My Kilimanjaro Adventure...

My new blog

2010-11-24T09:18:00.000+02:00

I'm delighted to say that the Red Cross Children's Hospital have reached their target and construction of the new burns unit is on track!! Thank you so much once again for joining me on this incredible journey!

As for me, my new passion, walking the Camino de Santiagio pilgrimage walk in Spain in July 2012 is slowly but surely becoming a reality - almost two years before the actual walk!

I am blogging furiously and this week my new blog was feautured on a Travel Blog site - my nano moment in the sun!

Anyway, I can't wait to put my backpack on my back and head off on my next adventure - come and join me - you'll find me at http://www.caminosantiago2012.blogspot.com/.

Cheers!

Winding down...

2010-10-09T14:40:00.001+02:00

Slowly but surely my Kili 2010 adventure is busy winding down. I am still hoping to follow up shortly with the story of the little boy I met at the hospital, I'm just awaiting the necessary permission to continue.

As for the fundraising - we'll have a total amount soon, we are still waiting for one or two companies who have committed to donate.

We've had wonderful press coverage of the project and I'd like to thank the Table Talk, the Tygerburger and the Cape Argus. Your willingness to publish the articles and appeal for help is greatly appreciated!

As for me - I've started thinking about my next big walk. This one will be for myself, I won't be raising funds as I did with the Kilimanjaro climb.

I have decided to walk the Camino Santiago in July 2012. The fact that I turn 50 that month is not a coincidence, no! I've merely timed it for then because it is a special time in my life but the true reason for walking the 780km through Spain lies much deeper.

As with the Kili climb, I certainly won't be the first, nor the last to undertake the journey. For me however, it will be the very first time and I have started the mental preparation for this incredible pilgrimage.

To join me on that adventure, almost two years before the actual walk, you are very welcome to follow the new blog that I have created as I journal about my daily 'camino'...

Already I am aware that the pilgrimage is going to change my life, a month ago I had no idea it existed and now it seems that no matter what, I have to walk all 780km!

The new blog is http://www.caminosantiago2012.blogspot.com. Join the journey - who knows, you might decide to put your boots on as well!

Visiting the Red Cross Hospital

2010-09-16T10:09:00.000+02:00

I was invited to tour the wards of the Red Cross Children's Hospital yesterday. We visited the new wards that have just been completed, as well as the current Burns Unit - what a wonderful experience! My friend Ann went along and it felt really special to introduce her to the Burns Unit as she really has been very supportive of my fundraising efforts.

After the tour we, as 'guardians' of the hospital, were treated to a very informative presentation by some of the doctors who head up the various departments. Seeing photographs of little patients before and after procedures and hearing about the incredible new theatres was pretty special.

There are now 8 state of the art theatres which were built at a cost of R125 000 000. These theatres are up there with the best in the world and it is wonderful to hear how doctors from abroad are comparing it with the Mayo Clinic theatres, in fact they are calling it the Mayo Plus theatres as ours have a view of Table Mountain as an added bonus!

To me it's just great that the surgeons, professors, doctors, nurses and trust staff are so accessible to everybody. It makes talking about the hospital, their work and very real needs so much easier as one has a very real insight after an event like yesterday.

I met a little boy in the Burns Unit who was electrocuted after touching a live electric wire whilst playing soccer with his friends in a little town called Carnarvon. He has lost his left arm and his entire body has been affected by this horrific incident. I was SO touched by his positive outlook on life after everything that has happened to him in the last three months, I have decided to meet with his mom and see if we can create awareness and somehow help with his recovery. He has a LONG road ahead and I'm not sure how they will cope with all the very real needs once he is discharged from hospital.

So once I have all the permission from everyone concerned, I will post his full story with photographs on the blog. Just one very real situation faced by a family who had to use this incredible hospital - it has just brought home again how important it is to source the funding needed to upgrade the unit!

Visitors from all over!!

2010-09-08T09:29:00.001+02:00

Looking at the Live Traffic Feed at the bottom of the photographs on the righthand side of this page, I am just AMAZED at where all the visitors to this site are coming from! Russia, Canada, Italy, Germany, USA - to name just a few!!

If you are visiting from outside of South Africa - welcome! I hope that reading about this cause has really been interesting and I hope you have discovered a cause in Africa that you were unaware of.

The Red Cross Children's Hospital in Cape Town was built in the 1950's and they have treated thousands of children from all over Africa since day one. The hospital receives state funding but funds for upgrades etc. must be sourced by themselves.

To assist in this enormous task, the Children's Hospital Trust was formed about 15 years ago. Their sole task is to raise funds for the hospital and at this stage they are so efficient that every single cent donated goes directly to the hospital.

So if you are living outside of South Africa and would like to donate to a cause that benefits children from all over the African continent - this certainly is the place to visit! All the details of how to donate are on the top righthand side of this page. All donations are made directly to the hospital, it is just important to follow the instructions as adding the reference "Emilene Kili 2010" will ensure that your money is allocated correctly.

We are having problems with the comments section of the blog, so if you'd like to contact me directly you can send a message to: ferreira.emilene@gmail.com.

Thank you for visiting!

Some of Sandra's Kili pics...

2010-09-07T22:17:00.000+02:00

My computer is SO slow this evening - I would have loved to load a host of pictures but for now the following is what I managed to download at this stage - more to follow soon!

I will say, looking at the CD my friend Sandra sent me from Namibia brings it all back as if it happened yesterday! On the second day of the climb I remember saying to the others that the mountain should have been named 'Killermanjaro' - now I want to go back!! Thank goodness at my age one's memory seems to get rid of the bad and retain the good!! (Well that's what mine seems to be doing anyway!)

Sandra, Yolanda and I at our favourite camp - Shira Cave.

Climbing up Baranco Wall

From here on it looked almost like a moonscape..

With our young American friend Sean

One of our porters, Amissie. It is unbelievable to see what these amazing young men are able to transport up and down the mountain.

Our guide, Freddy, giving me some of his magic tea on the way up!

Sunrise on the way to the top - at this stage I was falling asleep on my feet...

Freddy and I

Spectacular view going up

Looking back...

2010-09-06T12:36:00.000+02:00

It's been just over a month since the climb and I find myself really wishing I could do it all over again!

Climbing Kilimanjaro has been one of the hardest but most rewarding experiences I have ever had and the more I think about it, the more I realise that the experience has left me with so much that I will be able to take with me for the rest of my life.

Firstly, I have learnt that if you have the correct mindset, you can achieve almost anything you set out to do. At times when my body just wanted to give in, I was able to force myself to carry on by making certain decisions. At times I almost debated with myself - setting short term goals and promising myself that I will review the situation once I get to the next level.

I was also fortunate that the altitude sickness, that almost stopped me in my tracks, became less severe as the days went on (...and as the Diamox tablets kicked in!).

Secondly - I have made two incredible friends. The two girls who climbed with me added something really special. When you can laugh with someone until the tears run down your face, you know that you have a special connection. The three of us were able to do this every day and I think that is something money cannot buy!

I know that we'll remain friends for a very long time and yes, there are definitely more trips in the future somewhere! We celebrated Sandra's 50th on the mountain and we've decided that as mine is less than two years away now, we have to start planning on which mountain we're going to celebrate that one!

Yolanda's 50th is about 20 years away, so Sandra and I will probably only manage to summit a hill of sorts at that time, but I assure you we'll be laughing just as much as we did on Kilimanjaro!

Thirdly - reaching the summit with the knowledge that we were able to contribute in a small way to a really worthy cause is such a good feeling. I can highly recommend creating a fundraising effort around any adventure trip you ever tackle!

I've also discovered how much I love hiking and I've continued this activity - last week we hiked in Stellenbosch - what a lovely surprise it was to discover the deli at Tokara wine estate! We stopped there for a coffee after the mist became too thick on Simonsberg - I will be back!! The interior is very European - understated decor with a great view of the mountain and farm - lovely glass windows right around brings it all right to your table! (Coffee was great as well!)

I have received all Sandra's Kili photos, so will be posting some with more comments in the next few days.

The Red Cross Children's Hospital now have a facebook page as well - will post the link with the next blog post. The countdown has started to the start of construction of the new burns unit - end of October is around the corner...

Thank you Cape Argus!

