ADVENTURE is the middle name of a woman who once spent the night in a live Indonesian volcano.

Lynda Theaker has spent much of her life as an adventurer, exploring some of the most picturesque, savage and remote areas of the world. Most notably, she spent three years, mostly by herself, exploring Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Now she is preparing to tackle one of the most beautiful - and harshest - areas of the world in her latest quest, roughing it in the Grand Canyon with just a tent and a minimum of food to keep her alive.

Lynda, better known as Jade to her friends, promised herself the adventure as a 50th birthday present to herself later this year.

"I've always wanted to descend the Grand Canyon and white water raft along the Colorado river. Perhaps I'll hire a small aircraft to fly over if there's enough cash," she said.

"I'm afraid but excited about this trip, but you have to face your fear to grow. I'd love to find the old cave dwellings and perhaps spend time with local people.

"It's case of doing it now, or never. You need to be very fit and active to be able to survive around there and frankly, people don't expect a woman to do this sort of thing, certainly not at my age."

Jade, who lives in Otley, has slept in caves all over the world and once spent the night in a live volcano in Indonesia.

"I shouldn't have been up there because it was dangerous, but I paid a guide and I just thought 'if it blows, it blows'.

"It was a wonderful experience - I saw thousands of shooting stars that night and I was that high up I could see little red lights on passing satellites."

Jade is looking for one or two adventurous, fit and healthy companions who don't mind roughing it a bit and have 'a good sense of Yorkshire humour.'

"It will take three to four hours to descend and seven or eight to climb back out so you'll have to be fit. But perhaps most importantly, they need to be a free spirit who's not wanting to stick rigidly to an itinerary, they need to go with the flow.

"One must be comfortable travelling light clothes-wise as only food, water and a tent will be a priority."

She said that September was the best time to descend the Canyon as the weather is most suitable.

As well as looking for a companion or two, Jade now faces the prospect of raising money for the trip. "I'll be doing all sorts to raise money. I'll cut hair for £4 a trim, busk, give Thai massages, gardening, babysitting. I've always realised how lucky I am to be able to do this and would like to donate a percentage of my earnings to Cancer Research."

More details from Jade on 0780 8743953. (9-03-AH)

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