An epic 15,000-kilometre journey across two continents, two bikes, one puncture and not a single argument. Old friends Luke Barton and Tom Smith decided earlier this year to cycle from Brick Lane in the East End of London to Bangladesh to raise money for a children’s orphanage in Comilla. Taking leave from their jobs, they left London in June 2013, and this week, five months later, no worse for wear but ‘thinner and fitter’ they made it to Dhaka.
‘We had just one puncture between us in the whole journey,’ Tom said. ‘There was one moment when things were quite tense between us, but we did not have any arguments.’
Their journey took them through Europe, Turkey, the Central Asia states, Pakistan and India before cycling over the Indian border to Bangladesh.
‘Some days we did not know why we were doing it,’ Tom said. ‘On one day, I just keeled over because I was so weak.’
So far their view of Bangladesh is rosy.
‘Coming from India to Bangladesh, I could not believe the contrast between the two countries,’ the cyclists told a press conference on Friday.
‘Bangladesh is so lusher, greener, calmer. It was like coming inside from a noisy street.’
So far they have been able to raise over Taka 4.2 lakh (£3,400) but hope to receive more.
‘Our families and friends did not believe that we would make it, and so they have not given us any money,’ Tom said. ‘Now we will shake them down.’
The two men will now spend two weeks at the Noor e Farid Nasrine Academy, an orphanage in Comilla which was first conceived by late Nasrine Karim.
‘Three years ago, we took 20 under-privileged boys, aged between 2 and 3, and we will look after them until they graduate from university,’ said Mishal Karim, son of Nasreen Karim. ‘We provide them with a happy life, hope, good education, food, and do as much as we can to equip them to take on the world.’
Luke and Tom will be spending two weeks at the academy in Comilla, teaching the boys English, team building and sports activities.
Tom said he was looking forward to his time with the boys ‘Teaching the boys, sports like football, basketball, badminton and cricket like we were taught at school is going to be a wonderful experience.’
Luke and Tom will be leaving Bangladesh at the end of November.
This time, by plane.
-With New Age input
