Meal done

That's the meal done along with the safety briefing. Full roast in the middle of a field. Nothing like slumming it.

So now to bed. It's going to be a 1:30am alarm call. Eeek

Just also been told that the coaches being used dont have loos onboard so I'm having major panics about that.

Met an ex-para who also has ME so that's been good having a chat and symptom swap.

Night night all.

First camp

Just a quickie to say I'm at the first campsite and settling in. Need to scout around and find the loo. Essentials first of course!!!

Speak more soon.

Nearly time

Nearly time to set off from the hotel to the long stay car park.
It's belting it down out there, hopefully it's not a sign of things to come.

So I'm repacked. Everything is in ziplock bags and sorted in to various rucksack pockets.

I've been checking the 5 Peaks Facebook page and it looks like there will be at least one of the teams of four catching the same train as me. They've said to look out for four guys in flip flops standing in the wrong platform. Hahaha

So it'll be nice to meet some fellow challengers at last. I'll be easy to spot as I'm sure I'll be the only one with a proper shepherds crook rather than a fancy pantsy walking pole. It was a 21st birthday pressie made by my dad and I've never climb a mountain without it since.

Feeling nervous now due to the waiting. I just want to get on with it now but the train isn't until 12:39 so a while to wait yet. The main thing is not to miss it as its a 2 hour wait till the next. Will park up around 11:30 then short park and ride to station so plan is to be on the platform for 12 noon and then settle in on the track with my book. That way it can't go passed without me.

Will be happier once I'm there and registered and got my stuff in my allocated tent. That way I can repack everything with walking gear out and ready. Then I can get out and about and mingle. I know it's a shocker, me, mingling.

Holyhead

I've arrived at Holyhead. It's a good job I brought my bikini as its blue skies here with palm trees and azure sea. Oh sorry I'd gone to a happy place. It's thick black skies and rain. The travellodge it has to be said is an absolute tip. Hey ho it's a bed for the night.

Let's face it it's going to be the most comfy bed I get till Sunday night so I'd best make the most of it.

The drive up was uneventful and the Clive Cussler audio book helped the miles go by.

I've recce'd the long stay carpark ready for tomorrow so I know where I'm going.

I'm going to unpack and repack everything this evening to make sure all my bits and bobs are in the right places. Then it'll be an early night to try to recover from the drive.

Tomorrow is then a drive to the car park and a train to Betws y Coed. From there it's a short minibus ride to the starting campsite and registration. It'll be nice to get there and meet my fellow nutters. I'll then be blogging whenever I get a signal.

Still praying for less rain than we've had.

http://www.bmycharity.com/5PeaksChallenge

Last night

This is the last night before the beginning. I'm setting off tomorrow morning for the long trek to Holyhead. Everything is packed but the toothbrush.

Looking outside and it's raining again. Hey ho. Think it's going to be a wet one. Maybe time to try mountain walking in a wetsuit or even better a drysuit.

Will keep you posted.

Wow

Wow. I've just looked on my sponsorship page and two anonymous people have put on £30 and £470 respectively. Thank you whoever you are.

Only 3 days to go

Well there's only three days to go till the challenge. I'm pretty much packed and ready to roll. So I'll be setting off on Tuesday to drive to Holyhead. Then it's a train to the start on wednesday ready for the 2am start in Thursday morning.

I need all of you doing anti-rain dances as its looking grim. It's going to be tough enough without needing a wetsuit to walk in.

Just before I go it's my lovely wife's birthday. So a meal out is in the offing tomorrow.