what the kids are saying...

the monies we've raised have already made a differnce!!! newick house school has been able to purchase a minivan to transport the kids to a nearby leisure center. this means the kids get their much needed physical activity. they also use it for day trips to get the kids out in the real world.

Jamie Connell posted the following comment on the trekchina0907 trekker's blog...

I really like the new mini bus. I've been in it 4 times already, 3 times to go swimming to the triangle leisure centre and once for our class day trip to the wildlife centre with Mr Brown.I saw wild cats,rats and stroked a barn owl. I like the mini bus because it's got speakers in the back.
Jamie,
Jubilee 1, Newick House School

12 October 2007 12:10

the chicken dance...

the students at xi'an huiling love having visitors. however, they are very shy and keep to themselves except when they are performing! and then they want everyone to join in. here we are at xi'an huiling doing the ol' chicken dance - in chinese!

xi'an huiling for persons with learning disabilities...

as you may know, i stayed on for a week after the trek with intrepid. intrepid practice responsible tourism and find a way to give back to the local community. it could not be more fitting that we spent an afternoon at xi'an huiling - a school for persons with learning disabilities.

xi'an huiling is a community-based, non-governmental organization. the students are over 16s and they all live at the school where they receive training to develop their life skills. activities go beyond reading and writing, they are taught how to use public transport, how to cook for themselves, proper social skills, etc.

when students are ready to live on their own they move together as a family (in groups of 3 or 4) to an unsupervised flat near by where they continue to develop their skills.

the students earn their own money by creating arts & crafts to be sold at local markets or by selling their paintings - even by participating in traditional dance performances.

before we ended our visit, we were treated to a live performance culminating in the a group rendition of the chicken dance! (video to follow soon)

please click here to view pics from my visit at xi'an huiling and the rest of my time in xi'an.

we are the champions

kevin's trekkers star in their second hit video... catch the preview here!!!



it is a bit dark but if you tilt the screen at just the right angle...
hope i'm not video overloading!!!

video of the little b@$t@rd...

not that the title in any way reflects my feelings toward the climb to this tower... it is actually called that!

i thought it would be nice to share with those at home ;-p

trekkers blog

there has been a lot of activity on the trekker's blog... comments from the folks supporting us from home as well as post-trek comments by the trekkers.

there is some really moving stuff in there... please have a read!

pics from the great wall...

as promised, some pics of our trek on the great wall and out and about in beijing. to view my picture gallery click here.

marching to the finish line...

apologies for not posting sooner - internet was limited in china and i didn't have access. i just arrived home yesterday evening and am absolutely overwhelmed with emotion and extremely jetlagged. i will be updating the blog and posting pictures this week... but for now i wanted to share this video of the trekkers down the final stretch and approaching the finish line. Enjoy!

day 7...

great wall at simatai: 4 hours trekking


today we get an early start for a sunrise walk on. Being the last day, the trek is a bit shorter but it is no less challenging. There are very steep sections and some sheer drops... plus the infamous 1200 steps... the equivalent of a building with about 120 floors!!! We finally leave the wall (many of us may have already jumped!) to trek through villages and celebrate the end of the trek!

day 6...

great wall at jinshanling: 6 - 7 hours trekking



we start with a 20 minute hike back to the great wall continuing on from yesterday's finish point to trek up and down past 14 watchtowers. this section of the wall is less preserved and the steps are steep and large. we reach 700 metres above sea level for a great view - if we are fortunate enough to escape english weather, we can see how far we are trekking in three days from from gubeikou to simati. after lunch, there are a few more watchtowers to hike past before crossing a suspension bridge at simatai.

day 5...

great wall at gubeikou: 5 - 6 hours trekking



this morning we walk to the village of gubeikou. the wall sits along the yanshan mountains and is architecturally one of the most striking sections of the wall. parts of the wall date back to the ming dynasty and are un-restored (i presume not a starbucks in sight!). it is is 2 - 3 meters wide and there are no side walls. this is one of the least visisted sections of the wall. we then descend into a valley and stop for lunch after which we start an hour climb through through steep narrow paths before making our way to jinshanling.

once again, click on the pic above to link to someone's photo album of the area.

day 4...

