of steps to reach your destiny.

Sweden
In Scandinavia, couples here will exchange “lover’s cards” on February 14, and like us, indulge in the commercial St Valentines day. But they do have a poetic and quirky card tradition known as the “gaekkebrev”, whereby the man sending this special card will write a rhyme for the lady to whom he’s sending it, but instead of writing his name he will sign off with a dot for each letter of his name. The puzzle is then for the lady receiving the card to guess the name of the sender. If she can guess correctly, her prize will be an Easter egg at Easter. But if she doesn’t guess, she owes the sender an Easter egg instead!

If this puzzling addition to Valentine’s Day brings out your competitive side, then check out our Dog Sledding Challenge in Sweden, where you’ll need to figure out how to successfully drive your own team of huskies, mushing over 200kms through beautiful, frozen landscapes. And as our Swedish Ground handler Jordana puts it “What could be more romantic than cuddling together on reindeer pelts by open fire whilst hearing the sleddogs howl to the northern lights and full moon!”

So there really is 100 different words and ways to say “I love you!”

Here at charity challenge, we think there is nothing more romantic or love affirming than taking on a challenge of a lifetime together – supporting each other up the mountains, sleeping together under the stars, taking in the most beautiful views in the world! You can see the top 5 list of Charity Challenges most romantic challenges here.

To see the many other amazing challenges we offer, you can visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all Charity Challenge news, please enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Category: Charity Challenge News, Festivals from around the world, Uncategorized / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Diary of the Kilimanjaro Summit Climb!

February 13, 2013 / admin / No comments

Recent Kilimanjaro Trekker Shaun has kindly shared his Kilimanjaro Summit Climb diary with us, documenting the ups and downs of the mountain and his journey of a life-time! Definately worth reading if you’re heading out to the ‘Roof of Africa’ yourself!…

DAY 1 – Rainforest

Awake at 7.30 local time (4.30 uk). Buffet breakfast is ok, omelette, bacon, beans. Need to get the body fuelled for the journey ahead. We all gather at reception. Everyone appears in high spirits, especially after the antics and delays from the previous day! Trucks get loaded and off we go, it’s roughly 2-2.5 hours drive to the starting gate. When we arrive we have to start around an hours hike further back due to poor terrain! And off we go. Everything seems good so far everyone happy and chatting. Appears we have a good group for this. After a couple hours we stop for lunch and then it really kicks in! A lot of near vertical climbing up muddy and wet paths! Then it’s down a bit, up a lot, down a bit and this trend continues for a while. We spot a couple of monkeys and everyone is of the same opinion thus far : we weren’t expecting it to be this tough, especially on the first day! Then finally around 5.30pm we reach camp for the night. Dinner is at 7, was quite tasty under the circumstances and even the ginger tea seemed to hit the spot.

DAY 2 – Shira 1

Wake up call 6.30 am (3.30!), finally open eyes just after 7. Pee bottles worth there weight in gold! steves snoring not so! Pack up all our kit and head over to the breakfast tent. Some bland porridge followed by omelette and bacon and more ginger tea. Then it’s all systems go at 8am. We hike a further hour and a half through the jungle until we reach the moorland. It’s lot more of the same, up a lot, down a bit. But you can now see how high you really are. We continue the hike and stop for lunch on top of a hill around 12.30. After this we hike for around an hour before we finally see Kilimanjaro in all its glory. A lot of realisation sinks in for most at this point. The sheer magnitude of what lies ahead can now been seen visually. You wonder at this point how any one manages it! (See pics). We hike on for a further hour to camp which is 3550 metres (I skydived from a similar height!) somehow I have managed to sprain my knee so Katherine has given me a support brace and hopefully rested up will be fine in the morning. We relax for a couple hours before tea time which is much the same as the previous night. And it’s now we can see the summit of kili, there is no cloud cover around the mountain at this point.

