"Let them eat cake!"

I had a extremely successful day fundraising today thanks to my awesome ex-employer!

ASDAN, an education charity in Bristol, let me do a cake sale in their head office to raise funds for VSO - www.asdan.org.uk

I made quite a selection, and I must say that I was entirely baked out by the end of it. Delia Smith I am not, but I think the end results were pretty good.

The cakes and treats included;
-Dutch Apple and cinnamon cakes
-Victoria sponge
-Truffles
-Rocky road cornflakes cakes
-Flapjack treat bags
-Fudge treat bags
-Macaroons
-Lemon drizzle
-Fairy cakes
-Chocolate chip muffins
-Double chocolate muffins

And they all went down a treat!

ASDAN raised a total of £89.30 towards my fundraising and I just want to say a massive thank you to a brilliant workplace and great charity making changes to people's education in this country and abroad.

Thank you ASDAN!!!

Alice x

Slippery Snowdon

I am very happy, relieved and pleased to say that I climbed Snowdon on Saturday!

Ryan and I set off around 7am as it's a 4(ish) hour drive and we needed to make a quick stop in Gloucester. We knew exactly when we reached Snowdonia National Park! The surroundings were absolutely stunning and the drive to Snowdon was spectacular. There is something very therapeutic about being surrounded by mountains and peaks.

When I first saw Snowdon, I'm not going to lie, I thought "What the hell have I agreed to do?". It was very striking on the landscape!

You can see the anxious expression on my face below...

We set off around 12:30, raring to get our Snowdon adventure started. 30 minutes into the walk, this was the view we were confronted with...

Absolutely breathtaking!

We met an avid bird-watcher on the way, and although he was as lovely as lovely can be, he did make us feel slightly disappointed. He told us that he didn't think we'd reach the summit because of the conditions at the top. We said our goodbyes, and although we had a slightly heavy heart knowing we might not reach the top, we carried on determined.

We had a stop with a slightly chilly view of Snowdon before we started the zig-zag path. I did NOT like this part of the path one bit!!!

The snow started to appear on this path the further we went up. We also had to look out for the ice as well. Didn't want any injuries on the 3rd highest peak in the UK!!!

I do recall saying to Ryan, "just go on without me!". Whoops...

I reached the top of the zig-zag path and was welcomed with this view. You can see in my face how much in awe I was. Then, as I turned to my right, I was confronted with fog, snow and ice. Not ideal when you're trying to reach the summit of a mountain.

The cloud was so thick, we couldn't see the railway until we were on top of it. Clearly it wasn't running (so I couldn't cheat by getting the train back down!). However, knowing we were on the railway meant that the summit was close. It began to feel in sight now!

 You can see from this photo that the train was definitely NOT running...

After 3.5 hours, we finally made it to the top. It was a shame that it was pretty cloudy, but it was still an amazing achievement!

 And... I still had a smile on my face!!

A big thank you has to go to Ryan who really kept me motivated along the whole walk. He even kept my energy up with apricots. What a treat!

The walk back down was a completely different story. The sun began to shine through the clouds and created a serene setting. I wouldn't have left if it wasn't for my fingers turning into icicles and my face going numb. It was also quite windy, and I could see lots of people with wind-burn. I slipped a few times, which caused massive hilarity to Ryan. I'll do anything for a laugh, hey?

It took 2 hours to get back down and it was pretty dark by the time we reached the car. We did actually see people's lights still on the mountain when we were near to the car. I wouldn't have liked to be them knowing what the terrain was like.

I was so happy to reach the summit, and even more happy to know that I did it in pretty difficult conditions. And after all that, I still had a smile!

Thank you to everyone who sponsored me and a big thanks to Ryan for joining me on this little adventure. Hopefully, this has been more than enough to prepare me for Nepal. Everest next anyone?

If you would like to donate to my fundraising for VSO, you can do so by visiting my JustGiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/Alice-Garland-90/

Don't forget that I'm also hosting an Art Auction next Wednesday from 18:30 at Racks Bar & Kitchen, Bristol. There's some great looking pieces, so hope to see you there!

Alice x

VSO Weekend

This week has been somewhat hectic, so I haven't really had the chance to write about my fantastic training weekend with VSO last week.

It was honestly one of the most informative training sessions I've been to, and our trainer Joe was absolutely brilliant. He seemed to have a lot of life experience and I think it made us all feel at ease.

The training covered aspects of how to prepare ourselves for cultural differences, coping strategies whilst we're in a foreign land, development and what it means, how to prepare ourselves medically, the programme and how it will run before, during and after our placement, conflict management and poverty. We honestly covered so much, but I didn't feel overwhelmed at all.
If anything it made more even more excited to make a difference to the livelihoods of the Nepalese communities. I'm also really excited to educate people on sexual and reproductive health. It's not just about using a condom to prevent STD's or unwanted pregnancies, but also topics like nutrition during pregnancy, menstrual hygiene and discouraging women from hard Labour post delivery.

And... I got to meet most members of my team! They are absolutely lovely people, and it's good to know we're all on the same page. Go Team Lamjung!!!

Alice x

Blown by Brecon Beacons Beauty

So Ryan and I weren't able to climb Snowdon last Saturday, but that didn't stop up from choosing another mountain on another mountain range.

The Brecon Beacons beckoned!

We decided to climb Skirrid Fawr, as we were a little limited on time, and because the mountain of mud and myths appealed to our adventurous nature's.

