The Magic Thumb – Extreme Hitchhiker goes Global
For anyone lucky enough to have tickets, getting to the Olympic Games in London this year – if you believe the hype – is going to be a nightmare. Predictions of hellish tube journeys, endless delays, standstill traffic and catastrophic road closures are enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure, let alone your average grumpy-by-default Londoner.
Andrew Grady isn’t letting these obstacles get him down, even though his journey to the capital is likely to be a little trickier than most; he needs to cover over 9,000 miles, has only £1,000 to his name, and is hitchhiking. Oh, and he doesn’t have a ticket to the games. Suddenly those 40 extra minutes on the commute sound like a breeze.
What’s this all about?
Cheeky chappy Grady is a Geordie musician based in London, who possesses, shall we say, the gift of the gab. Having already hitchhiked from London to South Africa for the World Cup in 2010, he set himself an even bigger challenge this year, aiming to semi-circumnavigate the globe in time for the Olympic opening ceremony. Starting in Perth, he has no fixed itinerary, aims to fly only when absolutely necessary, and relies mostly on his disarming charm and the kindness of strangers to ensure his success. He’s doing it all in the name of charity, raising money for ChildLine.
So how’s it going?
Well it’s safe to say that Grady won’t be making it back for the Olympics. Various setbacks such as spending five days in a tiny boat on the Indian Ocean heading towards Asia only to end up back where he started due to poor weather conditions was one. Having a stand-off with Chinese border guards was another. The beauty of this trip is that it’s unpredictable; these events may not facilitate a smooth ride home, but they certainly make for good stories. Stories you can follow online, from the safety of your homes!
This guy has a ‘magic thumb’?
Basically, yes! He seems to wriggle his way out of any less-than-ideal situation with ease, smashes all language barriers by calling all of his drivers ‘Trevor’ and could persuade anyone to give him their last rolo. It takes a certain kind of someone to brave the open road folks, so don’t all pack your rucksacks and start walking in the vague direction of India. It’s a wild and risky journey, but one we’re more than happy to observe and report.
Who knows what we can expect from the Magic Thumb in the coming weeks. We might be watching Grady traverse the Himalayas with Trevor the Sherpa, hitch a horse ride through Mongolia, or explore Kazakhstan via freight lorry.
Whichever way he returns, and however long it takes him, we’re sure he’ll get home without (or is that with?) a hitch.
Visit MyMagicThumb.com to follow Grady’s adventures. You can help him out and donate to ChildLine by visiting the Magic Thumb Fundraising page. You can also give him a thumbs up on Facebook!
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Category: Inspiration
About the Author (Author Profile)
Fresh from the SE Asia/Australia backpacker trail, Emma (or Sparkle as her friends call her) is the newest recruit to join the My Destination Content Team. Currently mourning the loss of her tan, she’s finding comfort in sharing her stories and reminiscing about her travels, which is apparently deemed to be ‘work’. Having grown up in a village outside Cardiff, this little Welshie is still getting to grips with London and delights in shocking people on the tube by smiling at them. She’s a keen dancer and is looking forward to visiting Pineapple Studios and impressing some of you at future socials with her moves (drunken tap dancing is her specialty). Dreams of moving to Fiji and marrying Michael Palin.Subscribe
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Fascinating – Can’t imagine how many tales Andrew will have to tell at the end of it!!!
What an inspiration! Love it how he calls all his drivers Trevor, brilliant