48 days to go!

Hi!


If I have an unusual spring in my step -
it’s because this year I'm walking the Lycian Way! 

It's 48 days until I start my walk and It's beginning to feel very real! 

Tomorrow is my birthday (to save the embarrassment of bald figures let's say that last year was my Heinz) and it seems significant that I am finally getting my act together with both this blog and my fundraising page. If you haven't seen it yet go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RobinThomson 

Most exciting of all - I've received my first donations! The target of £500 that seemed so arbitrary, despite the "logical" one pound per kilometre, suddenly seems achievable, realistic even! 
Who knows, I may even exceed it.

As I have said on the fundraising page I am not expecting the 500km to be “a walk in the park”. My plan is to make three trips to Turkey, and have three stints of ten days devoted to walking. To complete the 510 km I need to average 17km (10.7miles) a day and this, at times, over fairly rough terrain and on some steep slopes.  

However, I am fortunate in having two great parks on my doorstep - Wimbledon Common, and Richmond Park and these will be my training ground. On my most recent effort, I walked from home to Richmond (town) via both parks, with snow on the ground! The distance was a little under 16km and it took me 3.5 hours. With the lumpy terrain of the park I think (apart from the wintry weather) it was a good parallel. In the wild landscape of Lycia I expect my pace to be considerably slower but I should manage this distance in say 6 hours each day.  The harsh reality is that I will need to repeat this achievement, day after day, for ten days at a time. 

Just for a chuckle;  here's a picture of me from 1988 when I visited Turkey with my then wife Karen. This is at the site of ancient Termessos. With typical bravado I am flirting with danger, it being some years since the earthquake that shifted the stones of these monumental classical buildings.

Until next time, 
Yours, Robin