A bucket list adventure
Our very own intrepid adventurer Trustee Director and supporter Andy Gray recently took on an overseas adventure with challenge partners Rat Race.
Here's his story......
"A bucket list adventure to trek/run across Dominica from tip to toe, traversing this beautiful island from the Southerly tip at Scott's head to the northern point at Capuchin (Cape Melville) along Waitukubuli National Trail. 7 days on foot through 100 miles of the unspoilt jungle. 7 days to cover the distance, self-navigated (which made it interesting) and a whooping 8000m (26000ft) of ascent. Not the usual ascent, this was near vertical mud, unstable rock and if you were lucky a good root to grab a hold of. The occasional rope - some better than others... and not forgetting what goes up, must come down!!!
The terrain was technical, many river crossings, some with bridges that had, shall we say, seen better days, trees to clamper over / under, and it was hot, average temp 35c with high humidity. Oh, and lets not forget the razor grass and fire ants!
Day 5 was the most extreme, 5km (3 miles) took over 6 hours. So remote the signal, our personal trackers couldn't reach the safety crew (they were very relieved when we emerged). A rollercoaster of emotions from the desperate look at the next climb to the tears of happiness at the finishing point.
Was it tough? Yes, but hey what an adventure! Meeting with a culture that is worlds apart from our normal life... people who have very little in terms of material things but so friendly and welcoming, and always smiling. Where would you regularly meet someone carrying a machete and have a friendly chat without fear. Beautiful wildlife you only ever see on TV. Fellow trekkers from around the world who are now friends for life. A crew & medics that kept everyone fed, watered and safe. What else is there to say... Well, not much (without writing a book) really, apart from one of the numerous quotes I like 'Life begins on the edge of your comfort zone'.
As a Trustee, I normally fundraise for The Friends of the Wisdom Hospice but having recently lost my best friend Tom after 16 years thought it might be a good idea to use this adventure to raise a few pennies for another great cause... The Dogs Trust"
If you are interested in an overseas or bespoke challenge, please get in touch with the Fundraising Team or visit our Event page on the website for some ideas.