2010-09-02T20:12:00.000+02:00

Another BIG thank you to the Cape Argus newspaper for publishing a piece on this project in today's edition of their paper. It really helps to create awareness - I'm holding thumbs that big business will pick up on the story and get involved with making the upgrade of the burns unit a reality.

Come what may - construction will start by the end of October, I'll try and post pictures of the progress as it goes along.

Thank you once again to all my wonderful friends who continue to donate and get involved - you truly are friends in a million!

I'll continue to source goods for the auction that I hope to have at the end of the year - at this stage I have three great bottles of South African wines and a weekend away at a luxury lodge in Knysna.

If you have ANYTHING that we can turn into money for the hospital, please contact me and I will add it to the list of things that will be on offer at our auction. You and/or your business will get great exposure on the blog and I will continue to forward all the updates to the local newspapers. We have had great support from the Table Talk as well - so wonderful for the businesses that are joining us in this effort.

My contact details are: ferreira@netpoint.co.za. I am also very happy to talk to groups about our experience and at the same time will provide information on the hospital. Should you wish to be taken on a tour of the Burns Unit at the hospital, that can also be arranged.

Why not join me in this worthy cause - I look forward to hearing from anyone who'd like to get involved!

Let's REALLY make a difference this year!

Got my travelling shoes on again!

2010-08-19T10:19:00.000+02:00

We've taken a few days off to visit Portugal and Madeira so all the Kili stories will have to wait until the end of the month!

There are incredible mountains to climb in Madeira as well but unfortunately we won't have enough time on this trip - hopefully I can get some nice pics though.

As for the fundraising for the Red Cross, they have let me know that just over R50 000.00 has been banked already!

As usual - a HUGE thank you to each and every person who donated, you are friends in a million!

Until later then!

What an amazing morning...

2010-08-13T19:59:00.002+02:00

This morning Rodney Beck, chairman of the Outriders Cycling Club and I visited the Burns Unit at the Red Cross Children's Hospital and officially handed over a cheque for R20 000.00 to prof. Heinz Rhode.

This entire amount was raised by Rodney and the members of the Outriders in one month!!

Prof Rhode confirmed that construction is due to start in October this year, even though they still have to come up with the balance of the money required. Every single cent that we donate will go directly towards the upgrade.

He also explained how the entire ward will move to another area in the hospital while the construction takes place - not something to look forward to! So for at least 7-8 months they will have to improvise. The good news though, is that at the end of that period, they will have a superb new, specialised unit, dedicated to the little burns patients.

Let's hope that loads more people will support this amazing hospital - every little bit adds up in the end!

Rodney Beck, Prof. Heinz Rhode, Carol-Ann Bantam and her little son Carlten and I

The best news ever!

2010-08-12T16:53:00.000+02:00

A HUUUGE thank you to Rodney Beck and members of the Outriders Cycling Club - they have managed to raise R20 000.00 for the Burns Unit!! What an amazing contribution!

I am so proud to be a part of a community that is willing to get out there and get involved, thanks to everybody and especially Rodney - he really has driven this project with amazing enthusiasm. It really is appreciated!

Tomorrow morning we will be handing over the cheque to the hospital - watch this space for the photograph!

In the meantime - here are some more Kili pictures. Enjoy!

The first view of Kili from the plane - SO exciting!

Signing in at the gate - nervous but excited...

With Sean, Yolanda and Sandra on the first day, still full of smiles!

Early morning view from our tent at Shira Cave

Popcorn and peanuts have never tasted so good!

Early morning wash - water was hot but the ground was covered in ice!

At this point not much grew anymore - almost like a lunar landscape

A new day begins at one of the camps

Yolanda and I - too tired to take one more step!

With Sandra and our guide Freddy at the top. What a feeling!

Glaciers at the top

Our entire team. 2 Guides, a cook and 10 porters!

Back home!

2010-08-10T22:33:00.000+02:00

I have been back home for 12 days now and still battling with a chest infection! I am so done with tablets and medicine at this stage - nothing seems to help! This morning I decided to go for a B12 injection to boost my immune system and I was told that within 48 hours I'll feel like a different person - so let's hold thumbs it works...

As for the climb - I still feel as if I've dreamt it all! It came and went so quickly, I have to start writing all the details down before it fades away.

One thing that I know will never fade, is the fact that this really was the most difficult thing I have EVER done. You keep climbing, day after day and the oxygen just keeps getting less and less. Even with the help of Diamox, altitude sickness is bound to affect you at some stage.

It really hit me hard as we reached our first camp at the end of the first day. I was ill for most of that evening and seriously considered turning back at that stage. I'm not sure how anyone can climb that mountain without the help of God! I prayed that night that I should just receive a calmness in order to continue because I actually had a few panic attacks that first night.

Home sweet home for 5 nights!

Lying in a tiny little tent in the dark feeling claustrophobic, nauseous and panicky is not fun! The headache I got that evening also stayed with me for thew next five days. My prayers really were answered, in the early hours of that morning a peaceful feeling came over me and I started feeling a little better. I made the decision to continue and looking back I am so glad I did!

I'll post more pictures and continue the story tomorrow!

Thanks to my amazing friends at Auto Trade Supplies for their wonderful donation to the hospital!!

With my fellow climber, Sandra and our guide Freddy

Back home...

2010-08-02T16:27:00.000+02:00

I still feel as if I've dreamt it all! Unfortunately I'm in bed wit a chest infection so I haven't done any updates or posted pictures - I promise that will all follow soon!

For some reason the site would not allow anyone to post comments - really sorry about that!! Thanks for getting all the messages to me via email - I appreciate each and every comment and all the good wishes - it has helped to keep me motivated every step of the way!

Going to just take it easy for a couple of days now - I'd really like to just get my breathing back to normal again, so antibiotics it is for the next few days!

A BIG thank you to each and every person who has continued to donate to the hospital after the climb!!

To Jeff and Kay Longman, my Table 13 friends, THANKS and to my brother-in-law, Fred, DANKIE BAIE!

To those of you who have requested pledge forms - I'll be emailing them off tomorrow....and.... if you'd like me to send you a form as well, drop me a note at ferreira@netpoint.co.za.

Back at the hotel...

2010-07-28T09:59:00.000+02:00

Wow - what a relief to have been able to sleep in a proper bed again! We got back to the hotel after a 3 hour walk from our camp yesterday just before lunchtime. We will be leaving to the airport in a couple of hours, we have a LONG travel day ahead of us.

If all goes as planned I will be in Johannesburg at 23h50 tonight (!!!) and my flight to Cape Town leaves at 9am. Needless to say, I am going to try and get myself booked on an earlier flight.

Sense of humour still prevails, so we'll tackle the day with a smile!

I am SO tired, I think I can easily sleep for a couple of days straight right now. This has been the most difficult thing I have EVER done in my life. I have pushed myself further than I ever thought I would, both mentally and physically and I have to say, this has been a journey of self discovery that has taken me by surprise.

When you are put in a situation where you have to search deep within yourself to achieve what we've just done, it is really surprising to discover what you are capable of!

One thing I will say, if anyone ever tells you that climbing Kilimanjaro is a walk in the park - well, don't do business with them unless they show you the certificate proving that they've actually done it!

I actually fell asleep on my feet more than once during the final part of the summit climb, I imagined rock faces closing in on me where there were actually just empty spaces - I can honestly say that this experience has taken my mind and body to heights that I never imagined I would go to!!

Thanks to Ryan for updating the blog while we were climbing! Incredible that there is Vodacom reception on spots all over the mountain!

Once I'm back in the real world I'll post details of the climb with photographs. A BIG thank you for all the wonderful wishes and messages I received, even while on the mountain, you have no idea how mush it helped to lift my spirits!

So, if you're reading this and would still love to join me in helping to get the Burns Unit at the Red Cross upgraded, now's your chance to join all of those who pledged money in support of the climb! All the instructions are further up on the blog.

THANK YOU so much for your support! :)

Made it!!!

2010-07-27T12:38:00.000+02:00

Almost There

2010-07-25T17:41:00.007+02:00

Summit beckoning:

Blow the summit...

Just arrived at final camp before summit after 9 hr hike! This was HARD!! Extremely tired but hoping to have a few hrs sleep after supper. We start summit climb at midnight tonight, 11pm SA time. 6 hour climb to summit. Windy and ice cold in camp, -4 deg celsius. Wish me luck!

4500m and climbing..