DAY 3 – Shira 2

Start the same, up 6.30, washy washy! Pack up tent, breakfast. Few pics of kili and we set off across the moorland. After a couple hours we approach what is called the ‘cathedral’, (previously I had commented saying I could climb that today and it doesn’t look much lower than kili!, these were words I was to eat!) So we start hiking up the cathedral and I say a little prayer, we come to what seems a midway point and no one is prepared for what lies the other side! It’s just a sheer drop from height looking out over the planes, we must be some 3800 metres up and for the first time you can actually visualise it! Personally it’s wobbly legs time for me but I suck it in and stand for a photo. Then it’s kit bags off and a further hike to the top, I read my inspirational notes and look at my pictures before setting off somewhat uncertain. We ascend to quite a hight before it looks like we’re at a peak and you can see the drop either side! I stop here, that’s enough for me. The group continue a little higher for a short time then it’s all back down and a rather pleasant two hour hike  along the ridge to camp. We set our kit out in our tents, have late lunch, rest an hour then go for an hours acclimatisation hike. I believe we camp at 3840 and we head up to nearly 4000. The views today are amazing, at points we are actually in the clouds. We then engage in some brokeback photos for moral boosting and everyone is in good spirits. At dinner jackson (our trek guide/leader) says we are the craziest group he has had! from what i gather all in a good way. so far no one has been taken ill or needed treatment and i think this keeps morale high. On a personal note I seem to feel better as each day goes on. Today was rather daunting for me however actually seeing the height we were at. I have a few headaches but thinks this is due to anxiety and sun rather than altitude sickness. I also think i’m thinking about barranco wall to much and think this may prove the hardest day for me, if i make that i’m convinced i’ll reach the summit. Knee is holding out but still sore, have had it braced all day. The nights are getting much colder now.

DAY 4 – Barranco

Begin in the same way. Up 6.30, pack tent, washy washy, breakfast and ready for the off at 8. Long day today we trek from 3840 to 4600 and then back down to camp at barranco 3900. As we set off everyone appears in good spirits, other than a few headaches no real issues. After trekking for an hour or so we stop for water and toilet break, there is a rather large rock there with a make shift ladder and some of us, including me, climb it for photos. Then the first off putting sign as someone is bought back down the Mountain. It’s all uphill this morning till we reach lava tower at lunch time then pretty much downhill to camp. We are literally walking in the clouds this afternoon. The climb appears to be taking its toll now on a couple of the group, we split a little before hitting camp, most of us arrive 4pm the others 15-20 mins later. We set out our kit in our tents and head to the mess tent for tea and peanuts. We play some poker and cheat before dinner (I win poker!) The headache I’ve had all day has finally gone and discussion over dinner is very positive. By now Katherine our dr says she has usually lost members of the group by this point. We all feel positive for summit day now as we’ve now been to the start point of 4600 metres and should be fairly well acclimatised. As the clouds clear we see barranco wall, this has been my final fear but doesn’t seem so bad today. I’m growing in confidence as each day goes by and only feel slightly hindered by my headache. Again I believe this is anxiety related, it disappears as soon as I hit camp and I’m otherwise functioning very well in all areas. After dinner we play some more cards and the group bond some more. We seem to get on really well and I believe this will stand us in good stead come summit day. We share some laughs over cards and its off to bed for the night.

DAY 5 – Karanga

7am start today. The usual breakfast, washy washy etc. I’m rather nervous about what lies ahead-barranco wall, I’m sure some rock climbers would take pleasure in completing this. Some two hour hike up a cliff face gaining 300 metres in height! From 3900-4200. Starts off well and I feel ok. Didn’t manage to eat much breakfast due to anxiety so after half hour or so feel rather empty! Then I begin to look down! As we get higher you can see views from all around as we’re in a canyon, as intimidated as I am I take pictures and take in all the views. We’re 4000 metres up and you can really see it now. Fighting nearly kicks off at one point as one of our guides, George, tells porters to wait! They square up and porter is dragged back. Later find out George is a Masai warrior! So we continue up for what feels like forever, with occasional light headed ness and thoughts of thought+motion=no room for fear and after two hours we reach the top. Tremendous achievement for me and I now believe nothing can stop me from reaching the summit! We all stop for pics and high fives before heading onto camp which is some 2 hours away. Everyone seems fine and still in good spirits. After a while we can see camp, great we think until we see it’s the other side of a canyon! George leads the head of the group down his secret, quicker, safer path and we’re off, we start ascending the other side as the others appear at the ridge back on the other side. We get into camp set up tents, washy washy, tea and popcorn followed by some more cards then dinner a couple more games of cards and bed. Everyone told not to think about mountain. Crazy to think that tomorrow night we will be heading for the summit!

