Please see my new blog on www.myworldwalk.com
Thank you for your support!
Friday, 18 March 2016
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
Viral infection - Time off in Liverpool
I had a great send off by friends and family in Dublin last Saturday! Many thanks to Run-Logics owner Ash Senyk's for his incredible hospitality and also to his helper Danny and all those that came out to show their support. Around 3:15 we were walking towards Dublin Port.
After a sleepless night I arrived in Liverpool and set out across England after a breakfast I couldn't finish for I was ill. I only managed to walk twenty km on my first full road day of my attempt to walk around the world. I had walked from Liverpool to Widnes on a chilly day feeding an insatiable thirst, almost as if I was in Australia! I had more trouble eating, for I could only nibble on my food and after a couple of small mouthfuls, I felt like vomiting. Clearly something was not right.
Just before the Church View Pub in Widnes, Karma my cart got several thorn punctures in a strip along a narrow path which I was obliged to walk along as traffic was so busy. That day I met many wonderful people along the way, such as John Shaw who had earlier given me great directions. Later he came out with a monster snack pack and said to me.. " Us Scouse love the Irish, we are all essentially the same! " Thorns are a nightmare for this kind of a cart. Luckily I don't come across them that much. In the past when I did I usually just got new tyres and inner tubes. I will also have to get some if that goo to put inside inner tubes. Cyclists say the goo slows them down, I say punctures slow you down!
After making repairs to Karma I went inside the bar to watch the Carling Cup Final which featured Liverpool the soccer team I have supported since I was a boy. The team I once supported fanatically lost on penalty kicks to Manchester City, my next city on the walk. I had by then become concerned about my illness and had decided it needed attention. In the bar, I got talking to a friendly group of eight lads and when I told them about my concerns they gave me the names of the hospitals to avoid if I wanted to continue my walk! The Whiston Hospital was highly regarded. After one of the lads called Dave Chatterton offered to mind Karma, I took a taxi the nine kilometres to the A&E there for only £8.80! As many people said to me that day; things are properly priced there, not like over in Ireland. Inside the hospital, there were about fifteen people ahead of me. I produced my European E111 health card and the first class treatment I received was all covered. Unlike in Ireland, this hospital had serious manpower at their disposal and there was very little waiting for me. I had taken the precaution of taking copies of my medical records which included breathing and CT scans after my run around the world, not to mention running through much smog and areas of Indonesia where tyre dealerships burnt waste tyres at the side of the highway. After a chest x-ray and other checks, I was finally discharged at three am. Their diagnosis was a viral infection, the advice I received was just to rest until I recovered before continuing my walk. The treatment I received in Whiston Hospital was first class! There were, at least, a dozen personnel in total who were working on me at various stages performing many checks. With no place to stay that night I was allowed to sleep there. At breakfast time, Dave texted me and kindly picked me up. He very generously offered to hold onto Karma until I recover. We had an interesting chat about travel, as he is well travelled having spent a considerable amount of time in India, a place he loves after four trips there. On Dave's wi-fi, I booked a room in Liverpool in which to begin my recovery. Thanks also to Fergus Owens, Barry Drennan and John Shaw for their kindness and effectively sponsoring my stop in Liverpool.
After a sleepless night I arrived in Liverpool and set out across England after a breakfast I couldn't finish for I was ill. I only managed to walk twenty km on my first full road day of my attempt to walk around the world. I had walked from Liverpool to Widnes on a chilly day feeding an insatiable thirst, almost as if I was in Australia! I had more trouble eating, for I could only nibble on my food and after a couple of small mouthfuls, I felt like vomiting. Clearly something was not right.
Just before the Church View Pub in Widnes, Karma my cart got several thorn punctures in a strip along a narrow path which I was obliged to walk along as traffic was so busy. That day I met many wonderful people along the way, such as John Shaw who had earlier given me great directions. Later he came out with a monster snack pack and said to me.. " Us Scouse love the Irish, we are all essentially the same! " Thorns are a nightmare for this kind of a cart. Luckily I don't come across them that much. In the past when I did I usually just got new tyres and inner tubes. I will also have to get some if that goo to put inside inner tubes. Cyclists say the goo slows them down, I say punctures slow you down!
