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August 2, 2007
Struggling with Officialdom
LOCATION: Ankara, Turkey
SEE WHERE WE ARE!
Longitude: N:39deg.45'20.
Latitude: E:032deg.48'12s.
Kms from Djibouti: 6,418 kms
While I've been pedaling there's been quite a bit of activity going on behind the scenes in the UK with a volunteer group making arrangements for the finish on October 6th. Much of the planning actually started a good four months ago: contacting the Greenwich Council and the local police to secure permission and an escort to push Moksha through the streets. Both organizations have been great to work with and very helpful. A big thanks also goes out to Lee Reynolds and Penny Snowball from the group who are spearheading much of the action here.
Nathalie Lauwerier from Belgium has also been working tirelessly to spring Moksha from the Rotterdam Port authorities. It is no exaggeration to say that this woman has been through absolute HELL, dealing with a long line of #?%!ups performed by other people every step of the way. But I am very pleased to announce that at 6 am yesterday morning Moksha was safely delivered to her friend Kathleen's house just outside Rotterdam where she'll remain until mid-September. Congratulations Nathalie and a big thanks to all of YOU who contributed to the cost of getting her there.
Most things seem to be panning out, but there are still some big holes in the picture, most notably in dealing with the authorities at Greenwich regarding the actual completion at the Royal Observatory. When Lee contacted their press office about making plans for the 6th, instead of being helpful or even enthusiastic as one might hope, they were actually quite negative about the whole idea, informing us that they'd have to 'Think about it first, and then get back to us'. That was nearly two months ago, and none of our attempts to solicit a response have since been successful.
You'd think they would see this as an opportunity to promote the historic legacy of Greenwich, highlighting their mission statement of 'Working to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people'. Instead we're being made to feel like a nuisance they'd sooner be rid of.
And they've been totally unforthcoming with a venue in which to host a party after the completion of the circumnavigation. The cheapest we've been quoted for a room for 6 hours is 2,350 pounds sterling - their normal corporate rate. Even though we're a registered charity they've refused to give us a discount of any sort. That's almost the entire budget for the last leg of the expedition through Africa!
What is wrong with these people?!?!
I'm sure it will work out in the end. But sometimes I get so frustrated with how narrow minded the Brits can be. It's bad enough not to get any proper financial support from our own country in the 13-years it's taken to complete this expedition, but to be faced with being blocked from finishing is the last straw. It almost makes me ashamed to be British.
If this was a French, German, American or Turkish enterprise - basically any other country than the UK - it would be a different story.
jason
Posted on August 2, 2007 8:33 PM