2010-07-24T18:10:00.000+02:00

Update:

Just made it to 4500m!! Feeling better, other girls also ok. We have a 6hr climb tomorrow, start the summit climb midnight tomorrow! 6 people from another group already turned back! Wish us luck, this is a tough but amazing experience! Love to all!! xxx

Hello from 3400m

2010-07-23T18:08:00.002+02:00

Latest update:

Having lunch at 3400m! Camping at 3600m. Hardest thing I've ever done in my life! Suffering from altitude sickness! Never want last night over, nauseous, headache and claustrophobic! Not giving up unless I HAVE to. Love you all LOTS! xxx

We've arrived!!

2010-07-21T21:10:00.000+02:00

After all the planning we're finally here! We travelled the entire day and to say we are bushed is putting it mildly!

All our bags arrived, thank goodness!! We've just had a lovely dinner at the hotel, now we have to repack all our bags so that the porter has exactly 12kg to carry and the same for each one of us. Luckily we can leave some clothes at the hotel for when we get back, so hopefully my load will become lighter!

We saw the top of Kili above the clouds from the plane, spectacular! I can't believe we'll finally be walking on the mountain tomorrow morning...

The tour operator is meeting us after breakfast for a briefing, then we have a one hour drive to the gate where the walk starts.

I am going to attempt to send my son updates if and when we get reception on the mountain and he will post anything I send on the blog. If nothing new appears, there was no reception. So let's hold thumbs!

The three of us are in good spirits and we've already met some other climbers, some doing our route, some venturing off in different directions. The overall feeling is the same though, loads of anticipation and lots of fragile nerves!!

Anyway, wish us luck! The adventure truly begins from here on!! :)

.

2 more sleeps!!

2010-07-19T23:33:00.000+02:00

SAY NO MORE!

It's after 11pm on the second last night before my departure and I am done for the day!! Most of my things are now actually in one place ready to be packed into the two bags I'm taking - my daypack that I'll carry on my back and the extra duffel bag for my porter. I'm allowed 12kg in each bag - not sure how I'm going to stick to that one at this stage!! Downstairs on the kitchen counter a whole supermarket of snacks, medical supplies and wetwipes awaits...

Thank goodness I'll be picking up the sleeping bag at the hotel, so I don't have to carry that along as well!

I thought I'd post pictures of what I thought was the good, the bad and the ugly (at this stage anyway!).

The good!

Well... The Bad.

I had a host of things that I was going to put in this spot but after typing and deleting for about ten minutes I decided that I won't allow myself to see anything as bad at this stage. What would have been bad is if I had lost my sense of humour, and I assure you, I have no intention of losing that one!!

and

The ugly

Sorry Crocs manufacturers, I really do think these are the most unflattering shoes. It was however a team decision that we would take them up to wear (with three layers of socks!) at night in the camp. They're light and comfy and will probably find a new home at the bottom of Kili at the end of the trip!

And that's that for tonight - final post from my warm, comfortable chair tomorrow evening!

3 sleeps to go!

2010-07-18T17:52:00.000+02:00

If you have to ask me what the best tip is that I can possibly give you at this stage of my planning for the big climb, I'd simply say: DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST WEEK TO BUY WHAT YOU THINK ARE THE BASICS!!

I spent hours in the mall yesterday searching for the correct socks, gloves, survival blanket, bottle covers etc. It seems as if Kili is going to be a busy place this month as all shop assistants blame the lack of stock on perspective Kili climbers raiding their stores!

So now I still don't have the correct gloves and only half of my socks but I guess tomorrow is another day. Arming myself with a very detailed shopping list before going shopping tomorrow is going to be essential, I really don't want to waste valuable time running from shop to shop.

I really thought one becomes more organised as you get older but alas, I feel a bit like a chicken without a head at the moment...

On the positive side, I have bought myself a little Olympus U tough 3000 camera to take along on the climb. It is made to be used in harsh conditions, can withstand -10 degrees celsius, will survive a fall of 1,5m and can be used underwater. I'm taking two extra (lithium) batteries, so hopefully I will be able to take all the shots that I am hoping to get. The most important one of course of the three of us on top!!

My friends at Remax Table View, who are doing a great job in creating awareness of the project in my local area, have asked if I will take a flag along to the top, so watch this space!! This journey is bringing me so much closer to the people who live and work in my community, positive spin-off's all round!

The most important thing of course is to get everybody on board to help make a difference to a hospital that is so important to this city of ours.

Wish me luck - hopefully I am more organised by tomorrow evening when I hope to post some pictures of the big packing adventure! (I hope someone told our porters there are three women in the group - there's no way I'm going to be able to stick to my weight limit!!) :)

6 days to go!!

2010-07-15T21:53:00.000+02:00

I feel as if I'm dreaming at this stage! The days are simply flying by and I am starting to wonder what on earth I've signed up for. Every time I look out of my window at Table Mountain it seems higher and more scary than ever!

I've never thought of Table Mountain as being scary before, so I really am starting to worry a little...

Well at this stage I can't actually afford to dwell on the things that I'm afraid of, so we won't talk about altitude sickness, scary heights, below freezing temperatures, hard sleeping surfaces or long drops! Instead I'm going to imagine myself (once again) standing on top of the world with a big smile and a tall, ice-cold glass of shandy waiting for me down below.

This was also my birthday week and we went to Knysna for two glorious nights. What a special part of the world, I can't wait to start exploring the incredible hiking routes there, now that the bug has bitten me!

My friend Jonathan brought me his special sleeping bag today, I'm sitting in in right now to see if it's going to be warm enough. My husband suggested that I pitch a tent in the garden tonight and try it out for real - I suppose that's not a bad idea!

Tomorrow I'm going to do some of my final shopping - hand warmers, gloves, water purification tablets, socks, etc., the list seems never ending! Thank goodness for friends who have produced gear bought for trips taken years ago - bags, gaiters, sleeping bag inners and pants to name but a few!

On a lighter note, I kept snapping away from inside the car yesterday as we drove back from Knysna. Here are a few of the amazing scenes that rolled past my window and no, it's definitely not Kili yet, even though you'll be excused if you had to ask! The mountains are covered in snow - I won't be surprised if they start offering ski holidays on the Garden Route in the near future!

Taken on the R62

Just before Robertson - I'm taking this to be a real good luck omen!

Truly dramatic - we went from a sunny Knysna to a cold and wet Cape Town in a couple of hours.

Pretty similar to how the Kilimanjaro experience is going to be I suppose! I can't wait to post pictures of the amazing rain forest, the almost moon like landscapes higher up and then finally, the snow covered peaks at the top of Kili. Not sure how I'm going to sleep the next couple of nights!

Here's hoping loads of people will come on board in support of the hospital in this last week before the climb!

10 Days to go!!!!

2010-07-11T20:38:00.000+02:00

The countdown has begun! Ten days before the big day - I can't believe how the time has flown!
This has been a busy week, Tristan turned two on Friday and it's my dad's birthday today. So we had loads of celebrating at our house this weekend - I have definitely done my bit to fatten up for the big climb these last two days! I've also done a bit of shopping, slowly but surely my Kili supplies are stacking up. On Friday I went for my yellow fever shot, thank goodness that's out of the way! I also decided to get malaria tablets. I'm not keen on them as I want to take as little medication as possible, other than the altitude sickness tablets. However, I decided that taking a chance with malaria is simply not worth it.

Here are some of the goodies I added to my stock this weekend....

My cholera and yellow fever certificates - valid for 10 years, thank goodness; headlamp; Diamox for altitude sickness; malaria tablets; fleece top and Kili waterbottles.

The waterbottles survived being thrown down Table Mountain, so hopefully they'll work well on Kilimanjaro. I debated quite a bit about how much I wanted to spend on a headlamp but finally decided to go for a Petzl with multifunctions - a little more expensive but I think that this is one piece of equipment that you can spend some money on. After reading some of the accounts of the summit night on our route, I want to be sure I can see as much as I can! As we summit at midnight, it will be essential to have a good headlamp. It should be full moon on the night that we attempt that final stretch, hopefully it will be a clear, beautiful night!

As for the weekend celebrations, my little grandson is now two, it feels like yesterday that we were all eagerly waiting to meet him for the first time! We had a BUSY morning with a house full of little ones running around!

This is MY day!

Tristan is in his 'car' phase, so his mom and dad chose to have this as the theme for his party - this is one car that didn't last long!

Posing is hard work!

