Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Yes, Seville (or Sevilla as it is correctly called in Spanish) is where I start my little trip! My great friend Cat Gaa lives in the city and kindly sent me this!

I am doing a week’s training in Lanzarote in March and this looks like a lot of fun. Want to join me? The worst part is the obscenely early start!

Oh dear!

Let’s hear it for San Iker though. #respect

….whilst Ronaldo gives his shirt to a fan whose nose he has just broken!

Hostal Marbella

Things are moving along smoothly this week and I was delighted to get a confirmation from Stig and Carola at the prestigious Hostal Marbella in Fuengirola, Málaga that they would like to partner with me.

Hotel Hostal Marbella is a small and cosy hotel with 25 rooms owned and managed by a Swedish couple. The hotel has 4 floors with a lift and the majority of the rooms have a balcony or terrace. All the rooms have been newly refurbished and have A/C, heating, television with international channels, wireless internet, security boxes and bathroom en-suite. It has a full drinks license.

In the reception the staff are all multilingual and speak Spanish, English and the Scandinavian languages. They are all focused on giving you the best possible service to make your stay enjoyable. On the ground floor there is a new lounge where we serve breakfast and drinks. Enjoy the sun or the moon on our roof terrace!

2013 has been a great year for the hotel and they have received awards and commendations from all three of the main booking engines – TripAdvisor, TriVaGo and Bookings.com

Please note that the word “hostal” in Spanish does not mean the same as “hostel” in English and there are no bunk-beds, curfews, wardens or dormitories here! It is spotlessly clean and has everything an independent traveller might want. Although Hostal Marbella is only 100 meters from the beach the prices are probably 50% less than accommodation on the promenade ….and it’s much quieter! It is also 100 meters from the main square with banks, bars, restaurants, launderettes etc. The bus station and train station are similarly within 5 minutes’ walk.

Our English-language website gives full details. You can make a reservation there at the guaranteed best price and without agents’ commissions.

Tools for tough walking!!

BungyPump walking poles are Swedish made unique training poles with inbuilt suspension and up to 4 or 6 kg resistance.

They provide much better training than conventional walking poles – a stronger body, higher calorie consumption and better fitness.

The suspension poles are used in fitness, healthcare and rehab. BungyPump is an all-around, effective training tool that makes exercise much more fun!

Up to 70% increased burning of calories compared to regular walking.

90% of the body´s muscles are activated when BungyPump walking.

You decide yourself how much you want to push them.

Adjustable length, suits the whole family.

Can be used by everyone – regardless of age, fitness and gender

Exercises fitness and strength at the same time.

They are soft and gentle for shoulders and elbows.

Recommended by medical experts and used in rehabilitation.

We sell the BungyPump walking poles all over the Spain.
Delivery time 48h.

Welcome to contact us!

Telephone: 951 50 54 42
Mobile: 644 38 33 30

Email

Web: www.bungypump.com

A friend and supporter of the project had FOUR bikes stolen within 5 minutes this week in La Cala de Mijas, Spain. Bobby is supporting the tour around Spain so please look out for any suspicious bikes.

(I have a high definition of this if you wish to see/share etc)

Warning out to all cyclists in the Costa del Sol region. On Saturday 5th Oct along the coast road outside La Cala 4 mountain bikes chained together were stolen within a period of 5 minutes. Absolutely despicable behavior from heartless thieves. 1 very expensive new Carbon ORBEA S50 2013 sales price 2,000Euros, Weep black 400 euro, JL Wente grey 300 plus child’s bike BH Oregon.

It seems that you simply cannot leave anything unattended even for minutes. Let this costly lesson warn all cyclists and tourists to be extra vigilant at all times. Link your bags under a chair leg when you stop for a coffee and don’t leave mobile phones on tables as distraction tactics leave them vulnerable also.

Any sighting of the bikes please inform the website.

More importantly don’t let this happen to you!

Clockwork Broccoli

I just had to share this quirky story with you all …..and yes it is about a football shirt!

The away kit for Segunda Division B (the third tier of Spanish football) club La Hoya Lorca was designed to look like broccoli. And this isn’t just any broccoli kit, it’s a lucky broccoli kit.

La Hoya Lorca are based in Murcia, which is known as “the vegetable garden of Spain.” Broccoli is one the region’s largest and fastest growing agricultural exports, so, according to Globo blog Brasil Mundial FC, the club decided to honour that fact last season with a broccoli kit.

Full story here!

Photo courtesy of FutbolBalear

Harry Trow

Harry is a friend of one of my good friends in Spain, Graham Hunt. Graham has been a supporter of the Shirt project since day one. Tonight, he highlighted a friend of his who is out on wheels in India as part of his project to cover the world on his 50cc bikes! What an amazing journey ….. and all for charity!

I was keen to know so I went to the site to wish him well. Since then I have spoken to Harry to give him my best regards. Perhaps you’d like to pop over to his site and say “hi”

Good luck, Harry!

How To Stay Entertained On A Road Tour

For a crowd that appreciates lengthy road trips, and specifically “doing the 92,” it’s important to know how to get by on the road. And, with the Premier League just having kicked off and European soccer in general approaching an active season, now is the time to start planning your visits to some stadiums abroad. Of course, the football itself ought to keep you pretty busy, and greatly entertained. But the fact is, when you’re out and about in foreign territory you need other things to keep you entertained as well – as much as we all wish we could watch football 24/7, that’s just not the case! So here are a few ways to stay entertained on the road.

Find Cultural Attractions
The worst thing you can do on a sports road trip or cycling tour is focus only on the sports! Sure, getting to the stadiums might be your priority, and in certain situations it’s all you have time for. But try to find some great local restaurants, stores, attractions, events, etc. so that you can also take in some of the surrounding area. Whether you use Yelp or try tripadvisor.co.uk, there are plenty of easy mobile sources for finding these kinds of cultural gems.

Rock An Infinite Playlist
Sounds obvious, right? If you’re cycling miles at a time, you probably already thought of throwing on some headphones and listening to good music. But one fun way to go about this specifically is to work out an infinite playlist. This could mean a number of things. My personal favorite is just to throw on Pandora and let it run (it’s not perfect but it’s easy to get lost in). You could also simply listen to your whole iTunes library on shuffle, or, another favorite, load up on a bunch of new albums from bands you like and listen to new music the whole trip.

Bet On League Matches
When you’re on the road, pedaling toward an exciting new stadium, it’s easy to focus entirely on the match in front of you. But that’s just not maximizing your enjoyment of the leagues in play! Visit betting.betfair.com from time to time (or use their mobile apps) to place bets on other league games, and you’ll be surprised at how connected you feel. You don’t have to drop a ton of cash, but doing this keeps you involved with the whole league, even as you set your sights on a particular match.

Start A Blog
Many people don’t like the idea, but if you’re starting your own trip or tour, go ahead and set up a simple blog for it. Your friends can follow your travels, you can write about your experiences, and you’ll always have a record of the event. Plus, it gives you something to do if you’re by yourself and have down time on the road. Consider Blogger or WordPress, as both are pretty straightforward for the basics.

This is a guest post by Derrick Hill. Derrick is a cycling enthusiast and football fanatic, and contributes to various personal blogs.

I am delighted to confirm that Bjørn has got married. I wish him and Marianne every success for a long and happy married life.