<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</p> <p>On Friday 17th February I fly to Tanzania to face one of the biggest challenges of my life - to climb all 1,9340 feet or 5950 metres of Mount kilimanjaro (the highest point in Africa and over four times the size of Ben Nevis).</p> <p>So folks I have been back from the mountain for 3 weeks. What an experience. The toughest, most exhilitarting, most humbling, most amazing trip of my life. It makes me chuckle now to think I hadn't really wanted to go. Sometimes Andy, you know me better than I know myself. Thank you so much for sending me on the best adventure ever.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It was my first visit to Tanzania and what a beuatiful country it is. The Tanzanians are blessed in many ways and they appreciate the wonder and value that having Africa's highest mountain brings them. It was a priviledge to meet so many wonderful Tanazanians on my travels and share the wonder of Kili with them. The people I met were proud, intelligent, respectful and kind. They looked after all of us in our group so well and their knowledge of the mountain and the of country was impressive.</p> <p>They know their country inside out, even the parts they are not from and the places they have not visited. And they know the mountain like an old friend.. I cant thank the guides and porters enough for making our trip up Kili so special.</p> <p>Many of you will know by now that I sadly didn't quite make it to the summit. On the day the altitude just got to me and I had to turn back 400 metres from the top. Breathing at 5,500 meters above sea level is probably the biggest physical challenge I have ever had to endure and nothing can quite prepare you for it.</p> <p>My brilliant, loving and loyal team mates however, were successful and have kindly shared their photos and summit stories with me so I almost feel as if I made it too. Maybe one day I'll get back to Kili to try again.</p> <p>Truely I can't recommend this week in mountain wilderness enough. If you dont mind a spot of camping, a major carb diet, all weather conditions, including blizzards, hail storms and the tropics, pooping in the open, travelling with strangers who will become best friends, crazy altitude dreams, hysterical humour, a milky way sky that's beyond your wildest dreams, and big old walks for hours and hours every day book the trip. Book it now. And if you do, get yourself a Just Giving page and try to raise a few bob for someone or some cause. It was certainly motivating for me to think people back home were donating to raise money for Avert.</p> <p>&nbsp;So far I've raised nearly &pound;400 but I'd like to reach my target of &pound;1000 for one of the world's best AIDS charities - Avert. Please give what you can.</p> <p>Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving &ndash; they&rsquo;ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they&rsquo;ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it&rsquo;s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</p> <p>So please dig deep and donate now.</p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p>Amy</p> <p>x</p>