eeek! 8 Weeks to Go!

Oh my! only 8 weeks before we are due to leave!  Some how it seems so far away, but at the same time, 8 weeks can pass in the blink of an eye.  There are many things that still need to happen between now and then, and to be honest, I’m not sure how they will happen, I am just trusting that they will.

Since I last wrote the main high lights have been all to do with the motorbike going through a perpetual round of repairs.  It is shocking how much damage can be done on a bike in its poultry 10,000km life.  Most of the issues set up in its first 7,500km with lack of riding on the one hand and really bad riding and maintenance on the other.  None the less, we are on the road to recovery, and the main thing is to keep up the mileage I do on it before we go to make sure that it is fully tested and any faults are picked up before we leave.

The big up swing in getting the bike ready has been finding the right man for the job, not only is the bike getting excellent attention, but also great modifications.  I am also being well trained in the art of driving the Ural sidecar combination, and my mechanical skills have shot up to the point where I now feel confident to get my tools out on the side of the road if necessary.  It would be great to fix it on the side of the road as well, so tempting fate, I would not be unhappy if that where to happen before we leave so that my handy work can be assessed and improved upon if necessary.

Green Light PBS Ltd was formed in 2009 to address shortfalls in autism care and support in Cornwall. The company has grown and now offers several family sized properties, flats and apartments, supporting people with autism and other complex needs. Green Light provide care for people with Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Epilepsy, Learning Disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Associated Challenging Behaviour

We may have missed much of the summer on the bike, however, we are making up for lost time and where invited over to Cornwall to meet with the Greenlight organisation that is providing support for families affected by autism.  In the process we where able to experience the road for 3 nights with bike and tent, stopping in Poole on the way.  I am pleased to say that both Sofia and I have prepared well both psychologically and emotionally, as the 3 days didn’t seem to feel ‘unnatural’ or awkward in anyway and where both taking a proactive stance of learning better ways of doing things.  I even had to wonderful experience of extremely limited phone connection (yes Cornwall seems to have been left off the grid)  and hardly a free wifi spot to hook into.  On the one had it was frustrating because there is still so much to do, on the other, it was great to have the break, and focus on the job at hand of experiencing the wonderful facilities that GreenLight provide, as well making our story available to them to inspire their community.  We are very much looking forward to returning with our experience under our belts.

September is now screaming to an end, and a carnet de passage application form is plaguing my mind!  Visa application start at the beginning of October and we look forward to working with another Autism Wessex at the end of the October before we leave on our adventure!

We need your donations so please click and give!

Sponsors:

   

5 Months to Go (ish)

Life is moving so fast as the moment, that it is all becoming a bit of a blur!  With in that blur are some key things that have changed in the plan, some for the betterment of the trip, some that will make things a little more challenging.

The Overland Event

The biggest impact on life right now is the decision to start spending time in a caravan.  The story of how this came about is a long one, but ultimately, the need to prepare Sofia for life style of no immediate access to TV and internet comes to the forefront as she will need to start to find other ways to occupy herself.   It will be a huge adjustment for her and one that is better to happen before we leave when I can give her the attention, than when we are on the road and I have a million things to focus on.

Safari through the New Forest

 

The plan has changed in other ways too, not least because there is definitely an escalation of ‘trouble’ in the world.  I certainly expected at some point that Egypt and Turkey would be more directly subject to events, however, I believed that would be next year, long after we have past through.  The issues are still mild in both those countries, however, the a yellow flag is raised for me and so not only have I been looking for alternative boats to take us across the Med but will look to seeing if we can bring the timeline forward a little.  Either way, I plan to have a definite date of departure in the next few days, either with a pre-booked crossing or a plan to arrive in port (Italy or Greece) and find a way across when we get there.

Encouraging Sofia to look and see!

One thing I am certain of is that we will not be cancelling as I fully intend to we get through before any serious escalation occurs.   And as happens with changes like these other aspects change to meet the requirement.  The best one being the school I would like Sofia to go to on our return, who have started their assessment process earlier initially to ensure that we would be ready for December, but clearly this will allow and earlier timeline to occur as well.

Please donate http://www.gofundme.com/africawithautism

If you are a UK tax payer, please donate here for Gift Aid http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1005498

Sponsors:

      

Charity:

 

Interview on Adventure Rider Radio

It was a really fun experience doing this and Jim was a fantastic host!  Thank you Jim for having me on your show

Click here to listen to interview

Adventure Rider Radio is a great resource for people who are interested in adventure motorcycle riding.  Lots of great tips and advice, and some really wonderful stories.

If you would like to find out more about Travel Bug Blues who also features in the podcast please click here

Click here to make a donation To Africa With Autism

Only Seven Months Left to Plan!

Yes, there are only 7 months left to plan!  I don’t know if I’m super excited about leaving, or super terrified at the prospect of everything that still needs to fall into place in this space of time.

The main thing, however, is that we now have our bike (see post:  Transport has been arranged!) and in one sense I feel like we are ready to go, that all the things between now and December are loose ends that need tying up.  If only it were that simple!

Another achievement of the month just gone (feels more like evaporated) is that the National Autistic Society have endorsed the project and we are now going to donate excess funds raised for the project to them.   I am really happy about this, not least because Sofia and I have benefited enormously from the organisation.  Without the support they provide through courses like the ‘Early Bird’, and the local support group which arranges coffee mornings and special trips, I would not be here today talking about taking a journey with my daughter across Africa.

Certainly when you are a parent of a child with autism, nothing can quite equate to having the opportunity of meeting other parents who know and understand exactly what you mean, who don’t judge your child, and will always be ready with ideas on new ways of looking at situations that might help with understanding and finding solutions.

With these two outcomes this last month, I am hoping it is a down hill ride to December.  We still have lots to do in terms of raising sponsorship and donations, and will we be selling window stickers at a biker haunt near you over the summer.  These will also be available on our GoFundMe page – there are no limits to where I can send one!

Still to come is the bike getting a paint job, and we need to start readying it for the trip.  Thoughts about petrol carrying capacity weigh heavily on my mind these days and so a new more detailed level of planning needs to start taking place. Maintenance training will need to be done soon as well, so far I have only topped up the engine oil, apparently there are 2 other oil wells which take different oil, and I can’t even find them at this point.

I have to say though, all is working out perfectly.  Even more so now that we have the bike and sidecar.  Sofia loves riding in the sidecar, and I love driving it, so with these very big boxes ticked, I am now certain that we will not slip our leaving date of December, in fact, in the coming month I hope to set the date specifically and start to work on our launch location.

In the mean time, please donate £3.50 (£3.75 international) and get your own window sticker to show your support.   http://www.gofundme.com/africawithautism

 

 

 

Sponsors: