FTFE was part of the awesome Adventure Film Festival this year. The Adventure Film Festival 2011 started on the 24th October and features 17 of the world’s best adventure films and documentaries packaged into 3 themed programs screening at over 30 cinemas nationwide. We were one of the big three to be premiered in Leicester square on the 1st November. Over 450 packed the cinema to watch three 15 minute “adventure shorts” followed by Q&As with some of the people involved. FTFE was the third of such films with me and Ross doing our best to answer the questions from the very excitable crowd.
This 15 minute film was painstakingly put together by Audrey and her team of editors. Super work guys. The short is a taster of the full length documentary that we hope will be commissioned. Again, all profits will go to our wonderful charities !! Enjoy. Steve
06/15/11 by Dave Orders | Uncategorized | Comments Off on Another year, another challenge (or two..)
2010 proved to be quite a big year. There was definitely more than one occasion where I thought I might have bitten off more than I could chew. At the start of May my first ironman was approaching fast (too fast) and soon after would be the channel swim. Success would mean a trip through Russia happy with a job well done. Failure would mean six weeks of constant jokes, at my expense, through the rough terrain of Mongolia. Failure really wasn’t going to be an option!
Several friends, who are themselves far more accomplished athletes than I, thought I was pretty crazy to attempt my first ironman and channel swim in the same year. But if you don’t try you’ll never know.. right?!
If you’re remotely interested in the preparation and how those events went read the bottom of this blog. First to details of this year’s challenges!!
Run in parallel to the expedition itself, the FTFE charity was incredibly well supported by a band of extremely well motivated “athletes”. The events included marathons, iron-man, duathlons and even swimming the channel. They raised an incredible amount so hands together for the FTFE Sweat Teams. Superb.
High point: Steve remembering to pick his Mum up from Gare du Nord train station – the reunion we have all been waiting for!
French point: Spot the landmark- Eiffel Tower, Concorde, Madeleine, Musee du Louvre.
No point: The revelation that Coca Cola Light (ie Diet Coke in France) tastes better because it actually does have different ingredients!
Ah, Paris in springtime. The sun is shining, the blossom trees are blooming, the tulips are trumpeting in honour of Martha’s impending arrival. It’s the homestretch now! One day to go! Read more →
Rolling into Casablanca though complete carnage was somewhat iconic. It has long been on the itinerary and sits alongside Moscow, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland and New York as a key mile stone for the expedition. It’s hard to describe the level of satisfaction or indeed relief, as with most experiences on this trip, it’s simply too out there to comprehend.
High point: Making the ship to Cueta, the Spanish border town in Morocco, with two minutes to spare thanks to ‘pedal to the metal Morrow’ and a bit of good old fashioned FTFE luck
Low point: Driving around Cueta for about 40 minutes trying to find a place to stay on a road we could fit Martha down
No point: Ship cam, 35 minutes watching the view from the front of the ship was riveting
Location: Coveta Fuma (Spain) to Cueta (Morocco)
Waking up somewhere familiar was very surreal indeed. Casa Holder brought back nice memories of summer weekends with friends, I never thought we’d be visiting again in a fire engine!
Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean sails a freight ship carrying its usual load of shipping containers heading for Europe, or Valencia in Spain to be exact. Within one is an extra special shipment, a Fire Engine affectionately known as ‘Martha’, who is on her way back to London after an epic nine month global journey which has seen her circumnavigate the globe in the name of charity.
Beijing really is a wonderful city with lots to see and do. The crew went off to have some fun and meet up with friends, including Ben, who had left us at UB, whilst I was left in the car park as usual! Still I mustn’t grumble, it was a good opportunity for a bit of Martha time.
High Point: Today’s chat in the cab was hilarious. Plus we the lucky recipients of more amazing generosity from our Mongolian brethren. See below.
Low Point: When James played Michael Jackson’s Earth Song and four-fifths of the cab’s occupants burst into chorus. First time thus far I’ve wished I was at work. Hats off to you Jarvis Cocker, that song sucks. Read more →
