Rewind South Festival - One Day Pass

Up bright and early, although I was a bit tired to be honest after the late night last night. Got myself sorted and then John and Pauline arrived and we caught the bus into town.

No problems with that and we actually managed to get an earlier train to change at Reading, which sounded great until we missed the connection by about 30 seconds! Got the next one to Twyford and then managed to miss the connecting train there by about 10 seconds. Pissed off by that!

So we snoozed on the platform while gradually more and more people arrived, clearly heading to the festival. The camping chairs were a dead giveaway!

Eventually we got the train and arrived at Henley at about 11.30am. Went straight to the Wetherspoons, The Catherine Wheel, for breakfast and our first pint of the day.

We then set off for the festival and recorded the time as we knew the last train home was 11.30pm, so we obviously wanted to make sure we didn't miss it. The walk was about 30 minutes along the riverside, although it was a bit of a false timing as I was marching along at my usual pace. I definitely wouldn't be walking that quickly on the way home!

Got into the festival without any problems. They didn't check the bags, which was a bit disappointing really as we'd made absolutely no attempt to smuggle alcohol in! 😂

Once inside, we wandered around and it was actually quite sobering to see how small it was. One main stage, a smaller stage down by the river and the disco tent. Compared with what we'd got used to at Latitude, this was tiny.

There were loads of food stalls, which seemed to be the main thing, along with the bars and various clothes shops and other bits and pieces.

We got a drink and relaxed in the sunshine, doing a bit of people watching. Had another drink, wandered off to the toilets and noticed there was quite a crowd starting to gather around the main stage, so we thought we'd better get ourselves in there and find somewhere.

We needn't have worried.

The "chair police" had done their job admirably and there was loads of room for people standing. We found a central spot near the back of the standing area, put our rug down and that was our base for the day sorted.

It worked brilliantly. We had somewhere to sit and relax, but it was easy enough to get out to the side for drinks, food or toilets and get back again. Perfect.

We then settled in and waited for the music.

We noticed loads of people wandering around wearing Christmas hats, but even when Slade came on it didn't really register why. Then, about ten minutes before the inevitable moment, it suddenly dawned on us.

"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day."

Of course!

There were people dressed up specifically for this one song and when it came on everyone absolutely lost it. There were even two snow machines firing fake snow into the crowd. All of this in the middle of a hot, sunny August afternoon.

Completely surreal.

And absolutely brilliant. 😂

Then the music really started for us. Toploader were good, Louise was enjoyable and then Trevor Horn Band came on, who I was particularly looking forward to. They absolutely didn't disappoint. I saw them at Cornbury years ago and loved them then, and this was another fantastic set.

Then Soul II Soul, Bow Wow Wow and Blancmange. For Blancmange I moved right up towards the front and got properly immersed in it. They were brilliant and I really enjoyed their short set.

We grabbed some food and then it was time for the big guns.

Roland Gift from Fine Young Cannibals, Kim Wilde and then the ones we were really there for...

The Human League.

They were great. Absolutely loved them.

By now the time was ticking on, so just before the very end of their set we decided to start making our way out. We walked along the river with The Human League still playing in the background, which was actually a really nice way to finish.

I don't remember too much about the journey home. 😂

Yes, I'd had a lot to drink, but I wasn't stupidly drunk like I normally am at festivals, and somehow we managed to get all the trains we needed before eventually getting a cab from Oxford station.

We got home about 1.30am.

What a great day. Really, really enjoyable, and actually doing it as a day pass worked brilliantly.

End of Day Summary

Rewind South was a belter. Small festival, easy to get around, great atmosphere and, most importantly, a fantastic run of bands that were absolutely our sort of thing.

Trevor Horn Band and Blancmange were particular highlights for me, but finishing the day with Kim Wilde and The Human League was exactly what we'd hoped for.

And Christmas in August with Slade and fake snow while sitting in the sunshine? Bloody brilliant.

A long day, plenty of beer and a late finish, but definitely worth it.

London – O2 Up at the Dome - 30th Birthday Celebrations have started

Worked in the morning and got myself up to date before we picked up Charlotte and headed over to Oxford Parkway. We were stressing a bit about catching the 2.20pm train, but got there with about 15 minutes to spare, so grabbed a coffee and settled down on the platform.

And waited.

And waited.

