8th August 2008

Trimer

I slept well and woke up early but lay for a while listening to the sound of a cock crowing and the church bell chiming.  Then I cycled to the nearest Boulangerie with some of the family to get some baguettes for breakfast.  We spent a relaxing day preparing the photos, blogging, eating and visiting people.  Very nice except that I was stung on the leg by a wasp who decided to fly up my trouser leg during lunch in the garden.  We tried to get a photo of Tris’s grannies riding our bikes too.

I can’t believe we arrive home tomorrow.  We will get up at 4am in the morning to ride to Cherbourg for a crossing to Poole and should arrive back in Nottingham about 5pm.  I think our friends may be planning something for our return.  Breast Quest 2008 is nearly over.  We have been to 11 countries in 21 days and seen some amazing sights.  I seem to have mastered riding a motorbike and lost my fear, (although I don’t like saying this yet as we have a few more miles to cover).  Today I felt jealous that Tris was riding a bike and I was in a car!  I might have become a biker chick after all!  The challenge is almost over and I’ll be back at work on Monday. 

Sooooooooo…. To help us cope with ‘back to work’ blues, please give to our charities and ask your friends and family too!  We’ve sweated buckets and not just because of the sun.  We’ve worked hard for this with the help of some great people and I‘m made up that we’ve succeeded, (and survived), right from finding funding through to finding our way around Europe in 21 days.  We’ve coped with having the shits, a dodgy Sat Nav, dodgy head sets, riding in extreme heat and storms, pins and needles, bikes falling over, bike repairs, 1 accident, a 70 mile an hour tyre blow out on the A52 (during training), getting lost in foreign lands after a hot days riding at 10 o’ clock at night, tiredness, sweaty bits, nappy rash and stinking clothes.  Oh and there was a small cancer too.  

I’d just like to say thank you for your support as this will be one of the last blogs.  Thank you to everyone who has helped us in some way – we couldn’t have done it without you.  It’s been a fantastic experience and hopefully we will have raised lots of money for some very worthwhile charities!   We’ll hopefully be inviting you to a party to celebrate Breast Quest 2008.

And finally, a big thank you to Tris – for your support, fantastic photos, your positive approach to each day and your drive and determination.  I owe you one ‘Dude‘.

Stop press!!…  Our plans to return to Nottingham and slip quietly home for a cup of tea are scuppered.  Just heard we have been invited down to Birmingham on Monday evening for a ‘live’ sofa chat on Central News to talk about Breast Quest and show some of Tris’s photos!  Central news will also be in the Market Square at 5pm when we return tomorrow.  Please come along to welcome us home!

Anyone got any hair straighteners please??!!