Why on earth ?

We'll all think it a few times, certainly those around us voice it quite regularly and randoms who find out what we are about to go and do definitely ask it - Why on earth ?....... Life is too short to not know what you can do. There you go, that is my answer.

It's all about the journey, Jerome is the man for journeying with. Best teammate ever - positive attitude, very rarely gets phased and maintains group harmony even when cooked. You need someone like that. Everyone is different and has different foibles. Jill is unstoppable, goes and goes usually with a smile. Dave trucks along displaying his normal grim humour and determination. I whinge a lot but am really enjoying myself. I sometimes even laugh you know!

So the journey is a long one, along the way we'll probably do 5 marathon distances on foot, we'll bike the equivalent of 2.5 times round Lake Taupo and we'll likely climb (and descend) the equivalent of Everest and a half over the race. Oh and of course we'll paddle what are in essence large inflatable rafts from Wellington to Masterton and back to Martinborough. Whereupon we won't have a glass of wine. No, we will sleep where we can , when we can, normally huddled together to keep the cold away for an hour. Or we'll cram 4 sweaty, minging, people into a 2 man tent which is always an enjoyable experience. 10 minutes sleep can feel like the best thing ever. Unless someone (not naming names Jerome...) has a "Russell" moment and uses a foil blanket whereupon you lie still seething for half and hour listening to him snoring. Then get up, get back on your bike and promptly fall asleep.

We'll laugh, we'll really really not laugh sometimes, sometimes we'll be a wee bit lost, usually we'll know where we are. We will eat anything and everything. A shop will be like some sort of miracle and a decent coffee is almost something that reduces grown men (Dave) to tears.

The strangest thing about it is that I am massively looking forward to it as usual. Not sure what that says about my state of mind generally.