FIVE DAYS TO GO

My back bedroom is a huge pile of clothes, cameras, water bottles, bags and rucksacs.

I found my multicoloured fleece creation as mentioned previously at the back of the wardrobe. I hadn't worn it since I went to the Antarctic in 1999. I also hadn't washed it. It is the warmest garment I have and I made it with love using a pattern and state of the art fleece and pertex lining from an outdoor company called Peninne Outdoor. If you want to save money and make your own gear, that is the place to go.

There you go, I have given them a free plug and didn't even ask for sponsorship.

Anyway I washed my fleece and tried it on last night. I forgot that when I went down South, I was over two stone heavier and quite porky. I could have set it up in Mongolia and lived in it! OK slight exagguration - but I could easily smuggle two huskies under it and bring them back home.