The decision to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

(photo credited to Mailliw - flickr)

Three days ago I decided that I am going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Next year. In August. 

This is something I have wanted to do for a few years now. I don’t remember what it was  that first sparked the idea, but it’s been there ever since, stuck in the back of my mind.

Whilst I was home in New Zealand a friend of mine told me she is going to climb Kili in January and my enthusiasm for the idea was renewed.

Too good to miss

Three days ago I received an email, offering me the opportunity to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro next August along with a group of other Westminster students, as part of the charity Dig Deep. Being presented with the chance to do this, to accomplish one of the items on my ‘bucket list’, was too good to walk away from.

So, I’ve decided to do it.

I will have to fundraise £2500. Half on my own and half with the rest of the group. I’m  going to have to get my thinking hat on and figure out how to raise the money.

The first port of call, I think, will be asking my lovely circle of friends and family to help me out. Reminding them that it is all for charity.

If any of you out there have suggestions as to how to fundraise – please, tell me! I am going to need all the help I can get.

No stranger to hard work

I know it will be hard. But I am not unfamiliar with the concept of hard-work and determination.

Two years ago I trained for eight months to achieve my 2nd Degree Black Belt in Zen Do Kai. Throughout those eight months I was mentally and physically pushed to my limit and beyond.

After training I was often left winded, dazed, sore and covered in bruises.

Doing my grading was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do: over an hour and a half I had to complete 8 rounds of contact sparring and 10 rounds of pad-work. I found myself crying from exhausation and emotion.

But afterwards, knowing that all the pain and effort I had gone through had achieved something made it worth while.

I hope that in climbing Mt. Kili next year I will achieve that same reward.