10:30am Tuesday 24th March 2009
A brave Pembrokeshire adventurer is about to get to grips with the sand and the salt flats of Chile's Atacama desert on the second stage of a life changing adventure.
Lucy Bulkeley has already crossed the Sahara on foot along with sister Camilla Howard. The pair decided to attempt the four deserts challenge, incorporating the Gobi, the Sahara, the Atacama and Antarctica, in memory of their father Lieutenant Colonel John Bulkeley.
Camilla was forced to pull out of the race at the Sahara stage after suffering from a serious knee injury. The sisters endured sandstorms and temperatures of up to 45 degrees centigrade.
Determined to continue with the challenge, and raise £20,000 for Macmillan Cancer Care through sponsorship, brave Lucy decided to go it alone for the Atacama crossing.
"Camilla's knee is improving but not quickly enough to do this desert," said Lucy,aged 31, of Bosherston.
"I'm going to the Atacama alone and the biggest challenge will be the altitude as it is a mile above sea level," added Lucy.
Lucy flies out to Chile today.
"I'll start the crawl across the sand and salt flats of the Atacama on Sunday morning," her latest blog entry reads.
"All my kit (including a lot of life saving peanuts and haribo starmix!) is packed and the iPod and camera are charged.
"The butterflies have definitely kicked in now......what on earth am I doing putting myself through the pain and agony all over again?"
The sisters have so far raised £16,000 so for Macmillan Cancer Support.
"Thank you to everyone who has helped raise an incredible amount, which I hope will keep rising," said Lucy.
To sponsor Lucy, log on to www.justgiving.com/4desertsisters.
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