Black Dragon Paw Park: 6 - 7 hours trekking



the morning trek starts with a hike along a valley with streams, waterfalls and a chinese settlement. we then climb a dirt trail over a ridge and into the black dragon paw park - it gets quite steep and there will be locals onsite to help us. the drop down the other side is also difficult as it gets quite slippery. after hiking past various rock-pools we reach the park for lunch. we then go through some heavy undergrowth to arrive at the tallest tower on this section of the wall for some great panoramic views.

ok, so the link above is to someone else's photo album... but i'll get my own up very very soon.

day 3...

Great Wall at Mutianyu:4 - 5 hours trekking

we start the day off with a warm up trek from the village of lotus pond... here we will catch our first glimpse of the wall. we will reach the wall after 45 minutes to an hour and will be faced with a steep dirt trail to reach the top of the wall... finally all the work on the treadmill will pay off!

we will then continue along the wall and have a picnic lunch en-route before reaching Mutianya. at the end of the day, if we are feeling adventurous we can descend on a mile-long toboggan.

google map it...

click here to view a google map of the places we will be visiting.

Once you get to the map, you can zoom in to see pictures and a quick description. Pay particular attention to the steps at Janshanling!!!

days 1 - 2...

Day 1 - Overnight flight departing from London at 20:25 and arriving in Beijing at 13:35 +1. Flying on Virgin Airlines operated by Air China.

Day 2 - Transfer to Yanyuan Mountain Villa. sorry - can't seem to find anything on the net... which in and of itself is quite scary!!! when was the last time you couldn't find information on something on the great google! all the trekkers will have dinner together. this will be the first time we are ALL together. we will be briefed on the events for the remainder of the week and we'll find out who we will be rooming with for the next 8 nights!

my visa....

a visa is required for china regardless of nationality. they do not accept postal applications so you need to either go in person or use a courier service. claire recommended i use cts horizons:

7 upper st martins lane
London WC2H 9DL

cts@ctsuk.com
www.ctshorizons.com

if you go to the embassy of china, the cost for is £50.00 (£30 for UK citizens) for 3 day turn around. you can pay an additional £15 for express service and get it back in 2 days.

through cts i paid £70 and it took 4 days. for £5 they delivered the passport back to me. well worth the money if you ask me - queuing at the embassy is never fun!

you are required to provide a certified itinerary with flight information and accomodation.

visa...check.

the cheesiest pic...

we agreed on a few competitions/challenges along the way to keep things interesting. tackiest souvenir, cheesiest pic - and i think i have my first cheesiest pic entry!!!

if you have any suggestions for a competition or a challenge, add a comment below!

click on the pic above to view all the pics from the walk.

disclaimer: not really sure what has happened to my camera (or rather my ability to take pictures) - all the pics are over or underexposed and the flash kept popping up! ok, you can blame the photographer using the wrong settings - but even on automatic it just wasn't working... so have a look at your own risk!

the final training walk...

we had a practice walk starting/ending at the abinger hatch pub (convenient!) originally, we were scheduled for a 9.1 miler but had to change route due to the foot and mouth outbreak. but have no fear, while the abinger hammer was shorter it was very hilly!

the treadmill has definitely helped... it is very different though on rough terrain especially on very narrow and angled paths.

kit held up well - it rained on us twice. camera bag and back pack both have rain covers to keep everything dry and my northface flight series waterproof was perfect - it kept me dry from the rain but it also just wicked away my sweat... a winner! and once again - my pole saved the day! i brought it out on a steep, narrow and rocky ascent just in time to stop me from falling flat on my bum.

of course, we ended our walk at the pub. i usually kung fu sunday afternoons so i don't get a sunday lunch - needless to day i dug right in to a sunday roast!!! hhhhhhhmmmmmmm!!!! if you are in the neighborhood, i would recommend a stop.

