Ashlee Duffy
The Great Wall Of China Trek!
Fundraising for Huntington's Disease Association
Story
UPDATE: 15th May 2009
Hello Everybody…
Well, you will be pleased to know I made it home in one piece and with no injuries…!
It was my 21st Birthday weekend when I got home so I have been celebrating so forgive me for my late response in letting you all know how it went.
My Trek was absolutely incredible, such a life changing experience on so many different levels. When we arrived in Beijing airport it was immaculate, ever so clean. We got a coach to the B&B we were staying at the night before we started our Trek, travelling through Beijing it was so clean and tidy, I guess it has totally changed since the Olympics, but once we got in to the poorer areas you could certainly tell the difference. The traffic over there is one huge road rage, it reminds me of a game I used to play on my Playstation called ‘Crazy Taxi’ all of them beeping their horns at one another, there are many cyclists on old battered bikes who don’t follow any rules, they think they own the roads from what I could see!!
We arrived at the B&B we were staying at, it was in the middle of no where, could see the Great Wall in the distance and it looked huge, I just gulped at the sight of it thinking to myself ‘have I done enough training for this!!’ Food was out ready for our arrival which was nice until you seen what it was!! Pigs elbow and stuff, it was all so random I wanted what I get from the Chinese takeaway! Everybody was so tired so we went to our rooms for a sleep. The beds were rock hard and it was freezing. Myself & my room mate, Amy, decided we were going to sleep in our sleeping bags and not even touch the beds – that’s how bad it was!! Haha!! I think it was there way of preparing us gently for camping! After a sleep we had an introduction where we learnt a bit more of what we were to expect. As most of you know I went alone to do the Trek thinking most people would be, it turned out most had come with a partner/friend/son/ so I was finding it hard to settle in to the group the first night. I just wanted to come home, I think it was a mixture of missing my family, the food being horrible, not settling in to the group, my system all messed up due to the travelling and China being 7 hours ahead of the UK. I couldn’t sleep at all that night, I tried everything and then ended up texting my Mum & Sister which I think made it worse because I wanted to be at home with them. After a few texts to and from each other they told me I could do it and reminded me why I was doing it. I eventually fell asleep for a couple of hours.
We were woken up at 6am - breakfast, make our packed lunch, fill up our camelbacks and stretch - that was our regular routine. It was a nice day, the sun was shining, I felt much better although rather tired. A coach journey took us to our starting point and it was steep, I really didn’t think I would be able to do it when looking up at it and seriously started regretting those nights out I went on whilst training.
It was tough going at times, the ups and downs got steeper and steeper, you got up one hill and thought ‘yayyy!’ until you looked ahead to the next! Going down was just as bad as going up, was very slippery in the rain with the uneven rocks and no where to hold on too. Sometimes you forgot to admire the amazing view that was surrounding you because you are too busy concentrating on your every step. As you will see from the photos after a stretch of the wall there was always a tower which we called the photo lobby as everyone always got their cameras out. Half way up the hill we would say ‘we’re nearly at the photo loooooooooob!’ in an American accent for some reason, I think it was Amy that started that off and it just stuck. After getting through the first day we arrived at camp. We seen the toilets and the ladies were not impressed, nobody wanted to go! Longdrops are something I will not miss but are definatly a huge memory of my Trek. The temperature dropped quick a bit of a night and the sun would go down around 6.30 to 7pm. We would all sit round the fire freezing our butts off the minute you left! It became a race to get to your tent before the snorers (we had quite a few of them in our group) so that they weren’t keeping you away, with them, the cold and the rain crashing down on the tent it was difficult to get to sleep even though I was exhausted. We had a couple of nice days which we found we were complaining it was too cold and then the rest were pretty rubbish, raining and windy at times so, of course, we would be complaining it’s too cold and wet and in the rain it meant we had more to carry with our waterproofs.
After some tough days of Trekking and putting my physical and mental ability in to action I completed my Trek. It was very emotional passing the finishing line but there was some well deserved champayne waiting for us! It was tougher than I thought it was going to be, it seems the mileage was just so irrelevant it’s the steepness that gets to you and you soon feel you have done three times the amount you have actually done!
We then got a coach in to Beijing city centre and I will tell you something…. I have never been so excited about seeing a toilet before!
I am so glad I stuck it out, kept reminding myself why I was doing it and the amount of money I had raised so I have everybody that sponsored me to thank for that. So many people were very kind when it came to sponsoring me and I really am grateful – it means a lot to me. It will make a big difference to the Huntington’s Disease Association who are very low on funds at the moment and bring us closer to that cure because as everybody knows – every little helps! My boss, Jonathan Smalley was very generous and gave me a £5,000 donation. My target was set at £5,000 to begin with but is now at £15,000 and I am currently at £14,500 so it would be brilliant if I could get to the 15K mark.
