Final arrangements
I am on my way back from Durban and have just attended the FNB starlight concert, what an event, the full Durban symphony orchestra mixed with pop and rock. To me the hit of the show was Lloyd, last years Idol’s runner up, when he came out he just blew the place apart with his voice.
Flying back looking down at the mountains, dripping with snow like a cake that has just been iced, with snow running down into the valleys, what a sight! But this has sparked the nervous feelings of what is about to unfold in about 8 weeks time when I embark on my indian run. My starting point high up in the Himalayas and it’s November – the cold winter of Cashmere lies ahead, freezing temperatures of -15 degrees.
How time flies. It’s been 16 months since I finished my last adventure. The furthest thing from my thoughts has been the next event. I am about to fly over to Mumbai to finalise the arrangements for the next event, starting on the 1 November 2011.
I have a small tight team, I have learnt this from the other events, a small group of multi-skilled individuals is the best. Andrew Stuart will be my support in India for the 5 months of the run with 2 local indian fixers. Nick Heygate who was my backup, camera man and new media specialist for Madagascar will once again be running this side for the event. He will come over twice to make sure that this is all being done correctly. Then Hamish Horrel, my training partner is again dragging me up and down the slopes of Table Mountain, making sure that I am fit for the challenge.
The aim of this trip is to meet up with the logistic team who will travel down India looking after my planning and general support. I will also be meeting up with Operation Smile India to co–ordinate and enable me to attend some of their surgical missions that will be carried out in India during my run. As with all my events that I do for the Cipla Miles for Smiles foundation, the entire fund raised are given to Operation Smile who perform surgery on children born with cleft lips and palates.