OUCH!!! the big climb...

ok, so i was posting my blog update on incline training, when i suddenly thought - how steep are the bits of wall we will have to conquer??? so off to google i go. what do i find?? and i quote:

"The incline of the climb up the Great Wall at Simatai reaches a 70 degree incline! Some who have braved the ascent descend on all fours!"

guess where we will be on day 6???? yep, you got it - Simatai!!! please keep us in your prayers!

click here for details or here for a 360 video tour.

treadmill training...

i've been on track this week and hit the gym twice - on top of my usual kung fu training. i walk at the highest incline possible - 15% - at a pace of about 4.5 - 5 km/h for about 45 minutes. doesn't sound like much but i promise you break a major sweat... according to the highly accurate calorie counter ;-p i burn up to 670 calories per hour!

the treadmill is hhhmmm - smooth - so i also walk sideways and backwards for a minute at a time to engage my muscles and simulate the rough terrain we are likely to encounter on the wall. i think it's helping - we'll see.

adam if you are reading this AND all the techie stuff worked, would you let me know what our average pace was on our practice walk? i'm crossing my fingers that it was no more than 4.5 km/hr :-)

more kit...

spent another day shopping for trekking gear... i tried on loads of backpacks and finally settled on the deuter race exp air (3L water and 12 L cargo).

my requirements:

- light/small
- small shoulder straps that don't rub
- hydration system
- aircomfort (frame is off your back - reduces sweat by 25%)
- pole straps

turns out i ended up with a biking pack. clearly there are no pole straps but it does have a few extra features:

- helmet holder (my waterproofs and pole fit in very nicely)
- light reflectors (in case i get lost in the dark!)
- "high flow" valve (enables me to chug water at amazing speed)

more vaccinations...

i went back to my gp for the final vaccinations - combined hepatitis A and typhoid fever. this required a prescription and i need to store the meds in the fridge. i wonder why my salad was tasting a bit funny?!

so, finally jab tally:

- hepatitis A
- typhoid fever
- diphtheria
- tetanus
- polio

the nurse advised against malaria tablets, hepatitis b and rabies. the areas i am visiting are not high risk for malaria/rabies and unless you are a health worker dealing with blood, etc. hepatitis b is unnecessary. yeah! no more poking on the arm!

last jab left my arm sore for a week so i am hoping to fare better this time.

where the money will go...

Newick House receives its funding from West Sussex County Council. They received the lowest Government settlement this year of all the County Councils.

Newick House need:
- more space to teach and learn in
- more classrooms (pic to the left is a classroom AND an arts centre)
- better quality buildings
- interactive (ICT)equipment to enhance learning
- minibus to transport the children.

The funds raised will help:
- put ICT whiteboards in every classroom
- replace Sensory Room Equipment
- complete the "Learning Through Landscapes" project
- ensure pupils have access to good learning facilities.

Click here to view pics of my visit to Newick House School and meet the children you will be helping.

norway pics...

Norway

as promised... to view pics from my holiday in norway click on the pic above.

and yes, there was a bit of walking involved.

cost and benefit of ICT whiteboard...

Autistic children, upset by unpredictability, enjoy tools that reduce the potential for failure. They require repetition, pattern and similarity which can be emphasised with an interactive whiteboard.

For children who cannot speak and struggle to communicate at a simple level, the use of interactive whiteboards provide an outlet for self-expression. The simple act of controlling an image puts order back into an austistic child's routine.

Unlike other children, whose play integrates physical and social interaction, children on the autistic spectrum are often characterised as having monotropic attention tunnelling, tending to only engage in physical play. This is usually evidenced in their preference for cause and effect activities which prioritise logic over social interaction. ICT whiteboards provide experiences that exploit the cause and effect with an immediate visual response that does not require the necessity to understand context or interpret intention.

