Day 1 - Cirencester, England. So the time has come to give up my home comforts and hit the road! The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of planning and fund raising and I’m actually really looking forward to getting on the bike and going back to basics....

The response to my request for contacts and charity donations has been phenomenal, I have been truly blown away by the generosity of friends, family and even strangers in donating to this cause – it’s great to see that the cross-continent triathlon has captured people’s imagination.  It was even a pleasant surprise to receive donations from Brown and Bush, let’s just hope Obama, Sarkozy and co decide to join the party!  At this rate I may have to change my charity raising targets to £1 per km!! Seriously though thank you everyone that has donated, apologies if I haven’t been able to thank you personally, I greatly appreciate all the support and I’m sure Re-Cycle will put the money to fantastic use.  I visited the charity a couple of weeks ago and helped to load a shipment of old bikes fittingly destined for Cape Town - I managed to resist hopping in the back and hitching a lift - and it was great to see 400 bikes, that would otherwise end up on landfills, being sent to somewhere where they can really make a difference in people’s daily lives. 

As for training, well the fast food binge of the last few weeks has unfortunately only added an extra 4kg’s despite frequent sausage roll and sticky toffee pudding sessions (on special in Tesco) that have taken me to the point of sickness. Still I went for a swim on Tuesday and managed to get some stomach chaffing so my life belt must be a bit bigger than it was! Unfortunately the swim training has taken a back seat behind planning the trip but I hope to get in some swims on my way down through France and Spain. Blue Seventy have kindly stepped up and provided a wet suit so I won’t be forced to wear my 70’s flared and ridged old suit on the Strait attempt.

Anyway, having finally rescued my passport from the Nigerian Embassy, sorted out a bike and devoured my first Malt Loaf I am set for my first day of riding.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to donate yet please think about doing so, Morocco is currently on special offer with a free malt loaf thrown in for the lucky purchaser of this bargain!

Thanks again for everyone’s wonderful support in both donations and providing contacts in West Africa. 

So long one and all...