Its the Sunday before leaving, the day before leaving. Sir Humphrey landed last night local time. What is left to do? I've packed the last few bits - passport, pant and airfilter etc. I am totally at a loss.

The leaving bash at Peterborough Greyhound Stadium went well. There was some panic last night when I got confused about Sir Humphrey's flight plan and time differences which caused me to believe that Sir Humphrey was wrongly stranded in San Paolo but that is all sorted.

Is there anything left to do apart from feel at a loose end? 

Ahoyhoy.

What a day!

Up at 6am to drive a fully loaded Sir Humphrey Bikelby in -4degC winter. All was going well until a decidedly silly person on the A14 must have been distracted by Sir Humphrey's gorgeous bum and drove into the back of us. Fortunately only shoved us forward a few inches and managed to do no damage as best I can tell. What a start.

Finally made it late to the MAGPAS offices where the phone was ringing. It was Jeremy from the BBC Cambs breakfast show who started pointing out that I had mental problems. Fair enough. Nice later on to get both print photo bods and camera fellows from BBC & ITV. I guess we'll all be Roger Melly later on.

After a few emergency cups of tea and biscuits to deal with 1) shock and 2) -4degC we made our way to Hackney to meet all of the the A&E Agency team (one of our primary sponsors) and jolly nice peeps. I have no idea what Emily the satnav thought she was doing but she did show me some of the new Olympic stuff I think. She's always good for a novel route.

More novelty on looking at the skyline west of the gurkin. Where did all that come from and a tad further down the river is a giant glass obelisk! Looks fantastic. Wonderful to ride through the heart of the city like I was back at college. I did get a bit carried away after a few waves from folks and a chat with a motorcycle courier - 300+kg bike makes for exciting sweeps between crazy taxis and white vans. Having tested the edge of my Pirelli Scorpions I sat back and enjoyed the run to Heathrow and the top bods and James Cargo. Fab boys Danny, Roddy, Steve & Jim.

At James Cargo I had a double hit of pain, having to say goodbye to Sir Humphrey, Little Tigger & Magpaws and the £1700+ one way bill. Nevertheless the have the reputation of  being the best and from my dealings with James Cargo I would have to wholeheartedly agree. I even got a lift to the station with Steve and Polly his medically interesting Staffy who after two shorts barks decided to lick through my jeans so on the way home on the tube it looked like I was an exceedingly well hung but incontinent chap.

What a day.

Now just two weeks to wait. Oh and I have to be at work in three hours.

TTFN,

Tigger

Ahoyhoy peeps,

After our day in Manchester Sir Humphrey & I thought we were ready but alas we had not considered the packing and then the mountain of jobs that then creates. Nevertheless after 8 hours we were packed bar those essential items I have forgotten or yet don't know about. There was also a prolific amount of swearing at KTM engineers who designed a seat locking mechanism that after 10 months has completely failed necessitating it to be broken off and making a slight mess of the seat. This would not be the end of the world as Sir Humphrey is still under warranty but he has to leave for Heathrow tomorrow and he'll be out of warranty on his return. There was echoing of previous swears at the KTM bosses who tried to save pennies by buying low quality bolts which after only 9 months had to be ground off with an angle grinder! Oh well. MAGPAS office for 8am tomorrow for Sir Humphrey's press leaving. Radio, press and hopefully TV. He is a photogenic boy.

Speak soon, TTFN.

Ahoyhoy,

How's things? We are all Hugoagogo in the bike department. Sir Humphrey pilgrimaged to Adventure Bike Warehouse in Manchester to have a service and change those parts I fear might need replacing in 20,500 miles but might last if I change them now. Now its just the packing to do before he leaves for Heathrow on Monday morning.

I'm exciting, scary and every other emotion is showing its head in my soul at the moment and I am blithering around being very unconstructive. Anyway too late to worry about it now. Just want to get there and get on. Must still try the Viagra though!

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to the one or two of you who might read this.

Things are settling down at last with respect to the trip as some much has fallen into place after completely falling apart. It was heartbreaking when the original Africa/East trip got shelved but South America is very exciting although it did grate a bot having spent three months planning a trip only to throw it all away and plan a new one in two weeks. Despite this all is now booked, plane tickets confirmed and I boldly go on a new 20500 mile journey without being really sure where I'm going on 30th Jan. I have at least bought some diuretics and viagra for going over the Andes at altitude. For the pulmonary hypertension!!