Prices start at £650 for a small simple model and can go as high as £2,000. Please help Newick house put an ICT whiteboard in every classroom. Visit my justgiving site to donate money.

more trekking gear...

aaaah, alas i have found some trousers that fit! but there was only one pair to be had in all of london and now i own them. shopping online to try to find a back up pair - i don't want to torture my fellow walkers by wairing the same stinky pair all week! if anyone knows where to buy acg nike gear - give us a shout!

here comes the needle...

visited my gp today to receive my vaccinations.

i have a fear of needles - they make me feel slightly oozie. but i put on my brave face and handed over my arm. admittedly, it wasn't painful at all and was over before i knew it. my arm is a bit sore but i'm not sure if that is from the jab or from my repeated attempts at wakeboarding?!

so, dipetheria/tetanus/polio - check. i will also need the combined hepatitis A & typhoid fever which requires a prescription so i will return for this. there are various other vaccinations which are recommended but i am still researching which ones i will take. please do provide feedback if you have any relevant information.

dovre, norway...

today we went for a slightly more challenging walk up the mountain side. we encountered lots of sheep - which gave me a good excuse to stop for a quick break! once on top, we were able to sit by the river and drink fresh water - better and cheaper (rather more cost effective) than evian. it was indeed a nice change of scenery!

the incline lasted much longer than i hoped - but it was good training and well worth the effort. now i'm going to train my biceps - with a big pint of beer! but, i'll be ready for our next practice walk in august.

stay tuned for pics...

in dombas, norway...

i've escaped the torrential downpours in england to visit some friends in trondheim, norway. like every good girl training to trek the great wall of china, i packed my walking boots! admittedly, i was slightly concerned they would take up loads of space and not get worn, but i did in fact - put them to good use!

we took a trip down to dombas where they have a beautiful house in the mountains overlooking the valley. we cooked a great dinner and sipped wine while the sun dipped slightly behind the mountains - never fully gets dark. And in between all this, we managed a walk down to the lake. a longer walk is planned for tomorrow morning.

karen's pics...

as promised, a link to karen's pic. i have to say, she has taken some great shots... watch out, kevin!

ok, as you will see, i am always at the back of the que. i promise, it has nothing to do with my lack of training - i will attribute it to the fact i talk too much! i can't help it, i'm cuban!

the 3rd practice walk... the equipment

The shoes turned out great! I did get blisters but much to the joy of all the others, they didn't hurt. I didn't notice them until I ripped my shoes off at the end of the walk!

I tried out my new walking stick. I can't really figure out what to do it with it?! Mostly I just carried the extra weight around (oops, did "I" say it carried it around?!) In the last 40 minutes, I discovered it is quite helpful on steep descents with uneven terrain. I'm sure it saved me from a twisted ankle or two so I guess it was useful after all.

Definitely need to find some trousers that fit... I managed to tear a hole in my trousers today in an attempt to stretch my legs. The worst part - I didn't even manage to get the full stretch! I could also confidently say that "dry fit" is worth whatever money they charge for it. I will surely be investing!!! On a hot humid day, they are worth my weight in gold.

Last, but certainly not least, I need a new back pack. I'll have to get one of those high tech packs with a camel bag (lugging bottles of water around is so passe). They also make them so they do not rest on your back - I can imagine the fresh air would be very very pleasant in comparison to my sweaty bag and back.

Off to the shops then...

Click here to view the pics.

the 3rd practice walk... the practicalities

we had our third practice walk today - it was a long one. Starting off at Mouse Lane in Stenying, we trekked for 5 hours through the downs. There were quite a few ascents which kept us on our toes.

Luckily the weather held up. There was a brewing storm threatening us from a distance, but it never caught up with us. The clouds finally disappeared and the skies were blue. (Adam, did you get that - the skies were blue!) So blue in fact, that I turned a nice lobster bisque pink colour. Lesson learned - my skin no longer browns nicely and I need sunblock! Lots of it! I will now suffer wonderful tan stripes from my back pack. Attractive.

