Two announcements
Firstly, I’m now only about 300km from the coast of the north sea, and my expected arrival date in LONDON is below. Exciting! (certainly for me)! So read on if you want to know about that.
But, AT LAST here’s the announcement of the winner of the Virgin Atlantic competition to win a pair of air tickets hong kong to sydney.
To win the tickets, you had to answer correclty the question, "through how many countries did my original route pass?"
The answer - including hong kong as one, as indicated - was 16:
Hong kong, china, kyrgyzstan, uzbekistan, turkemnistan, azerbaijan, georgia, turkey, bulgaria, romania, hungary, austria, czech republic, germany, holland, england.
A lot of people sent in answers but a lot were wrong, mainly because people put "the caucasus" as a country, which it’s not.
Anyway, Angelina Wong, Head of Marketing at Virgin Atlantic in hong kong picked out IRIS CHIM from those who got the answer right. So Iris you are the winner of the tickets! Congratulations!
Iris is a school teacher in Hong Kong’s New Territories, who as you’ll see from comments on this blog, is one of the people who’s followed my route super attentively all the way along. Hope you enjoy your trip! Thankyou to everyone who entered, and thankyou very much to Virgin Atlantic for their involvement.
And about LONDON - I hope to arrive in Reuters Square, Canary Wharf, on Monday 30th afternoon. Can hardly believe I’ve really nearly made it, but I’m aiming to cross the North Sea from Hook of Holland on saturday evening then ride from Harwich to London.
As you’ve probably noticed, thanks to the forebearance of my manager and colleagues, I’ve been able to spend longer on the road than originally planned. This has meant I’ve been able to attempt to finish this journey properly, rather than cut off short or come thru europe by train etc. I appreciate very much their patience.
More later on arrangements for the finish.
That’s all for now - I’m racing across Germany as fast as I can but I still have some long days to do to make my planned schedule. I am eating my dinner here at a small town near Muenster, with German and Dutch maps all over the table, figuring out this last leg…
October 24th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
Wow, I won, wah wah wah, I won, just know I would because I am in love with cycling in Aust, did Tasmania last X’mas, back again for WA during Easter, went again to Darwin and Queensland last summer … looks like it the great ocean road to Adelaide will be next or a round trip from Sydney to Bryon Bay or Woolongong …! Still have a spare ticket, anyone want to join, all you need to do is to count how many countries I had cycled so far since I pick up this cycle touring hobby 12 yrs ago?
October 25th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
Hi,
Nearly home - well done. You must be very tired - I’m tired , after looking after some 50 children every morning this week. Anyway I’m going to the South Bank tonight for Brahm’s German Requiem to recover!! Then leading worship at Cricklade on Sunday.
Enjoy the last lap,
love,
Uncle Stephen
October 26th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
hi i can’t believe that your almost home, it must feel really good to be so close. i tried to ask for some days off so i could be there when you arrived in London but as i am far too busy i just don’t have the time. sorry.
Although i don’t really know you so well and not for so long, from reading your blogs every other day i feel that i know you much better than i actually do and tell my frinds which country you are in now and how you are fairing. I hope that you will do this amazing journey again one day and when and if you do i promise i will do the long road home with you, except instead of going to my home i would go to yours as i live in the opposite direction lol!
i am really proud of you and wish i could be there when you finally arrive. my thoughts are with you daily. have fun and keep me posted about your travel plans to cambodia as i am still eager to go with you.
October 26th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Hooray! I’ll be thinking of you the last little bit!