This page is dedicated to a walk we are going to do in March 2006 across mount Snowdon in Wales. We will be walking 11km across 5 different peaks. The walk will probably be very scary at times due to the different knife edge peaks we will be walking across. I’m looking forward to this walk because I have been suffering from depression up until now and a change of scenery I think will do me the world of good. There are 4 members of my team. There is of course myself “Nicholas” as well as my sister “Suzanne” her boyfriend “Steve” and our friend “Paul”. All of us are not exactly in perfect shape for this walk but we are confident that all will go without a hitch.

 

 

Picture of the walk courtesy of

www.walk-snowdonia.co.uk

 

Now we all didn’t decide one day that we’d just go for a long walk up a mountain  - oh wait….. Yes we did. This was a crazy idea to help me recover my problems as well as get us all a little fitter. Now we’re not complete novices who are out looking for trouble on this exercise. We have all been doing research and risk assessments to make sure that all 4 of us going up the mountain and that all 4 of us come down the mountain safely. We’ve all been preparing for 2 months now. We’ve all bought the correct clothing and emergency kits in case we do get into trouble. This walk has just been hampered a little more because I have just recently lost my job. I’m thankful about the loss of job but I have been left without any money. This does make things from this point a little complicated as far as supplied go. At the time of writing this we have 10 days until we are off on this amazing once in a life time walk. 

 

PREPERATIONS:

Well we have been preparing for nearly 2 months for this walk. We have taken a few walks and climbs up Box Hill in surrey. This doesn’t really compare in size admittedly but it did give us an idea of what it will be like to carry heavy equipment over a large distance and over different heights. The last parts of our kits are still arriving as the days move on. We are going to be taking with us as standard:

 

· Water proof clothing

· Lightweight clothing for artic temperatures. Including thermal under garments and lightweight DPM trousers.  Also essentials such as hats and gloves. Good pair of walking boots each.

· Food and water for one day + plus emergency rations for at least 2 more days if needed.

· Emergency equipment including emergency SOS bags. Rope. Flairs. Emergency strobe. Snap sticks for lighting. Heating equipment including a stove. Water and windproof matches. Eating utensils. Shovel / spade. Hot drinks each. Medical kits including medication and Band-Aids &  2 x Torches.

· Maps and compasses  - Possibly a GPS device  - but we’re still awaiting info on this.

 

 

From the sound of the kits we are taking, some of the stuff might sound like a waste of time and of course sound like it will make out kits too heavy. However we don’t truly know what the terrain will be like when we get there and of course the weather near mountainous areas is constantly changing. We have to be aware of many different hazards and be able to deal with them in case of emergencies.  The next part will be from when we’ve finished the climb including lots of pictures.

 

Sunday 5th March 2006

Well the big day is getting closer. We’re going to be leaving on the 11th of March if all goes well and that really does depend on the weather. My health has however come into play as another factor to whether or not I can go. At the time of writing this I have been placed on some new medication for my depression. This medication is making me sleepy and is making me find it hard to think straight. Even whilst writing this I am finding it hard to concentrate.

 

At this point I am going to vent some anger.  I recently lost my job. I worked in an environment I hated from day one. I worked with people I cannot stand and over the period of two years I have fallen into a major depression and have had 2 breakdowns. All the way through my time working there they said that they was there trying to help me—and I had to admit to this crap. They did NOT help me they made my life hell and they made my life fall to the point that I have tried to commit suicide. I blame and curse three people at that place to live in pain for the rest of there lives and to die horrible painful deaths. I curse there souls to the pits of hell and now that I am finally free from them arse-holes I am free to say what I like about them. My Depression was caused by that place and it ended with me leaving that place. I hope they die painful deaths very soon!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I would like to point out that there are of course a few people I exclude whole heartedly from this little moan. I exclude Jon, Jamie, Jason, Mr Brittan and the whole of the office staff. They are my friends and I wish them luck with there careers. 

 

Now that aside I have to start to somehow rebuild my life at this point. I am trying my best to make myself better by thinking happy thoughts and to concentrate all my energy to the trip.  My preparations for doing this long walk have not been as good as I had hoped. Tomorrow I have to walk to counselling so I will take my heavy rucksack with me. I have some really big hills to walk up and down on the way there. I only have a few days to make sure that I am somehow fit enough to take on this challenge. I may extend my walk tomorrow to help me break the pain barrier. However as I said at the beginning, I am on some new meds that are having a slight effect on my ability to concentrate and even to view the world around me normally.

 

I thought I’d add here some information about a wonderful dream I had the other night. I know this doesn’t really have much to do with the mount Snowdon walk but neither did my anger just above. I had this dream about me hiking along this old country lane. To my left was a hill with some trees and to my right was a medium high fence at about waist height and beyond that was the country and rolling fields that just seem to go on and on. As I was walking down this lane a girl pulled up on her mountain bike and we started talking about the places we were going too. I don’t know how but the dream became intermit and we ended up in a one person tent. All I will say is that the trip was fantastic after that!!!!!

