Thursday 10 October 2013

Convoy Diary



We left Bristol on Tuesday 10 September around midday, stopped on our way in Reading to collect some crutches, and in London for other medical items. We were hoping to get the 14:45 ferry from Dover but were delayed till 20:30 due to strike in Calais port.

We arrived in Belgium after midnight and stopped to collect some items on the way, one of the ambulances drive belt snapped and we had to wait till the morning to get replacement parts, and guys managed to fit it, (thanks Ahmad and Ahmad).

We arrived in Switzerland late evening, and the Gotthard Tunnel was closed for maintenance until 5 O’clock in the morning, we had to spend the night there.

Started in the morning, heading towards Italy, delayed a bit on the way, and by the time we arrived at Ancona, the ferry has already left. Booked for the next day, and spent the rest of the day in the city.

The ferry left after 2pm, it was nice sunny day, but nothing to do for the next 20 hours.

Arrived in Igoumenitsa port around 9 in the morning, drove through Greece, then Bulgaria to the Turkish border, arrived around 8pm, unfortunately, our papers wasn’t there, (Turkey requires certified papers to be present at the border prior to arrival).

It is Sunday, offices are closed, so we can’t find out what happened to the papers, another day of waiting. Finally, we learnt that the papers were sent to another border point, short drive and a bit of waiting before we were cleared to enter Turkey.

Arrived in Syria, and headed to Aleppo City were most of the aid had to be distributed from there.


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