DAY 6 – Barafu

7am arise again followed by the usual then about 9 we head off. Last day of ascent trekking today as we reach base camp ahead of leaving for the summit tonight. Amazingly everyone is still going. This proves a tough hike though. We gain over 600 metres en route to camp. I have a funny moment at the half way stage and spaz out a bit, I pull myself together eat chocolate and off we go again. We hit camp about 12ish and its straight to inflating mattress and power kip! We’re camping above the clouds now! We have lunch about 2 we get chips which was a great surprise and boost. I’m feeling much better now and eager to get on with it. It’s been a hard week, more than I ever imagined and we’ve come so far now that failure is not an option. At 5pm it’s briefing for summit climb and dinner, the group look tired except me! I’m buzzing and ready to go! I hope it’s not all the other way around in 5 hours when it’s time to get ready and go for it!

SUMMIT NIGHT/DAY 7 – Summit (Stella point and uhuru) to Millenium Camp

We’re due to wake at 11pm but just before I’m woken by the sound of Steve shivering and complaining of stomach cramps. He’s not in a good way. The doc gives him some meds and we all go for porridge before heading for the summit. As we set off Steve is sick but soldiers on, what a trooper. All you can see are headtorches of those heading for the summit. Its cold and it gets colder the higher we go. The view is something else, I’m glad it’s nighttime to be honest. You can see the lights in Arusha and they look so far down and keep getting lower! Steve is sick again and the doc gives him more meds. The walk seems never ending. Slowly the group is spilt by pace, I find myself in the leading group with Richard and Serg being lead by alpha. We trek on at a good pace but it just feels like every time we think we’re getting somewhere its even further! We start to see people being taken back down the mountain which is a bit unsettling. It’s really cold, I have all my layers on, thermals, fleece, baselayers, trousers, shirts, jackets, coats, hat! 3 layers on my legs and 7 on my top! We try to stay positive, it’s hard, my legs are starting to cross over and I’m getting off balance a bit, I have slight stomach cramps and am tiring rapidly. Finally after some 7 hours of trekking we approach Stella point as the sun is rising, the last few hundred metres seems to  take for ever, rich is hallucinating, I’m not sure I’m gonna make it,  More people are being rushed downhill rather quickly, i go over my inspirational thoughts and pics in my head and somehow we muster up the energy to reach the summit. Alpha sorts us a ginger tea and as we try to chill for a minute then he announces its off to uhuru! Rich really isn’t feeling it but Serg gives him some meds and off we go. At 50% oxygen levels unfortunately there is no time for rest and recouperation. It take us a further hours round trip and as we get back to Stella point we’re happy to see the rest of the group have made it up. Most have suffered some form of altitude sickness but Steve is the worse and has to be rushed down with suspected HACE. Me, Serg, rich and alpha head back to camp, it’s a gruelling 3 hour trek down. I’m physically shattered and have to rest every 15 mins finally we get back to camp and I crash in my tent as steve is being taking lower to millenium camp. I miss lunch, feel awful, ache all over and feel sun stroked so I’m so happy I now have to trek to millenium camp some two hours away! Take some painkillers and push on through. Get to camp, Serg buys me a coke which is a nice touch, game of cards and dinner. Steve’s appears much better, what a legend, how he got up there like that is beyond me. We’re all tired and don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet what we’ve all accomplished today. Out of the 12 of us all made the summit at Stella point and 10 at uhuru.

DAY 8 – Mweka

Arise at 6am, yesterdays achievements still haven’t quite sunk in yet. We have breakfast and then it’s time to tip all the porters and watch there celebration song and dance before setting off for the final 4 hours of descent down to the gate. It’s quite a leisurely walk downwards from the moorland and then finally the rainforest but were all thinking the same by now, can’t it just be over, be back at the lodge, a nice shower, wholesome meal and a beer! Eventually we reach the gate, sign out and head to the village for refreshments and to be harassed by locals trying to sell us all sorts before jumping on the coach for the two hour ride back to the lodge. Everyone’s done in but happy. Great trek.
Amazing achievement and memories.

If you’ve been inspired by Shauns words, you can donate to his cause on his fundraising page here. If you’re interested in taking on the Mountain yourself, click here to find out more about our Kilimanjaro Challenges by clicking here for the Lemosho Route and here for the Rongai Route. To see the many other amazing challenges we offer, you can visit our website at www.charitychallenge.com. To keep up to date on all Charity Challenge news, please enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

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