I hope both of you will join me for the leaving party at Peterborough Greyhound stadium on Friday 27th Jan.

Until then its just tweeking Sir Humphrey and giving him a massive service, packing, getting sponsorship decals applied, work for three weeks solid and delivering Sir Humphrey to Heathrow on 16th Jan.

ARRGH again but a much quieter arrgh than last time!

TTFN

Tigger

BUGGER! BLAST! DAMM! International relations totally suck. Libya are 'not ready' to issue visas yet and Iran will not. No viable route across the Med. Thanks a lot world. YOU SUCK!

Ahoyhoy,

It is amazing the difference people make to my outlook sometimes.

Earlier this week I was seriously comtemplating the minutiae of postponing the trip because of the finacial difficulties. I then went to Midas technologies, one of my amazing sponsors, for a photoshoot with all the guys there. I was very tired and grumpy after a really busy paeds A&E nightshift and all the visa and financial difficulties. I get there and met the most amazing group of guys, all of who had put their hands in their pockets for Magpas & Riders. Even guys I had never met had already prepared cheques for corporate sponsorship like Nick Johnson of 316 Engineering Ltd and Rick Rambridge of Peterborough Engraving & City Signs.

I just want to say thanks soo much to you all, especially Mark Lock of Midas Engineering and Paul Franks the amazing photographer (who came on his day off) who organised it all. You are amazing!

Nevertheless a cheerier disposition and a bank loan means we are still on.

TTFN,

Tigger

Ahoyhoy blogs muffins,

I hope you are all well. Sorry for being so tardy at updating. Thank heavens the ever reliable and wonderful partner Sam will be keeping you updated as the trip happens.

To be fair there hasn't been a great amount of developments since we last spoke.

The trip starts on Monday 30th January at the Magpas offices in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire but before that we are having a leaving party night out at the Peterborough Greyhound stadium on the Friday, the 27th - do come, it will only be £1 to get in and should be a super night. Any and all support will be very gratefully recieved. 

The off road training with Chris of 'Ride any Road' is two thirds of the way through and is briliant so far. Sir Humphrey has kissed the mud probably a dozen times but hasn't got a scratch or a bend to show for it. I am very reassured he is the one for me.

I would like to take a moment to thanks the Inland Revenue for not even being able to calculate PAYE contributions / tax codes correctly meaning that they have dropped and £3k tax bill in my lap two months before departure!

Sam and I went to Motorcycle Live at the NEC this year and were both a little astounded that adventure motorcycle travel god Sam Manicom knew who I was already! How does that happen? He was kind enough to donate a book for the charity auction - good bloke. 

Also at the NEC the great folks and Beowulf exhausts gave us a new pair of cans for cost price and the excellent St. Ives based Starcom - the only bike com system, continue to supply us with bits and pieces.

Many thanks to everyone how is helping and all two of you for following the build up to the trip's antics and I would love to meet you both at the leaving party and again at the charity ball on my return.

TTFN,

Tigger

I went to London last night and met Hamid 'Reza' Ghazi-Noori. An amazing doctor who cycled (push bike) from UK to Cape-Town with his doctor girlfriend Hannah (check out their website www.panafricancycle.moonfruit.com). Reza & Hannah are organising a medical volunteering trip to Kenya March-April next year and as part of the trip I'll be meeting them there and working in Kisumu, Kenya for a while. More info to come but if you are interested in joining us then please contact Reza @ ghazi-noori@doctors.org.uk All grades needed. Come and make a hands on difference in Africa.

TTFN,

Tigger

WOW! What a day yesterday was!

Sam & I spent nigh on 5hours in the grips of regional press from local paper to radio to BBC & ITV TV but with great results. The TV slots went out in the regional news slots prime time between 6pm & 7pm. Its amazing how easy the important bits are i.e. telling the story but how ridiculous getting all the other shots are. For example for just one 2 min TV article I had to put the keys into Sir Humphrey's ingnition 4 times, start him 3 times, ride out of my drive 3 times, ride around the bloke 4 times etc etc. Silly but all worth it - take a look at the 'in the press and on the air' webpage.

I hope now people can see and understand better my motivation to raise this £100,000 for Magpas & Riders for Health.

As a top kicker the son of the man who pulled Sam out of the burning car emailed me yesterday. Cynthia, Sam's Mum never managed to get in contact with this saviour man after the accident. He runs a private ambulance company working with Hinchingbrooke & Papworth Hospitals!!!!! Small world?

TTFN,

Tigger