A year ago at Christmas, my mother died after a heinous year of suffering liver cancer with associated complications from brain tumours. Throughout this very tough last bed-ridden year of her life, Ma never failed to be loving and positive and about 20 weekends spent commuting 300miles helping out before she died, inspired me to be proactive about (a) living my own life absolutely to the full and (b) doing something meaningful for the charitable nursing hospice she died at.
The wholly logical outcome to (a) and (b) is a six week enduro motorcycle treck around 'hidden' central Asia with my great friend and brother-in-law Chris Morris, all in support of the Severn Hospice www.severnhospice.org.uk and Christel House www.christelhouse.org the RCI sponsored charity, which helps children in poverty around the world.
Over the past ten months, motorbike tests have been taken and passed; two Aprilia 650cc Trailies purchased and accessorized; multiple vaccinations painfully received; flights books; phenominal amounts of planning undertaken and arrangements made for exporting and return of the bikes.
The six week trip takes us through arid plains, over 10,000' mountain ranges, along mud tracks and highways, through jungle like terrain, endless miles of forest tracks, down the mighty Mekong river and through countless remote villages as well as huge cities such as Bangkok.
The route is Bangkok up to Sukhothai and its temples - Chiang Mai and the Golden Triangle National Reserve (www.gt-rider.com) - Fang long-neck-tribe - Chiang Mae - Mae Sa Valley - MyanMar/Burma visit - Chiang Rai - Chiang Khong - Mekong River boat trip and border crossing into Laos - Louanphrabang - Plain of Jars - Phonsavan - Phou Bia Mountain range - Vang Vieng and its caverns - Tham Kong - then right down the spine of ultra-remote Laos via Nakai Nam Teun Bio Diversity reserve and into Cambodia at Stung Treng - down to Phnom Penh - the Bokor National Park - Angkor Wat world heritage site - Siem Reep - Sihanoukville and back to Bangkok - then home !
We leave on 31st Jan 2010, if you would like to track our progress and the challenges we face along the way, please visit our joint Facebook page which we will be updating as often as possible at www.facebook.com/asianwayround
This is a story of two men, two bikes and two charities. We would massively appreciate your support to help raise funds. We have to have two separate pages - one for each charity, so for the Hospice charity please use this link www.justgiving.com/asianwayround and donate on our joint site. Alternatively, to donate to Christel House please use the Donate Now button above, on this page.
Many thanks for reading and for any support you decide to pledge.
Simon
