Number 5 - climb Ben Nevis

No, I haven't completed an item yet, but I have been thinking a lot about this one.
This is the thing on my list that will take the most time to be able to do.

A novice mountain walker should not attempt to climb Ben Nevis between November and May. So really that puts this year out of the running. This gives me plenty of time to plan and get fit enough to complete the walk and hopefully do it next summer.

I've been looking at general ways of getting fitter and stair climbing is great for mountain walk training so I'm going to ditch the lifts and escalators and try and always take the stairs. I'll be able to track my progress with my faithful Fitbit. Looking at my fitbit reports, I average 16 flights of stairs a day at the moment so I'll increase this and see if I see any improvement in my fitness - this is just the start!

40 things to do before I'm 40 - The start of something exciting

In June this year it was my 37th Birthday (eek!). It was also the day I had quite a big operation on my shoulder - great Birthday present eh?!

Well as I was lying recovering one day the following week I decided I wanted to create a list of things I would like to do before I am 40.

It's taken me nearly a month to finalise my list. I kept adding and taking things off until I got it just right!

So here goes, I'm putting it out there and I have 2 years 11 months to achieve as many as I can and have a great time along the way.

1.     Drink cocktails under the stars

2.     Have a weekend camping in a Yurt

3.     See the Aurora Borealis

4.     Watch a movie at a drive-in theatre

5.     Climb Ben Nevis

6.     Go up in a hot air balloon

7.     Sing songs around a camp fire

8.     Go swimming at midnight

9.     See a Broadway show in Manhattan

10.   Go kayaking

11.   Go hiking in Yellowstone National Park

12.   Witness a geyser eruption

13.   Hunt for the Loch Ness Monster

14.   Walk part of Hadrian’s Wall

15.   Learn Yoga

16.   Raise a flag

17.   Visit each street sign and station on the Monopoly board

18.   Eat an Arbroath smokie in Arbroath

19.   See Killer whales in the wild

20.  Eat an ice-cream sundae at an ice-cream parlour

21.   Get a job (hopefully one I enjoy!)

22.  Go stargazing somewhere special

23.  Visit a waterfall

24.  Make a home improvement

25.  Enjoy a canal boat day trip with all the family

26.  Fly 1^st class

27.  Watch the sun rise and set in one day

28.  Go dog-sledding

29.  Take part in a midnight walk

30.  Visit central Park and eat at The Boat-House

31.   Have afternoon tea at a castle

32.  Enter Bryce in a dog show

33.  Visit a lighthouse

34.  Go (window) shopping on Rodeo Drive

35.  Visit a vineyard in California

36.  Visit a country I’ve not yet been to

37.  Grow vegetables in our garden (more than Tomatoes!)

38.  Attend the Pudding Club

39.  Sleep in a Tree House

40.  Meet John Mayer

 I will of course update my blog along the way hopefully with lots of photos!

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