Two things you need to know about me - number one, I am not a ‘morning person' and number two I am not the fittest person out there. So imagine my horror when I learnt that for the next four days, as part of the Johnnie Walker Journey, I would be getting up at 6.30am and doing exercises with ex-Royal Marines in the middle of the Scottish countryside!

Despite my reservations, as the sole member of 63G on the Journey, I realised I needed to throw myself into the experience and do my colleagues proud! But I needn't have worried, when my alarm clock went off at 6.30am on the first morning and I opened my curtains to see the sun streaming across the beautiful countryside and hearing nothing but the sounds of birds I suddenly found myself bounding down the stairs with a new-found energy - ready to face whatever was going to be thrown at me!

Over the next four days my mornings consisted of ‘skiing' on giant planks of wood, cycling ‘Enid Blyton-style' through the forest and canoeing across the Loch. And do you know what? When it came to the part of the Journey where we took part in workshops to learn more about Johnnie Walker I was more awake and seemed to have a greater ability to absorb information than ever before!

On paper, there was a lot to take in over the four days such as the history of Johnnie Walker, the entire process that goes into producing a bottle of Johnnie Walker whisky, and understanding what differentiates each of the Labels. However a cleverly designed programme which combined outdoor exercises, informative presentations, team building exercises and the opportunity to put what we learnt into practice (including the chance to make our own whisky!) meant I went away knowing more about Johnnie Walker than I ever thought possible as well as being equipped with a new set of skills that could be transferred to the workplace.

So what has four days in Scotland left me with? Admittedly a few aches and pains in muscles I had forgotten I had, a new set of friends from across the world, a true understanding of Johnnie Walker and a new resolution -to maintain my healthy body and the healthy mind that it creates!