Fanny and Rupert have now ridden 21,000 kms across the continent of Africa in conditions and surfaces ranging from volcanic rocks in north Kenya, salty humid Tanzanian and South African coastlines,  4,000+ metres plateaus and rain storms in Ethiopia, scorching hot deserts in Sudan, sandy gravel roads in Namibia,  blinding sand storms in Egypt and sliding about in Masai Mara mud in Kenya.

We think we have now found a way to get to Turkey from Egypt with the kind help of the Chinese government so we can avoid the dangerous route through Syria. From there we will travel through Europe before we head east and start a challenging ride through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and ride across the highest border in the world along the Karakoram Highway in the Himalayas into Xinjiang province of China.

We are extremely grateful to the generous people who have donated to our two charities and urge others to contribute whatever they can
afford through this Just Giving website:

Autism Research Trust- research into the causes of autism and treatement

Half the Sky - support and financing for China's orphan children who
are victims of China's one child policy

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your
details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send
unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to
the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible
donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate -
I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Even if all you can afford is just a pound... please help support
research into beating autism, a debilitating condition that affects 1
in 500 people, including Rupert's own son, Max. Or if you prefer,
support Half the Sky that does a brilliant job looking after orphaned
and abandoned Chinese children.

To the wealthy and profitable forensic accounting and law firms I keep
sending referrals to for free, we would very much welcome an
appropriate donation to either of these charities.

Thanks from Rupert & Fanny

www.bigbiketrip.net

www.facebook.com/bigbiketrip

 

Half the Sky....  

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.

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.

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.

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.

And rising health costs have contributed to a recent influx of children who have medical needs that impoverished families cannot meet.

please donate....   Thank you.