Whatever you do, make sure you tube in northern Laos - Vang Vieng - and do not leave it to the South like Mel and I did!
Tubing in Vang Vieng looked amazing - we kayaked through the maze of bars and they were fab, each with a rickety swing or flying fox outside - I rather comically managed to get whiplash from one!
However, don't be fooled by the guide books or the adverts, tubing in Don Det (10,000 Islands) is little more than sunbathing in a rubber ring! 10,000 Islands seem to be the place to smoke weed, and not much else unfortunately. If that's your idea of a challenge, then go for it! Mel and I definitely weren't impressed!
On a side note - for those travelling in Laos - stick to the North - the South really isn't worth it, the temples and waterfalls lauded in the Lonely Planet were unspectacular to say the least, and we were pretty bored on the whole.
If you do travel south, ignore the guide books, visas are as easy to get as drugs! (and that appeared to be pretty easy - one hostel offered a free bag of weed per night!)
Charly xxx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixXSly5pDy4&feature=channel_page
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenges. Show all posts
Friday, 13 March 2009
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
London to Brighton Cycle Ride
The video is up!
But for those of you who haven't watched it yet, I did make it!
To be honest the distance wasn't all that strenuous (I walked almost as far in March), the main issues were just the hills (which were a nightmare, particularly the Beacon 50 miles in!) and the other cyclists.
There were FAR too many cyclists on very narrow roads at times, and people just weren't cycling safely. I can't believe how many people I saw not even wearing helmets.
The race also wasn't that well organised. Unlike a marathon you had to pay for any refreshments on the way round, and our medals are positively tacky. Whilst obviously it's run for charity, the BHF underlines that the £30 entry fee is purely for organisational costs, which was surprising considering how little we received, and the fact 27,000 people were paying £30 each.
Ah well ... another challenge down!
Definitely my most spontaneous one too! I literally agreed to do the race 2 weeks ago, so truly in the spirit of Challenge Charly! And I hadn't even cycled my bike in the last 6 months! (which became quite evident, first when we realised the front wheel was on wrong! and then when I realised it was flat!!)
Am keen to do more cycling challenges though ... am thinking of doing 100 miles next.
At the mo my bike is still in Brighton because we weren't allowed to take them back on the train the day of the race, and my mini boot is TINY! So I've been toying with the idea of cycling from Brighton to Bournemouth, which is roughly 100 miles ... though after Sunday I'd try to find the flattest route possible!
Guess I'll need to sort out my hill cycling if I'm really going to do Land's End to John O'Groats in November :)
Charly xxx
But for those of you who haven't watched it yet, I did make it!
To be honest the distance wasn't all that strenuous (I walked almost as far in March), the main issues were just the hills (which were a nightmare, particularly the Beacon 50 miles in!) and the other cyclists.
There were FAR too many cyclists on very narrow roads at times, and people just weren't cycling safely. I can't believe how many people I saw not even wearing helmets.
The race also wasn't that well organised. Unlike a marathon you had to pay for any refreshments on the way round, and our medals are positively tacky. Whilst obviously it's run for charity, the BHF underlines that the £30 entry fee is purely for organisational costs, which was surprising considering how little we received, and the fact 27,000 people were paying £30 each.
Ah well ... another challenge down!
Definitely my most spontaneous one too! I literally agreed to do the race 2 weeks ago, so truly in the spirit of Challenge Charly! And I hadn't even cycled my bike in the last 6 months! (which became quite evident, first when we realised the front wheel was on wrong! and then when I realised it was flat!!)
Am keen to do more cycling challenges though ... am thinking of doing 100 miles next.
At the mo my bike is still in Brighton because we weren't allowed to take them back on the train the day of the race, and my mini boot is TINY! So I've been toying with the idea of cycling from Brighton to Bournemouth, which is roughly 100 miles ... though after Sunday I'd try to find the flattest route possible!
Guess I'll need to sort out my hill cycling if I'm really going to do Land's End to John O'Groats in November :)
Charly xxx
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Challenge Charly gains momentum!
Whilst I've been away it's been great to chat to travellers from all around the world about CC, and I've taken onboard LOTS of ideas.
In the coming months I will be working on combining the Vlog and Blog at one website, plus adding in educational and geographical elements.
I'll be looking for adventurous sponsors, and I'll be doing lots and lots more challenges.