As for the hiking this week - Thursday was my last day on the mountain. From now on I plan to focus my training in the gym. I think my legs need to rest a little now, so I'm going to just stick to a comfortable pace these last ten days. On Thursday we hiked up Table Mountain from the Camps Bay side. It was a glorious day and the view of Camps Bay and Lions Head was spectacular. We met loads of people on the way, when the the sun is out in Cape Town more and more people seem to be heading up the mountain!

Here are some of our pics, some taken by Jean, one of my fellow hikers. Thanks Jean!

Can't beat this view!

Denise, Irene, Stefani, David and I

Maclear's Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain. I guess that's as high as I've been then! 5895m seems really scary at this point!

Just another winter's day in Cape Town!

And finally - soccer fever is still very much alive in our city. I spotted this little guy playing with his soccer ball at Greenmarket Square and just couldn't resist taking about a million pictures of him!

Soccer fever!

2010-07-04T19:50:00.000+02:00

Our little Abigail supporting her team!

Portugal never made it, but who cares! Abbey the Yorkie knows where her bread is buttered. As our home supports Portugal and South Africa, she's playing the part!

Whether you wanted to be a part of the world cup or not, South Africa is in the grip of soccer fever and even though I resisted the flag-on-the-car bit, I couldn't resist this little winter warmer for little Abs.

There is such a positive vibe in our country right now, I really hope that we retain a huge amount of that once all the soccer hype is something of the past. How wonderful to be bombarded with positive, funny and lighthearted news on a daily basis - we certainly can do with it!

I am quite proud of myself today, I spent time in the gym this morning and even tried out new equipment - I really am pretty serious about getting fit - only 17 days to go now!!

Window to the word!

2010-07-02T10:51:00.118+02:00

Our group at Irvin Rock yesterday

If you've never hiked with a group of people, let me tell you, you are missing out! Today I'm back in the real world and reflecting on the day I had yesterday I'm just so aware of how special these days on the the mountain have become to me.

I have met a whole group of new people and whilst walking we have covered every topic under the sun! From dishwashing liquid to global warming to politics - opinions abound!

Do you know (for example) where the saying, 'don't throw the baby out with the bath water' comes from? Well, Jimmy, our Scottish friend who walked with yesterday, had a wealth of information and this is what he came up with. In the early days, when people didn't bath that often, when it was decided it was time to have a wash, the entire family would bath in the same tub of water. The father would go first, then the mother and then the kids. By the time it was the baby's turn, the water must've been pretty murky. So when throwing the dirty water out, one had to make sure you didn't throw the clean baby out as well!

Therefore: throwing the baby out with the bath water is an expression that suggests one doesn’t need to reject an entire idea, concept or practice if only part of it is good. The baby, in this sense, represents the good part. The bath water, on the other hand, is usually dirty after the baby is washed and needs to be discarded.

David, on the other hand, educated us on the habit of Chinese rulers of old who collected massive rocks from all over the world and displayed it in their gardens and also elaborated on Zen philosophy. I heard for the first time how in years gone by a bell would be placed above coffins so that people could alarm others that they were in fact still alive - imagine that! Seeing that they don't do this anymore, I wonder, is it a good idea to insist that you get buried with your cellphone today? :)

Stefani has tackled the task of learning how to speak Afrikaans and it is a pleasure to share the knowledge of your mother tongue with someone who is so excited about learning! Stefani is already fluent in German and English - she has definitely inspired me to tackle Portuguese next year. After almost 29 years of marriage to a Portuguese citizien, it's probably about time!

Denise, the youngest member of our group yesterday, knows what she likes and does not like in life. Anyone who can figure out as a child that arranging peas (that you hate eating) around your plate and deflecting your mom's attention from the fact that you're not eating your food by telling her this is your 'green peas movement', is going places!

As for our leader, and that she is indeed, I will follow her on any trail, no matter what. Irene knows our mountains like the back of her hand. When it seems as if there is no path, she manages to track it down, overgrown or improvised - she always leads you in the right direction. It is indeed special to be guided by someone who has such great knowledge of the routes, origins and history of everything on our mountains.

Yesterday I saw the smallest protea in existence for the first time, heard a rock hit an invisible pool of water in a disbanded old manganese mine and enjoyed my lunch under a rock looking down on the city of my childhood.

Now if that isn't something special, then I don't know what is.

Winter in Cape Town is not half bad!

2010-07-01T17:44:00.000+02:00

Looking down on the Muizenberg beach

A Button Spider - beautiful to look at but you don't want to get too close!

Stefani and I - proof that we were there!!

Winter in Cape Town is a breeze. Well, most of the time anyway... Today was just the most beautiful day in our city and to have been able to hike to the Muizenberg cave from Silvermine was spectacular. School holidays ensured that traffic was not a problem and we could even lie in an extra 15 minutes this morning!

We had a great day on the mountain with hardly a breeze. I can't remember when last the sea looked as smooth as it did today, we were even able to see shoals of fish from the top! The world cup visitors were out in full force as well, we met up with a guy from Ireland who was out for a stroll on the mountain and judging from the multitude of accents we heard, he certainly wasn't alone.

I had to ask myself how many of our locals have actually been up the mountain.... If you're one of them - put on those boots, pack some lunch and get out there - it is spectacular!

Being out there in the wonderful setting with great company and enjoying it all in excellent health just made me think of all the little one's in the ward at the hospital this very day. How many sad stories are unfolding at this very minute, scars that might never heal, eyes that may never see again - lives that are changed forever!

How fortunate we are. I'd like to urge you to pass on the details of this blog to as many people as you can. I invite you to join me in this effort to raise funds for such an important place in our city. Our children truly are the most precious members of our society - lets ensure they are taken care of as best as we possibly can!

Reflections in False Bay - what a privilege!

Stepping it up...

2010-06-30T20:23:00.000+02:00

Today I stepped up my training a few notches. Virgin Active in Table View have given me a membership to their gym until the end of July to prepare for the climb - THANKS A MIL guys! Now I can work on all the areas that I have not focussed on during the running and hiking and with the help of one of their trainers, Shirley, I am learning how to make the most of the equipment.

I am going to have to work hard until the 21st of July to build up and maintain my level of fitness as I have some catching up to do!

Tomorrow we'll be hiking from Constantia Nek, it's really going to give me a good idea of what hiking in cold weather is like - right now we have all the heaters in the house on full blast and even the dogs are all under the blankets! It's freezing in Cape Town!

Thought I'd share this little piece of wisdom that I read in a magazine yesterday: 'Never let the weed of negativity take root in your life - life is too short!' Isn't that just true!

So in the spirit of things positive, I'm off to make myself a warm cup of tea and I'm going to fill my head with visions of myself standing on the summit of Kilimanjaro with the biggest smile ever! To top it all off I'm going to alternate that with visions of a target reached for the Red Cross Children's Hospital. After all, that's what this is all about!

We are going to make a difference - of this I am positively sure! ;)

Hakuna matata!

2010-06-27T16:53:00.000+02:00

These amazing pictures of Kilimanjaro were taken by Tony Laubscher whilst flying over Tanzania - all in a days work!

Looking at these pictures and realising how the 21st of July is looming in a very big and scary way, I've decided that I am going to have to get to know this mountain and start preparing myself mentally for what lies ahead. So my first plan of action was to arm myself with a catch phrase. I looked up some Swahili words and decided that 'Hakuna matata' or 'No problem!', will do for me!

So. What are the facts? The mountain is 5895m high. In 6 days one goes from Equatorial forests to arctic conditions. The range begins with the warm, dry plains with average temperatures of 30 degrees celsius where Moshi and Arusha are situated. The hike starts in a wide belt of wet tropical forest with plenty huge trees and Spanish moss. You then travel through zones with generally decreasing temperatures and rainfall, to the summit where there is permanent ice and below freezing temperatures.

July is the dry season, so generally considered a good time of the year to climb. Hopefully there won't be too many clouds as I have specifically chosen to summit on the 26th of July, the night of a full moon.

The biggest challenge one faces it seems, is Acute Mountain Sickness. This rival of all high altitude climbers can affect one from as low as 2500 meters but is more common above 3000 meters. Until you've been at these altitudes, you have no way of knowing how your body is going to react. AMS occurs as a result of the body's failure to adapt to higher altitudes.

