The Journey Begins

So, I have attempted to write this blog entry on three separate occasions now; once on Friday night, once on Saturday night, and once again now. My previous two attempts failed, as exhaustion got the better of me before barely a word had been written. It did, however, start with the following line;

Exhausted, anxious, excited, confused, happy, appreciative, perplexed, sad, and full of hope. The last four years have taken me on a roller coaster of emotions, and there is no sign of that ending anytime soon. It began as a dream, as an idea, and then in all honesty it became an obsession, a healthy one I like to think, but an obsession all the same.

It's hard to express in words what this project means to me. It is certainly far more than a physical expedition between points a and point b. I have grown within it, and it has begun to represent everything of which I believe. I have met so many amazing people even before leaving home, and more so than that seen the amazing beauty and kindness in so many of my friends and family. It has truly been humbling.

In this respect, I have so many people to thank, and as I'm currently aboard the ferry from dover to dunkerque, really don't have the time to include everyone. As a result of this I'm just going to say a universal thank you to every single person who has been a part of this project, and my life, past, present, and future. I feel so blessed to know so many genuinely amazing people. I believe so strongly in humanity, and am all the time being reminded of what a kind and caring species we can be.

The 'Real Way Down' project was designed to connect people, to expose the presence of suffering, and more importantly hope in every corner of the globe. Suffering is not an African issue, nor a Middle Eastern one, but rather a world issue, a human issue. Hope is what can change this; sharing those moments where a helping hand is offered to someone who is not less then you, and perhaps not even worse off, but just in need of some support at that moment in time. And truly, I believe, it comes back around.

Will this project be a success? Honestly, I don't know. All I can say is that perhaps it is idealist, and perhaps naive, maybe even careless, but what has always kept me going is that it is 100% built upon positivity, progression, and the ability to change and affect things that we don't agree with. I for one am not prepared to stand by and accept a world where many people are sacrificed for the benefit of a few, and have a strong belief that we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to help.

So, for now, I will leave you with a few photos of us leaving the UK, after four hard years of planning. A massive giant hug once more for everyone who has supported me along the way. I am eternally grateful.