Some more ideas that have come up over the last couple of weeks - banger rallies, geocaching, Uluru, the Gold Coast Marathon ....
Keep the suggestions coming in, and please do volunteer to join me on the challenges - after all that's the whole point of CC.
In the coming months I will be working on combining the Vlog and Blog at one website, plus adding in educational and geographical elements.
I'll be looking for adventurous sponsors, and I'll be doing lots and lots more challenges.
Some more ideas that have come up over the last couple of weeks - banger rallies, geocaching, Uluru, the Gold Coast Marathon ....
Keep the suggestions coming in, and please do volunteer to join me on the challenges - after all that's the whole point of CC.
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Still to come ...
Just to give you a taster of some of the challenge ideas for the next 6 months ....
- Three Peaks
- Mount Brandon (in Ireland ... Brandon is NOT a person!!)
- Ice Climbing
- Flying Lesson
- Coasteering
- Indoor Sky Diving
- Zorbing
- Wakeboarding
- Windsurfing
- Aerobathon
- Pirate Rampage!
- Bushcraft Week
- Learn to Sail
- Mountain Leadership Course
Any other ideas?! Then get in touch! And come join me on the challenges!!
- Three Peaks
- Mount Brandon (in Ireland ... Brandon is NOT a person!!)
- Ice Climbing
- Flying Lesson
- Coasteering
- Indoor Sky Diving
- Zorbing
- Wakeboarding
- Windsurfing
- Aerobathon
- Pirate Rampage!
- Bushcraft Week
- Learn to Sail
- Mountain Leadership Course
Any other ideas?! Then get in touch! And come join me on the challenges!!
42 Miles, and then onto a plane!
Hi everyone!
So ... Challenge Charly is actually going really well - the feedback I'm getting has been great, and the whole thing is really gathering momentum.
On Saturday two new challengers will be tackling the Three Towers Hike with me - a 42 mile Scout hike across the Berkshire Downs ... and yes, we do have to do it in just one day!
I've actually done the Hike four times before, the first time when I was 16, but it definitely doesn't get any easier, and now I have a record to keep up because I've never dropped out. Could be tough as I'm still in quite a bit of pain after getting tripped up during the Marathon a few weeks ago.
In previous years I've taken as long as 18 hours to finish - you have to stay as a team of three, so if anyone in your team drops out you could wait for hours for another team to join up with.
I'd like to say our target is 15 hrs, though it's a pretty mean feat, and seeing as neither Mark nor Tom have ever really hiked before, we'll just have to see how we do!
Then, less than 24 hrs after I finish I jump on a plane to Borneo. The main challenge whilst I'm out there will be Mt Kinabalu, but I have three weeks of activities planned, so I'll do my best to film all the fun!
And then .... literally 10 hrs after I land back at Heathrow I'm setting off to Johannesburg to make a documentary about AIDS orphans, which I know is gonna be at least emotionally tough.
So ... lots to come - keep tuned to the You Tube channel - Challenge Charly is a YouTube Channel where I'm documenting all my various random adventures around the world.
The whole point is to encourage people to try things they wouldn't normally think of doing, or think they are capable of doing.
Get involved by suggesting new challenges for Charly, or by volunteering to be a Challenger, and taking part in one of the challenges with Charly.
Or you can just sit back and laugh at what an idiot I'm making of myself !!
Tune in at ...
http://uk.youtube.com/user/challengecharly
and remember, I'm always keen to hear your challenge ideas, and accept volunteer challenges to join me on the challenges!!
Who knows - if word can spread enough we may even end up with some famous Charly's Challengers!!!!
Take care, and remember to try everything you see at home!
So ... Challenge Charly is actually going really well - the feedback I'm getting has been great, and the whole thing is really gathering momentum.
On Saturday two new challengers will be tackling the Three Towers Hike with me - a 42 mile Scout hike across the Berkshire Downs ... and yes, we do have to do it in just one day!
I've actually done the Hike four times before, the first time when I was 16, but it definitely doesn't get any easier, and now I have a record to keep up because I've never dropped out. Could be tough as I'm still in quite a bit of pain after getting tripped up during the Marathon a few weeks ago.
In previous years I've taken as long as 18 hours to finish - you have to stay as a team of three, so if anyone in your team drops out you could wait for hours for another team to join up with.
