Griff’s Big Three Challenge: Overcoming Obstacles for Rugby For Heroes: Personal Entry.

The Big Three Challenge is officially underway, and Griff has already faced a series of unexpected challenges already. As he treks through the Himalayan wilderness, his journey is not just a test of physical and mental endurance but also a testament to his unwavering dedication to Rugby For Heroes.

Here’s Griff’s first update….

Morning all!

The trip got off to a rocky start—literally. After arriving in Kathmandu, I found out the airline had left my bags behind. Just my luck! But that was only the beginning. I landed in the middle of the worst storms and rainfall Nepal has seen in over 40 years. The scenes in Kathmandu were absolute chaos—flash floods down below and four feet of snow on the high ground. It’s impossible not to admire the resilience of the local people who kept things moving in such extreme conditions.

Despite the rough beginning, I managed to get a couple of hours’ sleep at the hotel before heading back to the airport at 5:00 a.m., hoping to catch a flight. No such luck. Back to the hotel again, but I wasn’t ready to give up. We quickly hatched a plan to drive to a smaller airport that supposedly had better weather. Seemed like a solid idea until we discovered parts of the road had been hit by landslides, and the bridge we needed to cross had been washed away. Time for Plan C.

The only real option left was to charter a helicopter to Lukla—the start of the trek. On my own, this wasn’t affordable, but luck was on our side. We managed to rally four more people in the same situation, and off we went, back to the airport, hoping this plan would stick. Finally, after a two-day wait, we were told we were on the last helicopter flight. It was a huge relief, but as we were mid-flight, the news came in that Lukla airport had just closed due to clouds rolling in. In true adventure fashion, we made a quick decision to land below the cloud line and hike uphill to Lukla. With daylight fading fast, we hit the ground and started the 1.5-hour
walk.

Not exactly the smoothest way to acclimatise! We went from 1,000 meters to 3,000 meters in rapid time, and the altitude headaches hit hard, but we had to make up for lost time. An early start the next day had us pushing to cover two days’ worth of trekking in one, with plenty of climbs and descents, finishing the day at 3,200 meters. Despite the challenges, the team remained in good spirits—Bwlly (my trusty partner) included.

As of today, we’re sitting at around 4,000 meters, the highest point so far. For perspective, that’s about 4.5 Pen y Fans stacked on top of each other for all my mates back home! The weather has been the best we’ve seen so far, and I’m crossing my fingers that it stays that way. We’ve still got a lot of ground to cover to complete this challenge, but with some luck, we’ll get there.

Tomorrow’s another big day of trekking, and we’ll continue to push forward, all in support of Rugby For Heroes and the incredible work they do for our veterans.

Why Rugby For Heroes?
Continue to follow Griff on his journey, this challenge isn’t just about climbing mountains; it’s about raising awareness and support for the veterans who have given so much.We are dedicated to helping service men and women transition from military to civilian life, using rugby as a platform to build resilience, community, and a sense of purpose. Every step Griff takes in this challenge is dedicated to this cause.

How You Can Help
Griff is tackling some of the world’s toughest terrains, but he’s doing it for an important mission. You can support Griff by donating via the link below. Every contribution helps veterans who are navigating their own personal mountains back home

https://www.justgiving.com/page/griffs-big-three-challenge

Stay tuned for the next update from Griff and Bwlly as they continue their incredible journey for our heroes.