Henry Dunham (pictured left) and Sam Crimp are currently walking 6,500 miles from the UK to Kathmandu to raise money for Annie’s Challenge, a charity for brain tumour research.

HENRY DUNHAM and Sam Crimp are two ordinary guys from a sleepy town in Suffolk, Framlingham. Henry has studied for two degrees, worked in the city and even done a paper round once or twice. Sam, although without a degree is of equal intelligence and is still pondering what to do other than adventuring. Neither are strangers to the odd adventure, Henry has scaled the highest mountain in Norway, and has even been on ‘holiday’ 6,000m up Everest. Sam has hitchhiked the entire length of Australia while living out of a tent armed with only a fishing rod and a fistful of dollars…

In their latest challenge the friends have teamed to walk 6,500 miles from the UK to Kathmandu to raise money for Annie’s Challenge, a charity for brain tumour research. Here Sam talks to us about the adventure so far and what else could be in store as they continue their walk to Kathmandu.

To find out more about the two friends and their challenge visit www.kathmandu-it.uk.

Tell us more about the challenge and where you currently are on the route?

The idea of walking Kathmandu came about last October, when we were discussing ways of fund raising for Henry’s charity ‘Annie’s Challenge’ a charity set up to support research into brain tumours. The charity was set up after Henry’s sister, Annie, was diagnosed with an astrocytoma, a tumour sitting on the brain stem.

We’re currently in Hungary, having just crossed the Austrian/Hungarian boarder, Budapest was rest stop, on the July 22, when a shower and a cold beer was most welcome!

The trek will amount to 6500 miles, 13 million steps, which is a quarter of the way around the world, finishing in the iconic Kathmandu!

What have been your biggest tests so far and what obstacles are you expecting in the coming weeks?

So far, it’s been the lack of shower which has been our biggest issue. Seven days, without washing, leaves some pretty undesirable effects…

We’ve also recently been struggling with mosquitos, there’s only so much repellent can do! Of course, there’s the lack of home comforts too; a bed, Mum’s home cooked lasagne and a cup of tea.

As we get further on, the heat will play a bigger role, carrying enough food and water without breaking our backs will be a balancing act, and once summer is over, the cold conditions will mean that we will have to be sensible about planning our route.

The people that Henry and Sam have met along their route have provided the most memorable moments of the challenge so far.

What have been some of the highlights and what are you most looking forward to on the rest of the challenge?

We can safely say, that the people who have helped us on our journey so far, have been the absolute highlights. From accommodation to free food, we have experienced the absolute best of human nature and it’s what keeps us going.

We can’t wait to meet new people and experience differently cultures that the countries we’re visiting have to offer. We’re particularly excited about Turkey and India!

Currently in Hungary, Henry and Sam have recently had a well-earned rest in Budapest where they enjoyed some of the capital’s local beer.

Tell us about the charity which will gain from your challenge and what it means to the two of you to be support such a cause? How can our readers get behind you and donate?

So the Charity ‘Annies Challenge’ is something very close to Henry’s heart. It was set up in October 2015, after Henry’s sister Annie, was diagnosed with a terminal astrocytoma. He and the family have been working tirelessly to raise funds, and the Katmandu-it walk is both a tribute to Annie’s life and a sure way of raising funds for such a great cause.

The charity, provides funds to both Marie Curie and St Elizabeth’s Hospice, while at the same time funding research into brain tumours. You can sponsor us by logging onto www.kathmandu-it.uk and following the links. To keep up to date with our progress, visit our Facebook page www.facebook.com/kathmanduit, where you will find vlogs and blogs!

Once you’ve completed Kathmandu-it what’s next? Do you have any other exciting projects or plans in the pipeline?

After the trek, it’s safe to say that we’ll both be taking a week or two to put our feet up and tend to our blisters!

We both have a few ideas as to what we might want to do next, South America is definitely something we’re both interested in, we just need to come up with an equally crazy challenge! So, any suggestions are more than welcome!