I'd like to say our target is 15 hrs, though it's a pretty mean feat, and seeing as neither Mark nor Tom have ever really hiked before, we'll just have to see how we do!
Then, less than 24 hrs after I finish I jump on a plane to Borneo. The main challenge whilst I'm out there will be Mt Kinabalu, but I have three weeks of activities planned, so I'll do my best to film all the fun!
And then .... literally 10 hrs after I land back at Heathrow I'm setting off to Johannesburg to make a documentary about AIDS orphans, which I know is gonna be at least emotionally tough.
So ... lots to come - keep tuned to the You Tube channel - Challenge Charly is a YouTube Channel where I'm documenting all my various random adventures around the world.
The whole point is to encourage people to try things they wouldn't normally think of doing, or think they are capable of doing.
Get involved by suggesting new challenges for Charly, or by volunteering to be a Challenger, and taking part in one of the challenges with Charly.
Or you can just sit back and laugh at what an idiot I'm making of myself !!
Tune in at ...
http://uk.youtube.com/user/challengecharly
and remember, I'm always keen to hear your challenge ideas, and accept volunteer challenges to join me on the challenges!!
Who knows - if word can spread enough we may even end up with some famous Charly's Challengers!!!!
Take care, and remember to try everything you see at home!
Friday, 21 March 2008
Charly Challenged Me!
So ... Challenge Charly is GO!
We've got the You Tube page -
http://uk.youtube.com/user/challengecharly
The Facebook Group -
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8905359430&ref=mf
And a special Facebook Group JUST for Challengers who complete a challenge with Charly -
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11745157015&ref=mf
We're getting 'Charly Challenged Me!' t-shirts made for all Challengers, and they will be specific to the challenge you complete, and we're even thinking of getting medals made like Jim'll Fix It!!!
The whole point is that it is interractive - you guys suggest the challenges, and either watch me complete them, or take part in them with me.
If you have an idea for Challenge Charly then either leave a message here, or on the YouTube or Facebook walls.
Likewise if you'd like to be a challenger, let me know
Charly xxx
We've got the You Tube page -
http://uk.youtube.com/user/challengecharly
The Facebook Group -
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8905359430&ref=mf
And a special Facebook Group JUST for Challengers who complete a challenge with Charly -
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11745157015&ref=mf
We're getting 'Charly Challenged Me!' t-shirts made for all Challengers, and they will be specific to the challenge you complete, and we're even thinking of getting medals made like Jim'll Fix It!!!
The whole point is that it is interractive - you guys suggest the challenges, and either watch me complete them, or take part in them with me.
If you have an idea for Challenge Charly then either leave a message here, or on the YouTube or Facebook walls.
Likewise if you'd like to be a challenger, let me know
Charly xxx
Rome Marathon
Hi everyone
Challenge Charly is now truly up and running.
Last Sunday was the first proper challenge - the Rome Marathon, and with 4 'Challengers' - Amy, Amy, Mel and Jo - I successfully completed the challenge.
The run was pretty hard - the start of the race was far warmer than any heat I'd been training in in England, and I'm pretty sure I was glowing bright red for at least the first hour.
I fell into time quite comfortably with the 4hr 30 pacemakers, and was looking set to break the 5hr barrier (I ran the Paris Marathon in 5hrs 9 mins 3 years ago), until just after 10 miles a backwards runner tripped me up.
Backwards running is something of a new craze - no doubt a future Challenge Charly will be based around the phenomenon!
Anyway, this guy crashed straight into me and sent me flying across the Roman cobbles. I cut my hand, bruised my elbow, and fell really hard onto my knee, which is now a pleasant shade of green!
I luckily only slightly scratched the video camera I was running with, but as a result took the brunt of the impact myself.
I walked for a few minutes, and I thought I wouldn't be able to carry on because I was in so much pain.
I ran to the Half Marathon point but by then my knee was throbbing, and my internal voice was starting to get a bit negative.
It's far easier to give up when you're doing something on your own, and thus you are the only person who you need to convince to stop.
Luckily at just the right point, when I needed 'another voice', I met Thomaso.
Thom was in his 50s, an Italian from Rome, who had children my age, and who had run over 25 Marathons.
He explained how he was running a km, walking a km, and asked if I would like to join him.
At first I thought I'd just stick with him for a couple of k, but in fact his form of Scout's pace was perfect and I walked/ran with him for about 12 kms.
