Sundowners

This was on our balcony where rest after the ride was needed.

Houseboats in alleppey

In the sand

Crowned and completed

I'm back now, and what a ride it's been. With mountains climbed,
schools funded, football team with a new ball, top sunrise/set surf
sessions, drunken mayhem, and terrorist strikes to deal with, its
certainly been an adventure to remember for a longtime to come. The
fantastic people we have met, shared and laughed lots with have made
it all worthwhile.

I'll slowly get some photos out, when my net connections back up and
running. Here's one to start with.

Almost time to leave

Almost about time to start the journey home, will be sad to leave this
little corner of paradise but time waits for no man and the show must go
on. Ive been leading a rather healthy lifestyle out here so fully
pretoxed for the upcoming festivities. Tomorrows this seaside town is
holding a small sunset candlelit memorial for those lost in last weeks
atrocities. The mood is upbeat though and by all accounts Mumbai is back
to its up and running state again. Right, the suns down and I'm off for
a G&T xxxxx

All safe and sound surfing

Luckily for us we are enjoying the warm water surf in Kerala, south
India. Got first Indian ocean wave, got a little air too. So nowhere
near Mumbai! All my love MTX xxxxx

Rest of Days : Into the unknown.

So i think it will be a good idea to keep up the blog for the rest of my travles, it won't be quite as day by day specific, but just the highlights, maybe a few anecdotes from along the way. Many thanks to Clare btw for emailing my texts to here, as net access is very limited.
We spent last night on a houseboat, these boats are very Fifth Element. They have a future retro feel about them, do a search for alleppey houseboats and you'll see what I mean. We are heading south in an ambassador car, super stylish way to travel, of course. We are off to hunt down some surf of which early reports are looking good. Nice one, texts are best for comms.
See you soon.
MTX in Kerala xxx

 

Clare Tinsley
tinsley_clare@yahoo.com
+44 (0) 798 4149 416

Day 6

Day 6 - Woke up feeling a little babylas to say the least. Time to visit the school project. They welcomed us with music and dancing and many kids. Very colourful, warm hearted kids, which will now have a better longer lasting education. Thanks to everyone whom sponsored this fantastic voyage over the last couple of months, so thank you very very much for making it possible. 

Matthew is now sat in a hammock next to beach nursing his aches and pains from the ride of his life. xxx

Day 5

Day 5, Final Day. 

Uphill for 53kms to finish line. Absolute stunning sunset theni last night but terrible nights sleep. Every rider was broken at some point, my morning was terrible but afternoon was good. Rich and I got the waterbombs out. Finished ride into kodaikanal - 6000ft at the top of mountain range. 

We had the presidential suite so late night party back at ours. Very glad to have finished gruelling ride! 

 

Front page headlines of national indian paper, who's that there in blue?

Day 4

Day 4. Into Tamil Nadu.

Crossed the border into Tamil, a much poorer state, more barren.

Today was a mental challenge, long flat plains with fairly heavy traffic
to contend.

102kms covered, An absolute heroes welcome at the hotel in Thani. Music,
dancing, and uniq show! National television turned up too.

We all need sleep, lots of it, big uphill day tomorrow. xxx

Day 3

Day 3. One of the best days of my life, huge mountains to cycle over,
huge plains, steep steep mountains to climb. Sunrise to Sunset, 100kms,
every part of my body aches.

I cried for 3 things - the beauty of the landscape, severe exhaustion
and most importantly, the instinctual happy faces that greet us with
every turn. Matthew is sat in the bath with a big fuck off grin...

Kerala is one happy place that has to be shared.

Day 1 & 2

Day 1. Hot hot hot, only 53kms today, not too bad, Richs' birthday we
celebrated in style on the river banks, slept in true camp kerala huts
in the rain forest.

Day 2. Up hill for 83kms. Hardest work in a long time. We all hit walls.
Sweltering heat. My kingdom for some shade. Lunch at middle school, met
some great kids. Ended the day 1500mtrs up mountains, the highest south
of the Himalaya's. More delicious curry for dinner. Its really, really
stunning here.

Let's hit the road.

So, the day has come. We've raised oodles of cash for the projects.
Now it's time for me to do the job.

I've cut all my hair off and as you can see me and rich are looking
pretty buff.

Thanks to everyone who's supported me throughout the fundraising. I've
had a phenominal response, smashing the target with more promised too.

It's Clare and andys turn next so please, please support them on their
fantastic voyage.

Right, I got a plane to catch.

MTBX

Weekend off

I took the weekend off over Halloween and had some coffin action, was
quite something. The March of the Dead is definitly an occasion
everyone should experience once in their life.

I've been in training ever since to pay it off.

This photo was taken in Mo's garden the morning after, yes it's an
original banksy.

Right, back to gym.

Skimming stones with Paul

Portwrinkle Walking

Bridge over Derwent resevoir

Feeding the birds - basingstoke canal

Richmond park

Training rides -

I've been busy recently getting out into the country, had a good ride around the peak district the other week. Myself and Rich cycled from guildford to Richmond too, along the basingstoke canal. Stunning day, I suggest it as a good cycle ride. Not much on roads and good paths too.

3 weeks to go!

Matt Tinsley // MTVFX
0044 7726473824

Work to Live

I'm in work, its sunday, its 11pm.

Only a week or so to go, then the training starts.

New Bike. New Regime.

I just bought a new bike, after borrowing Clares all summer, she finally asked for it back. Which is good because it made me get up and go bike shopping! I now have a shiny Giant CSR zero for all you bike geeks. Its has a super light weight kevlar tyres and aluminum frame with deore and 105 components. Commuting has never been so much fun. We will hopefully be putting together some long distance rides for training. Possibly to Bristol, Brighton or Paris.....
I'll let you know when we have firmed up some plans.

MTBX

 

Sponsor Me

The Route

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Cycle India

Hello friends, family and all those in between,

After this project, its time to do something different for a while, like an adventure across India.

In November this year I shall be cycling 400km in 5 days across India from Kochi to Kodiakanal in Kerala to raise money for International Childcare Trust. The charity helps malnourished, disadvantaged children in the developing world with projects in countries from Kenya to India to Cambodia.

These are the details of where your sponsored pledge will go:

£5 will pay for tetanus vaccinations for 20 kids.
£14 will provide 2 new desks to go into one of the classrooms.
£35 would help to provide bursaries for deprived young people looking for options for the future. They can benefit from skills training in cookery, sewing, mechanics, plumbing, English and computers
£40 will enable an orphaned child to buy a school uniform and shoes so they can enrol in primary school. In turn, an education will help them restart their lives.
£72 will protect a child from abuse and exploitation and offer traumatised children counselling and confidence building support. 

By sponsoring me for Cycle India you will change lives. I will actually be seeing for my own eyes where this money is going, so your money will basically be delivered by hand. Nice thought eh?


Thank you for visiting my fundraising page, pledge what you can. Please get clicking and start feeling good.


http://www.justgiving.com/matttinsley


For more info check out  - http://www.cycleindia.com


All the very Best

Matt XXX

Matthew Tinsley // MTVFX
+44(0) 7726473824 // matt@matttinsley.com