Diary Disaster Strikes!!

So it's definitely Challenge Month, if ever there was one in particular, here at Challenge Charly!

I started the month wakeboarding, then it was straight off to Southampton to learn how to sail a yacht.

The plan for the rest of the month includes zorbing, bushcraft, the London to Brighton cycle ride, and a Pirate Rampage, amongst other challenges!

But there are definite downsides to cramming my days full ... namely diary malfunctions! Basically without realising I booked myself in two places at the same time - on Friday I was sailing, and also meant to be driving to Wales for the start of a Mountain Leadership course. By the time I realised it was 11pm, and I was going to have to wake up at 4am in order to drive over to Snowdonia in time for the start of the course.

Total nightmare! After 6 sleepless nights in a very uncomfortable cabin there was nowhere I was going to be able to function, let alone drive! on just 4 hours of sleep. And so ... I'm not in Wales. Which is really gutting, not only financially as I lose all the fees I paid for the course, but also, because I've got about 4 spare days between now and November, I can't do my training course before my assessment week in October.

Eeek ... looks like that's one challenge which is going to be delayed :(

Ah well, on a brighter side, it looks like the CC website should be up and running really really soon, and hopefully this impromptu extra week will allow me to cram in an extra couple of challenges :)

As ever - give me challenges!! and volunteer to be a challenger!

Charly xxx

Watery Challenges!

As promised I am attempting to write this blog a bit more frequently.

So ... I am on Day One of Challenge 10 - Learning to Sail. I'm still aching from Challenge 9 - Learning to Wakeboard, and I didn't even technically wakeboard! I spent two hours being dragged around on a knee board. I'm definitely looking forward to getting up on my feet though, and getting behind a boat!

But for now I'm on a boat. I'm down in Southampton doing my Royal Yachting Association 'Competent Crew' qualification, well technically I'm now in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, after my first day of sailing. The weather has been pretty bleak - grey and rainy, but no wind! Hardly ideal for sailing, but have learnt heaps already - SO much to remember!

So far I think my most successful part has been navigation, which is a relief, as I'm doing my Mountain Leadership training next week and I have a feeling map reading and compass bearings are going to feature highly during that.

By the looks of things June is going to be a really exciting month. In addition to the two courses I've already mentioned, I'm also doing a Bushcraft course, and I have lots of random day challenges planned. Hopefully should be squeezing in indoor sky diving, zorbing and ice-climbing either this month or next month. I've also signed up for the Leukemia Research and 'Banana Man Chase', Pirate Rampage in Dorset.

The most exciting thing has been a spontaneous last minute challenge which I'm really excited about - a friend from school who I literally haven't seen for at least 6 years messaged me on Facebook to ask if I'd like to join her on the Brighton to London cycle ride! So I now have just 2 weeks until I'm cycling in the 54 mile race :) Brilliant! That is JUST what Challenge Charly is all about - you guys challenging me, and ideally joining me on the challenges.

At the moment I am especially looking for challengers to join me doing the Three Peaks Challenge - Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, all within 24 hours. I'll be doing the walk the first weekend of August - if you fancy joining me, either message me on the blog, or on YouTube, or via the Facebook group.


And if a random challenge has just sprung to mind, then let me know! I get inspiration for challenges everywhere! ... literally 2 days ago I caught a clip of Jordan and Peter Andre doing the Rally Master challenge at Brands Hatch and it looks brilliant! Just trying to work out when I can fit it in :)

Charly xxx