There were safety checks going on and the train was delayed, so we were starting to get a bit anxious. Thankfully, around 3.00pm it eventually arrived and we got ourselves a seat. At Bicester Village, Katie and Jess got on and we continued into London, Marylebone.

We cracked open a couple of cocktail tins and a bottle of fizz on the way, which made the journey go a bit quicker!

Once we arrived at Marylebone we had a really straightforward journey across to the O2, which was great. We had loads of time, so as planned we found somewhere to eat and settled on TGI Fridays.

Nice food, the girls had cocktails and I had a couple of beers. Nobody bothered with dessert apart from Katie, who had the birthday one — and was suitably embarrassed when the staff all came over and sang Happy Birthday to her!

Once we'd finished we wandered around for a while before making our way to the O2 Experience office.

And then it dawned on us exactly what we were about to do...

We were going to walk over the top of the Millennium Dome!

This was a joint present/experience in that Katie was 30 earlier in the week and Chalotte is going to be 30 next month - so this is signing off Katie's celebrations and starting Charlotte's!!

We got our gear on and joined a group of about 25 people. We started the climb, which is pretty steep initially but soon levels out, and then made our way across the top of the dome.

It was really good fun. Not remotely scary or particularly challenging, but we were very lucky with the weather. It was clear and we could see for miles across London, so there was loads to look at.

When we reached the summit there's a flat area where you take off your harness and gear and have a drink while a DJ plays music. We'd deliberately chosen the 7.00pm slot so we'd be up there for sunset, and that worked brilliantly.

It was really, really enjoyable. Just a lovely experience, sitting on top of the O2, music playing and watching the sun go down across London. Not something you get to do every day!

Eventually it was time to head back down the other side, and before long we'd completed the whole thing.

We got the Tube back and I was tempted to stop for another drink, but probably a good thing we didn't. We caught the 9.30pm train back to Oxford Parkway, dropped Charl home and eventually got back to ours around 11.30pm.

And we've got another long day tomorrow!

End of day summary

That was really good fun. The O2 climb is one of those experiences that sounds much more exciting and terrifying than it actually is, but that's not a criticism — it's just a genuinely enjoyable thing to do.

The sunset made it particularly good and the clear weather meant we got some fantastic views across London.

The girls all seemed to really enjoy it too, which was the main thing.

Originally we'd planned to drive down, which is why I was involved and already had a ticket, but getting the train was definitely the better idea. No driving, we could have a few drinks and it made the whole evening much more relaxed.

Glad I went. Another good little London adventure.

Evening meet up with Brett

After work today, Tash and I drove out to Lechlade to pick up Brett, as he's over here at the moment and we wouldn't be able to see him tomorrow because we're in London.

Charlotte and Miles were already at the pub where we'd arranged to meet — The Trout Inn — so we went in and found our reserved table. Really quaint pub, proper village feel to it.

We ordered some food and drinks and then basically chatted solidly for the next three hours. It was really, really interesting, as it always is with Brett. There's just so much to talk about and he hasn't changed — still absolutely full of life and positivity.

At some point Charl and Miles asked him to come to their wedding, and then asked if he'd be able to officiate the ceremony if he thinks he's going to be over here in the UK at the time.

You can imagine how delighted he was about that, and of course his immediate answer was "Yes". It would be brilliant if he can do it.

There are some concerns about his health, though, and I couldn't help noticing that he referred to his own mortality a few times during the evening. He was also much more "thankful to God" than I've ever known him to be, which is unusual for Brett, but then it's hardly surprising given everything he's been through with the cancer. Hopefully he'll be fit and well enough to make it over for the wedding because it would make it even more special.

He'd also brought over some World War One diaries written by my Great Grandad, Frank Cane. I can't wait to get the chance to read through them properly. His handwriting was absolutely exquisite — it's amazing to have something like that actually written by him and still in existence all these years later.

Around 10.00pm we decided we'd better call it a night, said our goodbyes and dropped Brett off at the place he's staying with a chap called Roger, who seems like a really nice bloke.

Then we headed home.

On the drive back we chatted about Melanie dying and Tess and Brendan's lives. They've got quite a complicated family situation going on, and their children seem to have been affected by it all as well. It's a very dysfunctional family unit, if ever I've seen one.

End of day summary

A really enjoyable evening and it was just great to see Brett again. He's been through an awful lot, but somehow he's still Brett — full of life, positivity and enthusiasm.

The wedding conversation was a lovely surprise and it would be fantastic if he's able to officiate for Charl and Miles. Hopefully his health allows him to make the trip because having him there would make the day even more memorable.