One of the things that I have heard over and over is that one should climb slowly to prevent the onset of AMS and you should also be able to recognise all the symptoms, as well as know how to deal with them. I am doing my homework as best I can about this topic and have already bought my Diamox tablets - a must to have with you to help you deal with this condition. I will also be taking my natural remedy mix with, given to me by my friends Stefani and Phillip - they used it successfully when visiting Everest a couple of months ago.

SO...I think that is enough for now! I will tackle all the smaller issues one by one, no point in getting too worked up about AMS, it is what it is.

A definite positive is that the Outriders Fundraising effort is going really well and I have had a number of promises for smaller pledges. I have decided to have the auction later in the year and hope to be able to collect an amazing array of things to offer!

So quite a bit of work ahead, but as I said: Hakuna matata!

Three is company!

2010-06-13T09:35:00.000+02:00

With Yolanda and Sandra - first strategy meeting!

The third member of our climbing party, Sandra, came down to Cape Town from Namibia this weekend and the three of us got together for the first time. Well, I can tell we are going to have a great climb, we didn't stop talking for two hours!

We poured over lists of items to take with, discussed what we've heard from other climbers or read up about and just generally started getting our minds ready for this amazing adventure. I'm a firm believer that people don't just cross your path randomly, each one is in your life at exactly the time they should be there. I can honestly say that these two girls are the most perfect climbing partners for this trip and I could not have asked for more suited companions!

We decided to pose for a 'before' picture as promised - no guarantee what the 'after' shot is going to look like! One thing is for sure, there is a great spirit amongst the three of us and climbing to the top of Africa certainly is going to be a highlight in all of our lives. For me personally there will be no bigger high than being able to say that this effort raised at least R100 000 for the burns unit at the Red Cross Children's hospital.

With all the positive support we are getting right now I have a sneaky suspicion that it's not going to be impossible!

Meeting up with old friends...

2010-06-10T20:14:00.000+02:00

As a tour guide I visited Cape Point regularly with overseas guests - what a pleasure it was to bump into some of my old friends today! At the end of our hike we encountered these guys - totally uninterested in us but clearly well fed and perfectly happy. Hard to believe that the interaction between them and humans is so controversial at times - when you see them just frolicking about like this all just seems the way it should be.

The weather played along nicely and we had a great hike - great scenery,a relatively easy terrain and great company made for yet another magic Thursday!

This Saturday we will be meeting the third member of our little climbing party, I am really looking forward to that - the trip to Kilimanjaro is becoming a reality now! We'd better take a 'before' picture as I'm sure the 'after' pics are going to be very different!!

If you've never hiked in the Cape Point Nature Reserve I can highly recommend it - no hectic equipment or hiking experience needed!

Here are some of the images I captured today...

Irene and Florence nearing the end of the hike - Yolanda, in the front, was actually stalked by a baboon at this stage!

Otter footprints! A pity we missed them...

Cape Point in the distance

A spectacular view from one of the highest points of the route.

Table Talk support!

2010-06-09T23:17:00.000+02:00

Grandma on a climbing mission for Children's Hospital

That was the title of the article that appeared in our local newspaper, the Table Talk, today! Two things really struck home - a) the 'grandma' is me and b) yes, I have to climb 5895m!!

I'm incredibly happy that the Table Talk has given us this exposure and hopefully our community will come on board in a big way. Pam Fourie, the reporter who wrote the article, was willing to take on the project immediately and she has covered the involvement of the Outriders Cycling club as well, thanks a mil Pam!

She has also appealed to anyone who has anything to offer for the auction planned for late this year to make contact with me - so watch this space!

Our local Remax agency has also produced a lovely brochure asking for support - the first pledge has already come in and money has been banked! Thank you once again Jeanne, Debra and Chantal for your incredible effort. Details of all the sponsors who have donated to the hospital along with Remax will appear on the blog soon.

Last week we hiked the Newlands Forest and tomorrow we're heading down to Cape Point. We'll be doing a 10km hike in the reserve. Even though I visited the Cape Point Nature Reserve a million times as a tour guide, this will be my first hike in the reserve. Let's hope the baboons are in a good mood!

Pictures before the weekend!

Oh, and almost forgot.... the 3rd girl joining us on the climb next month will be down from Namibia this weekend! We're meeting up, hopefully on Saturday, so looking forward to that! We're going to be tackling a really big task together, so meeting up at least once before the time is something to look forward to.

Grandma has to leave home at 7am tomorrow, so better get some rest! ;)

Hope this will be me soon!!

2010-06-01T17:46:00.000+02:00

Bev and her friends on top of the world!

Finally! I've had the opportunity to chat to someone who has actually climbed the mountain... Bev Sunshine (pictured here in the middle) tackled the Machame route a couple of years ago with eight of her friends in support of the SA Bone Marrow Registry.

I will be climbing the same route, so it has really been wonderful chatting to her and getting loads of advice. To top it all, they shot a video of the entire trip which I'll be able to watch within the next few days. They all made it to the top, so I'm definitely plan on following all her tips and suggestions!

The only thing that can stop me now will be altitude sickness and I've made peace with the fact that there will be absolutely nothing I can do about that if it hits me really bad. You simply do not know what your body is going to do at altitude and as I am climbing with a really reputable company, if they say turn back, well then that is what I'll have to do.

If you haven't read the older posts, I'll be climbing with a company called Wild Frontiers. They are recommended by Cape Union Mart and have taken hundreds of people to the top of Kili, so I'm pretty confident that I made the right choice.

As for the hiking, last Thursday we climbed the Jonkershoek Mountains outside of Stellenbosch. It was lovely out there but we could definitely feel the winter chill in the air! I still can't believe that it's taken me this long to start hiking, every week we visit yet another BEAUTIFUL spot - we really do live in a wonderful part of the world! Just a pity that some of the routes, especially on Table Mountain, have now also been discovered by the muggers of our society.

Just last weekend two people were mugged on the route from the lower cable station to Rhodes Memorial - it just makes one so angry!

Anyway - good thoughts only... All's going to be well and next I'll tell you about my talk the other night - the Outriders Cycling Club have joined this fundraising effort 100% - what an amazing group of people!!

Here are some of the pics I took at Jonkershoek last Thursday - I hope it inspires you to put on your boots and get out there, who knows, you might discover a new passion, just like I did!

I don't have to do it alone!!

2010-05-25T21:26:00.000+02:00

Today my hiking buddie, Yolanda, seen above on one of her Table Mountain hikes, confirmed that she will be joining me in July!! I am SO happy Yolanda, it's going to be wonderful to be able to share this amazing adventure with such a bubbly, warm person.

I know we are going to have the time of our lives - I can't wait! In fact I really wish the whole group could go along!! Our Thursday hikes have become so special to me and I certainly plan to continue hiking even after our big Kili climb. In fact I can't believe that it has taken me so many years to discover the magic of hiking - we are particularly blessed with amazing scenery where we live.

Thursday evening I'll be talking to the Outriders Cycling Club about the project and we'll be showing a DVD on the Burns Unit - a comprehensive overview of this amazing facility. I am hoping that we can inspire people to not only join the charity ride in July themselves, but that they will bring loads of friends and family along. The Outriders are offering a two night package at any Protea Hotel in South Africa - they are selling raffle tickets at R50 each - if you would like to know how to go about buying a few tickets, please contact me at ferreira@netpoint.co.za. Every single cent raised will be donated to the hospital!

Thank you Protea Hotels and Rodney Beck from the Outriders Cycling Club in Table View for this initiative!

Remax in Table View are preparing a wonderful brochure, promoting our project, which they are going to distribute in Sunset Beach and Sunset Links shortly. Thank you Jeanne, Debra and Chantal - you are absolute angels. I really appreciate you getting involved and hope that your effort is going inspire the whole of Sunset Beach and the Links to join us!!

Look out for the update on Friday morning and wish us luck for Thursday evening!

Only 2 months to go!!

2010-05-21T21:40:00.000+02:00

The view from the Helderberg mountains

Having a little breather before heading down...

With only two months to go before the big climb, we tackled the Helderberg mountains above Somerset West yesterday. A full day hike with a wonderful group of people - wish I could take them all with me to Kili in July!

