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Keevil feels the strain of global yacht challenge


Jennifer Morris


jennifer.morris@ travelweekly.co.uk


A Suffolk travel agency owner sailing around the world has admitted the epic journey is beginning to take its toll as she passes the halfway mark.


Travel Stop founder Bridget


Keevil set off on the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race 2015-16 in August, leaving her husband Paul in charge of her travel agencies in Elmswell, Claydon and Hadleigh. Last week Keevil, who is tasked


with organising the food on board, arrived on dry land for the first time in a month after departing Australia for Da Nang, Vietnam. Speaking to Travel Weekly from


Vietnam she said: “If I could fast forward in time, it would be July 30 and I would be back in St Katherine Docks in London. “This race is all about pushing


my boundaries to the absolute limit – I just hope I am going to be strong enough mentally and physically to reach the end. “I miss everything about home –


my family, my dog, my work.” Keevil has managed to see


some family in Sydney and plans to see them again at one of the US stopovers. “Thinking of all the friends and


family back home that are willing me on gives me an extra bit of oompf,” she added. Keevil speaks to her family


at least once during every stopover and updates her blog –


6 travelweekly.co.uk 25 February 2016


“I hope I am going to be strong enough mentally and physically to reach the end”


thefatbirdandtheboat.wordpress. com – every two days. During the latest leg Keevil’s


foul-weather suit leaked and would not dry out, and she speaks of sometimes seeing herself as a “liability”. “My clothes underneath are wet


when I take the suit off,” she wrote on her blog. “My skin is sore, my clothes stink and I feel very dirty.” The mum-of-four, who is raising money for Abta LifeLine, has


covered 20,000 miles so far. › To donate to Keevil’s cause, which has raised over £3,200, go to justgiving.com/bridgetkeevil


Bridget Keevil: misses her family and work


Meet Ant and Dec on board Britannia


Hollie-Rae Merrick hollie@travelweekly.co.uk


Agents are being given the chance to meet comedy TV duo Ant and Dec in an exclusive competition with P&O Cruises and Travel Weekly.


Three lucky agents will


get to attend the filming of ITV’s Saturday Night Takeaway and meet the stars on board Britannia during an overnight trip to Barcelona on April 2 and 3. A further seven agents will also


win a place to attend the filming. The new series of the show


began last weekend with more than eight million people watching Ant and Dec’s stunts and performances with celebrity guests including James Corden and bands Wet Wet Wet and The Vamps.


P&O said celebrity guests would


also join the filming on board Britannia in the Mediterranean for the season finale.


Paul Ludlow, P&O Cruises’


senior vice-president of sales and marketing, said he was excited to give agents the opportunity to join the event. “We are delighted that Britain’s most popular Saturday night show will be broadcasting live from Britain’s biggest and newest cruise ship,” he said. “This will be a spectacular


WIN!


event and I’m pleased agents will be able to join in the fun on the evening as Ant and Dec present


a memorable show from Britannia in Barcelona.” Ludlow previously said the


tie-up with Saturday Night Takeaway would “open up the concept of cruise” to the masses and drive more new-to-cruise sales. He said he believed the series would be seen by more than 22 million people. To enter the draw, book any


Select Price or Early Saver holiday before March 14. Enter the


booking reference online at completecruisesolution.com


The season finale will be held on Britannia


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