And the Great Grandad's diaries are a brilliant bonus. I'm really looking forward to sitting down and reading those when I've got the time.

Good food, good company, loads of conversation and a very welcome catch-up with an old friend.

Portugal – Family Holiday

Had a great week away in Portugal with the family. Really enjoyed it.

On Thursday, Tash, Jack, Mum, and I travelled down to Stansted, with Charl and Miles in their car just ahead of us. I worked in the morning, sitting in the van and then carrying on at the airport until midday, as I was only officially taking the afternoon off. It works really well doing it that way and means I don't have to use a whole day of annual leave just for travelling.

Lewis, Emily and Frankie were travelling the same day too, although they were flying from Manchester.

We all ended up with a two-hour delay, but eventually got to Faro. Then came the airport experience... We spent about an hour waiting around in Customs, which really isn't very good at all. It's disjointed, frustrating and just seems to take forever.

We eventually made it through and somehow managed to get to the hire car pick-up with about 90 seconds to spare! Got the car, Jack took the wheel and we headed off towards the villa, stopping on the way to pick up some food.

The villa was really nice, but by the time we arrived it was late and we were all absolutely shattered. Ate some food, got ourselves sorted and went straight to bed.

The rest of the week was a mixture of doing very little and getting out and about, which I think was exactly what we wanted. We walked around the village, went to the beach, drove out to various towns and generally just enjoyed being somewhere warm and sunny with everyone.

There was, unfortunately, a bit of illness going around. Frankie, Jodie, Jack and Charl all had a bout of sickness, while I ended up with a cough and cold which I'm still only just getting over three weeks later! It did put a bit of a dampener on things at times, with people either missing out on things or just feeling a bit jaded. I certainly fell into the latter category.

Jodie arrived on Saturday morning, which was lovely, while Lewis, Emily and Frankie had to leave on Monday morning. It was a shame they couldn't stay longer, but it was great that they managed to come at all.

So what did we actually do?

Beach meal and sunset
Our first proper evening was a meal at a restaurant overlooking the beach, with a lovely sunset while we ate. A great way to start the holiday.

BBQ at the villa
Had a BBQ at the villa, which was exactly what you want when you've got everyone together in Portugal.

Pool days
Lots of relaxing around the pool during the day. Cards, games on our phones, sleeping, chatting and generally doing very little. Perfect.

Table tennis
Played loads of table tennis with Jack. Unfortunately, he got the better of me nearly every time, although it was bloody hard work in the heat so I'm going to blame that!

Albufeira Old Town
Went into Albufeira Old Town one evening and, bloody hell, it was an eye-opener! Absolutely mental, but also so, so good. I loved it. Neon lights, banging music and loads going on — absolutely right up my street!

Would have liked to go back, although if I'm being honest, I'm probably too old for it now. 😂

Boat trip
Had a private boat trip out to a cove where we drank, ate, relaxed and swam. We all jumped off the boat at various points, which was great fun. One of those days where you just sit there thinking how lucky you are to be doing it.

Carvoeiro
Went out to Carvoeiro one evening and remembered being there a few years ago for Jack's birthday. The place has hardly changed, which was lovely to see.

I was struggling with my cough that evening and was probably a bit grumpy as a result, but it was still really nice to be back there, have some food and listen to the live music.

Back to the beach restaurant
We went back to the same beach restaurant we'd visited on the first night, this time with an actual booking. Another lovely meal watching the sunset.

So we managed to be busy and relaxed at the same time, which I think means we got the balance about right.

The week absolutely flew by, though. That's always the sign of a good holiday, I suppose.

Coming home was straightforward enough and, once again, I managed to work in the van. We hit the road at 12.30pm exactly, which was perfect timing and meant I could get on with some work while everyone else travelled home.

End of week summary

A really good family holiday. It wasn't perfect because of everyone getting ill at various points and my bloody cough hanging around, but those things are difficult to control and certainly didn't spoil it.

We had a good mixture of doing things, going places and just sitting around doing absolutely nothing, and I think that was exactly what we needed.

The boat trip was probably one of the highlights, along with Albufeira Old Town — which I absolutely loved despite probably being about 20 years too old for it! 😂

Most importantly, though, we had everyone together for at least part of the week, and that's what made it special. It's always a bit chaotic getting everyone organised, but once we're there it's great.