If anyone would like to still sponsor me, it’s not too late. You can send cash or cheques payable to ‘The Huntington’s Disease Association’ to myself at 43, Berrywoods Avenue, Governors Hill, Douglas or visit my website – www.justgiving.com/team_cure_hd and make a secure payment which will go straight through to the Huntington’s Disease Assocation (“HDA”). Fundraising and spreading awareness for the HDA is a normal part of my life now and I have various other fundraising events/nights coming up this year. I hope people will continue to support this little known but very deserving charity.
Take Care,
Ashlee xx
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** UPDATE - 13th March 2009 **
Hellooooo there! 
Okay, so I have been a very busy bee lately but thought it was about time I gave you all an update. As you can see my fund raising is going amazingly well, I can't believe how kind and generous people have been, I am so delighted I still can't quite believe how much I have raised, really hope I can make it to the 15K mark, am sure I will thanks to all of you guys sponsoring, those that are passing my link along and my friends that have helped me with the Pub Crawls.
Our Pub Crawls have been a huge success!! We have done two in our oriental themed costumes in different areas on the Isle of Man. Two more to go so keep a look out for us! 28th March round Laxey, Onchan & a few in Douglas we forgot last time then 4th April down south around Ballasalla, Castletown & Port Erin.
Since my last update I have been in the paper another 2 times, one was regarding the pub crawl and I was also very honoured to be asked to do the Isle of Man Courier Questionnaire!! Which got me on the front page of the Newspaper - WOW!!! Hehe!! All this fame!! LOL!!
I told you I have been a busy bee huh? That's not all either, I was also on Manx Radio which was very scary but I did it - Yippeeee!! Deffo succeeded with the awareness side of things, just my 15K target to hit now so keep spreading the word please and passing my link along - Thank you! 
Still busy training, hoping to be fit enough by the time I leave.... Can you believe it's only 5 more weeks to go?? Crikey..... I have been talking about my Trek for months and it's suddenly just crept up on me!! I am excited but rather nervous and scared too. I have had all my jabs now, just waiting for my Visa to come back all stamped up and I will be pretty much ready to err... Trek and trek and trek some more I guess!! Couple of bits to tick off my check list, mainly just first aid bits and pieces after I got told of a few other things when seeing the nurse getting my jabs done. Anyways.... I'm not gonna talk about injuries or insects etc otherwise I will get even more freaked out than I already am!! Eeeeekkk!! 
That turned out to be a long update didn't it? SORRY!! Final words?? Wish me luck and here's to a CURE for HD!!! It really is getting closer and closer and every PENNY you donate really DOES make a difference!
If anybody reading this has already donated and just checking back for a progress report then please do visit a very good friends page too: http://www.justgiving.com/tommywhaite
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** UPDATE - 11th January 2009 **
Hi All, just a quick update to let u know that I am still training hard, haven't been well and then landed myself with a chest infection so perhaps a little behind at the minute. I shall kick my own ass now I am getting over it though n get training even more, these last few important months!!
My article has now been published in the paper and online which can be viewed by clicking HERE!
Want to say a HUGE thank you to everybody that has been supporting me so far and to all my friends and family that are sponsoring me. Also a massive thanks to some local Companies that have made a very generous donation....
£5000 Jonathan Smalley (my boss)
£200 Habib European Bank
£200 Benelux Corporate Solutions
£150 Chas Kelsey
£100 Stan Keig - Viking Office Systems
£100 Ramsey Crookall & Co Ltd
£100 Horwath Clark Whitehill
£100 Price WaterHouse Coopers
£100 Allied Irish Offshore Bank
£100 Tower Insurance
£100 Zurich
£100 Isle of Man Financial Trust Ltd
£100 CFS Financial Consultants Limited
£100 Canada Life International
£50 Harding Lewis Limited
Not long to go now, please keep the sponsorship money coming in at this very difficult time for the Huntington's Disease Association - will be very much appreciated.
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I have volunteered to take part in The Great Wall of China Trek to raise money and awareness for Huntington's Disease. The trip offers a rare opportunity to trek and camp in a remote part of rural China and to experience local life in its most unspoilt state. Aside from the spectacular scenery of the Great Wall and the surrounding countryside, one of the most rewarding aspects of this trek is the ability to experience the warmth and enthusiasm of the Chinese people. In order to maximise the opportunities for interaction and learning about the local history and culture, a team of local translators supports the trek. The Great Wall attracts over a million visitors each year. However, the vast majority of tourists visit a small section of the wall near Beijing. We have planned a route that will take us beyond the regular tourist trail and onto sections of the wall that have only been seen by a handful of westerners over the last hundred years. The Great Wall of China is one of the world's most amazing feats of human endeavour. This colossal structure stretches more than 4,000 miles over the undulating terrain of northern China. The construction of the Wall involved tens of millions of people over a period of more than 2,000 years.