After making repairs to Karma I went inside the bar to watch the Carling Cup Final which featured Liverpool the soccer team I have supported since I was a boy. The team I once supported fanatically lost on penalty kicks to Manchester City, my next city on the walk. I had by then become concerned about my illness and had decided it needed attention. In the bar, I got talking to a friendly group of eight lads and when I told them about my concerns they gave me the names of the hospitals to avoid if I wanted to continue my walk! The Whiston Hospital was highly regarded. After one of the lads called Dave Chatterton offered to mind Karma, I took a taxi the nine kilometres to the A&E there for only £8.80! As many people said to me that day; things are properly priced there, not like over in Ireland. Inside the hospital, there were about fifteen people ahead of me. I produced my European E111 health card and the first class treatment I received was all covered. Unlike in Ireland, this hospital had serious manpower at their disposal and there was very little waiting for me. I had taken the precaution of taking copies of my medical records which included breathing and CT scans after my run around the world, not to mention running through much smog and areas of Indonesia where tyre dealerships burnt waste tyres at the side of the highway. After a chest x-ray and other checks, I was finally discharged at three am. Their diagnosis was a viral infection, the advice I received was just to rest until I recovered before continuing my walk. The treatment I received in Whiston Hospital was first class! There were, at least, a dozen personnel in total who were working on me at various stages performing many checks. With no place to stay that night I was allowed to sleep there. At breakfast time, Dave texted me and kindly picked me up. He very generously offered to hold onto Karma until I recover. We had an interesting chat about travel, as he is well travelled having spent a considerable amount of time in India, a place he loves after four trips there. On Dave's wi-fi, I booked a room in Liverpool in which to begin my recovery. Thanks also to Fergus Owens, Barry Drennan and John Shaw for their kindness and effectively sponsoring my stop in Liverpool.
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Some background details and thoughts on my route.
This Saturday I begin a walk around the world! Starting from Run Logic running store in Dublin’s Temple Bar, we meet at two pm and leave a three pm. Please see my new website for the walk theworldwalk.blogspot.ie or my Facebook page! Hope you can join me!
Below please read a Facebook update.
After I first got the idea to run around the world I didn’t see how I could do it without a support vehicle. As running is more problematic than walking I decided instead of running the world that I would walk it! In 1998, I was living in Lake City, Colorado. A techno friend designed my logo which I dreamt up during hundreds of hours running on the trails there. Before leaving Lake City to return to Ireland I had a crazy going away party! Sandy Hines do you remember that night with Aidan and the locals down in Mammy’s Whisky Bar!
Well, I returned to Ireland and with just four days away from starting my world walk I changed my mind! I decided that one day I would find a way to live my ultimate dream, to run around the world ( As many of you know I achieved that in Oct 2014) So for the world walk literally had the tee- shirt but I never did it! As it was pre-internet you will notice there is no mention of a website on my logo. That same logo was modified for my eventual world run, the black lettering with centre white lines signify the roads of the world.
So, this world walk is my other long cherished dream 
Last Monday I was welcomed by The Lord Mayor of Dublin, this is becoming a habit! Thank you Lord Mayor Criona Ni Dhalaigh for my latest Magic Letter! I will be walking the world with a cancer awareness message; life is precious, early checking saves lives.
Also
The key to my world run was meticulous preparation, preparation, preparation! I also believed in keeping things simple. This walk will be more leisurely and as best as I can my stopwatch will be thrown out! However, I do realise and appreciate that when people are trying to help me their first question is almost always “exactly when tony!”
Proposed world walk route… Subject to change!
Dublin, to Liverpool to Hull to Rotherdam to Berlin to Lithuania to Latvia to Moscow to Chelyabinsk to Irktusk to Mongolia to China. All visas have been secured (thanks to visafirst.ie)
From China I have not decided on my route to Australia Nobody has ever gone on foot (only with a small gap) from Europe to Singapore; I have not decided if I will. Another possibility is China to Philippines to Indonesia to Australia.
Australia: Denham (the spike north of Perth) to Sydney. Then New Zealand North and South
From there my original plan was to fly to la Peru and walk into Brazil to Venezuela and from there thru the Caribbean to Cuba to Florida to Nova Scotia, ie: along the east coast. However, lately I have been thinking of New Zealand to San Diego to Portland Oregon to Key West Florida. Whichever way I decide to go in the USA I will be returning to Europe starting in Gibraltar to Madrid to France to Ireland!
Depending on my route my estimated distance will be 30-34,000km.
As on my world run I will be exceeding the minimum requirements of the WRA the world runners association, the governing body for world runners and walkers. Since last summer I have successfully lobbied the WRA for higher standards. The reason for returning to Europe by way of Gibraltar is that for a ” circumnavigation of the world ” (which is a higher standard for a lap of the world) there is an added requirement of needing to go through two ” antipodals” which are exact opposites locations on the other side of the world. This is not so easy to get, as most of the worlds landmass is ocean or inaccessible territory in places like Russia or the Amazon. My Antipodals are going to be in Aukland and Madrid.
This walk will be very low budget, mostly camping and cooking my own food! Sponsors are required!
I hope you can join me either on Facebook or on my new blog www.theworldwalk.blogspot.ie
Thank you!
Friday, 19 February 2016
Tony Mangan's World Walk
I will start my world walk from Run-Logic running store on 27th Feb, meet there at 2 pm, depart for Dublin Port, (North Wall) when we are ready! First stage: Run-Logic to Dublin Port to Liverpool to Hull To Rotterdam to Berlin to Moscow to Irkutsk to Mongolia to China.
Details to follow. Hope you can follow my new global adventure.
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