Mighty Van Van goes on a diet

So....the bike has gone on a crash  diet ....

Suzuki have taken the mud guards, side panels and tank off. Another great job done by Tom and the guys at
Suzuki Haslemere..Click to go to  Tom in service dept.

They are now on their way to be painted white. Courier collects on Monday. £11 to the other side of the country. Not too bad! The bike will be a blank canvas then. As the graphics will be going on. Including "London2Johannesburg" and the Union Jack blending into the South African flag.  Should look very cool. And with the "text2donate" number on the side,hopefully some well earnt donations should go to our wounded servicemen.The charity I am doing this challenge for,is called Help for Heroes. They do amazing work for wounded servicemen. If you who I am trying to help by doing this 20,000km challenge. Dont leave it up to someone else. Please donate,the "others" never donate!!! It's up to you. Click donate,quickly and safley....Click below..
 Donate to Help for Heroes 

Dave Lythcoe is going to work his magic on the might Van Van. With his spray gun. Really looking forward to seeing the bike done.  Easy day today, Mount admin is about covered, for the time being. As soon as the bike is finished,it will be Press Release time and lots of Public relations work. All to raise awareness of our wounded servicemen. Who serve our country with such dedication,humour and ability. Over one £££thousand pounds now. Can you please donate to my challenge.Click here to go to HELP FOR HEROES donate 2 seconds is all it takes..

Time to get some work, so I can pay for this challenge!! :)

I dream of a shoe string....

More good news on the kit front. Debs off Freecycle was kind enough to provide me with some fabric panniers.Top bag and tank bag. So another "thank you " there too.They seem robust,but I will soon find out,when I go practicing on the bike. Putting me,the bike and all the kit through there paces. I am still seeking a kit sponsor.These panniers will do for the time being. But the Denier needs to be higher and I'm not sure if they are big enough. Time will tell.

I am on the chase for a Garmin 2610 off scam bay ( e Bay ). And am trying to win the top half to my BMW Ralley 2 trousers. Well,they are the 20 yr old version. I wonder if Ewan Mcgregor had to do all this himself. I keep Tweeting him for his helmet,and he just keeps ignoring me.!!! I think he has gone to the Dark Side ! The cheek. ( So I've thrown my Star Wars DVD away as a result ) :)

So Suzuki now have all the parts and soon as they are done,the bike will be off to be painted and " London 2 Johannesburg " logos put on. The seat sent off to be recovered. And then it will be PR time,to raise awareness of the plight our wounded servicemen go through. Most of whom have lost limbs.!!Imagine loosing YOUR legs ! Come help them,with me. Donate a few quid here. (Another Hyper link look .) Click  here to donate to Help for Heroes 

This challenge is costing me thousands of pounds. I'm just an average Joe. Please make my hard work do some good, by donating to my Help for Heroes page above. Thank you.

An Idiot Got Bored. The Slow Way Down.

May the blog be with you.  Right,I am on a budget to do this challenge.  Which is polite code for I am skint.!So I have been on e Bay (scam bay),and found myself a pair of BMW Pro Rally 2 trousers.  With the body armour that molds to you,as it heats up. Price...a fiver!! £8 including the postage. Not pretty,but it's a case of function over form!!. Result!!!

Ok.More excitement climbing Mount Admin today.It takes allot of research to do a challenge like this.And as often is the case.You end up where you started,as there are so many opposing views.Pop the kettle on,as admin will rock your world.!!!!!! Look at the stuff  I've had to do. No more pubs,clubs and going out for me. No,no,no...all you need is endless hours reading about Carnet de Passage's and Temp Import Permits!!
Lock yourself in,as this is bl*%dy exciting stuff.

One BIG subject for Africa is a Carnet De Passage. And I've read all manner of versions of whether you need one or not. And all manner of magical figures of their cost. So whilst this subject wont having you taping your foot with fulfillment.It's something you need to know,if you are going to Africa.

For the most part,from those who have been,you don't need a Carnet de Passage (CDP),for most countries. You can pay on the borders and use a Temp Import Permit. (TIP). The official line,is that you "should" have a CDP. The RAC are the only organization that provide CDP's in the UK. You can go to ADAC in Germany,but I personally haven't tried.

For those of you thinking of getting a CDP. here is the reality,not internet make believe. Rachel is the girl to ask for at RAC Carnet Dept. 08000 468 375. You will read on here that Paul is the man. He's gone.Rachel is the new Obie One.CDP,you can either put a cash deposit down or use an insurance indemnity.The CDP for West coast of Africa,works on a %% of 150% of the bikes value. (lol mines a 2003 Van Van) With a £1000 bike value as the min.So it would be a cash deposit of £1500.(Ahum...please look above and read bit about "skint") I cant afford that. So I am going down the Indemnity route. Insurance Indemnity for me is £200. A RAC Deposit is £350. 25 page CDP is £195  and £12 for something else. Total for a bike worth a grand is £757. Thats the bad news. Good news,upon returning your CDP and bike to the Uk,I get £456 back.The CDP only costing £301

At that price,there is no competition between CDP and TIP,based on those figures.
I have asked Rachel if they will sponsor me the CDP, (hey you have to ask). And she said to put my case forward nearer the time. As a CDP quote is only good for 3 months. And they take about 4 weeks to process. ( Yaaaaaaaaawn)

Wemoto,the parts company.Have sent me an e mail today,my new shinny bits are in the post. o Ive waffled on too much.This story needs some porn. I mean another photo.

