Hala Razian

This is it folks - tomorrow is the big day!

Thanks so much for all the amazing sponsors who've supported the cause so far, and if you haven't done so already - it's not too late! 

Fingers crossed that the weather Gods will be kind - see you all on the other side....of the mountain.

xxx

Hala 

Picture to the right is 1/2 the team, out on a training walk last weekend... we are pumped! 

Oh my! There are only nine weeks left of training before the big adventure is upon us!

Though training this week was not extensively long, it sure made up for it in beauty and difficulty! Climbing deep into the valleys leading to idyllic Jerusalem Bay, navigating carefully on delluged and muddied ricks from the heavy rains we've been seeing in Sydney these past few days - one scarcely thought of the way back up! But up again we did climb, and then across the range to the Hawkesbury River. All in all a hefty 13 km in over four hours of walking.

I say 'of walking' as there was lots of stopping along the way, to enjoy the stunning views (see photos!) as well as to catch our breath from the steep climbs, swim in the waters of the muddy bay - and patiently wait for the leeches to finish their feeding and drop off, satisfied.

Lesson of the week: how to remove a leech! If a pinch of salt and using fire seem a bit cruel as they did for me, patiently wait about 10 minutes for the critter to have it's fill. It's quite intruiguing to watch them swell and turn red, but if you don't have the stomach for that - find the thin end of the critter, pinch the skin around it with two fingers and scrape one finger across to dislodge. A little (natural) insect repellent might mean you never have to experience this in person :)

First leech and first look at the Hawkesbury - not a bad training outcome.

Don't forget to donate generously to support TWS and the last great wild places on Earth.

 We WAG, we walk, we return!

A little late in posting this update - I know you've all been waiting on the edge of your seats, apologies indeed! I think I am still absolutely gutted that about half way through this epic journey my phone battery died - so there is no way to absolutely tell how far Celia and I walked on our fated day. Our tallies amount to a conservative 18km.

Just look at the map - you might think. Well, fair enough, except that by the time we had reached the 4.5km mark on our trail, we had already clocked up 10km on the pedometer!  Several lessons gleaned from this ill-fated but laughter filled adventure:

Always carry a compass! And while it may be useful to have a printed out map (see lesson learnt week T-11), it is probably more useful to actually read the full directions before taking any natural seeming turns in the path...

Third - have a little faith in www.wildwalks.com. If they say the walks is ranked easy, you should not be seriously exerting yourself up a steep slope on unmarked bush track, and crossing several flooded streams. Don't, on the other hand, trust their maps as your sole guide.

And finally, it's often harder to take the decision to turn back than to keep going forward, and you should know when to make that hard choice.

Training continues and time is flying by! Thanks as ever for your generous support and donations - don't forget to have a look at www.wilderness.org.au to see the great work TWS is involved in for nature and all life on Earth.

We WAG, we walk, we return!

Another week, another walk - but this time, with a new partner - David Aridi!

Somehow, I have ranted and raved enough about this fantastic event that David has agreed to join the we WAG we walk team - hooray David! You can see David's page here.

After scouring wildwalks it was decided - Milson's Point to Tarronga Zoo. Yes, the site did mention that we would be walking through some urban sprawl (if that's what you can call the muti-million dollar mansions and pavements lined with gold up in Kiribill), but I don't think we were prepared for the concrete, hilly jungle we had to cut through till we finally got to some lush green coastal track.

Lesson of the week - print out your map and bring a compass! Lucky us local Alex Tibbits joined us half way and acted as guide, and we were able to walk more than a few meters without getting lost!

Total distance 10.3 km, Average time 14m/km. 

Thanks so much to all the fantastic new sponsors this week - you wonderful wonderful people.

We WAG, we WALK, we RETURN!

Pesky cold and cough shaken off, weather finally looking up - and training begins!

The task - get walking! Nothing like getting lost among the hanging sleeping bats in the botanical gardens and taking a ferry over choppy waters to get your day started. From my home in Surry Hills, a convoluted 3km track to Circular Quay to catch the ferry to Manly for a trudge through the beautiful 9km coastal track from Spit to Manly (see photo). 

My training partner for the day was the wonderful Celia Fakhoury - five months pregnant and devastated not to be able to participate. Little bubba inside her will be too big by 'the big day'. Didn't stop her from giving me a 'walk' for my money though, as well as a good pep talk.

Total distance covered - 13 km, averaging 13minutes/km.  

Still feeling very nervous about the walk - a few sleepless nights panicking - but knowing my sponsors are behind me keeps me motivated. THANK YOU SPONSORS!!

Twelve weeks to go... Keep checking this space for more updates !

We WAG, we WALK, we RETURN!

Fantastic Friends -

I've signed up to take part in the 2012 WildEndurance challenge and my team and I will be completing a 50km trek through the rugged Blue Mountains to raise funds for The Wilderness Society on May 5-6, 2012.

The Wilderness Society (TWS)  is a community-based, environmental advocacy organisation whose purpose is to protect, promote and restore wilderness and natural processes across Australia for the survival and ongoing evolution of life on Earth. 

It's a difficult and arduous route, and as you may know, this is the first time I'll be doing anything like it! You're pennies will pave my pathway and help prtect this wonderful planet we call home. So go on, show your support please DONATE generously by clicking on the button to the right and help The Wilderness Society continue their work to protect the wilderness for all of us and future generations.

Watch this space for updates on training, photos and fun facts about how your money is working to save the world's last great wild places!