Buckaroo anyone?...

or mastermind? twister? connect four? downfall? mousetrap? operation......and MORE!

On the 17th October at the Key Centre in Frome, we will be holding a retro (80's) games evening. Tickets are only £5, you just turn up, bring a bottle of your favourite tipple, and spend the evening reliving your youth playing those timeless classics.

WARNING: DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE HOW COMPETITIVE DOWNFALL PLAYERS CAN BE!

Suitable retro snacks will be provided, and if you really want to go for it fancy dress is always an optional extra! Hopefully there will be a raffle too.

So if any of you have a) any 80's classics board games lurking in the attic you would be happy to loan, or b) any raffle-able goods you would be happy to donate, please let me know.

And if you want to have a good giggle for an evening, for minimum outlay and maximum fun, AND support a very worthwhile cause, buy a ticket! (Here's a little something to whet your appetite!)

Here we go again......!

Right then. As you will remember if you have a wee look back to here there were plans afoot to go again once Alison was well enough.

Well guess what?! She is doing really well (hurrah!) and next year we are signed up to go to China! Many many grateful thanks to Action for Charity who have wavered the registration fee for us, and Alison of course has already raised her money. I have another £3300 to go! We go in October 2010 all being well, and so the training and fundraising are having to start all over again!

Coming up I plan to hold a retro games evening in Frome, sell things to warm up cold parents watching their small children play football on chilly evenings, make novelty birthday cakes, and maybe a bit of car washing thrown in for good measure.

Caroline and Olive will not be joining us in China (boo), but I am thrilled that Maggie, Jules, Sarah and Frankie will all be there - so nearly all the soreass senoritas!

SOOOOOO good people, any help you fell able to give- be it lend a game for a games evening, sponsor me a couple of £ or hold an event yourselves, I would be most grateful. In the heat of the fundraising last year I had not anticipated having to come back and ask all you wonderful supporters for more money, but the situation was a little unprecidented! Anyway to refresh and enthuse you have a look at this to see all the good work that your time and money can support.

Thanks so much.

28.11.08

We woke up for breakfast, then hopped onto the bus and into Havannah. We stopped on route to see the worlds longest cigar (45 meters!) in a little shop. The cigar was in a plastic case hung from the cieling. The little shop held a host of coffee, run and cigars, and the compulsion to buy a cigar even though I kow no one who smokes them was almost overwhelming! Bizarre! We drove into Havannah and then did a walking tour with Enyo, stopping in many of the (beautiful) squares. I loved the one with the gardens in the centre and the book market around it, and the one in front of the Cathedral the best. There were lots of people trying to get money - some would come and draw pictures of you so then you felt obliged to buy them, others wore fancy dress with great long cigars (not quite 45 m though!) to entice you to take photos. We had a drink in a bar called O Reilly's with a good band and all danced. Then onto a really lovely 3 course lunch with a not-so good band! The lead singer was a slightly scary woman with a screechy nasal voice and edna everage glasses. After Lunch we had some free time in the market and I bought the boys a baseball each and some sandals for me. Caz got insulted by another man she bought a lovely picture from - he was nice - just a cheeky b*****d!

On the coach ride home we stopped in revolution square. Later Caz and I went for a swim in the very cold pool before gong up with the others to practice our song. We all possed ourselves laughing when Maggie sang her line (keep reading.....!)

We got ready for the celebration dinner and I was stunningly under-dressed. We had a Rum and coke before going in, then got given a mohito and a glass each of red and white wine with the meal. The food was gorgeous. We had salad to start, then steak, then a cakey thing. We all got up and danced like mad things to the all girl group form the hotel, then Gwen did a speech on behalf of Prof Winston, and then Gay stood up to do the 'Oscarinas' which was very tear-jerking! Then we got onto the DIY entertainment. We were the third act up after 2 renditions of the "12 days of cycling" theme.

We were doing and interpretation of "I am the Music Man" - lyrics as follows:

We are the women who cycle,
we are invincible but where's the cream?
Please pass the cream!
The sudo-cre-eam!
Sudo, sudo sudo cream.........

My name is Claude your guide,
There is a breifing now
saty in the shade!
Stay in the shade!
Stay in the shade.....
stay stay, stay in the shade.....

My name is Si-imon
I point my camera lense
please just ignore me
yes just ignore me,
ignore me!
ignore ignore ignore me....

We are your mechanic team,
We turn you bike upside down,
and spin the wheels,
"Nya!" It's Ok!
It's OK!
ok ok it's ok, it's oK......
It is your cycling technique!

My name is Dr Sarah,
I smile and smile all day even when you say,
"I've got a headache"
I've been bitten...
I've got the runs...
I've been stung....
I've got a sore fan-ny! (Maggies line!)
drink, drink, dioralyte, dioralyte.....and put some salt on your tea!

Our names are Anna and Sarah,
we cycle very fast
but we don't sweat!
We look pristine!
Now have some head water!
head, head, head water.....

