My Second Trek in Iceland for Macmillam Cancer support - 2002

Having spent nine days in the freezing cold and hideously wet wilderness of Iceland’s interior the previous summer you would not have thought that I would have made the same foolish mistake again. But here I was packed and ready to leave once again. This time with what I thought would be a better waterproof jacket, good walking boots and the benefit of experience.

Waiting in the departures area of Heathrow’s terminal two, I felt the same twinges of nervous excitement but it was different this time, I was a pro as far as the others saw me and I was the only participant to be returning to Iceland.  You might ask why was I doing it all again.  It was difficult to put my finger on the exact reason but I had meet so many people who had benefited from Macmillan’s wonderful services. The year’s fund raising had been fun too, I had started organising stalls at local carnivals and had my first mega BBQ in the garden. In Iceland, I hadn't completed the route yet either and just possibly the weather would be better in July. My final reason was a logistical one:  I work as a teaching assistant in a local school and I had to take my holiday in the summer break. This trek was in the first week of the holidays and so it was the only one that I could take part in.

My First Iceland trek for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2001.

So, there we were ready, packed and one hundred percent panic stricken. I had bought my kit and hoped it would do the job, keeping me warm and dry for the coming week. The kit consisted of a warm sleeping bag, foam roll mat, waterproofs and a small rucksack for day use. My five Macmillan T shirts came a few days before I left, so I packed them along with the things that had already been packed and waiting in the corner for at least a month.