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Nearly disabled, but I still want to make a difference! Nearly disabled, but I still want to make a difference!
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Make a Difference Have you 'made a difference' while travelling, by fundraising or donating time and energy to a worthwhile cause? Are you a non-profit organisation or individual who knows of an opportunity for travellers to help out in a less developed country? Tell us about it and provide contact details.
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



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  #1  
Old 4 May 2008
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Location: Belgium
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Nearly disabled, but I still want to make a difference!
Hi fellow travelers.

My name is Matt and I am taking part in the Mongolian Charity Rally 2008. I am the only motorcycle rider on the Mongolian Charity Rally and also the only soloist who is leaving with the 70+ other teams (who are all in cars) from London on July 5th.

If that wasn’t interesting enough, I am attempting to reach Mongolia by the most interesting route possible, totally unaided and unsupported on a 1988 Honda CBR1000F with 200,000 kms already on the clock!

My route is as follows; through Europe to Turkey, across to Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia, China and then back into Mongolia. Once in Mongolia, I give EVERYTHING, including the motorcycle to the rally charity in Mongolia.

By making this journey I am hoping to raise awareness and money for the following charities, Riders for Health, UNICEF and I’m also giving sticker support to Motorcycle Outreach.
All very commendable, I hear you thinking, but where is the challenge? The challenge is my body (except for riding into China which is a challenge all of its own). I have been diagnosed with a spinal disease that means the discs in my spine are hollow and collapsing. I live in constant pain down my arms and legs and its getting rapidly worse. My daily battle will be to keep riding, no matter what, I must and will carry on!

My problem, and the reason that I am posting on the HUBB is my difficulty is raising money for the charities. I am an Englishman who has only lived in Belgium for a few years, have no local contacts and barely speak the language. My attempts at trying to raise charity money have been met with distain to say the least!

Are there any charitable souls out there who would be prepared to support me by making a charitable contribution on my Just Giving pages? You know the charities that I am supporting do fantastic work.
Don’t look at this journey as a jolly, because it is not, this is the same as a blind man trying to climb Mt. Everest. I just hope that I’m not going to drag myself across the globe and end up only have having raised a couple of hundred pounds (which is my current pathetic total!)

Please have a look at my website www.mongolia-or-bust.eu all the details of the Charities, route and bike are in there.

Thank you for you patience and generosity.

Matt

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  #2  
Old 4 May 2008
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London and Granada Altiplano
Posts: 3,124
You've been living in Belgium for five years, haven't made contact with any locals and your attempts at trying to raise charity money have been met with distain.

I'm not that surprised really. I don't like to sound like a curmudgeonly old git, but you've effectively done the same thing here, by your one and only post on this forum being an appeal for us to make a difference to your ideals.

But I do wish you well.

Tim
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  #3  
Old 4 May 2008
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Location: Belgium
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Thats a very fair comment.

If there was information that I could add to the forum, I would.

I am a lifelong biker, but this is my first and last 'big one', I have been using the HUBB to gain my info and it has been superb for that

I hope once I am back that I will have lots that I can add, but I didnt want to spam the forum with dumb questions when everything I needed to know was here when I used the search button
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Old 5 May 2008
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: GENT Belgium
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Where are you based..
Hi Mat,

Where are you based in Belgium ? which companies have you contacted and how ... I'm also a fellow Brit and my name is also Matt (worrying) I'm based in Gent ... drop me a mail and maybe I can help with some contacts ....

Salut Matt (Matthew dot Mason at skynet)
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  #5  
Old 5 May 2008
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Spain
Posts: 311
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis View Post
You've been living in Belgium for five years, haven't made contact with any locals and your attempts at trying to raise charity money have been met with distain.

I'm not that surprised really. I don't like to sound like a curmudgeonly old git, but you've effectively done the same thing here, by your one and only post on this forum being an appeal for us to make a difference to your ideals.

But I do wish you well.

Tim
Tell us what you really think Tim !! .....

I have to side with Tim on this ....first visit to the Hubb with the begging bowl held out firmly as an introduction does seem a bit presumptious. If everything you say is as it is then I wish you lot's of luck with your quest. You seem to have done pretty well getting the bike sorted and sponsored already !
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