There is just something about hiking with a group that you connect with - somehow the aches and pains and tricky parts just fade away and nothing seems impossible! As for the new boots - if you are in the market for boots, search no further. I can HIGHLY recommend Merrell's. This is only the second hike that I do with them and I was able to climb to 1003m and down without one blister or ever feeling uncomfortable. They have a tremendous grip and the special protective bit over the toes is such a bonus. I really think I made a good choice and I think I'll follow the tip I got some time ago - WEAR THEM ON THE PLANE as you can't replace them if the airline loses your luggage somewhere along the line!

I am also feeling so much more comfortable after such a long hike - it really was a full day. On some of the initial walks I remember being VERY tired the next day or two so I must be getting better at it... The one thing that I find I have to work at is staying hydrated - not just during exercise but in general during the day. Drinking water on a regular basis should be like breathing to me by now, but it really isn't. I constantly find myself suffering from headaches after exercising quite a bit, be it hiking or running. This project is bringing about quite a few lifestyle changes - all good though!

Here are some of the other pics I took yesterday - enjoy!

Table Mountain seen from the Helderberg mountains

On top of the world! Eddie, Irene and Erica

Spotted next to the dam at the end of the hike - couldn't resist capturing it!

The biggest fundraiser to date confirmed!!

2010-05-14T21:01:00.000+02:00

This morning the Outriders, one of the largest cycling clubs in Cape Town, confirmed that they will be hosting an event in support of our project! I am SO happy about that, thank you Rodney and your amazing team, this is what community spirit is all about!!

All the details are currently being discussed and as soon as we have confirmed dates etc. this will be the first forum where all will be announced.

Earlier this week etv News carried a piece on the Burns Unit and how they need funds for their much needed upgrade. Lets see if we can now get some coverage by the local newspaper as well...

Walked around the house with my boots today, I think the locals at Woolies thought I'd lost it when I marched along the grocery isle this afternoon with my massive high altitude boots and handbag in hand... ;)

Autumn walking in Cape Town...

2010-05-08T19:09:00.001+02:00

My new boots - truly worn in today!

Well, it's official. Wore my boots for the first time on a 5hour hike. I am over the moon happy with the performance and I don't need one single plaster tonight! Goes to show, buying something decent really is worth while. Going down the mountain took a little getting used to as I'm not quite used to the height of the soles and as well as the height around the ankle. Another one or two walks and I'm sure it will feel as I've never worn anything else.

Our walk today included three peaks on the Silvermine route. It was a glorious day in Cape Town and I could not have asked for better company. The pace was great and we had a number of opportunities to take pictures from the top - looking down on Hout Bay harbour, Noordhoek and the endless beaches along the Muizenberg coastline was simply spectacular.

Here are a few of the pictures we took today....

I feel pretty blessed tonight! What a honour to have access to all of the above, good health and great people to share it with.

Now I have to start thinking about innoculations, a smaller camera and all the other gear I still have to purchase. First things first though - run that bubble bath - aching muscles to be pampered!

Got the boots!

2010-05-07T22:59:00.000+02:00

With Abbey the Yorkshire Terrier in ICU for a week and now recovering at home I've put the running/climbing/fundraising all on hold. Good news is that she is looking better every day and we're holding thumbs that she'll recover fully.

With all the drama I've FINALLY managed to buy my boots and have been wearing it at home for the last couple of days! After doing research for weeks I decided to spend the extra money and buy one of the best on the market - hopefully I won't need to purchase another pair for a very long time and I'll have many happy hours of hiking in them.

I decided to go for Merrel, a good quality, hardy boot that not only looks good but is waterproof and has the best quality sole on the market. Tomorrow I'll be wearing them on a hike for the first time ever - will have to post a photo or two at the end of the day! I've packed my trail runners as well, until they've been worn it it's probably a good idea to have a backup on the hike...

Checklist: plasters, extra socks, waterproof jacket, wet wipes, lip ice, money to get into the reserve, snacks, 3 x bottles of water, rehidrate, bananas, headache tablets, little mat to sit on, hat, sunscreen, gloves, camera, id book, drivers licence ..... OH MY WORD - and this is just for one half day walk!!!

To my friend Nicole from New York - THANK YOU so much for donating to the hospital, it really is appreciated! :)

What a hectic week...

2010-04-27T15:58:00.000+02:00

Sometimes it seems as if just everything goes wrong. In this past week the Rovos Rail had a terrible accident and my heart goes out to them. As you know, Rohan Vos made a donation to the project and as I've also travelled on the train a number of times, I feel quite close to them. I will be remembering them and the families of the people who died in my prayers.

On a more personal note, our little 4 year old Yorkshire Terrier, Abbey, fell down our stairs last night. She's currently in ICU and we're hoping that she'll make a full and speedy recovery. Wow, can your life change in an instant!!

We're travelling to Portugal on the 11th of next month, so I am going to have to put in an EXTRA effort in the next couple of days to get the fundraising efforts back on track.

A great evening at my running club...

2010-04-14T00:07:00.001+02:00

Tonight I had the opportunity to address the West Coast Athletics Club in Blouberg - what a great group of people! I recently joined them and it really helps to get motivated - seeing people who started just like you and are now running the Comrades, there really is hope!

Tonight was their awards evening and they were kind enough to allow me to say a few words about the project as well as show them a DVD of the Burns Unit. Several people have already indicated that they would like to contribute and we'll hold thumbs that we become one of the beneficiaries of their annual run at the end of the year!

I'm also learning - not only about blogs, but also about how presentations via laptops are SO different than simply putting the DVD in your television and watching it on the screen! Tonight there was simply no sound to accompany the picture but thank goodness I am familiar with the content by now and was able to supply commentary of my own... Having a great group of people who were interested in hearing what it was all about certainly helped a lot!

Thank you Terry, Brett and Vanda - I really appreciate your help!

Now you can pledge your support!

2010-04-13T09:39:00.000+02:00

I have completed the 'Pledge' page and will be very happy to send it to you if you'd like to get involved in that way. Just send me a note at ferreira@netpoint.co.za and I'll forward it to you. It will be available on the blog within the next day or so as well.

You will be able to either pledge a specific amount,that you specify yourself and that you will donate once I have completed the climb OR you may decide to pledge an amount per meter that I climb. You can calculate what you're prepared to commit to - remembering that the highest peak is 5895 meters.

How about making a pledge and then challenging a friend or another company to either match or better your amount!

Looking forward to Thursday's climb - now that the Two Oceans Marathon is behind me it's back to the mountains, can't wait!

Look out for the pictures - I'll try and post them Thursday evening if I'm still mobile!

Surviving the Two Oceans!

2010-04-03T19:37:00.003+02:00

Oscar and I with our hard earned medals!

Got up at 4am this morning to run my first Two Oceans Half Marathon. What an experience - 11 600 people all lined up to run 21km's! That's not even mentioning the 8 000+ who turned up to run 56km!

The spirit along the way was amazing, thank goodness for the faithfull supporters who line the route just like they do for the Argus - it really helps keep you motivated - especially when you wonder what on earth you're doing, when the legs start feeling wobbly, and you're only at the bottom of Southern Cross, with 3km to climb!!

I am feeling very happy though, Kili is looking more and more within reach!

A friend indeed!

2010-03-25T21:33:00.000+02:00

A BIG thank you to my friend Stefani! Not only was she instrumental in getting me in my hiking boots for the first time, she also asked all her friends to donate money to the hospital on her birthday instead of giving her gifts...

Stefani, to you and all your amazing friends, A BIG HUG! :)

It's starting to happen!

2010-03-23T11:46:00.000+02:00

A big thank you for the wonderful donation of R5 000.00 received yesterday!! You know who you are - you have a big heart and the kids at the hospital will be better off because of your gesture. THANKS A MIL!

And if that was not enough - Rohan Vos from Rovos Rail confirmed this morning that they will be donating R2 000.00 as well! Thank you Rohan - great to see business people in our community give back in this way.

The planning of future events is getting started now, the elegant Nina Brown, a very successful image consultant based in Stellenbosch, has agreed to do a morning of personal image consulting for ladies who are interested. I just spent a weekend at a women's camp where Nina shared a bungalow with me - imagine this - 8 women sharing a bungalow for an entire weekend! Let me just say, Nina is one of the most elegant women I have ever met and I'm standing first in line to get my look sorted out!!

We have to finalize the date, venue and cost before I can post any details but if you want to secure a place you are welcome to send me a note and I'll put your name on the list.

Nina's home was featured in one of the recent 'Tuis' magazines - will find out the specific date and post it next...

