Phill's 70 swims

Back in Swansea I have been clocking up the km in the Village Pool, the Vale Resort and Tadley Pool, with some outdoor swims in Swansea Bay and Langland Bay after saunas in Barney and Bethan's Sauna Hut, and Three Cliffs Bay and Gwladys Falls in Glynneath when our friends Nora and Max were visiting from Germany.

Running total 60km! Only 10 to go before August 2nd!

The final stop on our trip was Malawi, where Chris and Kira organised many swims for me. Firstly a 5am pre-work swim with Kira in St Andrew's School swimming pool in Blantyre where she works. Half a kilometer in the Sunbird Hotel Pool high up in Zomba with the most incredible view; a trek in Mulanje Massif to swim in the pool at the base of the Nkhalamba Falls; a very short swim in the natural pool in Majete Wildlife Reserve, where I was surrounded and nibbled by many quite large fish, followed by half a kilometer in their other open air pool; and finally a half kilometer in the infinity pool at Ngona Lodge.

Running total: 43.5 km

We visited my nephew Jonathan in Cape Town and I swam 1 km in a huge salt water beach front swimming pool at Seapoint with Carol and Anna. A few days later we went snorkelling in the kelp forests at Windmill beach, one bay along from Boulders Beach with its large colony of very warm and approachable penguins. I swam at least 1km underwater, through the kelp and shoals of fish (including a small shark!)

In January, after Egypt, we went on a journey from South Africa through Zimbabwe and Botswana.

I was discouraged from swimming in the Victoria Falls or any stretches of water with hippos or crocodiles but I did swim in the Okavango delta with leeches! Yum!

I also clocked up another 4.5 km in outdoor pools in the lodges where we stayed - Great Zimbabwe Hotel (supervised by vervet monkeys); Ngosi lodge, Victoria Falls, swimming many lengths of a 10 metre pool, sometimes in the pouring rain; Nata Lodge after a huge lightning storm; and Maun Island Safari lodge surrounded by sausage trees and a curious kudu.

Running total: 39.5 km

It's been a while since I have done an update so here goes!

On 22nd, 26th and 29th September I did 3 x 1km swims in the Village Hotel Pool, then my swimming challenge took a back seat until I went on a big trip to Africa. First stop was Sharm El Sheikh where I clocked up 4km in the Red Sea and an empty octagonal hotel pool. I km was underwater snorkelling around mid sea reefs.

I reached the half way point of my 70 km!