Day One - Saturday 18, September

We set off from bradford at around 3:00 PM after Jummah. Arrive in Luton at 6:00 PM. All vehicles have been bought by VP and stored at a warehouse. Some familiar faces, and some new ones. All vehicles are allocated to registered volunteers. We spend the night in Luton. Up early at 5:00 AM to set off for London embankment for a vehicle parade and press conference with George Galloway, the founder and leader of the VP convoy. A great turn out and great fun. At around 9:30 AM we drive off to a service station just a few miles from Forkstone where we'll be bording the shuttle to Calais. It was a long wait at the port before boarding the shuttle. Eventually we board the shuttle, and about 40 minutes later we arrive in Calais. From Calais it's a long drive to Paris, but before going to Paris we stop over at Bagnolet, where we are fed and watered at a sports hall, which is made available for us to sleep in. It was a strange sight seeing over a hundred people laying on the floor in sleeping bags, but we are all relieved that our first night will not be spent in the middle of some field, as it was last time.

Day Two - Sunday 19, September
A great night, we all rested well and are up very early again for a convoy parade in the center of Paris. Beeping our horns and making alot of noise that couldn't be ignored. A great reception from the people. We attract alot of attention and alot of support. Everywhere we see people give us the "V" sign, or did it mean something else? We distribute card and literature in French to spread the awareness about the dire and desperate situation in Gaza. We return to Bagnolet at around lunch time for a meal and reception by the Lord Mayor's Office. The Deputy Lord Mayor congratulates the convoy and supports it's purpose. As it is the anniversary of the Sabra and Shatilla masacre, the Deputy Lord Mayor reports on his attendence to commemorate the massacre in Lebanon. He congratulates Viva Palestina, and it's leaders and volunteers, and stresses the need for such activities to help raise the awareness. We are then free to go into Paris and spend some free time sightseeing. We return in the evening to find a mountain of clothes, etc. donated by local supporters. Unfortunately we cannot possibly take all of it as we have very little spare capacity, but we thank them for their support.
One vehicle breaks down with a faulty fuel pump. Local mechanics arrive but are told that because most of Paris is closed on Sunday there will be a delay in repair, if a repair is possible. More food and drink is served: a variety of foods to suit everyone, including rice, vegetables, fruit, seafood, cheese, etc. fruit juices, tea, coffee, water, and then another rally at the sport center which includes a question and answer session with George Galloway and some of the other experienced volunteers from previous convoys. We speak about the conception of Viva Palestina maybe two years ago, we also speak about the recent attacks on the Freedom Flotilla, and we speak of possible ideas about how we can help Gaza and Palesine in general. The local anti-war movement are very supportive and pledge their support in all of our work.
It's been a long day, and around 10:00 PM we have settled down again at the sport center hall before we get up early again on Monday morning for a very long drive to our next destination in France, Lyon, about six hours away. Everyone is in high spirits and bonding well, especially as some potential troublesome volunteers are absent this time from the convoy, as was the case previously.
On a personal note, I have to admit that I have once again brought a packet of 10 cigs, something I haven't done since the last convoy in December 2009, when I gave up smoking. But I will strive not to buy anymore.
Day Three- Monday 20, September

Three hours sleep last night. Woken up by Kevin at 5:30 AM. "Sorry to wake you up," he says, "but a full group meeting will be held in five minutes." Still dark. After the group meeting we guide all of the vehicles out of the compound car park, one-by-one in sequence. Once everyone is away in their teams Amer and I stay behind and arrange the local garage to pick up the broken down vehicle C6, which had been driven by two girls, Rahmah and Shameem. The relay truck arrives around 1:00 PM, and surprise, surprise, the French guy spoke no English. And worse, we speak no French. So the international language of hand gestures and random noises was deployed. Rahmah, one of the drivers of the broken-down vehicle, tries to speak Spanish to him. He doesn't understand a word, but we all have a good laugh. Rahmah is a very nice, pleasant American girl from Washington, D.C., half German, half Iranian. She's travelling with her co-driver Shameem, who is an Indian Muslim living in London, and seems equally pleasant and intelligent. They are now without a vehicle. We unload their vehicle, and load it onto our convoy control vehicle. Actually, we made the girls unload and load the vehicles, mulitiple times, to train them. After about three hours, we managed to get relayed to a Ford dealership, costing us over 150 pounds for a 10 mile trip. We keep the girls onto our convoy control vehicle, and make our way to our next destination, Lyon, in the south of France, a journey of around six to seven hours drive. As we set off we receive word that the rest of the convoy has reached Lyon. Our own vehicle develops an exhaust problem, but we keep traveling ahead and hope for the best, as all the garages are closed, which is a very long and hot journey. We reach Lyon at around 3:00 AM. All the rest of the convoy is parked up at a hotel. We are told there are no more rooms left for us. Some sleep in their cars. The manager of the place gets very concerned that there is no more space to sleep us at the hotel. The girls, Rahmah and Shameem, are put in a room which has only one lady in it, to make three per room. Hassan, the Press TV reporter, has a room to himself. Amer and I join Hassan in his room. Because he is new on the convoy, we make him sleep on the floor while we take the beds, as we are part of the convoy leadership team and can use our authority on those who do not know any better. We shall continue this practice until he wises up. We will keep pushing this policy until such time that he makes us sleep on the floor. Two hours into our sleep, Hassan the Press TV reporter, heads up to go to the toilet and bangs his leg on something with an all mighty crash, scaring the living daylights out of us, but it's time to get up anyways.

