TravelStream™ news feed for member gordy_gopher on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/gordy_gopher en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:05:11 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/namibia_again/1177337040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/namibia_again/1177337040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/namibia_again/1177337040/tpod.html Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:05:11 -0400 Flash Gordon saves Namibia (again)

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Namibia, Namibia


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Washington DC, Washington, United States

Washington fun.
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Swakopmund, Namibia

Hello,

All done! Fantastic! Dived from 15,000 feet. I was the first customer ever to sign up to jump from that height - they only got a new aircraft last week, which allowed them to go to that height. A full minute free-fall!!! Wow.

Enjoy photo. I'll bring the DVD home.

That's it for the Blog folks; I'm off to explore. If you'd like more info, email me.

Take care :)

Gordon
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Swakopmund, Namibia

Hello all.

The cycle is over. Am now holed up in Swakopmund on the west coast alongside the South Atlantic Ocean. R+R time :-)

The Cycle...

Day 1

Morning = marvellous. Not too hot, flying along. Scenery stunning. After lunch, things got nasty. The temperature jumped into the high 40s and a monster mountain materialised. The Lake District training paid off though, and I made it to the top in 2nd place. Was chuffed, but too shattered to celebrate; it was all we could do to get off the bikes.

Of 27 people in the group, only about 6 made it through the day without having to get on the support coach.

Day 2

Without a doubt the low point of the trip. A far harder climb awaited us; 10KM of constant climbing up the Grootberg Pass. I had the trots in the morning, and could barely eat at breakfast. By lunchtime I felt awful. Nibbled some white bread, but couldn't manage anything else. I did, however, drink 3 litres of fluids which helped a lot. In the end I was 3rd up the top - but by this point my head was spinning! We had 10KM left, which was thankfully all down a very steep hill. The fastest 10KM of my life flashed past - and then we were in camp. My legs felt like broken glass. I grabbed an energy drink and collapsed on my tent mattress in a comatose state for an hour, drip-feeding myself Energade.

Day 3-4

These were great. The hills vanished, and my metabolism was back to normal. Fabulous :)

Day 5

The final day...and suddenly it was all over. The first beer I drank afterwards was the best I ever tasted.

We then headed into Etosha National Park. We saw scores of giraffe, kudu, springbok and oryx. I stayed up late at a watering hole and saw 5 black rhino, which was fabulous. Sadly no lions, but a reason to come back...

Thanks for all the fish...

It was hot and it hurt, but it was completely worth it. I'm so glad I signed up for this. I was very proud to be one of the 6 people who never got on the support bus. It hurt, but as John Hayes said "pain is temporary, failure is forever".

Famous people...

The actor James Carter (from Shakespeare in Love) was on the trip! He was fantastic. I also met the 1998 UK Rules World Pool Champion, Carl Morris. He also happens to be deaf.

What now?...

I'm in Swakopmund for the rest of the week. Fishing, quad biking and lots of food/beer beckon. I'm hoping to put back on all the weight I lost in training and during the event! I look like a skeleton (as Mira so delicately, yet accurately, put it).

DIVE DIVE (the sky)

News not to tell my Mum. I'm off to jump out of a plane at 15 000 feet!! Apparently there's almost a minute free-fall. Wish me luck guys. I'll be sure to sign up for the DVD.


Nothing but love for y'all.


Gord
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140997800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140997800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140997800/tpod.html Sun, 05 Mar 2006 18:53:05 -0500 Flash Gordon saves the Trans-Siberian

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Watford, United Kingdom

Hong Kong to Watford Junction in the bag. Give me a couple more weeks to get my head back together and I'll try to compose something articulate and meaningful.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1143242880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1143242880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1143242880/tpod.html Sun, 05 Mar 2006 18:50:00 -0500 Flash Gordon saves the Trans-Siberian

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Brussels (Bruxelles), Belgium

Thank god. Four nights in the same city; a record! Brussels was all we hoped for, modern, efficient, a wealth of culture...and the worlds best beer and chocolate. We spent 4 fabulous days drinking and eating the above, respectively.

Sunday 26th Feb - Eurostar home. When we emerged out of the Tunnel into the emerald fields of the UK, my sense of perspective took a severe battering. This only got worse as we pulled into London; Herne Hill, Brixton, Elephant, the London Eye flashing past...culminating in London Waterloo. We legged our way to Clapham Junction and via a delayed train, just made the 1505 to Watford Junction with 2 minutes to spare. Amazingly, that service was just on time for once.

Interesting fact. The London Waterloo - Clapham Junction train we took was approx three minutes late. That was exactly as late as the Irkutsk - Moscow service. The former travelled 5 miles, with 2 stops in fair weather. The latter travelled over 3000 miles, with approx forty stops, in average temperatures of -20 to -30 C. I hope Network Rail are reading this.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1143069420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1143069420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1143069420/tpod.html Sun, 05 Mar 2006 18:46:19 -0500 Flash Gordon saves the Trans-Siberian

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Warsaw, Poland

We came, admired the Palace of Art and Communications (aka "Stalinist Eyesore"); which we both liked(!!) And left the next day. Biere et du chocolate...
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Berlin Ostbahnhof station, Germany

We revved in on the super comfy Express from Warsaw, and made our penultimate change...to Brussels on the overnight train.

Three happy hours were passed fuelling up on German sausage on lager, watching the Winter Olympics. The night train was a bloody nightmare. Departed 2118, arrived Brussels @ 0610. For the first time we didn't get a bunk, so spent 9 hours trying sleep upright, which didn't work. The other occupants all smelled. By 0200 we were going crazy. Thank god this was almost the final train...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140563100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140563100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140563100/tpod.html Sun, 05 Mar 2006 18:16:51 -0500 Flash Gordon saves the Trans-Siberian

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Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnius

Basically, we rolled in (knackered) found a nice hotel, cleaned up - and took a wander. A lovely meal was followed by lots of sleep before a midday train next day.

Vilnius itself seemed lovely...but 24 hours is nothing like enough to get a real taste for a place. Our sights were set on Brussels however.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140205140/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140205140/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gordy_gopher/gopher_transsib/1140205140/tpod.html Sat, 18 Feb 2006 15:14:10 -0500 Flash Gordon saves the Trans-Siberian

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Riga, Latvia

Riga

Stag/hen night capital of the Baltics...joy. Beautiful Old Town (though not quite as picturesque as Tallinn). In short, we wandered the Old Town, ate some excellent Latvian food (think meat, potatoes and beer), sipped coffee and took it easy for 2 days. Vilnius beckons.
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