Progress with Preparations

Last week was a good week with only 4 weeks until we arrive in Kolkata!

After a nailbiting wait, I heard on Wednesday that my passport was ready for collection and I am so grateful to my sister, Louise, for diverting to Edinburgh on Thursday to pick it up for me. On Thursday night I was on the Glasgow to London sleeper and then flew to Sweden on Friday evening.

Thanks also to Andrew Robertson for lending me his No.2 bike for the trip! It is a sturdy hybrid with broader tyres than a racing bike and more likely to cope with the rigours of the Bengali roads, traffic and obstacles. I collected it last week and put in for a service with Joe at Gear Bikes. I ordered a couple of spare inner tubes and my cousin Alan, who is responsible for talking me into this adventure, recommends we take a spare 'outer wheel' too - tyre to you and me!

Thanks to Louise and Andrew & Sheila for their generous sponsorship and indeed all those who have sponsored me to date!

Further progress with preparations included catching up with jabs and buying lights for the bike although I have to say I don't really fancy cycling on Indian roads in the dark! An emergency measure, it is to be hoped!

Meanwhile the training continues on the indoor trainer...