Portugal definitely gets another vote from me.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 10 - Last Day

Everyone was awake and getting sorted by about 6.15am for breakfast at 6.30am. We managed to beat the crowds, and it was actually a really good breakfast, with plenty of choice. We all started making cheese and ham sandwiches for later in the day and had them sitting on the tables in front of us when Victor got “caught” and was told that packed lunches weren't allowed. We all immediately looked away, carefully stashed our contraband and left as quickly as possible!

Our last day today, which is a bit of a shame as this has been such a fantastic trip and we've all really enjoyed it. And this last place, La Grande Ourse, has been a great place to spend our final night. It's such a step up from what we've become used to on the trail that it would probably have given us completely unrealistic expectations if we'd stayed somewhere like this every night!

We set off earlier than planned as we were all ready by 7.40am. We walked through the village until we reached a campsite and then started the ascent. We knew we'd be in the shade for the first couple of hours and could see roughly where we'd eventually emerge at the top.

It was through woodland to begin with and, as usual, I soon found myself falling behind. This was definitely a challenging climb as it was another 900m ascent, but the views were too good to complain about, and we just kept going.

We could see a ridge in the distance ahead of us. There was a building sitting up there, and it seemed a very long way away. With only one proper stop, it took us about three hours to get there, winding and zigzagging our way upwards the whole time.

Eventually, we reached the ridge and, as usual, the view made all the hard work worthwhile.

We were looking down into the valley with Chamonix sitting on the valley floor and Mont Blanc and the surrounding range dominating the skyline. Once again, absolutely spectacular. Even better, we could see the area where we'd set off eight days earlier and realise that we'd actually walked right around the back of the entire range.

We'd completed the Tour du Mont Blanc!

We sat there for quite a while taking it all in, taking photos, recording videos and getting plenty of team pictures. It was one of those moments where you just want to sit and absorb everything that's around you rather than immediately rushing off.

Eventually, it was time to start the descent. We followed the ridge for a while, with the Mont Blanc range providing an incredible backdrop behind us, before heading down into the woods.

The descent was another 900m, and this one felt never-ending. It was steep, rocky and full of tree roots, and as we got lower into the valley, the temperature started to rise again. It was exhausting, but we just kept plodding on.

Nearly three hours later, we finally reached the train station that would take us back to Chamonix. There were plenty of hugs and congratulations all round as we realised we'd actually done it. We then jumped on the train for the 20-minute journey back.

A few final photos outside the hotel, and then we got our rooms, went upstairs and basically collapsed!

We sorted our bags, showered and got ourselves ready before heading out again. Tash, Steve, Victor and I met up with Ching, Ang and Tong for a drink and some fries around 4.45pm. Ang and Tong then headed back to their room, while the rest of us went to the Pont Rose restaurant, which was gorgeous.

Manu joined us, followed by Madeline, Mary-Lou and Kathy, and we had a drink together. I paid for this one. It was a bit of an expensive round, but it felt like a nice thing to do after everyone had been so generous throughout the week.

We then headed to the restaurant that Manu had booked for us. It was another really nice place, quite quirky and very French, although expensive! €12 for a pint was enough to make me decline that particular pleasure, although I did have some of the wine that Steve bought.

The food was excellent, and we'd had a whip-round to give Manu a tip. Steve did a lovely little speech, which went down very well and was a fitting way to thank him for getting us around the TMB safely and making the whole experience so enjoyable.

Once we'd finished, the girls and Ching's parents went back to the hotel, but that wasn't the plan for the rest of us.

We headed towards a fete, although the music was jazz and, to be honest, it wasn't particularly good, so we crossed over to the bar opposite the hotel and settled in there instead.

The music was good, the DJ was decent, and it was full of young people having a great time. It was exactly what you'd imagine an après-ski bar to be like, except it was the middle of summer!

Eventually, we decided we'd better call it a night and wandered back to the hotel and off to bed.

What a fantastic break. Absolutely loved it.

End of Day Summary

And that's it. The Tour du Mont Blanc is done.

Eight days of walking, climbing, descending, sweating, aching, eating, drinking, laughing and getting to know a brilliant group of people. There were some bloody hard climbs, and there were definitely moments when I wondered why I'd thought this was a good idea, but every difficult section was rewarded with another spectacular view.

I'm particularly pleased that I found my own rhythm. I'm never going to be the quickest up a mountain, and there were plenty of occasions when I was right at the back, but I got there every time. Slow and steady seems to be my mountain strategy!

