Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
So my days began to take on a routine: I woke up early, wrote letters, put together
andmailed presskits,brainstormed newcompanies forsponsorshipandtalkedtoeveryone
for advice. A key piece of advice came from the Mauritanian Embassy in Paris. They sug-
gested that instead of getting my visa in London or Paris, I should wait until I arrived in
Morocco. I applied this piece of advice to all the countries en route that required visas and
strategized where I would obtain them.
Ithenturnedtothemedia.Idecidedtoapproachlocalandregionalradiostationsin
February 1992 to see how I could use them to promote this tour. I also looked for compan-
iesthatmadepromotionalt-shirts.IwantedtolistthecountriesthatIplannedtovisitonthe
back and have my sponsors' logos on the front. I found a company in Ivybridge, Plymouth
and planned to have five shirts created.
In hindsight, I wished I had a PR assistant for the planning became overwhelming.
I asked some people that I worked with, but they wanted to get paid. I couldn't afford to
pay anyone on top of my own expenses. Hence, I did it on my own.
A Sign
An extraordinary thing took place on a cool Saturday morning in February 1992.
I was worrying about how I would manage on a day-to-day basis in Africa when I had a
most beautiful answer to my anxiety.
Each Saturday, I walked into Helston to do my grocery shopping at Gateway's Su-
permarket. This one particular morning, I was wearing my backpack and carrying a multi-
tude of bags. Even though it was only a couple of miles to the base, I took frequent breaks
to rest my arms from the weight. As I passed the roundabout, an elderly couple stopped
their car and asked me if I wanted a lift to which I gladly accepted.
As I sat in the back of the car, it dawned on me that this small gesture was how
I would cope in Africa. As independent as I was, it was through intra-dependence that I
would succeed. I would not be doing this tour in a continent void of people. It would be
people's goodwill that will help me in Africa. I vowed that I would not expect kindness
fromstrangersbutwouldacceptitwhenoffered.Withthisrealization,itwaslikefloodgate
hadopenedandalltheanxietydrainedaway.Ithenturnedmyattentiontootherthingssuch
as my bicycle equipment.
The Equipment
Search WWH ::




Custom Search