Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-justify: inter-ideograph; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Fanny and Rupert have now ridden 21,000 kms across the continent of </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Africa in conditions and surfaces ranging from volcanic rocks in north </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Kenya, salty humid Tanzanian and South African coastlines, 4,000+ </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">metres plateaus and rain storms in Ethiopia, scorching hot deserts in </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Sudan, sandy gravel roads in Namibia, blinding sand storms in Egypt </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">and sliding about in Masai Mara mud in Kenya.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-justify: inter-ideograph; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">We think we have now found a way to get to Turkey from Egypt with the </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">kind help of the Chinese government so we can avoid the dangerous </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">route through Syria. From there we will travel through Europe before </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">we head east and start a challenging ride through Turkey, Iran, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Pakistan and ride across the highest border in the world along the </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Karakoram Highway in the Himalayas into Xinjiang province of China.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">We are extremely grateful to the generous people who have donated to </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">our two charities and urge others to contribute whatever they can</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">afford through this Just Giving website:</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Autism Research Trust- research into the causes of autism and treatement</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Half the Sky - support and financing for China's orphan children who</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">are victims of China's one child policy</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate -</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Even if all you can afford is just a pound... please help support</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">research into beating autism, a debilitating condition that affects 1</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">in 500 people, including Rupert's own son, Max. Or if you prefer,</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">support Half the Sky that does a brilliant job looking after orphaned</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">and abandoned Chinese children.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">To the wealthy and profitable forensic accounting and law firms I keep</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">sending referrals to for free, we would very much welcome an</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">appropriate donation to either of these charities.</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">Thanks from Rupert & Fanny</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><a style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);" href="http://www.bigbiketrip.net/">www.bigbiketrip.net</a><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);"><a style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);" href="http://www.facebook.com/bigbiketrip">www.facebook.com/bigbiketrip</a></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-justify: inter-ideograph; text-align: justify; line-height: 8.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Helvetica&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: black; font-size: 7pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-justify: inter-ideograph; text-align: justify; line-height: 12.75pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #b50f00; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Half the Sky.... </span></strong><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #1c1c1c; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #57583c; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Though no one knows the exact numbers, there are many tens of thousands of girls and boys living in Chinese welfare institutions. They are newborns and toddlers, they are preschoolers, they are children with profound special needs, and they are older children. All will grow up with the legacy of having lost the love of their birth families</span><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #57583c; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #57583c; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ninety-five percent of the healthy children living in Chinese welfare institutions are little girls. The influx of healthy infant girls into social welfare institutions began in the 1980s when China introduced strict birth control policies in order to control its burgeoning population.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #57583c; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">When the traditional, especially rural, Chinese family’s preference for boys collided with well-intentioned population controls, healthy girls were abandoned in heartbreakingly large numbers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #57583c; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In recent years, the ‘floating population’ of migrant workers has meant an increase in the number of healthy boys, as well as girls, given up by their birth parents.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #57583c; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And rising health costs have contributed to a recent influx of children who have medical needs that impoverished families cannot meet.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><strong><span style="line-height: 140%; font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; color: #b50f00; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">please donate.... Thank you.</span></strong></p>
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