HONG KONG, April 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Laurence Gribble and Nick Codrington pedalled into Hong Kong on Saturday, completing an impressive 17,000 kilometre expedition across Europe, the Middle East and China.
Having set off from Buckingham Palace in July, Gribble and Codrington, aged 23 and 24 respectively, endured nine months of snow-covered deserts, instant noodles and "the worst roads in the world" to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.
On Wednesday, the British explorers took time out from a well-deserved rest to inspire students from SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School, Kwai Hing, where 900 students gathered in anticipation of their arrival.
The pair did not disappoint as they described tales of "face-offs with wolves in Tajikistan" and "breaking the world record for speed across the Taklimakan desert" as well as "the extraordinary hospitality of local people" and experiencing "the pinnacle of teamwork and friendship".
Alexander Keech, the school's Chatteris Native-speaking English Tutor (CNET), has been helping students track Gribble and Codrington's progress enroute to Hong Kong. He hoped hearing stories about this remarkable feat would inspire students to chase their own dreams and adventures.
Form 4 student Jack said: "They talked about the people they met on their journey, so in my future, if I want to plan an adventure on my own, I will plan it so I can meet different cultures, learn from others, and encounter people with other experiences."
Lam Woo Principal, Chan Ka Yun, added: "Our students can learn from Laurence and Nick about their spirit and determination…about helping others and learning something new, and about going through a long, long journey to raise money."
Chatteris Educational Foundation enjoyed collaborating with Lam Woo teachers and the Royal Geographical Society (Hong Kong) to organise the event with a shared commitment to broadening the horizons of Hong Kong students. Chatteris, a registered non-profit organisation with 25 years history, provides students with rich and varied English learning experiences by placing overseas English speaking university graduates in local schools.
Gribble and Codrington finished the talk by explaining that they chose Hong Kong as their final destination because "it is one of the most famous cities in the world, and we wanted to make that connection between London and Hong Kong."
