T'was the night before Aconcagua & all through the house...

Jen was creating a big mess!

I am flying out for Mendoza, Argentina tomorrow morning. I really struggle to believe that I have been training for 15 months for this trip, nor that it has been 11 months since I wrote this post.

The training has been rather limited in the last few days. Saturday was a 50mins bike session (intervals) before we headed to Canberra for the night. Sunday was spent resting (and freezing) with my coffee-drinking companion Gnome & a ring in;-) while we watched Coach TigerAngel finish her first Olympic distance tri in Canberra in a great time! Congrats TA! I was supposed to do a couple of easy sessions yesterday & today but developed a touch of a sore throat on Sunday afternoon so I decided to rest. The last thing I need right now is a(nother) cold!

So that's that. The packing is just about finished & the nervous are just about at an all time high! This will be, by far, the hardest thing I have attempted to do to date. We have a 3 day walk to base camp, during which hike we have the assistance of mules to carry our gear. But from base camp, we become the mules! It is an 'unsupported' expedition meaning that we have to carry loads of 20+kg between our camps on the mountain, erect tents, collect water and/or snow for melting, assist with cooking etc. My preparation has not been ideal but 'it is what is is'. There is nothing I can do now other than stay healthy and (perhaps most importantly) stay positive.

If you are interested in following the expedition on a daily basis, the link to the relevant page on the Adventure Consultants website is here. Alternatively you can go to the Adventure Consultants website then select from the column on the left hand side 'Expedition news' > 'Current Expeditions' > Aconcagua 0809. Technology & weather permitting (and with crossed fingers), our guide will be sending daily dispatches from the start of our expedition on January 29. You can also sign up & an email will be sent to you to let you know that a new dispatch has been posted.

I will be updating my other blog once I get to Argentina and then again once the climb is completed & I'm back in civilisation.

See you on the other side (of Aconcagua!)