Some details:
When– practice expedition 30th Jan – 1st Feb, 2020; Qualifying expedition 21st Feb – 28th , 2020.
Where– Wafra Farms (practice); Tuscany, Italy (qualifying)
Who- Yousif Al Hajji, Natali Atfeh, Shahin Daghlas, Omer Eissa, Mazen El Balasy, Mahmoud El-Assadi, Zara Ercan, Toby Lowe, Mohamed Firas Mohamed Iqbal, Safiyya Nizar, Muffadal Tarawala, Abdullah Waseem
How– a 4 day hike (each with a minimum of 8 hours of daily activity) and a 3 night camp at a campsite.
The Gold award!
Finally, after three long and eagerly anticipated years, we had the opportunity to experience our final expedition in Tuscany, Italy. Within the past said years, we have accumulated tons of experience and knowledge during our Bronze and Silver adventures, so we were mostly aware of what was expected and ahead of us. However, for our concluding expedition, it was inevitable that Gold would be the toughest one of the lot, but superlative in how rewarding it was…
I, personally, like to approach tasks in life with an open mind and just go with the flow, so I didn’t set high expectations on what was to come. Over the course of 4 days and 3 nights, we’ve survived the chilly February weather, strode through cosy, picturesque towns and admired the never-ending mountains. With that being said, this year’s hike and ambiance was phenomenal and definitely topped the Bronze and Silver expeditions. My favourite part was the atmosphere that my team radiated which kept us going, as well as the starry skies during the night; it was unreal. (Don’t believe me? Just look at the pictures below!)
A key factor to think about, if you’re interested in partaking in one of these expeditions, is what and how you pack. You will crave the energy each night, so it is vital that you bring along food with sufficient nutrients. Weight distribution throughout your backpack is equally as essential, as it (very literally) lifts the weight off your shoulders (Physics, I owe you one)! But that is nothing to worry about, for all you potential hikers, as training prepares you for all of that!
What made this experience extra special, however, was that it just so happened to be our ‘last hurrah’ before the COVID-19 crisis. Nevertheless, the memories and friendships made will be cherished eternally.
