Hope and Aid Direct Registered UK Charity No. 1077146    The humanitarian aid charity that takes aid, not sides

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Hope and Aid Direct Winter Convoy of Humanitarian Aid 2007

Update from Roger & Bernie.  (Warehouse Day 2)
We spent the day improving warehouse security and cleaning up dust. We have resorted to using a hose and broom which is a bit of a task and will continue with this tomorrow. Areas have been marked out to place trucks and aid.

MTS loaned s a truck for the day so we could go and purchase the bits we needed from town. We stopped at the local farmers market to be greeted by lots of people wanting their pictures taken. A couple of these are shown alongside.

We are hoping that we will be able to do a few inspections of some of the drop areas. This will not take place though until Monday PM and Tuesday after they have had their team briefing on Monday AM.

29th September 2007
The heavy trucks have arrived at Asotthalom on the Hungarian / Serbian border. European driving regulations prevent large vehicles from being on the roads on a Sunday so they will wait here till the rest of the convoy meets them on Sunday night. However Dave says the weather is warm and the beer is cold so they look set to spend a relaxing Sunday before moving to the border crossing on Monday.

The remainder of the convoy are still travelling down through Europe passing Nuremberg at about 3 o'clock and entering Austria at 8 o'clock. Trucks passing through Austria have to buy a 'Go Box', which is a prepaid electronic gadget that is attached to the windscreen and automatically pays the motorway tolls as the trucks drive along them. After Austria the trucks will pass into Hungary and head towards the Serbian border on Sunday.

28th September 2007
This year the majority of the convoy met up at Maidstone services on the M20 at the earlier time of 1000 with the intention of trying to get a few valuable continental miles under their belts in the daylight. By 1045 it seems that the Maidstone Amateur Radio Club had got all the CB radios installed and tested into the trucks and the convoy was ready to set off for the ferry at Dover. By 2 oclock the truck were loaded onto the ferry and the crews settling down to an unusually early lunch on board.

Just after 9 o'clock in the evening and the trucks have stopped for the night at Aachen on the German border. Doreen tells us that the convoy has covered 600kms today. One of Chas's famous cooked breakfasts is promised for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Bernie and Roger arrived at the hotel in Mitrovica at 4am this morning. It was a good bus trip first up to Podgorica and then on to the overnight bus to Pristina. At 3.15 in the morning there are no buses to Mitrovica so had to use taxi. The Taxi driver quoted us 30 euros for the 55km run. It was only 35 kms! Still Bernie reports that the rooms at the Hotel Palace are good and the crews should be able to get a well earned good nights sleep between the aid distribution.

Dave Smith travelling with Nibsy and the two articulated lorries has reported that their crossing from Dagenham to Rotterdam was very rough. The drivers made good progress and spent the first night at Passau, east of Munich in Germany. This year they have chosen to go through Austria which Dave says is a good route. Tonight they stopped at a Hotel? (I thought they were tough truckers!!) in Hungary. On the journey they have been experiencing heavy rain and strong winds.

Update from Roger & Bernie. (Warehouse Day 1)
Having met up with MTS this morning we went first to the warehouse which is in the old Trepca mine complex.

The warehouse is only about 1km from the hotel and is also close to the famous bridge in Mitrovice so the location is excellent.

As it is on this site, security in general is very good, people cannot get near the warehouse without the correct passes which is comforting.

As you will see from the one of the pictures we have built a palette wall to deal with one of the security issues within the warehouse (as there are still some people on the complex that we want to prevent easy access to the aid) and are busy working on a couple of other minor points to ensure that everything runs smoothly once the team arrive. There are a couple of minor jobs that need to be dealt with over the weekend, we have 1 forklift and another is being mended for Tuesday. There are plenty of palettes so on this front we are fine. Everyone is being very helpful and supportive.

26th September 2007

The 44 tonners and Nibsy are away tomorrow - Nibsy, with Bill and Dave LR on the 9am Ford ferry, and Mr Flibble and Late Entry with Dave S, Alan, Paul and Norman on the 5pm Ford Ferry - drive safely!

All the 7.5 tonners, plus possibly Bernie and Roger who are joining the convoy from Montenegro, depart Friday. Maggie and Coxy are flying out on Monday and all the remaining airborne crews fly out next Wednesday.

THE BAKERY
Kevin Barke (The Baker) and Paul Spencer-Mathews have departed for Malawi where they are going to offer their help to another charity that is trying to set up a bakery. The first task is to get the container released from Customs (it contains all the equipment- most of which has been donated). Customs are refusing to release it without payment of VAT amounting to over £5,000 - good luck Kevin and Paul!

OVER AND OUT
Our thanks go to Maidstone Radio Club whose members are ensuring we have good radio communication between all the trucks in the convoy.

Good luck to all the truck crews and the advance parties.