Welcome to my shiny new and hopefully exciting blog. With this blog i hope to document all my future travels and maybe even more.
Those of you who know me, will know that i have just completed a 13000 mile bicycle ride from London, England to Cape Town, South Africa. all the information about this awesome journey can be found on the website www.eyeonafrica.co.uk
The ride finished nearly one month ago so I'm sure you are all begging me to tell you what i have been up to for the past month. well, if you are patient and can mope with my appalling spelling and grammar then I'll tell you!
After Ian and I arrived in Cape Town we did what any self respecting cyclist would have done when they finish a year long ride, we got drunk, very drunk, several times! This took the majority of our time but we still made time to explore the city. We spent a day visiting Robin Island where Nelson Mandela lived during his quarter century of imprisonment. Robin Island is a slightly creepy place, a feeling that wasn't helped by the thick fog that covered the Island thoughout our time there. Between beers we also managed to climb to the top of Table Mountain and see the truly spectacular views of Table Bay, False Bay, Cape Peninsula and Cape Town itself.
I would have liked to stay in South Africa longer but some things just cant happen. After only 6 short days i was leaving Cape Town and South Africa in a 40 hour journey to Denver in Colorado USA. The reason for such an epic transcontinental flight, my big brothers wedding to the lovely Rachael.
The flight itself went well although it was a little disconcerting that it only took 12 hours to fly from Cape Town to London when it had taken me nearly 12 months to cycle! There is defiantly something in this flying lark.
I had been unable to sleep on the plane so when Charlotte met me during my layover in Heathrow I was hardly conscious, but she did give me a belated Easter egg so i cant complain. Thanks Charlotte. Eventually after about 24 hours in the air, 3 hours in taxis, and 12 hours waiting in Airports I finally arrived in Denver. Only to discover my bag didn't make it, the bag did eventually arrive but only after 3 weeks. Thankfully my bike arrived intact and on time.
The wedding went off without a hitch other than my brother thinking his name was Rachael during his vows! Whats a wedding without a little humour.
Since the wedding I've been doing a little exploration of the states, I cycled around Denver and explored the US national renewable energy center before hopping onto a plane to go and see the lovely Steph and Emily in Wisconsin. I met the pair when Ian and I were in Uganda at new year. It was fantastic to see both of them again. Emily was very busy but she made time and I'm very grateful for that cheers Emily. Steph who is about to travel back to Africa with the Peace corps took the time out to give me several days exploration of the state and its many (mostly dairy related) highlights. one of these many highlights seems to be an obscure fascination with something called cheese curds, small lumps of cheese that squeak when you eat them, apparently the squeaker the better! I'm not so sure myself. Thank you Steph for a fantastic few days and good luck with your peace corps placement in Uganda.
Following Wisconsin I took the Grayhound bus to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. At 27 hours it was a long journey and not necessarily something that I would recommend. It did however give me a chance to see some of the American landscape and a couple of spectacular city scape's. For example Chicago is an amazing looking city, I only spent half an hour there but I'm gonna have to head back someday. In Philadelphia I've been staying with another travel buddy Chris who I also met in Uganda. Its Philadelphia beer week and between shifts at work Chris has given himself the awfully hard job of showing me round all the best brew pubs in town. I'm finding myself really enjoying Philadelphia, not only has Chris been showing me around but also a few cycle tourers that I bumped into. My current most exciting find was discovered after advice given to me by a guy called Jon who i chatted to in Starbucks. Sensing I was English and knowing our national passion for chips (french fry's to you Americans) he pointed me at a place called European Republic. He said the chips were good and when I arrived I was not disappointed! i found real Chippy chips! its just like home! the only problem was a lack of vinegar but i think i might go back with a bottle of my own!
anyway, so from the past and into the future, I'm gonna spend the next couple of days exploring the city and all the historical features, remembering of course that pubs are historical. in Sunday i plan to travel down to Washington DC and explore there for a little before heading back north again and checking out the Big Apple. There may be whispers of a chance to work in New York before I head down to South America so watch this space!
wish me luck!