Day Four - Tuesday, 21, September

7:00 AM, up for a quick breakfast, well, when I say breakfast I mean a coffee with a slice of bread with jam. A quick group meeting with Kevin and off we go. Another of our VP team Bravo members breaks down with a dodgy clutch. We arrange support for them before we leave them at the service station. We get the two girls, Shameem and Rahmah, to unload our overloaded convoy vehicle, and get them to load it onto another vehicle, but we have still nowhere to put the girls, so for the time being their going to travel with us. Ten minutes onto the motorway and our exhaust falls off. We do a quick roadside repair and carry on. At 2:00 PM we arrive at the Alpine tunnel and the police are laughing at our car, wich it's exhaust tied up with a rope, one end tied up onto the roof rack. They have a good luck under our vehcle, and they walk away laughing. So we're glad we're leaving France and entering Italy. We enter Italy, and from Torino we are escourted in several small groups by the police, who clear the roads for us so that we can make progress. We stop for a few hours for a city reception in the historical city square for food and a few speaches. We are whole-heartedly welcomed by the local people. The streets are lined with people waving and shouting "Viva Palestina" and making "V" signs. We leave Turin at around 7:00 PM for Milan, which is around two hours away. Again we get a police escourt, and we thank them.
We are driving to Milano and look forward to seeing the historical city, and hope to spend a couple of days speaking with the locals and raising awareness. Almost 3/4 of the way to Milano, one of the Malaysian drivers falls asleep at the wheel and nearly gets crushed by an oncoming HGV. I decide to take over the vehicle and give the driver some rest. His co-driver, who is also almost asleep, wakes-up and gives me a lecture on philosophy, geography, history, and a little religion thrown in. I just ignore him, as I don't speak any Malaysian. I tell him to go to sleep and chill. We reach Milano late in the evening. Some of our vehicles, around ten of them, have taken the wrong turn and are lost. Amer has gone to find them and get them back to the campsite where we will be staying for the night. I park the Malaysian's vehicle at the campsite, and get to the main road to usher in any lost vehicles. I'm there for over an hour. A car approaches me with two men who think I am standing outside on the curb under the lamp post for some other reason. They ask me if I would like to go home with them if they gave me 50 Euros. I run fast and don't look back. I don't know what kind of a guy they think I am. But I'm not that kind of a guy. Who do they think I am? Just because I'm pretty and have a good body. And even if I was, which I am not, 50 Euros is too cheap.
One and a half hours later, Amer arrives with the last vehicles, and we all camp out at the camp site, which has good wash and toilet facilities. We have small tents which we lay out on the tarmac and get a good nights sleep.

Day Five - Wednesday, 22, September

Up at 8:00 AM as we are not traveling today. Instead we will spend the whole day in Milano to have several press conferences in the city, near a historic castle and cathedral. It is covered by the local press and television. The rest of the day we spend with some of our fellow volunteers in Milan sightseeing. It's a very hot and humid day, and we very much enjoy the whole day and then catch up on some rest. We take the metro back to the campsite, the Taxi driver speaks to me and asks if he can have my Viva Palestina cap. I give him my cap. He tells me he will be proud to wear it as he drives his taxi in Milan, but we still do not get a discount from him. Later that evening, we decide it would be better if most of the volunteers make their way towards nearer to Ancona from where we will be boarding the ferry to Iguminitsa, Greece. The trip will take around six to seven hours. Some of us stay a second night at the campsite to take care of some of the broken down vehicles. In the late evening one of the volunteers reports that an Israeli flag is present at the campsite, on which are written the words "I love Israel." A few volunteers decide that we should leave the campsite immediately in protest, as there could be trouble brewing. We all have a group meeting, and a few of the volunteers plant doubt and suspicion. As most of the volunteers are first timers, and fall for this rubbish, fear spreads until Carol and I decide to investigate. We find no evidence of the said offensive flag. even if it had been seen earlier, it is no longer visibly present. Carol and I report this to Kevin and we have another meeting with all the volunteers. Kevin decides that we should stay at the campsite and make a stand, even if it had been true, and not run like cowards as one or two of the volunteers had suggested. We again set up tents and rest a few hours before getting up at 5:00 AM and leave for Ancona.

