Viva la France!

Tuesday 13th August

A very relaxing start to the day with a leisurely breakfast and lunch, bit of a sunbathe and the luxury club lounge thanks to P&O ferries was very much turned on its head when I arrived in France. 

I had the small issue of not having a clue where to go! I thought my road map of Europe I purchased for £5.99 from the ferry would serve me well but I have learnt to trust my instincts more than the small print of my map and French road signs.

In the end I resorted to my compass to work out the direction I should be going in, (which I had correctly felt in the first place) and found the sign for St Omer. Realising time was against me, today was more of a sprint section, 30 miles in just over 2 hours is pretty good considering Nigel's put on a few more pounds in the shape of Uncle Ben's rice and packets of pasta.

First realisations of France are that they drive on the right hand side of the road which means turning left at a roundabout can be interesting the first couple of times. Right side good, left side not good. They also have blue and green signs. Blue means motorway and bicycles aren't allowed here, green means 'A' road bicycles are allowed here. Blue bad, green good, I have found this out also. 

Luckily for me the French love a cyclist, they're very considerate when over taking and give you plenty of room. Some may even get into that Tour de France spirit and give you a toot as they go past. The French love a toot, the only trouble is they sometimes catch you off guard and if you're of a nervous disposition you could find yourself scrambling in an attempt to stop yourself from careering into a bush as they happily drive by with a thumbs up and a wave.

I dread the day I have a dodgy stomach whilst riding through France!

One good thing is that French roads are flatter than a 10 year old 7up! Honestly, they are a cadburys dream to ride on which should make this week a lot easier. 

To the white cliffs!

Monday 12th August


Today was my first day alone, yesterday was good to ride with Mike and meet the guys in Brighton but it just prolonged the eventual loneliness. Had a good sleep in the grounds of Pevensey Castle and was so tired after a 100 mile ride I couldn't careless about the voices I heard outside my tent at night.

Today was welcomed with aching legs, a sore bum and some very steep hills which will be good training for the Alps and parts of Africa. Made it to Dover at around 6pm so well ahead of schedule as my ferry isn't until 3pm tomorrow.

Have come to realise a few things so far. Road cyclists don't wave to touring cyclists no matter how happy your "hello" is, hobnobs are even better after you've cycled 40 miles to eat one, truck stops are excellent resting places for cyclists not just lorry drivers and cobble streets are a sore bum's WORST nightmare!

Other than that all is good and just have to find a place to stay tonight, if only the beach wasn't stoney!

Tuesday 13th August

Found a nice place to sleep last night over looking the beach next to a fellow homeless man. Many worries could've ran through my head like what if my stuff is stolen, what if im attacked, how can i honestly do this for another 6 months but realistically i have a much darker issue to contend with. My sleeping bag absolutely stinks to the point that i would rather brave a cold nose then to fully submerge my head in the worst of all dutch ovens!

The bench was hard but probably better than the beach and when i positioned my backbone inbetween two slats it was actually a good night sleep. The man's snoring was quite therapeutic unlike the flash from the lighthouse glaring at you every 5 seconds! Woke up to a beautiful sunrise and some screaching seagulls and just waiting for the ferry now before I turn hello's into bonjour's and anything else into palle vu anglais?

First day drama

Final thoughts...before i begin

Well its fair to say the last month has been mental. I have not slept for a multitude of reasons in the last 3 weeks but can't complain as my parents probably haven't slept since i told them what i was doing last year. However, things are now looking much brighter, much more exciting and for me at least i can start to enjoy my adventure of a lifetime. (parents still won't be able to sleep)

I'm sure this ride will gradually provoke many philosophies on life that i will hopefully be able to use in the future to be a better person and live a more fulfilled life, something we should all strive for. The truth is, it already has. The support and encouragement i have received so far has literally blown me away! The sponsorship has been amazing and i thank everyone across the globe for their generosity and great words of support. I hope this continues and strengthens throughout my journey as more people follow and (fingers crossed) enjoy my take on the different countries i travel through and the different experiences i have. (majority of which will probably be poo related)

This being said, there have already been a few individuals that have gone above and beyond my call for support and without them i would literally not be able to start this journey.

