Bicycle Touring The World: England, in Gatwick
My latest bicycle touring around the world update, cycling in England on Monday, the 9th July 2012. In Gatwick. In the end, I managed to stay awake until eleven o’clock last night. And I was still up bright and early this morning. Hopefully, that means I’m not going to get jet-lagged.
There was a reason for getting up early. I had to get a train into central London as I was off to the Kazakhstan embassy to apply for a visa. I intended to get it in America, but I messed up on which city the embassy was in. Wrongly assuming it was New York, which it wasn’t. It was Washington, and had I not had my accident. I would have cycled there, but to be honest, I’m really not feeling that great.
It was a nerve-wracking time getting the train into London. As the train pulled into the station, I suddenly realised that a few people I know commute to London. And I didn’t want to be spotted before I could surprise everybody at home. Thankfully, I think I got away with it. Well, I’ve not heard anything from anybody yet.
At The Embassy
When I arrived at the Kazakhstan embassy, there was a bit of a queue. While queuing, I kept checking my application form again and again! Paranoid that I’d written something wrong on there. Eventually, I reached the glass-covered counter and handed over the application, photos and my passport. The girl looked up and down the form. Oh, no, have I made a mistake? Then she said, “Dates?” “Sorry, dates?” I replied. “Yes, dates, we need the dates you intend to travel” “They’re there” “No, we need exact dates.”
I got that one wrong. I knew it was a thirty-day visa within a ninety-day window. I hadn’t realised I’d have to be exact on the dates. That put me on the spot, and I had to think fast. It was hard to work out, Kazakhstan was a long way off, and I had several thousand miles to cycle before getting there! In the end, I gave it my best shot. Hopefully, I’ve got it right.
After returning from the embassy, I rebuilt my bike, ready to head home tomorrow. Not too sure how I’ll get on cycling as I’m still in a fair bit of pain. My back and side are still hurting, as is my head, and I keep feeling dizzy!
Tour Information
It’s been years since I took this ride, but the memories (and the data) are all archived:
- Photos: See my photos on Flickr
- The route: View my journey around the world
- Videos: Check out my YouTube videos
- Tour page: Ride overview
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