Reflections on my second rec tour

After breakfast, having been given a break from the kids, (thanks love) i set off on my pushbike to find a good route out of Manchester. A guy who turned up on Facebook, Ian, had amazingly enough taken his time to plot a route for me, so I stuck to that. I cycled to Cheadle and turned around. About 16 km.s all together and I realized a lot during these 2 hours. First of all, I found out when meeting a possible partner the other day, that free camping is not allowed in England. This will make things a bit more complicated of course. Secondly, I realized I am out of shape. As usual, so it will take some time to get rid off the beer belly and get into shape. So, that means shorter days, shorter distances initially. Thirdly, I have realized the last week that Sardana is just incredibly active and demanding right now, so I see a few obstacles coming up....tomorrow we will start raining together, even though the proper stroller hasn´t arrived yet. But much other stuff have. And yesterday a great Moss Sider, Ness, we tried out a drone to see if it would work. We didn´t make it the whole way, but it looks promising. 

                                    

The journey today, once I left Fallowfield, it was an all white neighborhood more or less, like another world. But just after awhile I realized how incredibly boring it is without a cultural mix. Suddenly everything was clean, tidy and....boring. Everyone looks the same, behave in the same way and, yeah, boooring! Traffic, even if it was a Sunday, was bothersome and this will be the challenge, finding routes to avoid this eternal traffic. Having said that, I see they´re used to slow moving vehicles, which we definitely will be!

I also checked how well the ViewFinder App works, it was great and I did a punkt where I turned around. See both maps here, ViewFinder here and Punkt here! So the question is now, will i have a female English partner tomorrow? We will see! And who should come Dana or Eva. We parents are trying to figure out who this is best suited to. Dana´s advantage is her age and she hasn´t any friends as such yet. For Eva, her friends at school are very important. On top of that, the jealousy between them is tiresome right now. And , having toddlers, and a wife who is doing her exams exactly now, takes its toll. There´s a lot of things i just have to forget.And, like now, when the girls are sleeping, we two parents will work until the early morning hours. Again. Two weeks to go....And my helper and researcher in Moss Side, Anastasia Roache, just left three weeks for South-Africa, that is a major loss.....

Moss Side Reality and a good insight into England

The last few days have been important for how to see Moss Side. As you know who have followed my reporting from our life in Moss Side since we came her the first of September last year, 2013, initially it was one of shock and despair, the cold took its toll as did the vision of eternal concrete. After the New Year it all changed as dramatically. Instead I fell in love with Moss Side. A lot due to that I was finally meeting people and not only concentrating on being a good dad for the girls, especially Sardana. Eva was settling in school, my wife at uni and me and Dana, I was getting easier by the day. So finally I could enjoy Moss Side and its rich variety of people, cultures and atmosphere. And as always, as regards to meet, i have problems keeping in between, it is either heaven or hell. But after these last few days, I have a better perspective. thanks to Colette Williams!

Colette is campaigning for a better Moss Side. And, believe me, with her it would look brighter, because what I am have experienced meeting possible voters and people, there´s a lot of struggles for work, general surviving and feeling of despair. Which is kind of shocking considering the UK is the 6th wealthiest country on earth. It shouldn´t have to be like this. It is very, very hard to understand. And there´s no doubt it is far more difficult belonging to one of the minorities, like for example to Afro-Caribbean community of Moss Side. 

                                        

Colette and others have said I actually look like an undercover cop. The fear for them is real in Moss Side. Once again, like always, it is hard to get people saying something to the camera, but, and this is a big BUT, together with Colette, as the guide, it is far easier. She is really, really important to me and the documentary. The main worries for people is the rubbish all over, which brings tons of rats and cockroaches (my family knows them well), nothing to do for the young, nothing, and the incredibly little chance of finding work. Benefits are just needed, but comes with a price. Like Arbetsförmedlingen i Sverige, the British variety of the Unemployment Agency, is the same or even worse, the force you look for a job, any, full time, which in general, since it is so hard finding one, hundreds and hundreds of other going for the same job, may it be like cleaning streets, one just loose touch with reality and loose one´s confidence. I now what they talk about. Back in 2010, when my wife got pregnant and my life was generally a disaster, I went to the Swedish variety and spent 5 minutes there and said, I will never ever put my foot here again. It stank of incapacity and lack of knowledge.

