We seem to have survived another day. Slightly longer than yesterday and with more ascent but much more gradual. For the data-hungry there's a link to the Garmin readout. But first, back to last night and a splendid home cooked meal of leak and potato soup, potato gratin and fresh fruit and yoghurt for desert. The highlight wasn't the food but our delightful waitresses - the charming six-year-old daughters of the manager of our Gite d'Etape earning their holiday money in a most professional and courteous way. They earned...

From St. Gingolph to La Chapelle d'Abondance The GR5, we have concluded after only one day into it, is a pretty serious endeavour. Admittedly, yesterday was mostly taken up with travelling to the start at St. Gingolph and a leisurely 4km hike up to Novel, having dipped our toes in Lake Leman. Today, though was a completely different story - and we only covered 16 kms, admittedly over two very steep cols causing the profile of our route to look like a M. We finished quite dehydrated having drunk four...

Why is Children with Cancer UK such an important Charity to support? By Nada Stankovic, Tatiana's mum. As Milos steps off today to start the GR5 to raise awareness of and funds for Children With Cancer UK, I am compelled, based on my personal experience, to tell you precisely why this is such a worthy charity to support. Of every £100 spent on cancer research in the UK only £3 is spent on research into childhood cancer. Children with Cancer UK invests in high quality childhood cancer research that would otherwise...

Five Shots of Vodka. Let’s go! by Milos Stankovic MBE MCIArb It’s amazing what five shots of vodka will do for you! Exactly two weeks have passed since I returned from Russia and the amazing experience of the FIFA World Cup. Adjusting from that world to this has been more challenging than I thought. However, I have had to busy myself preparing for Tatiana’s Gambol, in two senses: physically getting the necessary gear sorted out and, more importantly, kick starting the fundraising for Children With Cancer UK. I have been amazed...

I am a Fool.  In fact, I am a complete Fool.  And I am proud of that.  More of that later.  First, I have to make a rather shame-faced confession.  The other day I took a hike across Red Square to the Levis store in GUM, one of the largest and most iconic department stores in Moscow.  It’s not that Levis 501s are any cheaper here in Russia.  In fact, they’re more expensive. It’s more that, humiliatingly, I’ve put on so much weight that I can no longer...