Turkey, Cycling The World 27th July 2012

Garry McGivern is in Turkey, cycling around the world on Friday, 27th July 2012, in Istanbul. After breakfast, I put my bike back together and took it out for a quick ride. Just to make sure I’d tightened everything up. Which I seemed to have, no wheels fell off anyway!

People by door
Some of the staff from the Orient Express hotel Istanbul

Once I’d assembled the bike and had taken it for a test ride, I spent the rest of the day doing boring bits on the website. I’ve also uploaded the photos from the American leg of my trip to my Flickr page. I should have done them when I was home in the UK, but my two weeks at home felt like a holiday. And besides, I was having too much fun catching up with people and drinking beer!

I was going to go out for a ride with Yohan, the manager of my favourite restaurant in Istanbul. But as he was observing Ramadan, he didn’t feel he had the strength. I’m not surprised. I don’t think I could go for twelve hours without eating or drinking. Blimey, I find it hard enough to go an hour or two! Shame I never got to go out with Yohan, but I’m enjoying being back in Turkey, where everything seems to involve a cup of tea.

I’ve loaded the bike up all bar the last few items. I want to get on the road as early as possible and get in as many miles before it gets too hot. It’s still twenty-eight degrees now, and it’s ten o’clock at night. I think I acclimatised to chilly England a little too quickly. I must admit that I’m not looking forward to my first three or four days, as it will be the same route I cycled last year.

Please Donate

Don’t forget the main reason behind my ride. I want to raise as much money for cancer research charities as possible. After my wife, Josie, died of breast cancer in 2007, aged only 42. Even the smallest donation helps. You can donate to Cancer Research UK or the Australian National Breast Cancer Foundation. Click on either one to donate. Every little bit helps to rid the world of this cruel disease.

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