Day -1: a brilliant start...

CRASH!!

Head on into a grey Citroen C3, the bumper neatly and almost artistically denting the left rear of the C3. Nasty. “HEY!!!” a short middle aged man in white shirt, red tie and black trousers jumped out of his car already sweating. He was balding at the sides and gave the impression of being almost twice his age. “WHAT IN HEAVENS NAME DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING??” He looked tired but alert and the only thing I remember about him was his big red nose. Whether it was fear or anger that drove that colour I’m not sure. He came around to see the damage my taxi driver had done. “You B******d. Look what you’ve done!! Cant you see where you’re going?”
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t see you’re turning right because I was in a hurry because my customer here was in a hurry to get the airport!” Oh oh. My Iranian taxi driver had just turned the attention of the red nosed man, the curious passer byes and the traffic that had slowed down nearby on me.
“Hey”. I screamed. “I didn’t ask you to bang into anyone”. I was frightened. I was acting on instinct and my heart was beating faster than a sacrificial goat’s. In that second I could see in a flash all the repercussions I’d have to face if I didn’t get out of there immediately. Being a witness is ok I guess but to have to miss the flight to the most important trip of my life was unforgivable.

That’s when I saw it . The X26 bus which heads straight to the airport. I ran. To hell with what I’d have to face when I come back. My rucksack behind, haversack in front and camera around waist I was all but fast. I made it though. As the bus sped away I could see that just for that long second all members at the scene of crime had for the second time that morning turned their full attention towards me.

“Hey Puneeth, Steve here on the phone. Are you ok? I was just wondering if anything has happened to you. We have all checked in and were just wondering if you can make it in time”.
“Oh yeah. Of course. Be there in 10” I lied as calmly as I could trying to hold my breath. It was then that I realized that it would take me at least half hour to reach the airport. I was late I knew it from the moment I had got up that morning. Late the one time I should have been as early as a cuckoo on a Devonshire farm. Late for the trip I had been waiting for since the last 4 months.

It had been chance that I came across the Mexico challenge on the Asthma UK website. I’m a self acclaimed adventure/outdoor freak and what better way to fuel this acclaim than by cycling coast to coast across Mexico, a country which has a mystique of its own. I know little about bicycles but to cycle 600 kms in 8 days over hilly terrain in hot humid climate is no mean undertaking. Especially for someone who’s most cycling has been the 5km to and fro school 12 years ago.
Why Asthma? For long now a number of today's 'front page' concerns like Aids and Africa have been given continual support and attention what with large scale music festivals and high profile meetings in Scotland. I wanted to do something, which was important but not as recognised, and give attention to so that I in my own small way can give some prominence to it. Asthma as a disease is one of the most widespread, preventable diseases today and although not as much of a crisis as AIDS or hepatitis, asthma is a matter of serious concern. There are almost 300 million suffering from asthma today globally with more than 3000 deaths in UK alone. In fact 1 person dies every 7 hours, so it is more serious than you imagine. Why I feel a special concern is these figures quoted above are those for a disease, which is preventable.
So it was. I reached the airport just in time to see smirks from all those present. There were all ready to get in having checked in everything except me and my baggage. Red faced I couldn’t get the courage to tell them the story so went quietly to the KLM desk to check mine in. What a start. 15 days I have to spend with them continuously and I already give the impression of late kate.
I sat down in the plane, thinking of the last 2 hours. It seemed to last a lifetime but was done and over with. I was finally ready and raring to leave for what was to be the most exciting thing I’ve done to date in my life. Something which if I completed, I would be proud of having achieved knowing in my heart that one day 30 years from now when I get up on a cold depressing wet morning and think about it, I’d smile wide and hard.
The flight was a short one to start with.
We stopped over at Amsterdam, the airline being KLM and then boarded the 10 hour journey to Mexico City. It was a long and boring start interspersed with beautiful views of Greenland though. I had the window seat and took some good shots with my new FujiS5500 camera. 10 X Zoom lens you see. One of those cameras that can get a close up of beautiful women and sometimes their faces where they don’t actually know you’re shooting them. Pervertish but for a 25 year old going through an extended period of singledom, life saving.