Just before the Collosseum I met up with Amy and then Mel, and we all finished within a minute of each other - 5 hrs 6 minutes.
Jo finished about 15 minutes later, and Amy I we discovered, finished half an hour ahead.
I'm not going to say it was easy by any means, but the biggest challenge is definitely overcoming your own doubts.
A positive mental attitude is by far the greatest weapon when it comes to endurance tests like the Marathon - some of the girls had only been training for 6 weeks, and Jo only decided to sign up the morning beforehand!
I think if I get up to full fitness, and train properly, I could run a Marathon in 4 hrs, but for now, the next challenge is to complete one in under 5 hrs, ideally in 4 and a half.
There are whisperings of the Athens and Milan Marathons in November, and I'm also keen to run at least a Half Marathon dressed as a big fluffy mascot!
Challenge Charly is now truly up and running.
Last Sunday was the first proper challenge - the Rome Marathon, and with 4 'Challengers' - Amy, Amy, Mel and Jo - I successfully completed the challenge.
The run was pretty hard - the start of the race was far warmer than any heat I'd been training in in England, and I'm pretty sure I was glowing bright red for at least the first hour.
I fell into time quite comfortably with the 4hr 30 pacemakers, and was looking set to break the 5hr barrier (I ran the Paris Marathon in 5hrs 9 mins 3 years ago), until just after 10 miles a backwards runner tripped me up.
Backwards running is something of a new craze - no doubt a future Challenge Charly will be based around the phenomenon!
Anyway, this guy crashed straight into me and sent me flying across the Roman cobbles. I cut my hand, bruised my elbow, and fell really hard onto my knee, which is now a pleasant shade of green!
I luckily only slightly scratched the video camera I was running with, but as a result took the brunt of the impact myself.
I walked for a few minutes, and I thought I wouldn't be able to carry on because I was in so much pain.
I ran to the Half Marathon point but by then my knee was throbbing, and my internal voice was starting to get a bit negative.
It's far easier to give up when you're doing something on your own, and thus you are the only person who you need to convince to stop.
Luckily at just the right point, when I needed 'another voice', I met Thomaso.
Thom was in his 50s, an Italian from Rome, who had children my age, and who had run over 25 Marathons.
He explained how he was running a km, walking a km, and asked if I would like to join him.
At first I thought I'd just stick with him for a couple of k, but in fact his form of Scout's pace was perfect and I walked/ran with him for about 12 kms.
Just before the Collosseum I met up with Amy and then Mel, and we all finished within a minute of each other - 5 hrs 6 minutes.
Jo finished about 15 minutes later, and Amy I we discovered, finished half an hour ahead.
I'm not going to say it was easy by any means, but the biggest challenge is definitely overcoming your own doubts.
A positive mental attitude is by far the greatest weapon when it comes to endurance tests like the Marathon - some of the girls had only been training for 6 weeks, and Jo only decided to sign up the morning beforehand!
I think if I get up to full fitness, and train properly, I could run a Marathon in 4 hrs, but for now, the next challenge is to complete one in under 5 hrs, ideally in 4 and a half.
There are whisperings of the Athens and Milan Marathons in November, and I'm also keen to run at least a Half Marathon dressed as a big fluffy mascot!
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Introducing Challenge Charly!
Hello and welcome to Challenge Charly.
CC is an online VLOG, accessible on You Tube at www.uk.youtube/challengecharly which follows my adventures around the world and in the UK.
The whole point of Challenge Charly is to inspire normal people to try abnormal and daunting challenges.
The world has countless opportunities to offer .... go out and make the most of them.
I've already uploaded some footage from Everest Base Camp, which I hiked to over Christmas and New Year, and over the next few months I will be running the Rome Marathon, climbing to Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, and visiting AIDS orphans in South Africa.
Stay tuned, and remember to try this at home!!
CC is an online VLOG, accessible on You Tube at www.uk.youtube/challengecharly which follows my adventures around the world and in the UK.
The whole point of Challenge Charly is to inspire normal people to try abnormal and daunting challenges.
The world has countless opportunities to offer .... go out and make the most of them.
I've already uploaded some footage from Everest Base Camp, which I hiked to over Christmas and New Year, and over the next few months I will be running the Rome Marathon, climbing to Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, and visiting AIDS orphans in South Africa.
Stay tuned, and remember to try this at home!!
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