By Amy Price
October 28 2019, 20.55
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A Streatham man is raising money for the Ian Hutcheon Clinic for Children charity by cycling from England to South Africa.
Kevin Davey, 32, hopes to raise a few thousand pounds for the charity, which aims to prevent hearing loss in children from developing countries.
Starting from Lands’ End in August, Kevin has travelled on his bike Maggie through Europe via countries such as Holland and Turkey before flying to Jordan to avoid Syria.
He hopes to continue through Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia and visit the IHCC headquarters in Uganda before finishing his ride in Cape Town at the end of April.
Kevin said: “The density of experience is incredible.
“I’ve only been going for 10 weeks but it already feels like a lifetime.
“Living this way forces you to be very creative and adaptable, as you wake up most days not knowing where you’ll be or what you’ll do by the time the sun sets.”
He added: “I think cycling is the best way to travel; slow enough to see a lot, but quick enough to go a long way.”
Kevin said that so far he has have encountered challenges ranging from an angry dog biting his dad Alan Davey, 66, to accidentally cycling into a restricted Turkish military zone.
A highlight was being offered food by a local Turkish man by Lake Iznik in Turkey, which he said was a great introduction to the wonderful hospitality of the region.
This friendliness has continued in Jordan, with a local family insisting that his girlfriend Rebecca Field, 28, sleep in their house when she was ill and there were no hotels nearby.
Alan travelled with Kevin for the first few days in the UK and across Turkey, while Rebecca hopes to continue with Kevin through Jordan and parts of the Africa stretch to Cape Town.
While some have commented that he is mad for taking on this challenge, Kevin hopes to cycle from the UK to Japan one day – although he admits he needs to take one thing at a time. To follow Kevin’s charity cycle, visit his blog, or donate to the IHCC here.
Feature image shows Kevin at the First and Last Refreshment House in Lands End, Cornwall.
