A little about our Sponsors V2

Once I discovered that I had actually won the trip to the Amazon Jungle, I realised that none of us had actually ever kayaked before in our lives, let alone proficient enough to tackle the mighty Amazon River! (the thought of capsizing in the Amazon, with the pirahnas, crocodiles and anacondas waiting patiently was motivation enough to want to learn to kayak!!)

Dave promptly took on board the challenge to find a kayaking company in London - no easy task! The Thames is one of the busiest rivers in Europe, with cargo and tourist boats traversing the river regularly. In addition to this, the Thames is also one of the fastest moving rivers in Europe - not necessarily the best place to learn how to kayak. Images of floating bodies, sewerage, rats, pollution and disease immediately sprang to mind when we first thought of kayaking the Thames, but Westminster Boating Base quickly quelled our anxiety and dispelled the myths.

A little history on the Thames: Over 7 million people depend on the river for water and 124 sewage treatment works carry away the sewage of the 11 million who live in the Thames Valley. The Port of London is still the UK’s busiest. And last but not least, the river and its banks provide a rich and varied habitat for many creatures and plants. The Thames may not be a long river, but it is a mighty one with a rich past, carrying its many burdens with a grace and beauty that delight all those who care to know this stream of liquid history. One body per week is found in the Thames - so far no sightings!

Westminster Boating Base kindly agreed to sponsor our kayak training, allowing us to train with them as much as we wanted in the lead up to our departure (13 weeks).

www.westminsterboatingbase.com

I would encourage anyone living in London to head down to Westminster Boating Base in the summer and take the opportunity of seeing London from a unique perspective: I can guarantee that travelling past the London Eye, Big Ben and Parliament in a tiny kayak is one of the most inspiring and awesome experiences to have : )