Day 13

An unplanned “rest day” in Edinburgh while I wait to get my bike looked at in the morning.

Some time to do a bit of bike maintenance, like cleaning and lubricating the chain ⛓️🧑‍🔧.

As someone wisely pointed out to me: the challenge I am facing brings an extra awareness of the challenges that the people we seek to serve at Tearfund encounter on a daily basis.

This challenge is so small compared to the problems they face. I have choices; I can catch a train, I can pay for an extra couple of nights stay, pay for my bike repair etc. Most of the people we serve have none of these choices. They certainly can’t pay their way out of their situation.

Cycling these long distances each day has also brought to mind the distances that some people have to travel each day, like Orbisa from Ethiopia who in the dry season has to walk up to 10 hours each day just to collect water for her family!