Got my travelling shoes on again!

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...

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!

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!

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...

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.