There are some people in life you can always rely on. Some people give you promises that you rely on but never pull through. And some people you meet for the first time when they're picking you up off the ground, that stay with you until you're ready to walk. I have experienced all three but would like to concentrate on the latter and say a massive thank you to all those that have gone out of their way to help me; most of whom i have only just met! Whether it be, "pimping my ride," sorting out my camping equipment, including my ride on their work's website or raising money from their work and donating. Thank you so much.

I leave at 8.30am on Sunday 11th August which now, because of these people, i can really look forward to. I will be doing a little ride away from St Mary's Stadium, Southampton at half time tomorrow. After that, i have no real clue but i guess that's what adventure is all about. Be sure to stay tuned though as it could be quite tasty/messy!

More jabs than Tyson

Over the past two months its fair to say that i have been a human pin cushion! On top of the stresses of organising what to take, how to carry it and where to go on a 7 month, 11,000 mile bike ride. I have had the small issue of receiving the appropriate vaccinations for travelling through Eastern Europe and Africa.

During my first meeting with the local Travel Health Clinic the general feel was, "why are you doing this?" and "you're probably going to die but if you don't die then lets write down what you need to be aware of." Well lets face it, the list of what i shouldn't be aware of is probably shorter. However, after a little persuasion and the help and good nature of my "personal arm stabber" we managed to make a list of what i needed and here is the song sheet:

Rabies

Meningitis

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis A

Typhoid

Polio

Tetanus & Diphtheria

Cholera

Tick borne encephalitis

Yellow Fever

Malaria Tablets

Not all of these are just one Jab, most are a course of two or three and they don't come cheap. Honestly, i have lost count how much i spent, (around £650) so if you're thinking about travelling through Africa you must ensure you have taken into account the sting in your wallet not just the sting in your arm!

If it wasn't for my kind nurse Gill who wants to remain anonymous as she "looks terrible in photos" (her words not mine) then i would never of gone back after my first visit for more punishment. I suppose i should be thankful for Gill although i have to apologise for the secret picture! i think the smiley face portrays how much she enjoyed putting me through pain anyway! 

I get by with a little help from my friends

I have one month to go and things are finally falling into place but this would not of been possible if it wasn't for the great help that i have received from people that only 2 months ago were just strangers to me. Matt from Bushcraft UK, Scott from Slime and Reece from Peter Hansford cycles have been brilliant in assisting me with camping and bicycle equipment to really ease my financial situation and ensure my ride is as successful as possible.

I hope this support is echoed throughout my journey to ensure i overcome all barriers that i may experience. Someone once said, "you can always depend on the kindness of strangers" and this is what my journey and life itself is all about.

Cheers boys!

Calling all Football Clubs, Academies and Sporting Charities!

I am happy to announce that i have been having some great success with a few establishments associated with football that have kindly offered their hospitality in making "A ride for their lives" a success.

My aim is to document how football culture changes and the different ways it is used throughout my journey in all walks of life. In addition to the kind offer from FC Zurich as previously posted i have confirmed to meet the kind people of SCORT a charity based in Basel (dates TBC) and a charity called Moving the Goalposts based in Kenya.

My chosen charities of the Saints Foundation and Kick 4 Life do similar work to these two charities and i just can not wait to visit as many possible. If you know of any more that are near to my route shown, then please do not hesitate to contact me. The more people i visit, the more you'll see and the more we'll learn!

Please find the links to all the charities mentioned below, and also a cheeky little picture of me looking like i'm coaching!

Cheers

http://www.mtgk.org/
http://scort-blog.ch/blog/
http://kick4life.org/
http://www.saintsfoundation.co.uk/

At last a positive response!

The last month has consisted of me e-mailing various companies, schools, radio stations, travelers and football clubs for a range of different reasons from sponsorship to advice. I know e-mails can be easily deleted and for this reason aren't the best way to get what you want but when you have so much to ask there really is no other option.

No reply is worst than a reply saying no and i have had hardly any of those either but i would like to give thanks to Jessica Wedenig from FC Zurich who has agreed a visit to the professional Swiss Football Club. This is a great step in the right direction and a further incentive to pursue my "maybe" idea of visiting professional football clubs along the way to see how the world of football changes in the 20 different countries i'm visiting.

                              

Got to love the Swiss, see you soon lads!