Embarking on the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is no small feat, especially when your expedition takes you across the breathtaking but demanding landscapes of Finland and Norway.
From pushing through exhaustion to carefully planning nutrition for peak performance, every aspect of the journey plays a crucial role in success.
We caught up with Halimah Patel who recently completed their Gold DofE expedition, fueled by our adventure-ready meals. Halimah shares their experiences, challenges, and top tips for future participants - plus, their go-to expedition meals that kept them going!
Let’s dive in!
What inspired you to take on the Duke of Edinburgh challenge?
To give me something that will help me support me towards having a goal and having responsibility. Eg. Taking on the skills, physical and volunteering.
Which level of the DofE programme are you completing, and where did your expedition take place?
I am completing my Gold DofE. My expedition took place in Norway and Finland. Starting in Finland, going to Norway and back.
What was the most challenging part of your expedition?
Having to keep going even after a long start of the trip to complete it. Constantly falling over and then getting exhausted from it.
How important was nutrition in keeping your energy levels up during the expedition?
Extremely important. We had to maximise our calories in order to give us maximum energy
What was your favourite meal, and why?
Breakfast: Real Turmat Crunchy Granola, because of the chocolate flavour which made it taste 100 times better
Dinner: Real Turmat Thai Red Curry. As a vegetarian, it was a delicious meal which still had lots of calories and still tastes very nice.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone preparing for their DofE adventure, what would it be?
Plan thoroughly and always be prepared. Have a good laid-out plan that will have you prepared for every situation.
What’s next for you, any more adventures on the horizon?
I would like to try going to southern Norway or Switzerland and backpack around there. Potentially try camping instead of using a cabin/hut system.