The scenery has been genuinely breathtaking, and, looking back at where we started and realising that we walked right around the Mont Blanc massif, it's quite an achievement.

And the group has made it even better. Everyone has been brilliant. Manu was a fantastic guide, and we've somehow ended up with a group of people who genuinely seemed to enjoy each other's company.

I'm knackered, my legs have had enough, and I'm looking forward to a proper bed tonight, but I wouldn't change any of it.

We came to walk the Tour du Mont Blanc. We bloody well did it.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 9

Not too bad a night's sleep all things considered, mainly because I was in a deep sleep until about 1.00am. Then I woke up and hid under the blanket with my phone, watching the BBC text updates on the England v Norway quarter-final.

Steve was doing exactly the same thing on his bunk.

Unfortunately, the game went to extra time, but thankfully Jude Bellingham scored his second of the match and we held on to win 2-1.

That meant it was now 1.50am, but I eventually managed to fall back into a deep sleep until around 5.30am.

Tash wasn't particularly happy with me.

Apparently every time I moved, the whole bed moved, and she was on the top bunk. She said she wanted to throw things at me and that it was her worst night's sleep of the whole trek.

Ah well. I can't help it if I can't get comfortable!

We were awake bright and early for breakfast at 6.30am, got everything packed and then caught the 7.15am bus. We wound through the hills and lower meadows for about 50 minutes before reaching the end of the line.

Most of us snoozed along the way. The driver was a bit of a character and was really helpful, getting out and helping everyone with their bags.

We got ourselves sorted and then set off.

The first hour was downhill, which made a nice change and was a good warm-up for the day. Then it merged into the uphill slog.

And this seemed to go on forever.

We stopped after about an hour for a drink and some snacks and Manu pointed out where we were heading.

It looked daunting.

And it was.

Quite quickly I ended up at the back and, unusually, even Kathy had gone ahead of me. What I hadn't realised was just how badly Victor was struggling. He was miles behind me, which is incredibly unusual for him.

He clearly hasn't been his normal self today. He seemed to have absolutely no energy, and later he slept in his bed in the dorm for two hours before dinner and then went straight to bed after eating.

Hopefully he'll be okay tomorrow.

Back to the walking...

The second hour seemed to drag and drag. At one point I was a bit worried because there were a couple of route options, but thankfully I'd chosen correctly and Kathy and I eventually made it to the café.

We'd ordered our food the day before, so I had salami and bread, which was great. Although with the heat and the amount of water I'd been drinking, I wasn't particularly hungry.

Still ate the lot though!

The views overlooking the valley were amazing. There was this hidden city sitting down in a huge U-shaped valley and it looked fantastic from where we were.

After lunch we got ourselves ready to move on and thankfully there was only another 15 minutes of uphill before we reached the top.

Then...

Two hours of downhill.

Much more my sort of thing!

We trudged along as normal and, as always, the group gradually split up as everyone found their own pace and rhythm. I was near the back, just ahead of Ang and Tong.

We passed loads of people on mountain bikes, all of them pushing their bikes uphill.

I have to admit I'm not entirely sure of the point of it. Going downhill at any sort of speed would surely be impossible on this terrain.

But it's up to them, I suppose!

After about an hour we reached the shop we'd been told about. Bought a Coke, sat down and rested for a while before cracking on for the final 45 minutes.

Again, all downhill, and it was actually lovely to be in a world of my own for a while and think about all sorts of things. I even tried making some notes on my phone while walking without falling over.

I managed it.

More mountain bikers were coming uphill, along with plenty of other hikers, and before too long we could see our accommodation for the night, miles away down in the valley.

It actually didn't take us too long to get there.

We checked in and found ourselves in another eight-bed dorm, but this one was excellent.

The beds, room, showers and toilets were all brilliant. It was the complete opposite of some of the places we've stayed in.

If only the other dorms had been this quality, the trek would have been absolutely amazing.

It already is, obviously, but this sort of "luxury" would have been the icing on the cake.

Tash and I couldn't be bothered to queue for a shower straight away, so we grabbed a couple of beers and relaxed in the hammocks, taking in the surroundings.

Steve came down and we played Cornhole – the bean-bag throwing game – and he beat me.

Good fun.

Had another drink, then eventually went and showered and got ourselves sorted.

