On Saturday 28 May, Giles Fairmann, 57, from Hove, embarked on a Peruvian Amazon River Paddle Boarding Expedition, raising over £2,000 for local children's hospice, Chestnut Tree House.
Giles, and a group of other adventure seekers from Sussex were the first to explore the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon by paddle board, covering 250 km in eight days.
"The expedition was incredible," says Giles. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It was such a unique experience, not only that no one else had ever done this before, I also loved learning all about the Amazon and meeting the local inhabitants and observing the wonderful wildlife.
"The challenge was hard, don't get me wrong! We were up at 5.00 am every morning to prepare to set off for the day, it was hot, humid and the mosquitos were constant! But it was an amazing experience."
Speaking about why he signed up to the challenge, Giles said: "I have completed various fundraising events over the years, including a tandem sky dive, a cycle from London to Paris, and two marathons, although I've never signed up to something like this before, spending 8 days paddling in the Jungle and sleeping in a hammock!
"I like to have a challenge, so I contacted Neil Laughton the organiser of the trip, as it had been a while since I had last had some real adventure, and this expedition totally floated my boat! It certainly was a trip of a lifetime."
When asked why he wanted to raise funds for Chestnut Tree House, Giles said: "Chestnut Tree House is my local children's hospice and the work they do to help children and families is incredible. I wanted to fundraise for them as I could not think of a more worthy cause to support, having worked with them previously. Thanks to everyone who has donated, I'm delighted to have raised £2,250 for the charity."
To sponsor Giles on his fundraising challenge, please visit www.justgiving.com/giles-fairmannsupamazon and to find out more about Chestnut Tree House, please visit www.chestnut.org.uk