I am so glad we didn't choose to take on Snowdon last weekend, because when when reading reached the top, not only did the mountain's beauty blow us away, but the strong gusts of wind did too! If it was that windy in the Brecon's, I dread to think what it was like in North Wales...

Nonetheless, the climb was good fun and the mountain was pretty quiet. And... at least it didn't rain!

This weekend is less vigorous activity, as I am attending my training weekend with VSO. Might be slightly more stressful on the brain though... but at least I'll have some idea of what to expect in Nepal.

So... there's still time to sponsor me on the Snowdon climb, as I promise I will still be doing it! Just hoping the weather settles a little. Visit my JustGiving page if you wish to make a donation - https://www.justgiving.com/Alice-Garland-90/

Alice x

s-NO-wdon

It's with an extremely heavy heart that I am having to postpone my Snowdon climb due to poor weather conditions.

The Atlantic front that has hit the UK has meant that gusts of up to 80mph are going to hit the Snowdon summit. Temperatures are also set to be between -2 to -4 which would be fine, however the wind chill factor means that it will feel more like -14 to -16.

These conditions aren't really suitable for the sort of climb Ryan and I were planning, and to be honest, we aren't really prepared for it. Even when I'm in Nepal in March, the conditions are MUCH better than that!

But alas, the climb is NOT cancelled, just postponed until the 24th January 2014. This means you've got plenty more time to visit my JustGiving page to sponsor ;)
https://www.justgiving.com/Alice-Garland-90/
You can also sponsor me by texting NEPA70 £3 to 70070. It's quick and easy, and the money goes directly to my JustGiving page. Plus, you can GiftAid too.

To keep the momentum going, Ryan and I will be doing a climb in the Brecon Beacons on Sunday, where the conditions are a lot better.

Wish us happy walking!

Alice x

Splendid Snowdon Stats

To get me in the Snowdon climb mind-frame, I thought I would look up some Snowdon facts and share them with you. It might make the climb feel less impending...

1. Snowdon has an elevation of 1,085m (3560ft), making it the highest mountain in England and Wales.
2. The name Snowdon comes from the Saxon 'Snow Dun' meaning 'snow hill'.
3. Snowdon has 6 official routes to the summit; Llanberis Path, Miners Path, Pyg Track, Watkin Path, Rhyd Ddu Path and lastly, the Snowdon Ranger Path. The latter I will be climbing on Saturday.
4. The first person to reach Snowdon's summit was Thomas Johnson in 1639.
5. Snowdon was used by Edmund Hillary to train for his Mount Everest expedition.
6. Famed for it's beautiful wild flowers, Snowdon grows the rare Snowdon Lily on it's slopes.
7. According to Welsh folklore, Rhitta Gawr (a giant killed by King Arthur) is buried on the summit of Snowdon.
8. When the weather conditions are right at the summit of Snowdon, you are able to see England, Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
9. Snowdonia has been inhabited by humans since Prehistoric times.
10. Alice Garland climbed reached Snowdon's summit on the 10th January 2015... Hopefully!

Alice x

Cotswold Outdoor

What was supposed to be having a mooch in Bristol city centre, turned into Alice spending a considerable amount of money on kit for Nepal.

In all fairness, I did purchase two essential pieces of kit - walking boots and a synthetic down jacket. However, this post isn't about the products themselves, it's about how unbelievably helpful the staff were at Cotswold Outdoor Bristol Broadmead store. The guy that advised me on my boots, really knew his stuff and listened to everything that I required. He even showed me a clever way to tie my boots so that they're more comfortable, and so my heel sits in the boot properly.

In terms of the jacket, I have been searching everywhere for an affordable one that fits properly, and will keep me warm on the chilly Nepalese evenings. Down jackets can cost a minimum of £150 (if you want a decent one £200+), and realistically, I haven't got that sort of money to spend on a big jacket I won't wear that often when I get back from Nepal. The supervisor in this store was incredibly helpful and very honest about the fit. Most guys would probably tell you what you want to hear when it comes to size, but he was honest and told me the fit was just right for all the layers I put on underneath. He also advised me about the technicalities of the jacket and how it would be appropriate for Nepal.

When I purchased the two products, I even got money off because Cotswold Outdoor have a price match policy. So all in all, it was a very successful shopping trip. Just in time for my Snowdon climb as well! I would highly recommend this store to anyone wishing to get outdoor kit from people who actually know what they're talking about.

Thanks Cotswold Outdoor!

Alice x

Snowdon Hike

This time next week, I will (FINGERS CROSSED!) have successfully climbed Snowdon as part of my fundraising for VSO.

Early in the morning, on the 10th January 2015, I will venture onto the glorious Welsh mountain and make my way to the summit. My boyfriend has graciously volunteered to accompany me to the top (if the truth be told, he had no choice in the matter really... Thanks Ryan!).

It's going to be a great way to get me prepared for what to expect in Nepal - lots of hiking between villages and being on a mountainous terrain. I'll be climbing Everest in no time ;)

By the looks of things, it might be a bit wet...

But what's a bit of rain on a Saturday morning?

I'm looking at both the Watkin and Ranger trails, but I'll keep you posted what route I choose (weather depending).

If you would like to sponsor me, then please visit my JustGiving page - https://www.justgiving.com/Alice-Garland-90 - any donation is greatly appreciated and would go to a very deserving cause.

Wish me (& Ryan) happy hikes =)

Alice x