So I alluded to the fact in my first blog that perhaps I am not the worlds greatest swimmer… well I am not. I am in fact a bit of a baby and, like many people it would seem have a bit of an issue with putting my face in the water. I also might have a bit of an issue with not being able to touch the bottom of the pool… As you can see, swimming a half-mile in a river might just be the hardest physical challenge I have yet attempted.

I’ve run a half marathon. I’ve trekked in the Himalaya higher than Base Camp Everest. I’ve waded through the pampas in Bolivia looking for Anacondas. I’ve circumnavigated the globe with a backpack. I’ve even survived 5 years of motherhood. But swimming in a river is going to be hard for me. So I decided that I should try and make things a little easier on myself and get some swimming lessons.

I found a lovely instructor, funnily enough another Emma (maybe I shouldn’t befriend anyone called Emma from now on?!) and she is teaching me to swim – with my face in the water!

And so far it is going surprisingly alright – in 6 short lessons I’ve gone from not putting my face in the water for fear of water going straight up my nose (the trick it seems is to just commit to the water and look straight down at the bottom of the pool and blow the all important bubbles) to doing just that and even learning the art of side breathing! And an art it is. Or is it a science… either way it is not easy for me but I am getting there.

I’ll start talking more about the actual training itself in my next blog – but I’m having so much fun that I’ve even gone out and bought a proper swim suit!

My local pool in Muscat… there are worse places to train I admit!