Trek technology

We've had a couple of questions about how we'll keep the TrekChina web site up to date when we're out there and how we'll provide access to the internet for the trekkers……..

We'll be taking a laptop computer (and a backup just in case) for use by the whole team. It's main use will be to collate photos, video clips etc at the end of each day and to update the website for everyone back home. We have access to the internet from our hotels and will update the web site at least once a day on behalf of the whole trek team.

Each day someone (who will be volunteered by Herr Connell) will gather any messages, thoughts, words etc from the trekkers and collate them into a "DAILY LOG". We'll post that on the Blog site, and we'll also post an updated map, showing exactly where we have walked (and some other "cool stuff" for the kids like an "altitude graph" showing our physical ups and downs!!) Also on the map we'll have 20 of the most representative photos of the day flagged at the place they were taken..

To make all this easy - we'll set up folders on the laptop to collect any photos and video clips taken from your cameras (you'll need to let me know in advance if you'd like to do this) at the end of each day's walking.  This will allow us to make a backup copy of your photos and also will allow us to upload as many of those we can manage each day onto the Internet.

We hope that all of our friends, family and supporters back home will enjoy following our time out in China on the website.   They will be able to leave comments for us too, which we can read each day before we set off.

So please make sure everyone knows the address of the site and that they can follow our adventure closely there.

Of course you are free to post your own personal entries on the blog from your phone or from one of the computers we take with us.

If you have any thoughts or questions on how it all works - feel free to ask me, Adam or Stephanie.

Ken

Heathrow arrangements

Good news re checking in at Heathrow. Paul Dowling has kindly contacted his network at Heathrow and they will be providing him with a contact within the BAA next Saturday for us all to pass via the "fast track" security screening once we are checked in. Should make things a lot easier for us. Thanks Paul.

Kevin

Follow up to Electrical Adaptor Post

Karen found this picture of a Chinese Wall Socket - so either bend your plugs to fit or get an adaptor to suit!!!!

Dress code

Do any of the ladies have information about the dress code when we are not on the wall?  i'm staying on and just read on my trip notes that tank tops and singlets should not be worn.  it will be 30 degrees when we are out there and i was planning on stuffing my bag with singlets - they pack well and keep you cool.... but now, i'm worried.  any feedback?
Christine

Christine's blog

I have just been looking at Christine's blog - http://christinetrekschina.blogspot.com/ Some really good pictures and have a look at the mini video clips for days 6 and 7 as they give an amazing idea of what it is going to be like.
Kevin

Electrical Adaptors

I'm sure this information is buried in the many bits of data we have been given, but what kind of adaptors do we need to bring along for electrical equipment?

Cheers.

Blogging in China

No, not a new way to sooth your aching feet, but just how will we update this site whilst we are out there? The answer is that we (well the BP Techies) are going to bring out 2 laptops plus all the bits to enable us to connect to the World Wide Web and we will all get a chance in an evening to both post new items about our respective days and also read any feedback on the previous items.

So if your loved ones want to keep track on your progress, urge them to bookmark the blog link and keep checking it out.

See all the UK crew on next Saturday (gulp) and everyone else on Sunday morning.

China, here we come, ready or not :-)

Where we're going!

Just in case you haven't found it yet - we have set up a map page on this site that shows the start point for each day of our trek.

I forgot about it myself until I used it this afternoon to show some people what we're doing - and they thought it was really cool!

Click here. You can then see "flags" on the map which you can click on to see a short description and there's also an option link to more detail on each day.

Here are some shortcuts to that extra detail:
- Day 3 - Mutianyu
- Day 4 - Black Dragon
- Day 5 - Gubeikou
- Day 6 - Jinshanling
- Day 7 - Simatai

Games Committee "Volunteers"

Hello everyone.

Simon and I have been approached by our kind and benign Trek leader (Herr Connell) and asked if we would consider acting as the nucleus for the entertainment committee whilst we are out in China. Obviously I as the older and wiser brother I have not got Simon's in depth experience of arranging Stag Weekends and Rugby Club tours, but I'm always willing to learn from a past master. From what our Mum says, Simon has some knowledge of late night activities and drinking (I mean) social games.

We will be open to any ideas for (clean and legal) activities we might undertake whilst lying around the hotel of an evening, moaning and groaning about our sore legs and aching feet, so put on your thinking caps and bring along any dice, cards, props needed to ensure we keep ourselves happy and entertained. Thanks.

Andrew & Simon Haslam

Next time - it's for real!

Here are some pictures Christine took during the "practice walk" on Sunday.

The next treking pictures we post will be from China!

Not long to go now.

Click on the image to view the slideshow.

Currency at the Post Office

Re the currency - the Chinese Yuan is available from any Post Office. Post office branches will not hold this currency in stock however it is available by preorder. If you order it and pay for it at a PO counter by 13:00 it will arrive at the Post Office you ordered it from the next working day. The attachment below shows which currencies are available as on demand and preorder - hope that helps. Paul Simmonds Currency

Some questions answered

At the walk on Sunday, there were a number of questions raised about arrangements for the trek. Here are those questions and the answers from Classic Tours:

Is it possible for people to take their own cereal bars and chocolate in to China?Yes.
If some of the group want to go for dinner in Beijing on one of the evenings rather than eating in the hotel can they do so?
We can request an evening at leisure if you like so that everyone can make their own dinner arrangements. If you wish to do so please let us know.
What clothes washing and drying facilities are available at the hotels?
This is a bit limited except on the 1st and last 2 nights.
On the original hotel list it was suggested that one or some of them had swimming pools and that there were some restrictions around needing swim caps - please would you confirm.
There is a pool at the first hotel and everyone wishing to swim will need to wear a swimming hat.
Again one of the hotels was suggested to have a spa - is this still the case?
The first hotel also has a spa with saunas and massage facilities although we have not been able to test the quality of these as yet.
What time do people need to be at Heathrow on the 8th and where should they meet?
Everyone will need to be there 3 hours before the flight (1.30pm). We will be sending out a final letter with all the necessary information either later this week or early next.

Hope this helps and I look forward to any feedback, particularly about the dinner idea. Kevin

Yesterday's walk

I thought yesterday's walk went really well and showed haw many hours people have put into their preparation. Thanks to Claire who arranged it and Marc and Buddy who led from the front. For someone who forgot their walking poles and came totally unprepared for the rain (I will do a better job in a few weeks time, honest), I did make a list of the questions asked about chocolate, cereal bars and arrangements for meeting at Heathrow. I have passed these over to Classic Tours and will let you know the answers as soon as I have them.

There was serious discussion yesterday about really important trek activities including games, competitions and karaoke. It was suggested that we have a "Games Committee" who come up with some suggestions for fun activities whilst we are away and identify some prizes etc. Please may I ask for some volunteers (will show how many people are reading the blog) over the next 2-3 days so that the team have time to get things organised. Kevin

Airport Restrictions

Hi - just been checking the airport restrictions wrt hand luggage (dimensions, liquids etc). See website link below (very useful and clear) :

http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity/?view=Standard

Hope the link works!!
Claire

NAS slides

These were the slides the representatives from the NAS presented at the walk last month. I hope they will be of interest, particularly for those of you who were unable to attend. Kevin NAS presentation.ppt

How is your training going?

I was wondering how you are all getting on with your training?

With the recent bad weather and then going on holiday, I have been conscious of not doing as much as I would like, so I've set out a program for August and early September combining bike rides and walking. I think it is doing the trick in that I had to run for the train today and wasn't hopelessly out of breath when I climbed aboard !

What's everyone else up to?

Kevin