Climbing Mount Snowdon for Comic Relief

It was an impulsive decision to hop on a boat with someone I'd never met before, meet up with another load of people I only knew under online pseudonyms and climb a mountain that all the guides in the area refused to take us up unless we had both experience and crampons ('what the hell are crampons' I asked?).

Luckily Laura from My Internal World was as desperate as me to get away from the kids and packed her rucksack quicker than I could say 'meet ye on the 2.15'. I swear there was smoke coming out of the tyres as she met me at the dock.

The wonderful Stena Line had agreed to ferry us over to Holyhead free of charge so that we could take part in the great Mount Snowdon climb for Comic Relief. It was a perfect day for it - clear blue skies and calm seas all the way.

We met Gemma from Hello it's Gemma and Mummy Barrow at the other side and completed our pre-arranged transferring of cars so that mine would be waiting at the bottom to whisk us away when our tired souls came over the mountain.

And then it was off to the YHA hostel with Gemma and her friend Al who was stepping in as a local guide for the next days hike.

The next morning it was up and at 'em. 7.30am breakfast. 7.45am cars. 8.30am meeting at the bottom of Mount Snowdon.  9am climb.

I think the pictures can do the talking from then....

At the bottom.

Group shot, Bruce, Kim, Nikki (Stressy Mummy), Hannah (Cupcake Mumma), Kat (Kat a pillar), Me and best bloggy mate Penny (Alexander Residence), Mari (Mari's World)

In the middle

At the top

Me, Bruce, Kat, Danielle (It started with a squish), Me and Laura,  Gemma and Marit, Al)

And after all that we came back down. It took us 7 hours up and back and by the time everyone had stumbled into the local hotel for a drink we definitely looked the worse for wear. It wasn't long before everyone was flagging and looking forward to a long hot shower - so we got ready to collect our bags and pile into my car. 

It's just a pity I had forgotten to bring my keys with me....

Oops. Sorry guys!

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Huge thanks to Gemma, Penny and Annie for organising. To Al and Marit our wonderful guides. To all of Team Honk who encouraged each other along the way. To Gower Cottage for the amazing pitstop brownies. To High Tech Sports for the cosy hiking socks. To YHA for the beds and grub. To Who Made Your Pants for supplying us with the sexy red pants. And to Stena Line for making it happen. 

And finally thank you to each and every person who sponsored the team. Our current total is £5025 and we're hoping to smash the £6000 mark by the time Red Nose Day rolls around on 15th March. If you can help us make it here's the link: Red Nose Day Team Honk Challenge

And if you want to see why it's so important - just watch this suprisingly moving video from the One Direction boys:

A postcard from Ghana

This is a digital postcard sent from TeamHonk (www.mammasaurus.co.uk; www.aresidence.co.uk; www.mummybarrow.com) during their travels with Comic Relief in Ghana celebrating #goodwork.
For the past 25 years the money raised through Red Nose Day has been changing the lives of the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the UK and Africa. Let’s Keep Up the Good Work. Find out how at rednoseday.com

For other digital postcards please do check out the linky on www.teamhonk.org

#TeamHonk - What's it all about?

This weekend my best blogging buddy Penny from Alexander Residence packed her bags and set off with two other much loved bloggers - Mummy Barrow and Mammasaurus - to begin their trip to Ghana as part of Comic Reliefs celebrations of being 25 years old this year.

They will be visiting some of the places in Ghana that have been helped by the funds collected by Comic Relief during those 25 years and would love you to be part of the journey. They have even kidnapped a secret celebrity to bring along as an added incentive...and no I don't know who it is yet.

To find out more and to be part of this momentous trip pop over to their dedicated TeamHonk website that will be full of updated of their travels, videos of what they've seen and lots of heartwarming stories of the people they meet.

There are also lots of ways that you can get involved - from sharing posts to raising funds. Be sure to pay them a visit and give them a virtual cheer from the sidelines.