Ken, our official photographer, was unable to make it today. I did my best to document the journey, but - well, hhhmmmm, I kind of ran out of battery. Sorry, Ken won't happen again. Karen spent a good part of the journey snapping away, so hopefully, I will link to her snaps soon. Click here to view the pics from the first fourth of our journey here.

my waterproofs...

i finally made it to the shop today. tried on 100 things and in the end, only bought one thing! my waterproofs. it is quite cute - and yes, practical. it has a great colour, it's obviously waterproof (gortex - which means i will get to use it in england too!), has a nice and comfy fit and i can layer a fleece under it (useful for snowboarding :-).

unfortunately nothing else was comfortable enough to spend 7 hours a day in it, so that's all for now. it is a good start! we have another practice walk on sunday and i will likely quiz all the others about their gear. a shopping trip will likely follow.

shoes and mojitos...

so i've finally cut the tags and put the shoes on!!! granted it was only a couple of hours and my feet went numb, but i did it!!!

i also attempted to buy some gear, but that was unsuccessful. the shops close at 6:30 - and being that I am a hard working professional, i did not make it in time. i got to peak in through window, but that's about it.

so then, what's a girl to do but have a mojito! followed by a long walk home - and my feet are still in one piece. so far, so good!

land marks...

We came across these marvelous sculptures of famous landmarks and popped in to see if the kids could help us name them all...

Can you guess what this is modeled after?


Click here to find the answer and view more pictures from our visit.

my training update...

Ok, I'm starting to panic. The trek is slowly creeping up on me. It is just 10 weeks away! The responsibilities of life(and to a great extent the weather!) have kept me from training.

My new trekking boots are still sitting in my cupboard begging to be worn! I've been warned about wearing them in or risk experiencing extreme blisters - so I am slightly concerned. I thought I could break them in using them around the flat. But pacing around my tiny tiny flat in a bathrobe and trekking boots hardly seems idyllic!

Everyone whom I've asked to carry me if I start to get blisters or feel exhausted has pretty much said - in no uncertain terms - NO!

3 - Nil in favour of the wall!

my trip to newick house school...

Today I visited the children at newick house school... the very children who will benefit from our hard work and fund raising efforts.

It is difficult to understand how challenging it is to teach these children theeveryday skills we take for granted. For example, controlling the pitch and volume of your voice, reacting to everyday external stimuli such as the sound of a lawn mower, understanding the concept of time, or focusing (some of us are still working on that skill!). It is truly amazing how the teachers at Newick House instinctively behave and react to make these children feel safe and secure and able to learn.

Some of the things we experienced today...



The use of a sensory room to:
- teach distracted children how to write using black lighting and glow boards
- control the pitch of their voice through the use of coloured lights
- simply to calm down an agitated child who is hyper-sensitive to external stimuli.

Teachers using Makaton signing to help children develop their speech skills by associating a pictorial sign with words.

Stay tuned to hear more about my visit to newick house and meet some of the children who you will be helping...

the technology trailer part 2...

For those of you who won't be joining us in China, you can still take part in the Trek. You can see where we have been, what we are doing, great pics of the landscape (and of the exhausted trekkers!)... you can even make comments. Click here to see how it works!

the ££££ update...

I am just past the half way mark! I have raised £1267 of my £2500 goal.

Please help me reach my goal by visiting my justgiving site and making a donation. The kids are counting on you!

my holiday training...

or lack thereof I should say! As predicted, my training this past week consisted of running after my nephews and turning my pasty white skin a nice golden colour! Have a look at my holiday pics .

While laying on the beach is an enormous sacrifice, I have indeed fallen behind on my training and will have to work extra hard to catch up. Unfortunately, the weather does not seem to be co-operating with me, so I will have to limit my training to indoor gym activities :-( Wish me luck.

It seems my fellow geeks have been very busy lately. Check out the map and pics of the practice walk. Job well done for those who managed to make it.

the 2nd practice walk...

Tomorrow is the big day. While I can definitely use the practice, I won't be able to make it. I'll be on a plane on my way to visit the family in Miami. I guess I shouldn't complain - I will be basking in the glorious sun!

Best of luck to the rest of the trekkers!

I haven't been able to get much trekking in because of the horrific weather of recent weeks. BUT I have stepped up my kung fu training to 4 times a week... ninjas beware!

My training schedule for the next week will involve running after my 2 nephews (the oldest one loves to throw the ball miles away to make me go after it - not cute!) and 10 hour days at Universal Studios in Orlando. Wish me luck!

the technology trailer...

So we have a few techno geeks onboard (no offense, i'm one myself) and they are working on ways of making this trek an interactive experience. The idea is that the kids at Newick School can participate in the trek instead of just hearing about it second hand.