This week I will be chatting to a well known chef to arrange a cooking class somewhere special on a Saturday morning or perhaps in the evening - will keep you posted - once again, I'm putting names on the list if you are interested.

Thanks again everybody!!

Girls supporting the cause...

2010-03-17T16:04:00.007+02:00

As you know by now, the Hair Spa day hosted by Wayne and his team was a HUGE success! Thank you so much Wayne, Neville, Nicole and Elsa - your hard work on Monday is appreciated!! We had some dramatic make-overs and the spirit on the day was just wonderful.

We feel good when our hair looks good and if we're supporting a great cause whilst getting all dolled up - well, lets just say the day couldn't get much better!

Again, a great thank you to all who participated - we managed to raise a total of R5250.00 for the hospital!

Melissa and Tristan after their session with Wayne!

Sharon before...

AND

Sharon after!

Wayne doing the hair of my friend/running partner/supporter-of-all-my causes, Gaye...

AND

The elegant (as always) Gaye after!

Another elegant lady, Kaye Sher, looking absolutely stunning!

Nicole with Kaye's daughter Sandi (my bubbly contact person at the Hospital Trust), before....

AND

Sandi after!

Wendy before....

Faye before...

Wendy inbetween.... (always knew you were smoking hot Wends!)

AND

SO ready for the front page of Vogue!

The lovely Kaye from the 'Table 13' club (if you've been following the blog - we met at a booklaunch a couple of weeks ago - the title of the book, very aptly - '29 Gifts'!)

Another one of my 'Table 13' friends, Ann, before...

AND

Ann after, with her husband Mick. Ann and Mick are active Rotarians and have gone out of their way to help raise awareness for the project. A BIG thank you to both of you!

Kanya simply had to turn her head sideways for me - the cut is just perfect!

My longtime friend Erina - before

AND

Erina after! So glad to have caught Erina here, she lives abroad for six months of the year. So amazing to have friends who join in and support - you're a star Erina!

Angel Sue who answered the call to support immediately, before.....

Sue inbetween....

AND finally...

Ready for a night on the town!

Thank's a MILLION for your support Sue - if anyone needs travel arrangements made, Sue's your girl.....

Phew! One event down, hopefully many more to come!

The first event - a huge success!!

2010-03-16T15:07:00.001+02:00

The Hair Spa day at the One and Only was a huge success - loads of fun was had by all and 15 girls treated themselves to great new hairdo's! I will post loads of pictures tomorrow, have to prepare for the Rotary Club talk tonight first....

Thanks to Mick and Ann for inviting me to tell their Rotary Club club all about the project this evening. The nerves are a bit shaky but I'm sure it's going to be ok.

Full report tomorrow!!

THANK YOU WAYNE.COM!!!

Online auction

2010-03-11T16:52:00.000+02:00

Our first event is fast approaching - 4 days to go to the Hair Spa day! I am really excited and can't wait to meet everyone and of course post some before and after pictures on the blog! I am overwhelmed by the response we got and hope that future events will be just as well received!!

The next focus is to create an online aution of note. I hope to be able to offer a top quality range of goods and services that we can convert into money for the project. SO - if you have any ideas or would like to offer something that we can include in our auction, I would love to hear from you. I already have a top quality bottle of collectors wine that was donated by my wine-fundi friend, thanks Janet! I also have a few big ones up my sleeves, as soon as they're confirmed I'll be telling you all about that. Don't want to jinx it before it's in the box!

Just figuring out how to make the online auction get the most exposure

The hiking has been put on ice until after the Two Oceans Marathon - legs can only take so much!

Thanks Wernich for joining the project - Audi Centre Cape Town have come on board and have agreed to host their own events in the near future. I am super excited about that - great to have a company give back to the community, another good reason to support them in the future!

Our little gem

2010-03-06T19:50:00.000+02:00

How wonderful to see Tristan grow up to be a happy, healty, fun loving little boy! We are truly blessed to have this little child in our lives. Every milestone is a highlight, every new word or new skill brings proud smiles and you'd swear we're the only people in the world with a grandchild!

When I look at how his wounds have healed I become more and more determined to make a success of this fundraising effort - things could have been so different!

Slowly but surely more and more people are offering services and ideas - thanks Ina and Justine, I am really excited about your suggestions. Will tell more once things have been finalised - watch this space!!

As for the Hair Spa day - there are still a number of places available. Even if you don't want to come yourself (some of my friends - hi Lizanne - would love to come but have really short hair, so not candidates for haircuts right now!), why not tell a friend, or even better yet, sponsor someone special?

Legs are feeling much better today, I think there's hope yet...

One thing leads to another...

2010-03-04T21:06:00.000+02:00

A couple of Saturdays ago a friend invited me to come along to a book launch. The book was called '29 Gifts - How 29 days of giving can change your life'. I was about to receive what could possibly turn out to be one of the biggest gifts this project has received up to date!

We joined 6 complete strangers for lunch. By the end of the morning we had set a date for another lunch and the 8 of us had started a brand new friendship - the '13 Club' was born! We've since met for a second time and I can't wait to catch up with everyone at the next book launch!

This is the part that just makes me sit back and smile - one of the couples are active members of the Hout Bay Rotary Club. They heard my Kili story and have invited me to come and talk to the club about the project at one of their weekly meetings. They have just recently sponsored a local lady on a Kilimanjaro climb as well, so they know all about the possibilities of creating projects aound something like this.

SO....on the 16th of March I will be telling the Rotarians about my project and if they are prepared to join me in raising funds for this incredible cause it will be like receiving a lifetime's birthday presents in one go!! The Hospital Trust have kindly offered to join me on the evening and they will be presenting a short summary on the Burns Unit and their needs. Great stuff!

Thanks Reinke, Ann, Mick and Sandi for making this possible!!

As for right now, I am shattered. We hiked up 'Frustrasion Gorge' near Hout Bay today. Saw the most amazing disas, cooled my feet in ice cold mountain water and survived 30+ deg celsius!

Thanks Irene and Stephanie for supporting me all the way - your help in getting me prepared for the climb in July is invaluable! :)

Going to call it a day for now - that is if these legs can carry me up the stairs....

Updates...

2010-03-01T08:23:00.001+02:00

I've been away for a week - watch this space for an update and new pics - lots to tell!! Will update soon...

A full day in the mountains

2010-02-19T20:51:00.001+02:00

Now that was an experience. Eight hours from stopping at the foot of the mountains to getting back to the car again. Yesterday we did a spectacular hike in the Du Toit's Kloof mountains just outside of Paarl. I actually swam in the ice cold river - trust me, I would not have believed that to be possible a few days earlier! The scenery was spectacular, the company great and I certainly had to face challenges along the route that were absolute firsts for me.

Sometimes one looks at an obstacle and simply can't imagine getting up or down all on your own! Well, at this stage I wouldn't have been able to do it on my own. I am so fortunate to have met the incredible people in my new hiking group - there was always a helping hand, and bit of advice and encouragement when I needed it. I wish they could all come with me to Kili!!

The closest I can come to sharing the beauty of this route is by posting some of the photographs we took. Have a look at the pics lower down on the right hand side of the page as well. The little guy at the top is a Sundevall's Shovel-Snout snake - totally harmless and petite - we met him on the rocks at the waterfall. He certainly lives in paradise - thanks Irene for identifying him!

Today I can really feel I've done something new, thank goodness for Votaren Gel and hot beanbags!!! It's time out for a day or two but I definitely feel that I'm on track. Anyone have a spare set of crutches???

Getting those miles on the legs

2010-02-17T13:40:00.000+02:00

Another week has just flown by! Tomorrow I'm going on my second hike and I'm super excited. We're doing a walk in the du Toit's Kloof mountains, a truly beautiful part of the Cape. Our route is going to take us along a river and we'll be going for a swim somewhere along the way! You'll have to wait a couple of hours to see the pictures - it sounds as if it is going to be something really special.

At least now I know what to expect and packing my backpack is going to be a bit easier than last week. Hopefully this time I'll sleep the night before, last week my nerves kept me awake half the night!

As for the running, on Saturday I ran a 10km race in Paarl. As it's the celebration of Nelson Mandela's release from prison, they organised a 27km race from the prison where he was held for many years; a kilometer for each year he spent in jail. Luckily for me, there was a shorter, 10km route as well and I opted for that one.

