Mark & Sara - Here we go again - but this time a - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

I won't drive to the South of France because it is too hot. In fact the first year we went to France in the motorhome it was a scorcher of a year and it was far too hot in "the tin can" for me to even consider trying to sleep, I used to sit outside in a chair with my laptop and carry on working (and having a drink!) until about 2am every morning waiting for it too cool down enough for me to contemplate getting inside the "tin can" to try and sleep. Of course, Sara was in her element, hot weather and she still curled up under the duvet! Question: So, why are we telling you of all this? Answer: Because, in the words of Edmund Blackadder we must be "madder than Mad Jack McMad, the winner of last year's

• Mr. Madman competition”. We have agreed to do a 7 day trek

across the Sahara desert, oh yes, and that will be bloody hot! Sara and I are doing this mad thing to try and raise some money for a charity that we do a lot of work with - The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust. Started in Huddersfield, this charity now delivers results nationally, helping 13-24 year olds up and down the country.

Mark & Sara - Here we go again - but this time a "little" madder! The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust

The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust is the only UK charity funding medical research specifically into cancer affecting teenagers and young adults, where it can frequently strike in dangerous and complex forms. The Trust also funds measures to improve the quality of life for young cancer patients, both during and in the aftermath of their

• illnesses. Support is offered to all of the hospitals throughout the UK

which treat teenage cancer (currently just 29). Before the LCYCT was founded in 1996 there was no fund aimed specifically for research into cancer in 13-24 year olds. Research from the funds we raise will bring increased understanding of cancer in this age group, improved treatments and ultimately more young lives will be saved. The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust supports measures to improve the quality of life for teenage cancer patients during their frequent and debilitating stays in hospitals. Teenagers are an age group onto themselves and require occupational and social activities to help keep up their motivation, which is so desperately needed to fight their illness and cope with the harsh regimes of treatment and the isolation from school, friends and family that it brings.

Day 1: Depart UK to Ouarzazate, Morocco Upon arrival we will be transferred to a local hotel where we will settle in to our new surroundings and stay overnight. Day 2: Ouarzazate to Lahfira Camp Transfer to Achbarou, the "Door of the Desert", via the Tizi n'Tinifift

• pass. Along the Draa Valley – Glaoua Country reaching Tansikht.

Continue until Fezou and Lahfira camp. Approx. two hours walking, covering 9km Day 3: Maider El Kbir Plateau D3 Traversing the Maider El Kbir plateau. Lunch will be taken near the Jebel Ouchane massif. Walk across an ancient lake bed and arrive at camp, near the bottom of Jebel Lamrakeb. Approx. 6 hours of walking, covering 16km. Day 4: Climb Jebel Lamrakeb A tough day of trekking across Jebel Lamrakeb. We will then walk down the valley to the O'Hare Gorges to camp in the Palm groves.

• Approx. 7 hours of walking, covering 28km.

Day 5: Rhris River Pass Tizi n'Iguidou to join the dry Rhris River. Walk across some of the biggest dunes in the area and camp at the bottom of them. Approx. 7 hours of walking, covering 27kms. Day 6: The dunes of Boulaàdam Today we will trek across the open desert plateau. We pass through lots of nomadic and Berber villages along the way, eventually arriving at Anoun El Fraolia, where our trek ends. Approx. 6 hours of walking, covering 23km. Day 7: Return to Ouarzazate A 4x4 will meet us at the camp and transport us along the Tafilalet Road via Tineghir and the Kasbah trail until we arrive at Ouarzazate. Day 8: Depart Ouarzazate to UK Arrive in the UK. We will have an early morning transfer to the airport for our return flight to London, arriving later the same day.

103 km in 5 da ys, a nd it’ s not a ll sa nd te mpe ra ture : nig ht = 0 – 10

c

da y = 25 – 35

c

c a mping , sho we ring a nd a funda me nta l lo o pre pa re pro pe rly; wa lking 103km in 5 da ys in se a ring he a t ta ke s pre pa ra tio n

a sho we r is o ffe re d e ve ry da y, b ut it is c o ld we ll wa te r to b e tippe d

• ve r yo u a nd is no t a n

e ndle ss supply

the re a re risks b ut the y’ re re duc e d a s muc h a s po ssib le b ut yo u ma y no t a vo id b liste rs! dura tio n: e ve ry da y we ’ ll sta rt wa lking a t 8a m, with a lo ng b re a k in the sha de a t no o n the n b a c k in the c a mp b e fo re nig htfa ll

lo c a l wildlife :

sna ke s, sc orpions & spide rs

(b ut i’ m to ld it’ s unlike ly we ’ ll se e spide rs o r sna ke s)

so d the a ll the sc o rpio ns, the he a t, the c o ld, the o pe n lo o s, b uc ke t sho we rs, tire dne ss a nd imme nse pa in, the re will b e no alc ohol o n the tre k isn’ t tha t a b ig e no ug h re a so n to spo nso r us!