Back downstairs, I bought a round for those who were around and we sat chatting and relaxing in the shade of the trees. It was a lovely hour or so, just chilling out and gradually finding out more about everyone's lives away from the trek.

At 6.45pm we went in for dinner.

Another drink.

Four pints for me tonight.

I don't mind though!

Dinner was excellent – probably the best yet – and once again we all chatted and enjoyed the evening.

Except Victor, as I've mentioned already. Such a shame he's not feeling himself.

After dinner some people went off to bed, but it was only 8.00pm and far too early for some of us.

Steve and I renewed our Cornhole rivalry.

To absolutely no avail.

He thrashed me.

Meanwhile Manu, Tash and Ching had gone off for a wander to the pink church.

When they came back, we played the two girls against me and Steve at Cornhole, with Manu sitting there watching us all with amusement.

We won the first game, but the last one was 10-9 to us.

Very exciting.

Very competitive.

And completely ridiculous when you think about it. It's amazing how even the simplest game can bring out everyone's competitive side!

Eventually we called it a day and went to bed around 9.30pm.

I stayed up for a while doing my diary and listening to music before finally turning in at around 10.30pm.

End of Day Summary

What a great day.

The ascents were really hard work today. That long climb in particular felt like it went on forever and I was struggling towards the back, but I got there.

And that's becoming the thing I'm taking from this trek.

I might be slow. I might be right at the back sometimes. I might look like I'm about to collapse when everyone else seems to be strolling along happily...

But I get there.

And once you're standing there looking down into these enormous valleys and across the mountains, you realise it's completely worth every sweaty, painful step.

The downhill sections are definitely more my thing, and being able to just wander along at my own pace for a couple of hours today was actually really enjoyable.

The other big thing is the group. We're now properly comfortable with each other, and the evenings are becoming as enjoyable as the walking. The Cornhole rivalry is getting slightly ridiculous, but it's brilliant fun.

Hopefully Victor is okay tomorrow because he's definitely not himself today.

And we've now got just a couple of days left.

We're getting there. 🏔️

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 8

Not the best night's sleep, but clearly I got some shut-eye so no complaints. Victor's alarm went off at 5.00am, but we didn't need to get up for another 45 minutes, so I closed my eyes and made the most of those extra few minutes I'd been given.

Got my bag sorted and went down for breakfast, which wasn't particularly good. To make matters worse, those fucking flies were all over the food. So it was Coco Pops and coffee for me, then outside to wait for everyone.

We set off at 6.40am. Manu was concerned about the weather and wanted to get us moving early to avoid the afternoon storms that his weather app was predicting.

We started with a steep slope to warm us up, followed by a long traverse for an hour or so. We then descended about 300m, walked a few hundred metres along the bottom of the valley and then started ascending again – another 300m or so – towards the refuge where we were stopping for drinks.

This was quite hard and, unsurprisingly, I ended up at the back and was left behind. It was exhausting.

Got there eventually, as I always do, and had 15 minutes to recover before we set off for the 800m climb.

Fuck me, that was hard.

Thankfully it wasn't as hot as it has been, but it was still incredibly draining. By this point it was me and Kathy at the back by some distance, but there was no pressure and no particular pace that we had to maintain, which is good.

We made it in about 70 minutes, despite the expected time being 90 minutes, so I was actually pretty pleased with that.

We sat at the top of the rise – the highest point of the entire trek at 2,500 metres – and took in the views while we rested.

Then we had to hit the trail again and, within about 10 metres, we were in Switzerland!

The change in scenery as we crossed the pass was amazing. On the Italian side we'd had these rough, rugged mountains and glaciers, whereas Switzerland suddenly opened up into lush green meadows.

There were still enormous mountains towering above us, but somehow they didn't seem quite as harsh and rugged.

We continued for another hour or so on a steady downhill until we reached the next refuge, where we had a milkshake made from milk from the local cows and a cheese and ham "toastie", also supposedly from the local cows. It was excellent.

Then the predicted rain arrived.

We decided to wait for a while, the temperature dropped and it became quite chilly. I was writing this at the time, waiting for the green light to continue and hoping the rain would ease off.

It didn't.

The heavens opened and we had proper thunder and lightning. Everyone piled into the food hall to wait it out.

As it turned out, we were incredibly lucky. Manu's food order had been delayed by half an hour, so we'd already been sitting there waiting. Had it arrived when it was supposed to, we'd have been caught right in the middle of the storm.

