I've just come back from my GP's surgery after checking out the immunisations that are needed for travel to the Central Asian areas that we're visiting. These are the basics:

 

So, this is entry 2 - the first training weekend. here are the details:

 

The dates are Friday 2nd March to Sunday 4th March. We start at 7pm on Friday and finish at 1pm on Sunday.

 

Location and directions: We'll be running this weekend in the Hope Valley in the Peak District National Park. Here's how to get there - from Shefield take the A57 towards Manchester. When you get to the traffic lights at Ladybower Reservoir, turn left. Drive through the village of Bamford on the A6013 until you get to the next set of traffic lights at a 'T' junction with a derelict pub in front of you, (The Marquis of Granby), then turn right onto the A625. Drive along the A625 until you reach Hope village. We'll be meeting in the Woodbine Cafe at 7pm. There's a public carpark on the left just after the church & Woodroffe Arms pub - the cafe's opposite the carpark. You can also travel by train; Hope Station is about 1km out of the village on the Sheffield - Manchester line.

 

 

Friday: We'll meet in the cafe at 7pm. I hope to run a parents' meeting where we can discuss the trip and any questions that you & your parents might have. The cafe will supply tea & cakes, but can you tell me how many people will be attending the meeting in order to allow for them to plan the catering? After the meeting we'll walk about a mile, (with full kit, so bring it packed), to the campsite that we'll be using for the next two nights. We set up camp and settle down for the night. It'll be an early night, as will some of our China / Tibet nights, so expect to be in your sleeping bag around 9pm.

 

Saturday: In the morning we'll do some icebreaking / team building exercises and discuss in detail some of the issues relating to the trip, (eg equipment, activities, innoculations etc). Later in the morning we'll do a longish walk, carrying a certain amount of weight in your rucksack. The walk will give you a taste of walking as a group, carrying kit and navigation, (in fact we'll do the 'pilgrimage kora' around Mam Tor in practice for the kora of Mt Kailash!). In the evening we'll get back to camp, cook a meal do some campcraft and first aid stuff and then get into sleeping bags for an early night.

 

Sunday: We'll have an early start and a short walk during which we'll practice some first aid. Back at the campsite we need to discuss and agree on an expedition code of conduct and to plan subsequent training weekends, which you'll have to organise. I hope to finish at lunchtime & if you've arranged a lift you can meet it at Hope village carpark at about 1pm.

 

What to bring: You'll need to bring camping & cooking equipment and food to last you from Friday night 'till Sunday lunchtime. It's early March in the Peak District so, even with global warming, it could be cold and wet; please come equipped accordingly. If you're not sure about kit or have other questions then email or phone me.

 

 

These are the major locations to be visited:

• Almaty
• Yining
• Urumchi
• Turpan
• Dunhuang
• Golmud
• Lhasa
• Mt Kailash
• Ali
• Khotan
• Kashgar
• Kara Kul
• Kashgar
• Yining
• Almaty

Activities will include:

Sightseeing in the major cities.

Trekking in Kazakhstan (Tian Shan), Tibet , (Mt Kailash & on the western plateau) and in the Taklamakan Desert, (near Khotan)

Travel will mainly be by road, but by rail from Golmud to Lhasa.

Accommodation will be a mixture of camping, sleeper train and ‘hotels’. 

The following is a suggested kit list. If you have any specific questions, please contact one of the leaders.

Please note that your airline baggage allowance will be about 20kg. This will be confirmed at a later date, but any excess baggage will have to be paid for by you!

1. A large rucksack (max 70ltrs) for hold luggage.
2. A day sack (max 25ltrs) for hand luggage.
3. Plastic bags or small canoeing dry bags to keep clothing dry in the rucksack.
4. A tent (share 1 between 2 or 3 persons). I can supply these – this will be sorted on the first training weekend.
5. A warm sleeping bag (down 4 season).
6. A sleeping bag liner (extra warmth & keeps the bag cleaner).
7. A sleeping mat, (Thermorest ¾ length is a good choice).
8. A pair of trekking sandals.
9. A well broken-in pair of medium weight walking boots (not shoes). The type that you’d use for walking in the Lakes or Dales. You’ll wear these to fly. Take spare laces.
10. 3 pairs of medium weight walking socks
11. 3 sets of underclothes (a wicking athletic design would be best).
12. 2 thermal t-shirts.
13. 1 hot weather wicking t-shirt.
14. 2 long sleeved trekking shirts.
15. 1 short sleeved shirt.
16. 3 pairs trekking pants (you might get the ones that zip into shorts).
17. A good quality fleece jacket and / or light weight down jacket with hood.
18. A medium weight breathable waterproof jacket & trousers
19. Medium weight gloves.
20. A scarf.
21. Good quality sunglasses (& cheaper spares).
22. A sun hat.
23. A metal 1 litre water bottle and a collapsible water bottle.
24. Eating equipment (mug, bowl, spoon & plastic chopsticks).
25. Small head torch, spare batteries & bulbs.
26. A trekking towel.
27. Toiletries, (keep to a minimum, but include toothpaste & brush, biodegradable soap, antibacterial hand wash, wet wipes, 2 toilet rolls and a small trowel).
28. High factor sun cream & lip salve / block (factor 20+).
29. Personal first aid kit including plasters, blister kit, asprin / paracetomol, diarrhoea tablets plus any personal medication.
30. Iodine water purification tablets – enough for three weeks in the field.
31. A paperback book.
32. Pen, pencils and notebook.
33. A camera, spare batteries and films / memory.
34. A personal money belt.
35. An emergency whistle
36. A small penknife, (hidden deep in your hold luggage for air travel).
37. 2-3 metres of thinnish Para cord.