Seems Like a Good Idea

 

Five expat ladies went for a walk

For exercise, but mainly to talk!

I’m bored said one, what shall we do

I know, we’ll climb Mount Kinabalu

Are you mad the others said

Can’t we just go to lunch instead

The expat ladies began to plan

And serious practice then began

As they walked in sun and rain

Raising funds became their aim

Watch and guess these ladies fate

But most of all....... please donate

 

1.      Walk - To travel or go on foot, sometimes for pleasure or exercise.  As in ‘a wander through the woods’.

2.      Climb - To rise to a higher position; move upwards. As in ‘to go upstairs’.

3.      Mountain - A natural elevation of the earth’s surface having considerable mass, steep sides and a height greater than that of a hill. As in ‘a big rocky thing, with sharp pointy bits’.

Picture the scene, if you will, a group of ladies who walk, albeit rather quickly, through MacRitchie Reservoir Park several times a week clocking up some 50 miles in the process.  When one, at the end of a walk, obviously suffering from the effects of the sauna like climate and wishing for cooler climes, suggests doing something like climbing a mountain.  It was then obvious from the response that her condition was suffered by all present.  That seems like a good idea they all chimed. Oooh what fun! Where? When? How?

The where was quickly identified as Mount Kinabalu in Borneo – no mountains in Singapore you see.

When?  Why when we can get the husbands, children, pets etc trained to look after themselves for a few days - September actually. How, why we fly to Borneo and walk at an angle. i.e. climb.

So the necessary authorisations were sought and life carried on as before, with just a little more effort into the ‘power walks’. Then confirmation that the mountain climb permit had been booked, together with their time on the mountain and guide. So it is all go. Suddenly it is all real. Oh what have we let ourselves in for? 

Training is immediately stepped up. However, dear reader, as already stated – there are no mountains in Singapore.  Bit of a challenge to get in any climbing practice. However, our intrepid band were not to be denied. There are some very steep steps in the rainforest. Why we will simply run up these on every day we practice. This will help strengthen our leg muscles and improve our breathing techniques. This amount of training, to us lesser mortals, equates to running two marathons each week in a sauna. A little hot and sweaty, but good for your weight control. 

Not content with just climbing the mountain, our intrepids are using the event to raise funds for two Branches of Parkinson’s UK, previously known as the Parkinson’s Disease Society, where team members have family members who suffer from the disease. These are the Worcester and District Branch and the Newark Branch.  The Branches, run by volunteers and supported by donations, aid and assist, at a local level, sufferers of the disease and their family carers.  This support includes such things as arranging for short breaks for both sufferer and family carer; help with short term respite care e.g. to allow a spouse a morning or afternoon break to simply shop or go to the hairdressers.  There are many more ways we help, but it is best summarised by saying that we try to make their quality of life a little better where we can.

 

So please dig deep and donate now.