I'm Gewn from Women for WOmen,
I think we go this way
I might be wrong!
Oh yes I'm wrong!
Oh no it's that way!
This way that way I don't know!
I'm not sure which way to go,
This way that way I don't know!
I'm not sure where to go. (Gwen had been in the group of us who cycled 5 miles the wrong way - even though she did the course the week previously!)

I'm Gay from Action for Charity,
I organise the group,,, But.......(musical pause to break into an entirely different song)

I Don't let the sun go down on me! I don't let the sun go down! (this refers to the night we were all cycling as fast as we could to reach the hotel before sunset, and Gay had sung this at the evening briefing!)


SO it was all going swimmingly, maracas and all, until the "fanny" line, which Maggie was delivering. At this point (amidst alot of laughter from the 'audience'!) I looked round and saw Caz laying on the floor on her back, clutching her knee, seemingly lauging her head off. We all stood and looked at her for about 5 minutes (or so it felt) befor eI twigged she actually wasn't joking! Dr Sarah took a lot of convincing to come to Caz's aid, because this being the verse about her, and as she had (ahen) had a few, she thought we were staging something so we had a chance to trhow water over her or something! Anyway, when she did come, Caz had a fully dislocated knee cap, which was practically out of her jeans and across the room! We popped it (royal we!)back in, Caz clambered with a little help onto a chair and the carried on with the song!

Later we prgressed to the bar, all got the drinks in and hada giggle. I was dancing on the bar with Dr Sarah, Katie, Lis and some of the others, and we finally turned in at 4am!

27th November 2008

We left the hotel per usual timings. The first leg of the ride was 30km, 10 through Santa Clara, and 20km on the motorway (yes really!) It went surprisingly quickly and we stopped under a motorway bridge to re-group. The next leg was exceptionally hot, and we had to pee in sugar cane fields (still want that sugar in your tea?!) We gathered for some group photos at the last stop, and put our Women for Women tee shirts on, then into Cienfeugos where once again the Police closed the roads for us, so we cycled as a pack - it was amazing to see - we were fairly near the back and the six of us stayed together all the way, singing 'we are the champions' and other things at the top of our voices! Excellent! We came alongside a lake which was beautiful, then rounded the corner to the finish. It was amazing - so emotional! We had done 80km before lunch, and 390km in the five days. We all cried and congratulated each other, then groups photos were taken on the steps, and presentation to the Cuban team. We were all given our medals too. We had a lovely lunch and then a 3 hour transfer (with Hecter!) to the Occidental Mirimar in Havana. We had a really lovely dinner - we didn't know what to do with ourselves with all the choice! We then had a few drinks in the bar and started concocting the DIY entertainment for the celebration dinner tomorrow. No cycling tomorrow - how bizarre!

26th Novemebr 08

We got up at the usual time (breakfast is at 7am) but afterwards, instead of jumping on our bikes we jumped on four army trucks with very hard seats, that bumped and jolted us for an hour up into the mountains. We had stunning, fabulous views back to the sea. We got off the trucks at the top (topes des callantes) and found our bikes and set off. I should mention maybe, that when I found my bike it had only one wheel, and it took quite some time before I managed to pin down a mechanic to double that! Also, at this stop, my knees were suffering as they were bruised from banging into the back of the seat in front on the truck ride, and then I went to use the (ahem) local amenities, and managed to sit on a stinging nettle. Humph.







The first leg was entirely down hill, very steep on a very pot-holey road. It was really lethal in places, and exhausting on your hands as you couldn't change position you had to be hovering near your brakes the whole time) On the second leg I turned the corner and saw about 300 metres away a body tangled with a bike laying on the ground - Nina had hit a hellish pothole and was quite bashed up. I was first on the scene, and very relieved when she said to me "Sorry, I'm dripping!" as I just thought "thank heavens she's breathing!"

The scenery changed from jungle mountains to countryside to little villages and then bigger towns. People always coming out to see us and cheer where ever we were. After lunch we did a REALLY long slow climb into Santa Clara and re-grouped. I had a wee in a lady's house. The whole house was about the size of my dining room, with no internal doors, no loo seat or sinks anywhere, very bare, wooden or concrete floors. I gave her a few pesos and some toiletries to thank her. The last leg through he city was amazing. We all had to go as one group because of the police escorts closing junctions for us etc. We arrived at the Che Guevara monument and had a quick talk from Hosea (one of the local travel guides) but there was not time for a group photo as the light was going. The police completely closed the roads all the way to the hotel to enable us to cycle - by the time we arrived it was very dark and it was like cycling blind! Caz only had her prescription sun glasses with her - her normal specs were in the bus, so she could either cycle very dark or very fuzzy. For a while we managed well with me shouting out to her when there were potholes, but as the light went a bit more I lost all my distance perception and neither of us were really able to see anything! Remember we had no lights on our bikes either - it was really very surreal!







beautiful hotel, little shacks dotted around the grounds. Fantastic dinner. Last day cycling tomorrow! i must, must cycle lots when back home. (oh dear, typing this now on 19Th Feb that seems to have not happened!)

