I haven’t written a blog since mid-April, just after I returned from completing my trek across Sri Lanka. It’s been a busy time since then.

Firstly, I’m thrilled to announce that I reached my £30,000 fundraising goal the week after I got back. All the funds are now with the charity I raised them for. Thank you to everyone who supported me in countless ways to achieve this milestone.

Secondly, upon my return, I made a significant life change. I decided to leave my job at the college where I had worked for the past nine years, accepting a redundancy package. This gave me the freedom to consider my next steps. I chose to write a book about my epic trek across Sri Lanka. I attended a fantastic week-long writing retreat in Shropshire with the Arvon Foundation, which truly set me up to start writing. I’m fortunate to have found a publisher interested in my book, and I now have a deadline of September 2nd (5 weeks’ time) to complete and submit my manuscript. The book is set for release early in the new year, 2025. The working title is: Trekking Sri Lanka: More Than a Travel Guide. I’ve already completed three-quarters of it and am confident I’ll meet the deadline—I love a deadline!

I plan to donate a significant percentage of the book sales to Their Future Today, continuing to support projects in Sri Lanka. If you’d like to pre-order a copy and read about my 1000-kilometre trek, where I faced physical challenges like climbing mountains, wading through leech-infested rainforests, and trekking under the blistering sun, please message me on the email below to be added to the list. In the book, I aim to show how trekking, volunteering, and fundraising are inseparable from living adventurously and purposefully.

It all began when I told my dad I was going to trek across Sri Lanka as soon as the lockdown was over. “You’re a bloody idiot,” he said. For me, that was all the encouragement I needed!

marciasummers@hotmail.com