The following is an outline itinerary of my trip:
DAY 1 – SUN 19 APRIL 2009
UK
BEIJING
We board our international flight to Beijing.
DAY 2 – MON 20 APRIL 2009
BEIJING – GUBEIKOU
We arrive in Beijing early in the morning (subject to flight confirmation) where we are met by our Expedition Leader. We board the buses for the transfer to Gubeikou and the starting point for our trek. Once we have settled into our rooms and had lunch, our Expedition Leader gives a full expedition briefing.
DAY 3 – TUES 21 APRIL 2009
GUBEIKOU – TAO CHUN
After a short transfer we start our trek with a 30-minute climb that takes us to the Wall. The first section hasn’t been restored and compared to other sections is very overgrown with bushes and trees. We then take a path down to a small reservoir with fantastic views of the Wall. After lunch we walk through a number of small rural villages to reach the first campsite in a valley called Tao Chun.
Trek 16km
DAY 4 – WED 22 APRIL 2009
TAO CHUN – SIMATAI
From the camp at Tao Chun we rejoin the Wall and continue along the Jinshanling section of it for the whole day until we reach the Simatai section. We then take a path off the wall and walk towards the Simatai camp over the hillside. This section of the Wall has been wonderfully restored in parts, but will still involve a bit of scrambling to get up some of the higher steps in certain sections, and there are plenty of ups and downs. This is a strenuous but very rewarding day with magnificent views of the Wall.
Trek 18km
DAY 5 – THURS 23 APRIL 2009
SIMATAI – GANFANG
We leave our campsite in Simatai and retrace our footsteps from the previous day back up to the wall. We reach a suspension bridge and cross over this before beginning a steep section of path which takes us up to the 12th Tower – this serves as our lunch spot. On a clear day, the views back across the mountains are spectacular. After lunch we drop down from the wall into the woods, eventually emerging into a valley where we follow the stepped crop system down into the village of Gangfang. This is the hardest day on the trek but we are rewarded with fantastic views. We set up camp in the grounds of the local school.
Trek 14km
DAY 6 – FRI 24 APRIL 2009
GANFANG – LINGXIU
After leaving the village we make our way along dirt tracks and through small villages until we reach the Wall at the Bailing Arch - a great viewpoint and an excellent place for lunch and a well deserved rest. Once through the Wall we descend into a valley, passing through a number of villages. The last part of the walk is on a road which takes us to a hotel nestling on the edge of a reservoir.
Trek 17km
DAY 7 – SAT 25 APRIL 2009
LINGXIU – XINCHEN – BEIJING
The last day of trekking takes us through forests with occasional views of towers on the Wall, to a saddle on a ridge. A final descent brings us to our finishing point, where we board our coaches for the journey back to Beijing where we celebrate our achievements during our evening meal.
Trek 15km
Day 8 - Free day in Beijing.
Day 9 - Travel home.
Not many people have heard about Huntington's and even if they have, not many realise what devastating consequences its presence in a family can bring. Please help us to raise money for this little known but very deserving Charity. I would be most grateful!
Fundraising for the Huntington's Disease Association is really important to me as my Mum is currently suffering from this disease and the effect on our family so far has torn us all apart. Living on the Isle of Man has made things much more difficult due to the lack of knowledge about this disease. My Mum has received very little support over here, this is why I am determined to create awareness and raise money for HD. I found out in August ‘08, at the age of 20, that I have also inherited HD. I watch my Mum battling away with this disease doing all I can to help her knowing that one day that will be me. I just hope that people and professionals will be more educated on the disease by the time I find myself in that position. After finding out my new found knowledge (most people would view this as being given a death sentence) it’s been really hard to be upbeat and accomplish things I want in life. I tend to ask myself, “what’s the point?”. Some people would give up on dreams and goals they had before being tested - I refuse to do that! I have so many things in life I want to accomplish. That is why I have decided to do the Great Wall of China Trek in aid of the Huntington’s Disease Association.
Huntington's Disease is a devastating brain disorder for which there is, at present, no effective treatment or cure.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Huntington's Disease Association will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
Many thanks for your support, it means a lot to me!
Ashlee xx
PS: If you have any questions or want any other information, please feel free to contact me - ashleeduffy@msn.com