Tomorrow I should find out what level of support BCB Wales are providing. I've got everything crossed there. BCB make some top,top kit. On the good news front. Just had a lady called Debs contact me from an advert I placed on Freecycle. She has some fabric panniers and top bag for me.Its called "free" cycle and we love it!!! No doubt will pop some pics up tomorrow. Need to sort a sponsored Spada Sting and a good jacket now. I'm getting there.I am doing this challenge for wounded servicemen. Most of whom have lost limbs.Please spare a few $$$ ££ or Euro ? Or are you tight? Click to donate. Donate to Help for Heroes

Is anyone reading this? Or am I rattling onto myself? I guess i will never know....

Chuck Yeager broke the Sound Barrier

Dear Diary.

Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. But today,thanks to one Darren Hinch we broke the £££££ one thousand pound barrier. Click to go to my charity. Help for Heroes page

If you like what I am doing and why. Spend 2 minutes donating a few $$,££ or Euro to my charity webpage above. Thanks.

Suzuki are sponsoring me their expertise and labour for the challenge. Today wemoto parts, confirmed they would sponsor me parts for the mighty Suzuki RV 125.Van Van.!!!!!! Buzzing over it.Check them out at wemoto

John was just fantastic,offering to connect this blog site (more people laughing at me) to wemoto's website.
So as soon as the new bits arrive I shall be wiz zing down to Suzuki Haslemare to have them fitted.
Also on the sponsorship front. BCB Wales have confirmed there will be providing some support too. They are just awaiting the return of the MD from abroad. They supply the British Army and a number of Special Forces around the world. With all the threats on this challenge,as i cross Africa.The last thing I want is rubbish kit.So wait out,and we shall see what BCB come back with. Fingers crossed.
When I was on the blower to Bennetts Bike Insurance,I explained what I was doing and why. They have said they will try and link this blog site and the Help for Heroes page,to their website. I'm still on the look out  for a bike kit sponsor. Spada Sting and good Denier panniers anyone :)

All in all,a good day on Mount Admin.( I was not designed for admin,but hey ho).

Tomorrow i shall be back on the blower,speaking to possible sponsors and will update as I go along.

Trying to change the background colour of this blog site and put an out line of the African continent on it.

Speak soon. Will

An Idiot Got Bored. The Slow Way Down. Captains Blog...

The route from London to Johannesburg. 2 Continents. 19 Countries.20,000kms.Solo and unsupported.

"Hi" this is me running in Death Valley.

I am an ex soldier and for the past 10 weeks I have been researching and planning this challenge. From
London to Johannesburg on a 125 cc bike. I am doing it in conjunction with Help for Heroes charity.( H4H)  All donations go straight to H4H, and are for our wounded servicemen. Many of whom have lost arms and legs.

Can you imagine that ? Can you help with a penny or two ? It only takes 2 minutes and will mean allot .

London 2 Johannesburg .Help for Heroes Click the donate page.Be a hero for Help for Heroes

 I depart from London on September the 3rd and expect this epic challenge to take between 4 and 6 months to complete. Ewan Mcgregor and Charley Boorman maybe did the Long way Down. Well,on a 125, im doing the Slow Way Down! It is 20,000 kms, across two continents, 19 countries. Over mountain ranges,across deserts. Through vast areas of famine and civil war. All done solo and unsupported.No personal Dr. No " Fixers" at the 19 borders.No armed guards to protect me.And nobody there when I break down. Run out of petrol or water. Lions have me trapped up a tree.Or a snake in my tent. I'm doing it solo and unsupported. To gain your attention and hopefully support.And a donation on the Help for Heroes page on here.  Because this cause means allot to me. I am taking 8 months off work and funding this challenge myself. But i shall be knocking on doors and asking companies to sponsor me. Time will tell :)

Did you really know just how big Africa was ? Look at it again......awesome!!!! ( As our American cousins always say )


 After much research. I have bought the mighty Suzuki RV 125 Van Van from a lad called Zak. A private sale down in the New Forest.Its a 2003. Basically its sound mechanically,but does need a few bits. Having put my case and the reasons for the challenge forward. Mark the Manager and Tom the Service Manager at Suzuki Haslemare, kindly agreed to sponsor me some labour and advise. :) Means allot. Big thanks to them. Very helpful. Check them out here..send my regards.Click here Suzuki Haslemere. .

The mighty Van Van on its way to Suzuki to begin its make over. Kendal van hire kindly sponsored me a Transit van for the princely figure of a tenner.!! Mark was just great. He also linked our Help for Heroes webpage to his website. Take a look and wait 5 secs as the screen changes..Click here.See Kendal van Hire

Me at 7 am looking terrible.On the way to Suzuki.( Still handsome though )...:)  Other companies that have got involved include,a bike spraying company. A graphics company,who have been just great.Big thanks to Daz at Motorcycle Graphics.net. Really helpful and came up with the idea for the flags.(I thought about taking the credit )Ask for Daz at Motorgraphics

He is putting "London2Johannesburg" on the tank and the Union Jack and South African flag,blending into each other. And a "Text2Donate" number on the sides.

He also is providing me a banner to cover the side panniers. This will be in Help for Heroes blue. As will the seat,as Penny at P&P seat covers has sponsored me a seat cover. Very nice lady too Click here P& P Seats ask for Penny




So the bike is coming together and should be all checked out and logo-ed up in two weeks.

 As an ex soldier,I think our servicemen who have been wounded in battle,get used and abused by our government. They are quick to send them to war.But when they have lost arms and legs,they don't want to know.Its why this challenge is personal to me. It's also why I'm funding it and taking six months off work to complete it. ( Not to mention running up Mount Admin daily). If you like what i am doing and why. Please take a sec and make am donation. A fiver, a tenner or some land in Malaga. I don't mind. Its costing me allot of money to do this challenge. And several months of my life.Your donation makes it worth while. Please click to donate a few $ or £'s Click here.. Be a hero ...Help for Heroes please,please donate. Make my hard work, worthwhile.

Will