Everest Press Launch

Getting up at 6am has never been high on my agenda, especially to go to London, but I had no trouble on 27th January. I was driving down for our Everest official press launch being held that morning in Trafalgar Square. I'd definitely beat the traffic at this time of the morning I thought. . .but oh no! Not a chance. It took me 4 hours to park up in Wimbledon and tube it to Trafalgar Sq by which time I was £40 down in fuel, parking and train tickets and in the usual foul mood that only London can put me in. To add to that, I had missed most of the press launch I'd come to be a part of. I remembered why I only attempt this nightmare every few months. 

This isn't all negative though. When I did finally arrive, I descended into a square full of 40+ people in whites and all kinds of polar clothing milling around. Some giving interviews to an impressive collection of the world's media, from BBC to ITV to Cricket World magazine and everything in between; others throwing balls around and staging mini games on samples of the pitch kit we'll take up the mountain. Remembering that this is one of London's top tourist spots and busiest squares, the tour organisers and PR team had done a fantastic job, and for the second time in 2 months The Everest Test had taken over Nelson's patch. With Mark Butcher and Chris Adams getting involved too, it was evident how much The Lord's Taverners were really putting in and re-enforced that we'd made the right choice in them as our charity.

As the circus dissipated, I was left with an afternoon to have a few beers with some other Everest goers before a net session at The Oval in the evening. Once again, the whole day invigorated more excitement in me that we really are doing something special and being inspired and impressed by my mates who've put this all together.

I drove home feeling that the whole trip had been very worthwhile in the end. The trip back to Cheltenham took the standard hour and a half!!!