Some of the cool things in store:
- There will be an interactive map detailing our progress along the great wall.
- We will be able to text pictures and you will be able to see and click on them from the map - pretty close to the actual spot where they were taken.
- A blog containing our daily comments and pics which you will also be able to post to.
- A video dairy (not sure how this is going to work just yet).

This is a work in progress. So check back for an update. For now, you can click here to view a map for our last walk.

TrekChina Technology coming September 2007 to a computer near you!

my 1st practice walk...

I met some of the trekkers for the first time at Charlton Court (Sally Gunnell's conference facility), an excellent base for our walk in Stenying. I was a bit nervous at first as I was about to meet the people I will be spending over a week with in China. Everyone was great! You can meet them all here and view the rest of the pics from our walk here.

I've never actually been trekking before - so naturally I have no gear. I turned up in gym clothes and trainers and quizzed everyone on advice about what gear to get. A shopping excursion will soon follow.

Ok, I am in relatively good shape. I train for 1.5 hours 2 - 3 per week in martial arts (Northern Style Shaolin Kung Fu). I was hoping it would count for something. Unless ninjas start popping out of trees... Let's just say keeping pace uphill is painful! I have some serious training to do.

the challenge...

To put down the milkshake and get in shape!

Let's face it - growing up in Miami I didn't exactly go off on weekends to hike in the mountains! Yes, we have beaches, but they did not prepare me for trekking up to 7 hours a day.

the itinerary...

Day 1 - Overnight flight to Beijing.
Day 2 - Arrive in Beijing and transfer to Yanyuan Mountain.
Day 3 - Great Wall at Mutianyu: 4 - 5 hours of trekking.
Day 4 - Black Dragon Paw Park: 6 - 7 hours of trekking.
Day 5 - Great Wall at Gubeikou: 5 - 6 hours of trekking.
Day 6 - Great Wall at Jinshanling to Simatai: 6 - 7 hours of trekking.
Day 7 - Great Wall at Simatai: 4 hours of trekking.
Day 8 - Free day to recover!!!

how to sponsor...

It's easy - I promise. Go to my JustGiving website. It is safe and secure and you can pay by credit card.

Justgiving will automatically reclaim Gift Aid on all donations made by UK taxpayers. For examle, if you give £100 we can reclaim an extra £28.21 for the charity.

where the money goes...

Anyone who knows me - knows I love to travel. However while this trip is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the point is to raise money for children with autism. Hence I am covering the costs of all my flights, accomodation, meals, etc. All the money I raise will go directly to the charities:

70% to the Newick House School
Newick House is a Community Special School for pupils with learning difficulties and associated special needs. My colleague Kevin's son Jamie has Asperger’s Syndrome and a number of other special needs. He is 11 and has been at Newick House School for two years.


30% to the National Autistic Society.
The National Autistic Society (NAS) exists to champion the rights and interests of all people with autism to ensure that they and their families receive quality services appropriate to their needs.

how it all got started...


My father passed away from cancer 5 years ago and it was then I realised I wanted to get more involved. Most of the organisations I looked in to had high operating costs and donated a very small percentage to research or those in need. I was made aware of China Trek through my company's sponsorship of the event and knew Kevin Connell and Andrew Haslam through work. Speaking to them about this, I knew it was time to stop talking about it and take some action - and what better way to combine my passion for travel with my desire to help those in need.

what...

TrekChina0907 provides an amazing opportunity to take part in a week long fund raising trek on the Great Wall of China between the 8th and 16th September 2007.

I will have the opportunity to visit and learn about a unique part of the world and make new friends who share similar interests and sense of adventure. I will stretch myself both physically and mentally whilst raising much needed funds for those on the Autistic Spectrum in the UK and help to build bridges with those similarly challenged at a school in Beijing

The aims of the trek are to:
- raise awareness of the challenges faced by children with autism
- build friendships with others on the trek and establish links with the Fortune Training School (XinYun School) in Beijing
- raise funds for both Newick House School, West Sussex (a UK school for children with special needs) and The National Autistic Society.