Hi Folks, Its 4.40 am and I have problems uploading the pictures for this post due to a slow connection. Please see https://www.facebook.com/tony.mangan.14/posts/10154670726069642 to view them, sorry!
Monday, 41 km. Total world walk distance: 7,433 kilometres for 182 road days. Yesterday two tame wolves crossed the road in front of me! They didn't even glance at me. Before I could get my camera out they were almost out of sight. Just to go back a few days as I have been too busy to explain! I had been walking for a couple of days and there was no internet. I needed to do some work on my book, so I stopped at a restaurant that had decent wifi. I based myself there, for two long 16 hour days working! Those three nights I slept outside in a kinda cabin which was used for smokers as there was no hotel there. When I was ready I walked on clocking up two days of 47 and 53 kms, and arrived at the hotel in this picture, near Alzamay, the first services in 71 kilometres Then I needed to take another day to work online as it was to be 85 kilometres to the next services. Yes, it is becoming remote! Thanks to Ciaran Dunne for his kindness in sponsoring my two nights and five delicious meals I had at the hotel :)
It was a late start from the hotel and I arrived at a remote petrol station which only sold petrol! So after my 44km, I camped there. In the morning the nice lady gave me hot water so as I could make my oatmeal and coffee. As soon as I started walking I stopped at a roadside vendor, more for a 'charade chat' than for the tea I drank. I was barely ten minutes further up the road and just had to stop again as that vendor was selling a bear cub skin. In the distance trains flashed by all day, I walked over picturesque hills, past picture postcard vistas. I was reminded of Snowdonia National Park in Wales, the third most pretty location on my world run. As trucks rattled past me, leaves fell to the ground, I experienced a delightful array of tree and leaf colours. Yes, today was my most memorable day of the walk. 15 kilometres later I arrived at a cafe in a hamlet called Yk. Unfortunately, it was closed down. The owner just pointed down the road (as if I was driving a car ) and said, " The next town is 25 kilometres away." I would not exactly call him unfriendly, for he let me sit outside in the parking lot to prepare something to eat and drink. It struck me that in Ireland we wouldn't let someone arrive on foot and then let them leave on such a hot day without offering them water. Yes, Russians are very friendly people. They are also very helpful, but it seems one has to get to know them first. I have been told by many people that they don't say hello or respond to such greeting unless they know the person addressing them. This has also been my experience, for I am regularly greeted with a stone-faced stare; that is until they discover how much of a 'headbanger' I am! However, these people have also told me that if a stranger has a problem, that there is no better person than the Russian; or more specifically the Siberian to come to their aid. Interestingly, young children always return a greeting, it is almost as if its coached out of them as they grow up. Tonight on the way to the truck stop near Nizhneudinsk (where I plan to camp) I met a Russian motorcyclist travelling on his Honda Desert Star 750cc bike. Dima Guskov had left his home near the Ukraine border ten days ago and is on his way to Mongolia. He will return on the southern road via Kazakhstan. When I was young everyone was on the hippy trail to India, now Mongolia is the 'in' place, for everyone seems to be going there. This guy had an interesting trailer which he built himself, it took two months of trial and error. We shared a tea and had a great chat and I was delighted he stopped, he was the first biker to do so. Before he parted he gave me his contact details telling me that if I have a problem that he has a network of biker friends. Yes, helpful although complicated people indeed.
On Saturday, February 27th, 2016 I began a walk around the world with a cancer awareness message " Life is precious, early cancer screening saves lives."
As I start this Go Fund Me campaign I am more than half-way across Russia and on my way to Mongolia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the USA and finally back to Southern Europe from where I will continue my walk home to Ireland. I have already walked 7,300 kilometres, over 4,500 miles.
Walking provides me with a greater opportunity to speak to people as I journey across their lands. My trip is expected to take a little more than 3 years, depending on conditions and my route.
Your donations will in part allow me to buy equipment, food and shoes etc. as I go, with an occasional hotel room with a shower ( and hopefully hot water ) and laundry, before continuing on the next day! Along the way, I'll be stopping and speaking to schools and communities as I go, and as I'm welcomed!
Please follow me on www.facebook.com/tony.mangan.14 orwww.myworldwalk.com
Thank you in advance for your donations to fund my walk to personally speak to people in rural remote areas of the world about cancer awareness. If it saves one life it will have been worth the effort .
Remember no donation is too small, and every donation gets me through another day!
Thank You and Have a Great Day!
Tony Mangan.
As I start this Go Fund Me campaign I am more than half-way across Russia and on my way to Mongolia, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the USA and finally back to Southern Europe from where I will continue my walk home to Ireland. I have already walked 7,300 kilometres, over 4,500 miles.
Walking provides me with a greater opportunity to speak to people as I journey across their lands. My trip is expected to take a little more than 3 years, depending on conditions and my route.
Your donations will in part allow me to buy equipment, food and shoes etc. as I go, with an occasional hotel room with a shower ( and hopefully hot water ) and laundry, before continuing on the next day! Along the way, I'll be stopping and speaking to schools and communities as I go, and as I'm welcomed!
Please follow me on www.facebook.com/tony.mangan.14 orwww.myworldwalk.com
Thank you in advance for your donations to fund my walk to personally speak to people in rural remote areas of the world about cancer awareness. If it saves one life it will have been worth the effort .
Remember no donation is too small, and every donation gets me through another day!
Thank You and Have a Great Day!
Tony Mangan.