25th November 2008 (61km pre lunch!)

We set off from the hotel and battled along a very flat VERY long road into Trinidad. I was really really struggling, and worried I'd over-done it yesterday - then realised my tyre was flat! Swapped bikes with Claude again ("I recognise that elephant") and caught up with Caz - who had another altercation with her bike, so then she went onto Claude's, I was back on mine and he had hers! The road actually was not flat at all, but was a really slow climb up from sea level, finishing in a big hill to the first stop. We climbed steps to a peak and admired stunning views while buying souvenirs.






Back on bikes, and the next leg wasn't too bad; but then there was (drumroll please!) THE HILL. This thing leered up at you and seemed to taunt you with 'you think you're gonna get up me? ha! type jeers. It was terrifying riding towards it, looking at it, and wondering how in the hell you were going to get over the blinking thing; kind of mentally setting you up for failure before you had started.... I was just about to quit (not walk - just pause for breath!) when a voice said "keep going" behind me, and we talked each other the whole way up there. Can't remember the lady's name now. It was the only time we talked the whole week I think - but we got each other up that hill! There was a hypothetical mug of tea and a galaxy bar waiting for me and a margarita waiting for her - that was how we did it! Getting over the top was amazing! We cycled back into Trinidad, waving to the school children and everyone else as we went. Then a 15 minute walk to the restaurant. Lunch was really lovely, great food, excellent band good company! Jules, Maggie, Sarah, Frankie, Caz and I then wandered around the market. Jules got told she wasn't normal and was Cuban it's a long story and you had to be there - but we were in hysterics for ages! and Maggie, Frankie and Caz got told the air would come out the tyres if they got on a bike! bloody cheek! It rained while walking round the market which we really could have done with when climbing the monster hill in searing heat instead! hey ho. We got the 4pm bus and at the end of the ride Hector (the fastest bus driver in the west!) put "Guantanemaro" on the CD player and we all sang along and got our maracas out (bought that afternoon!)It was great!





When we got back to the hotel we jumped in the sea and watched the sunset which was just amazing. Then out and showered for dinner and briefing we had a briefing every evening and every morning from Claude, and he became famed for saying 'stay in the shade'! Later we had drinks at the bar (a few too many!) and watched the magician who had me totally perplexed!

24th November 2008 (101km)

Blimey oh riley we only did it! 101km! Set off at 8 am, first stop 14km in at the petrol station. I managed to touch one bike with my leg and did a total domino effect with about 8 others! Whoops! The next leg was also 14km -really hilly (up!) and my chain fell off. Gay (from Action for Charity) fixed it back on for me. Then a water stop at the top of the hill.




Simply amazing views, and a lovely long downhill into flat for the the next leg which I did with Caz. By lunch it was scorching hot and we had done 50km. Lunch was great in a little cabin place; rice, beef and a green banana mash which tasted like truly amazing mashed potato!

Look! the chefs' were hanging out the back of the cabin while they served us!

By this point I had consulted Dr Sarah and been told to stop drinking so much water, and have more salt as I have a bad headache that nothing was touching! SO I switched to dioralyte to drink and am plastering my dinner in salt!

We had our last stop at 16.45, and had another 13km to go to the hotel. Claude told us in no uncertain terms that if anyone didn't make it by sunset (5.30ish) they'd have to go on the bus (known by us as the bus of shame!) Well i wasn't going on that bloody bus for anything or anyone, it was as if someone had stuck a rocket up my backside! Going through Trinidad and the surrounding villages was amazing, all the people came out to see us and we were all cycling like fury into the sun as it set, through these pretty little villages, gorgeous mountains, stunning sunset, and with the village children shouting 'Ola!' to us. It was very emotional! (Cycling and crying is possible but probably not advisable)

Near the end I saw a sign for a hotel and took the turning, then got told by those behind not to turn as no one had been marking it - so I lost my stride completely and turned around. About 15/20 minutes later one of the police escort bikes (Oh yes, we had a police escort. we are VERY important people!) came down beside us, sirens blazing, and told us to turn around! I wouldn't have minded so much if Gwen who was here last week as well (from Women for Women) hadn't gone the wrong way with us! When we finally got to the hotel we had completed 101km, (62 miles) and burnt 2462 calories! We had a fab dinner, lovely hotel although Claude later told us the way we were heading (in the wrong direction) lead to the five star hotel! Dinner, then drinks at the bar with the posse, then bed. The posse was now very firmly established: Sarah, Maggie, Julie, Frankie, Caz and myself) Wahey! Tomorrow 50km pre-lunch, then a tour of Trinidad, then a dip in the pool!
I wish I had taken more photos on this day. The ride down into the sunset and through Trinidad was just stunning - but I was so worried about the time and getting on the bus that I didn't want to stop to take pictures!