256 Days to go

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to my little blog.

Most of you reading will know me, the hair brained things I tend to get up to and the fun I love to have along the way. If you don't know me... I'm sure this will become apparent very quickly.

Living in Edinburgh, working away I love my wee life. I've been lucky enough to be blessed with good health, good friends and great family - these are the people and things that keep me going and keep me motivated. But I started to get itchy feet. I wanted to help others who maybe weren't as lucky as me.

Cue CCLASP becoming charity of the year at my work. CCLASP is a charity based in Edinburgh for Children with Cancer and Leukaemia, Advice and Support for Parents. And they do just what it says on the tin. CCLASP treat every child the same, whether they are ill or not and they are there for the entire family. The charity represented something close to my heart and I'm so glad I've been able to help out in the last 18 months.

In August 2009 I started to think about possibly doing something "big" to raise money for CCLASP outwith the office, this was when the Kilimanjaro idea was passed around. A number of weeks later we (Richard and I, and a couple of others who for various reasons had to pull out) agreed to do it. We were going to climb the worlds largest freestanding mountain.

All great in theory. But I'm a 25 year old shopaholic who couldn't tell you the different between a slope and a Munroe. How the hell was I going to drag my Kurt Geigered feet up that mountain? Enter a gym membership and fantastic personal trainer to stage left.

Between the support of family and friends and Andy kicking my ass every week in the gym I'm determined to get there. And this blog is my way of documenting my journey from stiletto wearer to accomplished mountain hiker type lassie!!