The trip that cost me my husband: Mother who spent four years trekking from Beijing Olympics to London 2012 on HORSEBACK reveals heartache behind the 8,000 mile ride
' M! X' D& t0 |" Q: o" K& Z! e- N公仔箱論壇- Determined Megan Lewis, 63, endured broken ribs, spent three weeks stranded in Hungary, and even split from her husband as she battled to achieve her goal
- The Welsh former geography teacher used seven horses along the route, which took her along the Great Wall of China, through the Gobi desert, and on through mainland Europe
- Now in Surrey, Lewis is mere miles away from completing the journey she began in October 2008
By Kerry Mcdermott
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$ D; ~! m+ P6 } \4 Q) j5.39.217.76A record-breaking woman who has trekked on horseback from the Beijing Olympics to the 2012 Games in London is on the home straight - after a staggering four year journey.5.39.217.76 x7 S7 Y( O; V- r! X
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Megan Lewis, a 63-year-old mother of three, has let nothing distract her from reaching the finish line - coping with broken ribs and a punctured lung, sleeping inches from scorpions, and even the breakdown of her marriage during the gruelling trek.
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Megan said her separation from her husband was a 'desperately sad time', and admitted that falling from her horse and breaking her ribs just ten days into her epic trek 'wasn't the best of starts', but she added: 'Apart from that it has all been pretty easy'.公仔箱論壇9 G- a9 W. t% Q: O! k/ f
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2 ^" x/ v6 T+ l! ^公仔箱論壇Olympic effort: It has taken Megan Lewis, pictured at the Great Wall of China, four years to complete her journey from Beijing to London on horseback
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d- ], |* [0 i t% M7 I2 A' w4 ^tvb now,tvbnow,bttvbRough terrain: Megan faced snowy conditions as she trekked across the Gobi desert in Chinatvb now,tvbnow,bttvb3 I5 F. `- X k
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Breathtaking: Kazakhstan's Akyrtas Ruins are among the many incredible sights Megan has taken in on her epic four year journey
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The former geography teacher, from Pumpsaint in Carmarthenshire, Wales, started in October 2008 on the outskirts of Beijing - host to the last Olympic Games - and is now galloping through Surrey towards the London venue. q0 K7 ? f" V: {# K J; k& u
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She has used seven horses and travelled nine countries on the trek - dubbed the Long Horse Ride - which took her along the Great Wall of China, through the Gobi desert, across the desert flats of Kazakhstan and on through mainland Europe.
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The 63-year-old has spent between six and eight hours each day in the saddle over the past four years, as she trekked through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, and finally the UK.+ y7 |, t! ]; s, ~
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# e7 G: C2 F. z- ]4 b+ w `" N0 htvb now,tvbnow,bttvbCrossing Europe: Megan and her ride are pictured gazing out to sea on Dieppe beach, Germany
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Trip of a lifetime: The intrepid former geography teacher is pictured outside a ranch in Austriatvb now,tvbnow,bttvb6 Y. C0 d! [& w5 i7 q" |* o
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Are we there yet? Megan and one of her seven faithful horses are pictured on the bank of the River Rhine in France
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. q) X' V E3 {tvb now,tvbnow,bttvbIt hasn't been an entirely smooth ride for Megan and her faithful steeds; the former teacher was hospitalised when she fell off her horse just ten days into her journey.
T& E. y; _! _* H- Z5 A'I fell off 10 days after leaving Beijing and broke six ribs and punctured a lung,' she said.
8 ?& q v8 F& r/ V. V% O QTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。'The horse got spooked and shot forwards. I wasn't paying attention and fell off the back landing on my head.) c6 s; F4 {2 v2 C- s
'I ended up having to go to hospital and it set me back three months.'
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$ g; x; x) }& U公仔箱論壇Megan and her back-up team also spent three weeks stuck on the border of Ukraine and Hungary because of a problem with her EU paperwork.
, |- C- T7 j. ?' \+ @0 {' n'We were in no-man's land waiting for all the correct documents. It was all very frustrating,' she said.
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Megan's marriage also suffered as a result of the huge undertaking, and she and her husband have split up since she set off from Beijing four years ago.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb7 g3 _: _0 V% N% |( s* G' p
'My husband was very supportive, especially as I'm raising money for his charity,' she said.
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- X4 L* y" w- W/ E- C'But during the journey our relationship deteriorated. The stress of it all and the distance took their toll and we ended up separating.
' s4 `' m2 s$ e/ q, \tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb'It was a desperately sad time, but I persevered.'
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The mother of three has lived without home comforts for the past four years, often spending the night sleeping in her horse boxtvb now,tvbnow,bttvb& z$ p2 s; y' O$ |5 `9 q
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In fact the 63-year-old remained undeterred by any of the challenges she faced during the 8,000 mile trek.
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'If you can cross China then the rest becomes child's play in comparison,' she said.公仔箱論壇4 `) h# M2 s8 V" S \8 M6 k' L" J
( `4 m+ e! q& m; i5 bTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Megan spent many nights sleeping camped out under the stars or in the back of her horse trailer - often going weeks without a shower.
+ Q+ v& \! D! I2 P4 x2 g. ?* O公仔箱論壇'It hasn't been comfortable,' said Megan, speaking while en route.
' I# s% j5 P) ^ v6 E- ?+ a3 C'I used to wash in a small plastic bowl, but because of the scarcity of water we would go weeks without a wash - it would get to the point where a wash was a treat.'
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Throughout the journey Megan has ridden seven horses - named Baiju, Shan Dan, Little Bolasak, Big Bolasak and three named Zorbee.
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Well earned rest: Megan slept in her horse box for much of the Europe leg of the trip, before which she and her team stayed in small hotels, houses, truck stops, or simply camped out under the stars
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0 @& a" t- D$ G$ a1 bTVBNOW 含有熱門話題，最新最快電視，軟體，遊戲，電影，動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。She used local guides to help her navigate tricky terrain and negotiate strict border controls as she passed through various countries.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb1 H) j0 e9 Z. j- _6 p
, |) K1 s- o& N1 X' ?2 V2 N5.39.217.76Megan said the hospitality shown to her and her team by locals across Asia and Europe was one of the highlights of her adventure.
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'Being invited into people's homes and having banquets laid on for us has been touching,' she said.公仔箱論壇1 e+ z- A, u+ u6 T M: @* t+ ?
'I've even had locals run up to us and hand over gifts - anything from apples to onions.'1 \9 m" V0 h/ Q$ E3 w% x$ }
" c( F- ?" K" c e. s* u9 k'My children think I am completely mad, but are not surprised,' said lifelong horse-rider Megan, who added that a lengthy trek had always been an ambition.
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/ c8 k( |! ~2 p8 G6 L* y4 G" S; n; n" {5.39.217.76'I think I've had a leaning towards Asia because I was brought up in the Far East,' she said.
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8 ^; }! U1 j8 S6 G$ Y) ?公仔箱論壇'And then with the Olympics being handed over from Beijing to London, and my children having all flown the nest - it was all perfect timing.'
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發表於 2012-7-21 06:26 AM
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