The distance markers for the 27km race read (e.g.): 10km (Another 17 years to go...) That really made one think, I couldn't imagine having done 10km and then still having another 17 to go at that stage, so imagine reading that as 'years behind bars' and so many years still ahead! No matter what your political affiliations are - that is food for thought!

Last night my friend and I ran 8km with our club, so slowly but surely those miles are adding up!

I'm furiously sending out invites to the Hair Spa day on the 15th of March, if you're interested - let me know!

My first hike!

2010-02-11T21:32:00.004+02:00

I cannot believe that it took me so many years to discover the joys of hiking! Today saw my first attempt at conquering the local mountains. I was fortunate enough to be invited by a friend to join her group for a hike from Chapman’s Peak to Constantia Nek, a spectacular hike of approximately 4 and a half hours.

This special group of people get up very early every Thursday morning to explore the many hiking routes that we have in and around the Cape Town area. What a pleasure it was to be introduced to a new activity, meet lovely people and discover the beauty hidden behind the hills that I’ve driven past a million times!

For years, as a tour guide, I told people about the manganese deposits found above Hout Bay, the little wasp introduced years ago to kill off the alien vegetation and the fynbos vegetation that is unique to our part of the world. What a delight it was to finally stand next to one of the old manganese mining shafts for the first time ever and to see first hand how the little industrious wasp is quietly making a difference!

A great leader and a cameraderie that is well established amongst a group of people who have shared many hikes, as well as beautiful surroundings made for a truly enjoyable day.

My running is definitely paying off as well and I’m not sure that I would have had the stamina to keep up the way I was able to if I was not at least reasonably fit.

I’m learning how my body responds to all the different challenges I’m putting it through and slowly but surely I can feel that I am able to more and more. It’s a good feeling! Nothing comes without hard work, especially as you get older and now that I have embarked on this path I am determined to get to the next level. :)

A BIG thank you to the new angels that have crossed my path to help me along!

January - getting my ducks in a row

2010-01-19T19:22:00.009+02:00

I am SO excited about some of the contacts I have made and the great ideas that are slowly but surely starting to materialize. HOWEVER - until I have all the Red Cross details in place I don't want to add links etc. There are some great fundraising events lined up - please note that I WELCOME any ideas, no matter how big or small. In the end every cent that we can raise for the hospital adds up... I am meeting with them again tomorrow morning so I will post an update in the evening. Next step is to go shopping for my hiking boots - I've been told that I should wear them a good couple of months so that they are truly worn in when I get there. In fact, a great tip I received yesterday suggests that I should even wear them on the plane - if my bag is lost everything else can be replaced except my well-worn and ready-to-climb boots! Now that's a decent tip. Flip-flops aint gonna to do it, that's for sure! Until tomorrow - in the meantime I'll be surfing the net in search of that elusive perfect boot....

Working out the details...

2010-01-14T20:48:00.008+02:00

This week I had my first meeting with the Red Cross Hospital. They are very excited about the project and we now need to work out exactly how the fundraising is going to work. Our next meeting is on Monday and hopefully we will have the details on the blog by the end of next week. Tristan went for his last visit to the hospital two days ago and the doctors are extremely happy with how his burns are healing. Seeing all the new children in the ward is simply heartbreaking and just makes me more determined than ever to get going with efforts to help upgrade this much needed facility. As for the training - at this stage I'm running at least every second morning, hopefully I'll be able to start doing some hikes pretty soon. January is a hectic month, February is going to definitely be more structured as far as the training goes. The good news is that Wild Frontiers have signed up one other person to climb on the dates that I am planning my trip, so that's wonderful. The group will consist of 6 climbers only - so now's the time to let me know if you want to join me!! I will be posting loads of photograhs in the near future as well, just need to get the fundraising sorted out. I feel as if my brain is in overdrive, I have SO many ideas and so much to read up on! I hope that you will stay with me on this journey and would love to hear from you if you have any ideas regarding the fundraising part of this project. I'm going to challenge a few of my friends soon to undertake projects such as dinners, sports events etc. There are a few of them who've hosted and organised great events and I certainly hope I can motivate them to join in. You can write to me on the blog in the 'comments' space or you can email me on ferreira@netpoint.co.za. As before - watch this space!

An idea slowly becomes reality...

2010-01-07T19:30:00.006+02:00

SO. A number of important decisions have been made since I posted the first piece at the end of last year. I have found the operator that I feel happy with to take me to the top of the mountain. It is overwhelming when one starts out a journey like this one - there is so much information on the Internet, you can't imagine how on earth you're going to choose the right people to partner with. For me there were a number of deciding factors. First of all, they had to have been around for a couple of years. I wanted a personal referral from someone that I trust and thirdly, the initial contact that I made with the company had to impress me. The company that I chose checked positive to all the above and I will now be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in July this year with my new friends at Wild Frontiers! Check them out at www.wildfrontiers.com. The company was formed in 1991 and they have taken a number of groups up for Cape Union Mart - this alone speaks for itself. I love that I could see a photo of the consultant corresponding with me - they also supply a short cv of each of the employees, it just makes everything a bit more personal. Vanessa Bell is going to be in charge of all my arrangements and already she has endeavoured to try and put a group together for the specific dates that I have requested - I really like that. When surfing the net I read somewhere that one should try and time your climb so that your summit evening falls on an evening when there is a full moon. You normally start the summit at midnight, so having a full moon increases visibility. Hence I would like to arrive in Tanzania on the 21st of July and start the trek on the 22nd. My birthday is on the 12th of July, so if I can pull this off it will be exactly two years before I hit the big FIVE ZERO!! Eeek. That's two big decisions made - the date and the operator. The other BIG idea was born at dinner with my husband and two children about two weeks ago. Before I continue I have to say that when they heard I want to climb Kili, I saw a few snickers and I probably can't blame them - I have had a few dreams in the past that lived on in my head only... This time I saw they didn't laugh too long though,I think the fact that I actually ran two half marathons in the last few months has made them take me a bit more seriously! Getting closer to 50 (I can't even say it out loud!) certainly makes one more determined to do things - so while I'm on a high I'd better get all my ducks in a row with this one!! So anyway, back to the idea my children gave me. Late last year my little grandson suffered burns to his upper body. He was rushed to the Red Cross Childrens' Hospital and went into theatre the next morning where Prof. Heinz Rhoode and his team performed an absolute miracle on him. Today his scars are healing beautifully and even though it will be a long time before we will know for sure if any of the scars are going to be permanent, he could not have been in better hands during those first crucial hours. While we stayed at the hospital, my daughter and I encountered a number of women who had really badly injured children. We took turns in staying with our little one - not only did this take a lot of organizing, it was emotionally and physically draining for all of us! It therefore really touched us to see the number of women who were there day and night with very little and sometimes no support at all from spouses or friends. My children therefore suggested that, if I am going to undertake this adventure, why not raise funds for the burns unit at Red Cross so that some form of support could be offered to the hundreds of mothers and children who come through their doors every year, In fact, Prof. Rhoode told me that they see at least a thousand children a year! The amount of sadness attached to that is staggering. I feel incredibly privileged that my children get it. I am so proud of them and I am embracing their suggestion, in fact I cannot think of a cause that would be more fitting after our own experience. I will be working as hard at raising funds for this amazing cause as I will be at getting fit for the climb. The idea is now reality - hope you're looking forward to seeing it develop as much as I do! Have a look at www.wildfrontiers.com. There's lots of space open on the climb that starts on the 21st of July! :)

A crazy idea...

2009-12-26T11:18:00.004+02:00

Sometimes (actually quite often) crazy ideas pop into my head. One of these has been bugging me for quite some time now and with the creation of this blog I have now officially started the process. I would LOVE to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 2010. Phew.... I've said it. So, I had no clue before today how high the mountain actually is, nor did I have any idea how long it takes to summit, when the best time is to do it, how fit will I have to be, who on earth do I contact to find out how to go about it, etc, etc, etc!!!!!! In the last half hour I have discovered that there are mountains (I know...) of information on the internet and one of the sites I've already added to my list of favourites is http://www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com/. Next on my list of preparations is to hit the bookstores to find the most comprehensive book/s on the subject. As I am writing this blog, (a first for me, ever - as well!!) I can feel the excitement growing and I am looking forward to doing something that I simply NEVER thought I would even consider!! Old age - who knows? All I know is that in 2009 I managed to run two half marathons and I lived to tell the tale. So Tanzania, here I come...