Departure day is almost here. My journey from Pembrokeshire starts tomorrow, but I will not reach Southern Chile until Monday the 2nd of Jan. Getting to this stage has taken a lot of hard work and organisation and my thanks go once again to Cherry and Liz for helping me get this far. I would also like to thank Elvira Watts who has attached my corporate sponsor’s logos to my kit. You will see who these are elsewhere on the website.

Also thanks to everyone who has made donations through the website so far, these are trickling in but now that I am actually leaving, please, please make a donation for Teenage Cancer Trust, which is a really worthy cause.

Everything is ready for my departure. My kit is sorted, I have a satellite phone and all the travel arrangements are in place. I leave tomorrow morning and will spend a quiet New Year’s Eve in an hotel in Heathrow with Pamela. I then fly out of UK on Sunday via USA to Southern Chile.

I am feeling – anxious, excited and very focused and really just want to get on with it after all the preparation. I will be endeavouring to post more regular blogs during my trek to keep everyone updated. Next time will be from foreign climes!

Me leaving the office for the last time before my trek