Alan

Ian

Hi! I’m Alan Wells. My hobbies include Driving, Photography,Travelling and Cycling. At the moment I work as an engineer designing commercial ground sourced heating systems for a Coventry based company called Geothermal International, a position which shows up another of my passions, the environment and sources of renewable clean energy.  

For years I have loved long summer days cycling through the countryside around wherever I lived looking for something new and different to explore, or maybe just a big hill to hurtle down at some stupidly dangerous speed.
 
That’s what one of the things that really appeals to me about EyeOnAfrica, it’s a chance to explore something new and different every day. 

Hi, my name is Ian Mowbray-Williams. I have always been very ambitious and travelling has been one of my dreams for as long as I can remember. In realising my dream, I also wish to raise money for charity which would add enormously to the satisfaction and experience.  In my working life I intend to become a successful entrepreneur, following in the footsteps of my parents.
 
I am a graduate from Staffordshire University and am currently employed by an American franchise company called Signarama.  I worked for Signarama in West Palm Beach, Florida for my third-year work placement at University. When I graduated they offered me a position in their Coventry office.  The company has been very supportive of my plans to undertake this incredible trip. 

Although travelling has long been one of my goals, I really started craving life on the road after my stay in America where I had the opportunity to travel all over the USA in my work. I visited 12 different states in the short time I lived in West Palm Beach and this experience made me want to see the rest of the world. If there is so much to see in one country, how much more is there in the rest the world? 

Why am I going to Africa? 

Why am I going to Africa? 

It all began when I was 17, I went to Tanzania in eastern Africa for 1 month with a group of people from my school. In Tanzania I fell in love with the people, the continent and the spectacular scenery. While there, we tried to climb Mount. Kilimanjaro. Towering nearly 6000m above the African plane Mt Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and quite a challenge for even the fittest person. Unfortunately my level of fitness let me down, so I didn’t make it to the summit So now, more than six years later I want to get back to Africa and Kilimanjaro. But who wants to fly across Africa when you can travel by land experiencing all of the differing cultures and people on the way.  

For me, cycling across Africa is simply the perfect adventure! 

As I said earlier, traveling has been a dream of mine for a long time and when Alan told me his plan to cycle from Cairo to Cape Town, I decided I had to go with him. However, I wanted to do more - I am fascinated by the West Coast of Africa, (both the people and landscapes) and of course I would like to see the football World Cup! I knew this was going to be a journey I couldn't miss and I won't bore you with the many reasons why I want to do it - but the most simple reason is that I don't want to be one of those people who say I want to do things, but never do them! I want to be able to look back over my life and think ”I'm so glad I cycled to Cape Town and was able to raise funds for a worthwhile charity and make a difference to someone, somewhere.“