 

Ok that was a dream but hey, It was really nice! I just wish something like that happened in real life. But sadly with the luck I have I won’t ever experience anything like that for real.

 

Monday 6th March 2006

I’m feeling a little better today. I went for my long walk today and I felt ok by the end of it. My rucksack was very heavy but I somehow made it. I think there are a few things I’m going to evaluate about taking with me. Because I’m on some new medication I’m finding it hard to stay awake. I had a nap this afternoon from about 3:30 to 6pm. I know that’s not normal. Well tonight I’m having an early night because I’m off to do some work tomorrow as a labourer for a mate of mine. The money won’t be very high but it’ll allow me to get some money to pay off my bills for the next couple of months. Technically I am not allowed to work, but my mate said he’ll take care of me and I’m done this work before and I don’t mind it. I just hope I can stay awake through it. It’ll also give me some exercise as well  -  which is exactly what I need as this moment in time.   

 

I watched an episode of the Simpson’s yesterday that showed Homer Simpson eating power bar’s to make him fit and healthy.  After a few weeks of eating these he was then given the challenge of climbing the Springfield Mata-Horne. He looked to his right and saw a massive mountain and nearly fainted at the height of this mountain. One of the men pushing this power bar product then told him to look at the right of that. Homer turned his head slightly to his right once more and was feeling scared at what he saw. The mountain went through the clouds and was enormous. The man put his hand under Homer’s jaw and turned it one more time to the right. Homer Simpson was so amazed at the size of the mountain in front of him. At this moment in time I feel like Homer Simpson. The only difference between him and me (putting the whole concept that Homer is a fictional character on a Television cartoon) is that I haven’t been eating any power nutrition bar’s. 

 

I had a chance to look at the weather reports for this weekend. They are so far showing possible bad weather on the day of the climb. We have 5 days until the big day and already it’s looking like a bad idea.

 

Tuesday 7th March 2006

I am completely shattered at this moment in time. I was up really early this morning for my first day as a labourer. I worked for my mum’s friend Brian. I worked nearly solid from 8am until 4:30pm. I worked for him a few years ago but not since starting a career in computers. My feet are killing me. I haven’t done that much standing in years. I was able to put up the skeleton of a wall by myself. I was quiet proud by the end of it. I’m not sure I want to give up my career in computing but it’s a nice job in the mean time and whilst I’m getting better.  I’m going to be working for him again tomorrow. It’s also handy because it’s helping me get fit whilst on the job. I do feel a little silly going from a high flying job to tidying up dirt for nearly 1/4 of the pay, but at this moment in time I am willing to do anything—plus I need to somehow fund my Sky TV and my internet. Working for two days a week should be enough to see me through until I get back in touch with reality. I keep wishing though that I could win the lottery and turn my life around. The partner working with Brian called Stephen is said something that makes some kind of sense where the lottery in concerned. He said that once you’ve won it and you’ve done all the things you wanted to do—what do you do next? It can cause you to fall into a depression because you’re on a level playing field until you’ve done it all. In my case I think I’d be ok because I have a million things I can do in just a single day let alone a life time. I think the man up stairs knows that hence his not giving me that chance to shine. I can see my perfect life already. It’s a shame that’ll never happen. I know I can’t get there  as me as a person in control.

 

Wednesday 8th March 2006

Today I didn’t go to the building site to work as a labourer. I wasn’t feeling too good this morning because yesterday I was so worn out. I went to have a blood test instead. I’m back at the work site tomorrow. I won’t have to then go back until next week. I’ve just learned that I have to pay extra this weekend which I didn’t budget for. I’ll just have to make up the money. I also tried my water proof trousers today because it was raining earlier. They worked quiet well except for when I went to take them off. I found they were wet inside and dry on the outside. I think the sweat from my legs had gone straight into the material of the waterproofs. I’ll have to keep that in mind for the weekend. I don’t want to wear them unless absolutely necessary to avoid unwanted moisture.  Well, since I last wrote on here my life has just dropped a few more years off of the end. My labouring job is now off and it also looks like my trip up Mount Snowdon is also off because my sister is being a pain. I don’t want anymore to do with this planet to be honest. I might just go up and see my granddad for a week or two. :(

 

Thursday 9th March 2006

Today has been pretty quiet. I applied for a job working as a Technician in a school. I’m hoping I’ll get an interview. Other than that I’ve not really done anything. No good really considering I’m off up a mountain in 2 days time. Oh well.

 

Friday 10th March 2006

I am tired today. I’m going to have a nap in a while so that I am ready for the trip ahead. I’m a little nervous because I don’t know what to expect when I get there. I hope it all goes safely.