Day Six - Thursday 23, September

We board the ferry from Ancona for Igumenitsa, Greece. Spend a few hours for press etc. We board the ferry at 4:00 PM for an 18 hours crossing and have a great nights rest at last. There's four to a cabin. We get great rates thanks for darling Caroline Conway's hard work and deal making skills with the ferry company. Last time we did this ferry we got skanked. We got charged what my mate Tariq Mahmood from Bradford on the last convoy called extortionate prices. Even Steve Stroud swore when he heard the prices. So a big up to darling Caroline. Thanks Luv, and respect. Amer and I slept in the same cabin together with Ron and Hugh. Ron scared the living daylights out of us while walking about stark naked. We close our eyes and went back to sleep after seeing him and didn't have any nightmares.

Day Seven -Friday 24, September

Early morning around 8:00 AM the ferry docks at Igumenitsa, Greece. We get all the teams to get organized and set up some convoy rules for driving and behavior. Two hours later we drive off up the steep and very beautiful Greek roads. Last time we were here, we had to deal with snow and had many practicle obstacles to get over. This time it was much smoother and safer driving for everyone. We are given a police escourt and are taken for a press conference and food reception at a near-by service station. Unfortunately once again, just like the last time, they have prepared ham and cheese sandwiches. We thank them for their troubles and explain that we cannot eat them for cultural and religious reasons. They appologize, but we can understand them not understanding the cultural needs. In face, last time, one of our volunteers ate one because he was hungry and couldn't wait to ask. After the reception we set off for Thessaloniki where we spent the night at the sport center. Tent out on the grass. The weather is very hot and humid, and many of the volunteers are suffering dehydration.

Day Eight - Saturday, 25, September

We're up at around 8:00 AM for a press conference. At around 9:30 we are joined by the Lord Mayor and his Deputy, who show their support. I ask them to sign my suit and send a message of peace for the people of Gaza. They do so. Soon everyone cues up to sign my jacket. After the press meeing we set off as a convoy to the center of Thessaloniki, by the sea front and near the white tower of peace where Alexander the Great landed. We get a great reception by the locals. Again we speak to the press, who want to speak to us. And we have a good day. In the evening we drive back to Salonika where we had camped outside the sports hall.
I too seem to have suffered the effects of dehydration. I have a throbbing headachea and feel very sick. I take some paracetanol and have a lie down in my tent and don’t wake up until the next morning

Day Nine – Sunday, 26, September

Everyone is up at 8:00 AM. We clean the area in which we were camping. I feel a bit better today, but others are feeling a bit groggy with similiar symptoms. We set off on the road for our next destination for the night, which is Alexandropolis near the Turkish border, only around 20 miles away. On the motorway we notice a car accident involving three cars. One of the cars has a woman and two kids who are badly shaken. Amer and I wave our convoy to keep going ahead while we offer help and comfort. None of the passengers seem to be hurt, but seem badly shaken. We offer some drinks, sweets and crisps for the children, and when help and recovery trucks arrive, we leave them in more capable hands. We continue and catch up with the convoy. It’s once again very hot and humid and we feel rather drained. But we must make progress.
We reach Alexandropolis at around evening time, and once again set up our tents. As it’s Sunday the shops seem closed, so we decide to do some washing up. I have several items of clothing that need to be washed, also there’s hot water in the wash areas. I take the oppertunity to get a very nice hot shower as most of us feel very sweaty and sticky caused by the very hot weather. We hang the washed clothing on top of our vehicleto dry hoping that they will be dry by the morning.
Some of the Italians suggest that we ought to go for an inpromptu march in the city centre. About a hundred of us pick up our flags and banners etc and go march by the sea front area making quite a commotion. The local people are very supportive. We go into a lovely little side street, with small shops and cafes, and almost occupy the street. But only to get some food and drinks and sit and enjoy the atmosphere.We meet the locals and spread the awareness about Viva Palestina. Later we all walk back to the campsite and John Hurson makes some grilled pasta. Some of us share, and it’s lovely. Having eaten and with a full stomach, we sit around the camp fire and sing songs, tell jokes, and generally enjoy eachother’s company. Followed by a romantic, barefoot walk on the beach before going to sleep in our tents. I decide to sleep in the car as there are dogs and cats running about, as I don’t like animals of any type.

