Nanou's gonna walk 17 miles, CONFIDENT!

[Nanou1973]

Please tell me I've totally lost my marbles this time, because I've accepted to volunteer to walk 17 MILES with my colleagues, stepping in for someone who couldn't make it. The walk will take place tomorrow night, all night long all around London.

I have never done this before in my life, and I am totally unprepared, so I hope I won't collapse or something! :D

Anyway, it's for a good cause, a charity that helps patients live with cancer. http://www.maggiescentres.org

I'll think about my mum while walking the distance. She's had a tumor removed this summer and is now recovering from it.

I don't have the sponsorhip link here with me, but I promise to post it here tomorrow.

Thanks for your support! :)

[Ramsay]

Nice one Nanou, hope it goes well :) :cool:

[Nanou1973]

Thanks Ramsay!
I bought a new pair of "walk-friendly" trainers tonight, so no doubt they'll get baptised tomorrow hehehe

It will be fun. London is so nice at night, and we'll all have access to buildings not normally opened to the public. It's exciting!

[Justin]

17 miles, you'll do that easy as!!!

Good luck Nanou, it shouldnt be too hard and its for a good cause :) Well done!

[Lady Di]

Like I told you everywhere else Nanou - My prayers are with you!! Report back, ya hear!!

[Nick]

Its for a good cause. So goodluck just try to enjoy it as much as possible :)

[Nanou1973]

Thanks guys! it's great to know you're thinking of me.

I've got the link for our team's sponsorship (I'm replacing Paul, who can't make it). http://www.justgiving.com/codbums

The aim of Maggie's Centres is to help people with cancer to be as healthy in mind and body as possible and enable them to make their own contribution to their medical treatment and recovery. These centres allow people to address all aspects of living with cancer. They can share their experiences with others in similar situations and, with professional help, inform themselves about the medical realities of their disease.

If any of you would like to sponsor us we would be very grateful. Any amount will be fab but please do not feel you have to.

Thank you!

[Nanou1973]

That's it! I've crossed the finish line this morning at about 6h30 am.

I started the walk at 10 pm the previous day, along with 2,000 participants. We followed a route circling London from East to West and back, stopping along the way in buildings exceptionally opened for us for a rest, a drink, a bar of chocolate and to go to the bathroom. :)

The highlight of the night was a round trip on the ferris wheel "the London Eye". It was soooo wonderful. We were actually the first people allowed to do it by night. Then we walked by the river Thames, to the City Hall, and then crossed Tower Bridge to link back to the starting point at the Guildhall.

I took many pictures along the way. I'll post them below.

I'm aching, I'm tired, but I've had a brilliant time. :)

[Nanou1973]

PICTURES

the London Eye & Westminster:

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9048/londoneyewestminsterej7.jpg

the Royal Albert Hall:

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/1053/royalalberthallsp2.jpg

(my favourite pics) Tower Bridge:

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/977/towerbridgemh4.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4719/towerbridge2mp3.jpg

[Nanou1973]

and this is a statue located in the Wellcome Trust building:

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1619/wellcometruststatue2ev5.jpg

[Nanou1973]

and that's the itinerary map:

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/8964/hikemap2gq2.jpg

[Lady Di]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW, you put some grand photos up Nanou. I hope you are getting your rest b/c via that map... you did some serious steppin'. Excellent job girl, I am very proud of your accomplishment.

Thank you loads for those tooo awesome pix.

[in xs]

yeah thay realy ar good london looks cool funny that iv neva bein there da4 seenin that its like 5es to fly overa
any well does nanou!!!!
IN XS

[Nanou1973]

I am recovering, but I am NOT going to step outside until monday morning, because it's so painful to walk!

It's a lot better than it was this morning though. I did as much as I could on the train, and then took a taxi.

Tonight I will sleep really well!

[in xs]

I am recovering, but I am NOT going to step outside until monday morning, because it's so painful to walk!

It's a lot better than it was this morning though. I did as much as I could on the train, and then took a taxi.

Tonight I will sleep really well!

yeah for sure but i hate that feelin whan you cant walk its so poo

[Nanou1973]

at the moment, I'm selecting more great pictures from the sets I took, and this is another very nice one...it's Westminster/houses of parliament/Big Ben viewed from the ferris wheel "London Eye"

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/2439/westminster2zh6.jpg

[Ramsay]

I had to walk 16 miles with a backpack on with alotta **** in them once, over hills. I had ball rash for about a month :( You done us proud Nanou, well done :cool:

[Lady Di]

Ball Rash - awwwww..... damn Ramsay that sounds like it hurts.

Hey Nanou - I saw that last photo in V for Vendetta, yes? They ended up blowing it up. Anyways, 'nother nice pic.

[Ramsay]

Yeah real good pics, London looks like a cool place :cool:

[Nanou1973]

LOL I know what you mean Ramsay!
I had pain everywhere at some point LOL

[Nanou1973]

More pictures by night, the river Thames:

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/7900/londonbynighttd2.jpg

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/192/londonbynight2fc0.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9840/hungerfordbridgebj4.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8219/londonbynight3hq4.jpg

[Nanou1973]

and that's the start/finish line, the Guildhall (in the east end of London):

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/957/theguildhallcv3.jpg

[Ro$$hi]

i cant beleive u did it.....i struggle to walk from my bedroom to the kitchen....but then again im just plain lazy....congratulations :p

[Justin]

London looks awesome at night, do they usually have those buildings and bridge lit up like that all the time, or is it just on special occasions?

[Lady Di]

I love other peoples photos. Nanou - these are just beautiful. I want to come to London. Have a few people I have met thru all the sites that live there or near.

Justin - I bet it is b/c cities here in the USA with notable momuments stay lit all nite for night tourists as well.

[Ramsay]

Yeah they're always lit up, dont think there was any special holidays when these photos were being taken. Its the British version of the city that never sleeps :cool:

[Nanou1973]

Yeah they're always lit up like this.
However, I was surprised that some key monuments & sites like the St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London were very very badly lit at night. The Tower isn't lit at all as a matter of fact. I found that very strange, since they're some of the most famous landmarks.

[Lady Di]

Interesting Nanou. I thought all Cathedrals stayed well lit 24/7/366.

Hey, I brought some scenery to you under two topics. Look in 'Intro Yo'self' under Ordiance's post and then look under Xzibit's 'CSI Miami' - epsecially. ;)