Meet Lindiana Jones!
Our intrepid adventurer is pulling on her walking boots and tackling the Inca Trail in Peru to raise funds for the Electrical Industries Charity – and she needs YOUR help
In September 2022 I will be undertaking a gruelling five-day trek through the Peruvian Andes to Machu Picchu in aid of the Electrical Industries Charity (EIC). I decided to tackle the Inca Trail challenge for the EIC because it’s such a great cause and has helped so many electricians and their families down the years, including SELECT Members.
The charity relies solely on donations but the pandemic has halted many fundraisers. SELECT itself would usually contribute with things such as the President’s Walk and SELECT Awards, so in their absence I thought I’d step up and help. I know the challenge will be no easy feat, with some treks taking up to 12 hours, climbing steep inclines and battling the high altitude and fatigue.
The highest I’ve climbed previously is Mount Snowdon, which is 1,085 metres high – a mere molehill compared with Machu Picchu, which is more than double this size at 2,430m.
I’ve also only camped once before, too, at the Glastonbury festival – a long way from the jungle and creepy crawlies of South America!
I work out and walk a couple of times a week but after seeing what is ahead, it has hit home that I need to start doing some extra training to ensure I don’t let the team down.
I’ve already started practising in the walking boots I’ll be wearing to reduce the likelihood of blisters. I’m also walking longer distances carrying a rucksack off-road and will be following a special 16-week training plan.
But I know each step will be worth it – and that every pound donated will go towards supporting some of the 10,000 people who are helped by the EIC each year.
My fundraising target is £5,000 and to hit this I’ll be involved in a range of activities over the next year, including race nights, sponsored quizzes, Easter egg hunts and a sponsored silence. I’ll also be volunteering to paint nails, walk dogs and clean cars – anything to raise cash!
I’m also asking for YOUR support by sponsoring me to help raise funds for the valuable work the EIC carries out every day. The charity looks after anyone from the electrical or energy sector, whether retired, an apprentice, a relative or an employee, offering invaluable financial support, counselling, guidance and legal advice.
It has also helped families from every walk of life who have suffered with addiction, bereavement, cancer, employment disputes and divorce battles.
The EIC is a charity for people like YOU – so please give whatever you can to help me on my trek and ensure it can continue its vital work.
To sponsor Linda on her epic quest and help fellow electricians via the EIC, please go here.
LINDIANA’S QUEST
DAY 1: A five-hour trek from the ancient stones of Tambomachay high in the hills, down to Sacsayhuaman, the huge Incan ruin on the outskirts of Cuzco.
DAY 2: Six hours of walking along the Sacred Valley, following the Urubamba River, before camping at Wayllabamba.
DAY 3: The big one! The ominously named Dead Woman’s Pass awaits at 4,200m after a steep climb on narrow trails, with the 10-hour adventure ending in the camp at Pacamayo.
DAY 4: Now on the Inca Trail proper, another high-altitude, 10-hour trek passes the ruins of Sayacmarca and Puyupatamarca, before steep steps descend to camp at Winay Wayna.
DAY 5: A three-hour walk to Inti Punku, aka ‘the Sun Gate’, then a march along the Urubamba River and we finally arrive for a guided tour of Machu Picchu. Our adventure complete, we catch the train back to Ollantaytambo and return to Cuzco by bus.
