We made it!

4 courageous team members, 2 awesome support crew, over 20 blisters between us, 0 sleep, 100km, 27 hours & 17 minutes and it looks like it will be over $3000 in donations for Oxfam - it was worth it. Trailwalker is amazing - the course is challenging, physically and mentally, with steep uphills and downhills and monotonous flats. The first 60 km we were all smiles, and games and silly jokes and then as the night wore on we became more silent, the ipods came out and the blisters and sore muscles became more obvious. Earlier on in the day teams would pass each other with friendly banter but after about 80km people were trudging past complaining "who signed me up for this?" and "what fools are we?" or nothing at all. We got lots of texts from people which helped keep us motivated - just when you began to think "why are we doing this?" someone would send an encouraging message or a joke or a poem. When we finally got to checkpoint 7 and only had 7km the mood swung around, we once again had more energy and the pace picked up. We ran over the finish line with loads of people we didn't know cheering for us. It felt good!

It was lovely to get back to Tamsin's place for a quick shower and a nice sleep but when I woke up for dinner I was extremely stiff. I looked like I was about 80 - a really old 80. Tamsin set up a foot spa in the lounge but I needed her help to get there. Anna had the brilliant idea of pushing me around in the wheelie office chair. I think she enjoyed that as much as I did - the steering wasn't great but at least I didn't have to walk. By the next morning and another spa, this time in the backyard, my body was moving again (not quickly but at least able to go forwards).

The visit was too short and in no time at all I was back at the airport. The plane was pretty empty as it was not going onto the UK. First time I've had a spare seat beside me in a while.

Thank you to my intrepid team members Chrissy, Debbie and Kim for inviting me to be a part of the adventure. Kim you made a great red captain!

A very special thank you to Rohan and Matthew Burgess who were our very reliable and encouraging support crew. And to the support crew back home filling in for me - Matt, Jackie and Juvy. Thanks to Tamsin for her hospitality once again - she makes me feel very welcome and it was good to get a dose of family. Thanks Penny for dropping in to see me and special points awarded to Otto for greeting me with open arms and yelling "my favourite aunty" - see brainwashing does work. Although after he'd spent the weekend with Aunty Tamsin I was relegated to "second favourite aunty". Ah well don't really mind coming in second to her - she does a good job of looking after people.

Singapore accommodation is full at the moment with loads of people stuck in transit. We had the Waters family come for dinner tonight who we haven't seen in 15 years. They are stuck in Singapore awaiting a flight to London. It was great to see Cindy and Rohan again and all our kids played very happily together.