Phew.

We eventually set off around 2.45pm, meaning we'd spent nearly three hours at the refuge because of the weather. During that time quite a few of us had actually fallen asleep – we were absolutely knackered.

We put on our waterproofs, both jackets and leggings. I have to admit I was a little jealous of some of the proper rain jackets people had, but I had my trusty poncho.

And I'll be honest – I was absolutely delighted with it.

It covered my backpack, kept me completely dry and worked an absolute treat.

The storm had abated to constant drizzle by the time we set off, which continued for about an hour. Manu took us along a different route to the one most people normally use. He really doesn't like walking along pavements and roads, and we benefit from that because we're generally taken along proper trails, mud and all.

We went through an area with a load of cows that seemed to be fighting, which wasn't particularly enjoyable, and then continued on to our accommodation.

It was actually a nice hotel/hostel and we ended up in a room with four bunk beds – eight of us in total. Tong and Ang went into another dorm. They really don't care about anything, as would become apparent shortly afterwards!

We got ourselves sorted and went down for showers.

There were four shower cubicles, but they were mixed and the only privacy was provided by a very thin shower curtain. One of them didn't even have a curtain.

Tong took that one.

Ang was wandering around naked too.

It was absolutely mental and surreal.

I managed to have a shower while maintaining what little modesty was available and then got myself sorted back in the room.

Lewis and Charl called while Charl and Miles were up there visiting him, and we had a lovely FaceTime call. They've got it incredibly hot over there at the moment and everyone is suffering, so it was great to catch up with them. It'll be nice to go up and see them when we get back.

After that I had a wander around some of the shops underneath the hotel. I was very tempted by a couple of T-shirts, but things are expensive over here in Switzerland so I decided against it.

Hope I don't regret that decision.

Back upstairs and the group were already downstairs. Mary-Lou bought me a drink, which was lovely and very generous, and I stayed down with them.

Tash came down, then Manu joined us and eventually the whole group was together again.

We had another cheese-tasting experience and today's was easily the best. Manu had bought quite a hard cheese which was absolutely delicious.

My favourite by an absolute mile.

We then had a lovely dinner – salad, chicken curry/casserole with rice and then chocolate mousse for dessert.

The chocolate mousse was to die for.

Absolutely amazing.

We had another drink and then, one by one, people started heading off to bed. It was only 7.30pm!

Tash and I were pretty much left behind, so we went for a walk through the village. There wasn't really much there, so we came back and were upstairs in the bedroom by about 8.15pm.

I would have happily had another beer, but that wasn't happening.

So I got a few things sorted and then started writing my diary. It's now 8.45pm and almost the entire group is asleep.

There is, of course, the England v Norway quarter-final tonight, but over here kick-off is 11.00pm.

That's too late.

Not sure what to expect anyway. Hopefully England will do it and we'll get to watch the semi-final next week, but I'm not expecting anything.

It's been a good day today. The climbs were painful, I have to say, although it seems that some of the others who didn't show it and got to the top without too much fuss found it just as hard.

That doesn't actually make me feel any better because I know how much I struggled.

I can do it, but I can't do it at anyone else's pace. It has to be my slow and steady pace.

Which, let's be honest, is basically a snail's crawl!

Tash and I keep giggling about Tong and Ang wandering around naked without a care in the world. They're such a lovely, friendly couple. Hopefully we'll all be that comfortable with each other by the end of this.

Early start again tomorrow. Breakfast at 6.30am and the bus at 7.12am.

We can't miss that one.

End of Day Summary

Another bloody good day, although definitely one of the harder ones physically.

That 800m climb was a proper test for me and I was really struggling towards the back, but getting to the top in 70 minutes rather than the expected 90 minutes is something I should probably give myself a bit of credit for.

And then crossing into Switzerland at the highest point of the trek was a brilliant moment. The change in landscape was spectacular and probably one of those moments I'll remember for a long time.

The weather certainly made things interesting. The storm was incredible and we were very lucky to be sitting safely inside when it really kicked off. The poncho proved its worth too – probably one of the better bits of kit I've brought with me.

The group continues to get better and better. We're laughing, eating, drinking and generally taking the piss out of each other now, which is exactly what you want on something like this.

And then there's Tong and Ang.

Still can't get over the nakedness. 😂

Tomorrow is another early start and another day on the trail. I'm definitely aching tonight, but we're getting very close to the end now.

One more big push.