The Eagle has Landed

Success! Just received an update from Joe whilst stood in the Safari Garden Hotel. Against just about every mechanical and bureaucratic setback possible, the ambulance and the jeep have made it the 2700 miles as the crow flies from Portsmouth to Banjul and arrived absolutely bang on target. I cannot even begin to tell you how staggering I think this is, given all that's been thrown at them, so jolly good show, what!

Minor details: they still need to find some accomodation: the SGH is actually a little way outside Banjul and is full. The auctions are now staggered over several days, so the plan is to keep the jeep as a runaround till just before they all leave the Gambia. I think they want to offload the meatwagon ASAP, as soon as they hose all the Canadians out of it ;)

In other news, the website passed 1000 visitors at almost exactly the same time. Spooky coincidence, or divine providence? You decide. More details as I get them. Cheers - Phil.

UPDATE: 1700h. The total mileage on the ambulance was 4116 miles from NIREX car-park to the Safari Garden Hotel. Chris and Alex went to the school on Bakalarr that Pageant supports before crossing the river today to say hello: the head is planning to meet them for coffee in Banjul tomorrow. There's a free dinner at the SGH for all the PBC teams tonight, which will no doubt be a civilised and reserved affair. Black tie I should hope. Most of the teams are flying back on the same plane as our lot (Tue 23 early am: Providence help any non-PBC people on that plane...) so there's a few days of unwinding, swapping tales of derring do and cementing friendships to go.

So that's it. I wouldn't expect too much more from me now till they get back with some photos to publish, at which point I'll revamp the website and try to find it a permanent home; I can't leave it on the Uni servers forever (all donations of webspace gratefully accepted and rewarded with a sponsor's link). If you want to send congratulatory messages, rude remarks, demands for payment or entries into the Reader's Digest Prize Draw to any of the team then probably the best thing to do is to post a message on the forum and I'll pass it on best I can: if there are enough messages I'll compile them into a new page on the website/blog.

I beg leave to remain, Sirs, your humble and obedient servant,

Phil.