Reckitt Benckiser trek challenge: Day One

Everyone clapped as the plane landed. I felt the 28 degree heat and knew I had arrived in Brazil. After over a year of planning, the Reckitt Benckiser global challenge was now a reality!

News came through that Ricardo Pedro (RB Portugal) had hit his £25,000 target — the highest amount ever raised by a Reckitt Benckiser global challenger. When I asked him why he set the bar so high he said “I really hope that this achievement encourages others in the next editions of the Global Challenge to beat this amount. Because in the end, that’s what really matters! Making the most out of this initiatives to help children around the world!”

I continue to be inspired by the amazing spirit and culture at Reckitt Benckiser. I know we will smash our overall £300,000 target once all the funds are in. This is just one element of the challenge. The second part will see 33 of us complete a gruelling 71 km trek in Chapada’s breathtakingly scenic national park.

A few hiccups appeared at the start — visa issues, flights overbooked, flights cancelled due to a Chilean volcano erupting causing another dreaded “ash” cloud! 64 challengers travelling from 33 countries would provide a cocktail of nationalities and a few minor logistical hurdles.

But now most of the trekkers have all arrived. Vasiliy the Russian was the first bearing gifts of 4 dried fish which we duly had to try on our first night washed down with cold Brazilian beer. The taste was better than the pungent smell! Puneet from Turkey will be the last to arrive tomorrow and he will meet us in Lencois.

Dettol branded t-shirts and hats have all been given out along with repellex and blister plasters. We are all ready to go. Vamos as they say in portugese!