Day Ten – Monday 27, September
We’re ready for our early morning convoy leader’s meeting with Nicci, as Kevin is away, to discuss the day ahead and to plan our travels etc. for that day, as we will be crossing into Turkey later. We decide that we should have a full convoy meeting with everyone to inform them about what they can expect on the day. We are only about 20 km away from the Turkish border. Nicci, Ron, Richard, from the Unite the Union, and I decide to go on ahead to the border crossing, to get all the paper work sorted for all the volunteers, and also to learn about the proceedural stuff that all individual volunteers will need to go through before being allowed to cross the border over from Greece to Turkey.
We prepare the paperwork for everyone, which includes vehicle registration forms, customs manifests for all aid in the vehicles, and check if visas are required. And some citizens of some countries will not need a visa. Nicci and I relay all the information to Amer, who is still behind us, waiting for our communication before coming to the border with all the convoy, to prevent a blockage of the border with all of our vehicles. A couple of hours later, the complete convoy arrives at the border. Ron and I line up all the vehicles on one side and go through everyone’s paperwork. Within another two hours we leave Greece, and enter the no-man’s land between the two borders. We see ahead of us the Turkish flag in all its beauty flying proundly. We enter the Turkish border and are immediately overwhelmed, once again, as we were on the last convoy by the incredible reception and warm welcome. Hundreds of Turkish people are waiting with flags, placards, and banners, shouting Viva Palestina. Music is playing loudly and we are greeted like celebrities. Men, women, and children want to touch us and blow kisses. Fruit, flowers, and drinks are given to us by the local people at the border. The press are all waiting and interview many of us. This carries on for a couple of hours, and about 40 Turkish vehicles join our convoy and will travel with us to Gaza by road. We see many familiar Turkish faces, recognizable from the last convoy. What a happy reunion! It’s a very long drive ahead of us to Istanbul, which is our next destination, which is about five to six hours away. Around two hours into the journey, John and I who are travelling together to keep control of the convoy behind notice some of our volunteers on the other side of the convoy with a car turned upsidedown and badly damaged. We fear the worst, thinking it could be one of ours. We pull up on the hard shoulder as all traffic ahead is blocked with total chaos. On close inspection we realize the vehicle is not one of ours, but a vehicle belonging to a Turkish family. There are four occupants, a man, woman, and two young children. It doesn’t seem like anyone is badly injured, but you wouldn’t think anyone had survived, looking at the wreck. John, Russ, and Amer, some of the leaders of the convoy, help to get the convoy moving, and ask our volunteers, who have parked their vehicles in the middle of the motorway lane, to return to their vehicles and get going, as there is build up of traffic behind us, and also it is very bad practice and exteremely dangerous to everyone. We get all of our volunteers on our side of the motorway and into their vehicles to drive off. They will be dealt with later for causing more confusion than already existed, and creating an even greater danger as any ambulances cannot get through to help the injured. We clear the road and get all of our lot moving. And hour later we notice around 400 to 500 people at one of the motorway junctions. It’s a reception party for us. We are asked to park all of our vehicles on one side of the road. We walk about 200 meters onto the beach front, where we have speeches and are given a very warm welcome once again. Doner kebabs and drinks are served to us and we mingle for an hour or so. From here we are given an escourt into Istanbul. We arrive at a restaurant where more food is served to us at a beautiful location overlooking the bospherous. It’s a view to die for. George Galloway speaks and thanks everyone. The leader of the IHH is also present, and we offer our condolences to him and Turkey for the sacrifice of nine good Turkish brothers who lost their lives on the Mavi Marmara, when Israel brutally attacked and killed in cold blood nine Turkish volunteers in international waters. After the meal we are escourted to a near-by sport s center in Beykoz where we use the main hall to sleep on the floor. It’s been a very long and tiring day, and the rest will be very welcomed.

Day Eleven – Tuesday 28, September

A good nights rest and breakfast is served by the local municipality at a near by restaurant in Beykoz, again overlooking the bospherous. And again, the view is magical and breathtaking in daylight. 10:30 we leave for central Istanbul for a press conference where George Galloway speaks about the convoy and its aims. Once this is over we all go to the burial ground and pay our respects to those who died on the Mavi Marmara. It’s every emotional to see the graves of those with whom we had previously travelled, who are now six feet undergroud. I’m asked to speak at the gravesites together with some of my collegues. It’s a very emotion and tearful event. The families of some of the deceased are present. We then split up into several groups and go around Istanbul in a vehicle parade, to make some noise. We get fantastic support and a wonderful response from everyone. The local press and TV have been covering our convoy, and it seems that the whole of Istanbul is cheering us. It’s heartwarming and incredibly exciting to see such support. We return in the evening at around 9:00 PM and are taking to another very posh restaurant, overlooking the bospherous waterfront, more speeches and more great food are served. We thank everyone and make our way towards Beykoz sports hall for a second night. It’s been a very long, hot, and tiresome day, but the company in our vehicle was fantastic. Laughing and enjoying the atmosphere, but tireness has caught up with us and we are ready for sleep. As some of our vehicles are broken down, we have arranged local mechanics to come over in the morning and make all possible repairs. Those vehicles that have no faults will be driven out of Istanbul in the morning and onwards to Ancara, the capital city of Turkey, for another official reception.