Many people have asked why!

Last weekend was one of my best weekends for the last few months. I came to London seven months ago from the small seaside town of Bognor Regis. The first few months up in the big city were some of the hardest I have ever faced. I had just had my heart broken by the man I thought I was going to marry and I was dropped in the middle of the big city on my own with no family or social support around me. I stared at four walls in my flat for four months wondering how I was ever going to get out of this forever circling depression.

Everyone tried to lend a hand by giving their advice, ‘get a bar job’ they said, ‘join a gym’. When was I ever going to get the time or money to do any of that? And who has ever met a friend while at the gym? I could hardly see myself on the treadmill dripping in sweat saying hi fancy going on a girl date. I am not sure how well that would go down!

So although I have terrible trouble admitting to this, I joined Match.com. Internet dating is something I never thought I would do. I expected un-attractive sleezy and geeky men. But I met stunning men with fantastic jobs who just don’t have time to meet women in normal conventional ways. The dates got me out of the house, got me dressing up and excited to go to nice bars and restaurants. I finally discovered what this ‘city lifestyle’ was all about! I could now realise how amazing it was to have these great gig venues, restaurants and tourist attractions on my door step.
I slowly went from Vickie, the shy, scared to do anything seaside town girl to Victoria. A new confident, fun, sociable, laid back city girl and I love the new me.

Sunday was the day that changed all, I did it, I deleted my ex’s number. And with a little personal encouragement from a close friend, I couldn’t believe how I felt and I am not sure what happened from there. The next thing I knew I had signed up to do the biggest and most challenging thing of my life, a trek around Costa Rica for a charity called Demelza, a children’s hospice for children with life limiting conditions. Careful Vickie has defiantly gone – she would not do a thing like this, what about the spiders, snakes, what about going without make-up and hair straighteners for two whole weeks, what about the toilet arrangements – this list just goes on.

Of course I am doing this for charity but this is going to be a huge personal challenge and after all the adrenaline had stopped rushing – I suddenly thought ‘crap, what have I done!’. Then the panic did set in, especially after I got the itinerary up to 8 hours walking a day! I can’t even walk up the two flights of stairs to my flat without having a mini heart attack when I finally reach the top. Old Vickie did pop back into my head for a short time but I am determined to achieve this however scared I am.