Europe - The Lions on the Road: Cycling London to Cape Town - page 30

the next pole as a new goal. He completed half the distance of Canada when cancer re-
turned and claimed his life. However, his legacy is part of the Canadian (and world's) con-
sciousness.
With this in mind, my first goal was simple…it was to sit up. When I did that, my
next goal was to get out of bed. The one after that was to take a shower. Then it was to eat
breakfast. After that, it was to get dressed. Finally, and hardest of all, was to say good-bye
to the family. And this was how I made my way out of the house. Just as I was about to
leave, Luke snapped a photograph of me. (Twenty years later he posted it on facebook.)
As I cycled to Buckingham Palace (my official starting point), I thought to myself,
“WellMr.Fenech, yousonofagun,you'reonyourway.IfIarriveatthepalace safely and
start the world tour, it would be good enough.”
Iarrivedatthepalacewiththousandsofpeoplewaitingwiththeircameraspoised.I
was so moved. However, their cameras were poised in the direction of the changing of the
guard. They were totally oblivious to who I was. Damn tourists. From the palace, I made
my final phone call to Pirate FM in Cornwall to say thank-you and good-bye.
Under an overcast sky and without any fanfare I officially started my tour from
Buckingham Palace. I left London and quickly found the route to Dover. The rain started
and didn't relent until the early afternoon. I was much fitter because of the UK-Ireland
tour and so I only took two cycling breaks until I arrived in Dover. I missed the 6:00 p.m.
ferry crossing to Calais so I waited by the port and changed into warmer clothing. I finally
boarded the 8:30 ferry and sat on the deck to see the white cliffs of Dover fade into the
darkness.