The One With the Wallaby and the Pig

Hello again everyone.

Last Sunday was our first official team training walk.  After three hours and eight miles of walking we were very happy to catch sight of our cars, and to have survived our first outing across the South Downs in East Sussex. But what about the Wallaby and the Pig? I should probably start from the beginning...

Stunning Views

At 9.30 we met bleary-eyed (it was a Sunday don't forget!) to drive in convoy to our starting point where we excitedly changed into walking boots (some a little too new for comfort...) backpacks, and a variety of interesting hats. Two men,  six women (we had some extra company) and a dog headed for our first hill, lots of huffing and puffing, and the virgin steps of our adventure together.

The lovely (and very brave) Honey

Which way from here?

It's probably sensible to tell you at this point that we are of very mixed fitness levels...

Penny and Claire

Mel, Claire and  Steve all completed the walk as if they hadn't been any where - it turned out that Steve was also carrying a backpack that weighed about the same amount as a small child (I have two so can feel confident in my estimation). Julie seemed to get on fine (we haven't heard any creaks in the office) and Penny and I finished  with the aches already starting to set in (a few days later and we are just about moving normally again).

Steve and the monster backpack (hoping he might give me a lift in that if I get tired some time...)

Luck was definitely on our side - a beautiful clear day and scenery lovely enough to take the chill of the January wind from our minds saw the time (and miles) pass fairly quickly - helped in no small part by the quick hot chocolate stop at the cafe we discovered en route (purely for the purposes of energy replenishment of course). Coupled with the entertainment of Julie's very small dog gallantly charging into the middle of a herd of not very small cows, and being surprisingly reluctant to come back we merrily followed the route that some of us had taken many times before. Except it wasn't...

Pub :)

While we didn't get 'lost' as such we found ourselves walking through a farm, or rather a small zoo. Penny, a city girl - and most definitely not a fan of animals found herself experiencing her first close encounter (of the agricultural kind) with cows (which we joked would attack if they heard us speak, and had a notorious disliking of the colour pink - the look on her face was priceless...check out the new hair in the photos) sheep, and happening upon the Wallaby and the Pig, who appeared to be living in the company of a goat and a very hairy Shetland pony - again the very small dog was keen to get stuck in.

Julie, Honey, and their new piggy friend

A wallaby - in Eastbourne?

After much oohing and aahing, and having finally stumbled our way back to the road we regained our bearings and headed for home with the fit brigade (Mel and company) striding merrily and the not-so-fit brigade (Penny and I) bringing up the rear and feeling steadily more terrified of the challenge ahead, the developing blisters, stiffening legs and our assault on the Long Man of Wilmington which is planned in a couple of weeks.

Not too tired to smile

Monday morning was definitely interesting.  Despite the inability to walk down stairs without squeaking, none of us girls had gone so far as to wear anything on our feet other than the usual humerously high heels that grace the halls of Chalvington Towers on a daily basis. It will certainly take more than a few aches and pains to get us out of our stillettos!

We've had a great first outing but still have a long way to go not just in terms of fitness but fundraising too.

Slow... the sign doesn't mean us does it?

We hope you'll stay with us, our first community event will be announced early next week, so we hope to see lots of you there, and don't forget to share our links with as many people as you are happy to.

If you are ready to make a donation - thank you VERY much and please go to: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ChalvingtonComms
Your support helps not only our endeavours but contributes to a very worthy cause too.

Until next time

Mel, Claire, Julie, Steve, Penny and Amie x