Yesterday we had our first Great Wall experience and what an amazing day! It took me 5 hours and literally one step at a time but it's done! I am having a rest day today so I can rejoin the group tomorrow for the next leg. This is why we're here!! My Facebook page is public while I am away if you want to check out the rest of the pics 😁
Yesterday we had our first Great Wall experience and what an amazing day! It took me 5 hours and literally one step at a time but it's done! I am having a rest day today so I can rejoin the group tomorrow for the next leg. This is why we're here!!
Tomorrow is the day I depart for Beijing! This week of preparation has been overwhelming but once I finished work I have been getting everything organised. My bags are packed and I'm ready to head to Auckland in the morning. I meet the group in Beijing on Saturday night and then we're into the tour proper! Here we go!!
Have a fantastic trip Candice! I can't wait to see some photos and hear how it went.
All the best with your amazing trip. We will all be thinking of you XXX. Cheers Jenny
Just 15 days until I depart for Beijing! I have had my flu, tetanus, typhoid and Hepatitis A vaccinations and now just working through the final preparations. Still walking but have cut down on my activity as work is crazy busy right up until I go. Check out my t shirts from Stroke Aotearoa NZ for the trip. Final countdown here we go!!
Oscar and I have been mixing up the training lately. Last weekend we conquered the bird walk in Whakatāne which locals will know has endless stairs! 😂 I was tired afterwards but pretty pleased with my fitness and recovery levels. With approx 6 weeks left to departure I am finalizing things for my first aid kit and my day pack now. Will sort my vaccinations and then it's the final countdown 😊 my thanks again to you all and I am very grateful for all the support I have received to get me there!
We are approximately 7 weeks out from departing for Beijing and the Great Wall. My workplace has organized a community relay walk day as one of my final fundraisers for the trip. I'm getting a little anxious now but here we go!
My flights and travel insurance have been booked today! I'm off to China baby!! How exciting and terrifying at the same time 🤣
Way to go girlfriend. You are going to have the most amazing time :-)
I have extended the closing date for this page to coincide with the donations closing for Stroke Aotearoa NZ, the final amount will then be transferred to the total amount raised for them.
The weather over the last week or so has been a bit hit and miss with the rain! So on my way home from work in Te Puke on Tuesday I stopped in Whakatāne as usual to do my walk. I managed about 6km and got soaked, but I think my inner child enjoyed it anyway.
Last night Oscar and I went for an evening walk to the beach. I managed to make it down onto the beach with him and then back up onto the dunes to go home after. With difficulty still but another small win for me. Our Summer evenings are so enjoyable at the beach! We really are grateful to live close enough to walk out there.
Oscar and I completed the 5km walk yesterday in Ōhope beach with lots of whānau there in support. A stifling hot afternoon then turned to cold and rainy but we are proud of ourselves for crossing the finish line. Dead last but still we did it. Oscar enjoyed his first event even though he stayed with me throughout at the back of the pack. Body is a little tired today but not too bad at all.
Oscar and I (some days only I 🤣) continue with the daily walks and I climb these stairs a minimum of 10 times a day when I am in the office. My weak leg will definitely be pushed to it's limits in China so strength training is the focus for February. The stairs on the wall will be many and steep so I'm trying to fit in as much practice as possible around everything else!!
The daily walking continues around work and now school as Oscar returned to Term One at Ōpōtiki Primary School today. He took this photo of me while we were walking out to the beach last week so I could provide a pic for the newspaper that will be published soon. Next month I intend to add more stairs and squats as I work to strengthen myself further for the Great Wall
Your have such strength. You are an amazing achiever :-)
Kia ora everyone. On our regular daily walks, we are trying to mix up the difficulty, I am adding stairs where possible, so last week while we were in Whakatāne we got up the stairs behind The Strand. Whakatāne locals know these stairs by The Rock Pit well 🤣 I haven't been up these since before the stroke and it was a whole new world of difficulty! But we did it!
Kia ora everyone, just updating on how the training is going - Oscar and I have been walking everyday this year. We are on track to reach 150km overall for the month of January. I will try and remember to update regularly with a pic from our walks in case you want to follow our journey to prepare for China. Here's our pic from yesterday, we didn't get out until late, but we managed to capture a beautiful sunset as we got back to the car.
Hi everyone, I hope you have or are having a fabulous holiday season! My travel deposit was paid in December and my place on the trip has been secured. The donations received so far will cover the January instalment, then we will be at the halfway point for the tour costs. Fundraising for the Stroke Foundation begins proper in the new year and I will be in full swing to make it happen. Here's to 2025 goals. Happy New Year and my thanks again for your support ❤️ Candice
Many thanks for your generous donations!
Progress is underway to achieve this goal, my mum has very generously donated the cost of my passport renewal and I hope to have saved enough to be able to register to secure my spot by paying my travel deposit this week. Donations already received will then be used each month towards the monthly instalments to cover the rest of the tour expenses.
