Inmarsat… Pedaling With IsatPhone Pro (SatCom)

[SatNews] Inmarsat is sponsoring an intrepid cyclist…

The cyclist is embarking on a 12-month trek on a tandem bike from South Africa to the U.K. for charity. Stuart Block, a 32-year-old economics teacher from Cranleigh School near Guildford, Surrey, is setting out from Johannesburg on July 23rd and aims to reach London in time for the 2012 Olympics. Stuart’s ambition is to raise up to 100,000 pounds (US$160,000) for charity and also highlight educational challenges in Africa. He will be equipped with an IsatPhone Pro and a BGAN terminal, which he will use to update his blogs with news and imagery on his 10,000-mile trip through 15 countries. Stuart also plans to take part in educational teleconferences and provide teaching resources as he pedals. Stuart’s main charity is Beyond Ourselves, a Christian charity that aims to make a difference to African communities. Its vision is to help orphans and vulnerable children in Zambian communities and, in time, to set up self-sustaining businesses. And as if cycling 10,000 miles (16,000 kms) wasn’t enough, Stuart also plans to take part in an equatorial triathlon when he is in Kenya. A key partner for Stuart’s trip is the Right to Sight charity, which trains eye surgeons in Africa. He hopes to be joined by sight-impaired people on the bike for at least some of the way.