But, as a whole, I am still extremely positive towards Moss Side. great place, with great people and today, after asking around for such a long time, I found Ness who had a drone where I can stick on a GoPro and finally get a view from the birds perspective on Moss Side!

Loads of other kit is arriving by the day. I think have all camera kit now, a new rain cover...just a grip for the stroller, which hasn´t arrived yet....I might have a new partner coming up. I am meeting her tomorrow! She is pretty much in the same line of work as me and comes highley recommended by a great outdoor fella I have known for years! We will find out tomorrow, if it doesn´t work out well, Dana and me will shoot off and see what happens. It will be incredibly heavy and hard!

Expedition England - The Synopsis

“I am sitting down shivering whilst writing this piece. I am dressed in my down jacket, boots, long johns and a hat. I am indoors and the cold from the floor is startling. But there is no snow on the outside. Neither below zero degrees. In reality it is 7 degrees Celsius and raining.  And this is the normal day.  The house my family and I are living in is a traditional Victorian house from 1909 that once housed cotton mill workers and their families. The walls are thin, there´s moisture and mould on most walls, insulation is missing almost entirely and the electricity and gas are expensive. We pay it with a card, which charges us more than double compared to people who have proper electricity supplied centrally, and when you most need it to work, it stops.  I have to run down and top it up at a corner store, run by a Pakistani family who also sells camel milk for 6 pounds a liter. This has been one of the coldest winters I have ever experienced. This is Moss Side, England 2014.”  

My experiences in Moss Side have changed my image of England. For better and worse. I had no idea that such poverty that I have come across here existed in England, the 6^th richest country on earth. But neither did I have an idea that such a vibrant, diverse cultural society like the one in Moss Side existed on this continent. For me it has been discovering a hidden gem! That is why I have decided to do a walk from Moss Side to a suburb of London named Buckhurst Hill.

This is where I spent my first eleven summers.  Buckhurst Hill is in a pretty much all white affluent English area back then and it was a time, which turned me into an Anglophile.  The plan is to walk 450 miles from Moss Side.  This foot journey is together with a partner and my 20 months old daughter Sardana, who I will push in a stroller. I am bringing her for two reasons, first of all because I cannot, like most English people, afford paying 800 pounds a month for a daycare.  Secondly, it seems like the English are the most private people on earth.  In this case, since I need them to open their doors, and I believe my daughter will be very helpful!

I believe that I, like most people on earth, have an image of what they believe England is like. An image I have noticed many English still try to sell today. An England of an equal society dominated by polite and proud people, quite reserved and always drinking tea, dressed in bowler hats and thick coats, who loves the past, rugby, fox hunting, the royals, their gardens and who with great conviction believe they saved the world from the Nazis and that the island still has a lot of influence on the world and its future.

The England I have experienced so far is quite different. During my 10 months of living in the north of England I have realized that very few people fully understand the great changes which are taking place in England and Great Britain. For example, more than 1 million need help from Foodbanks today, and unemployment is rife and growing. Most English I come across today have a migrant background from Asia, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe or Africa. In my part of Moss Side, quite a few women are dressed in niqab and abbaya (full covered Islamic dress for women) and men and women go as much to the mosque, gurdwara (sikh temple), hindu temple as to the Anglican church. A major part of the kids in my daughter’s school are Afro-English. Some of the white neighbors I have lack healthy teeth due to no help from the government. And most of them are in their early twenties.

So, the question is, what does the ‘real’ England look like today? This is what I want to find out during my walk through the heart of the island. The main goal is to do a positive documentary about this extraordinary island, which seems stuck in between the US and Europe. So far, including the demanding winter experience, the newer England for me is a positive experience. But I also know that by 1922 the British Empire had control over about 458 million people, one-fifth of the world's population at the time and they held sway over almost a quarter of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, legal, linguistic and cultural legacy is considerable. 92 years later the Empire is all but gone, but Great Britain (especially its engine England) is still one of the global powers. For this reason, what happens in England, have major implications for the rest of the world. 

Probably the best interviews in Moss Side I have had so far

Less than a month to go and I haven´t slept a thing last night. To many unknowns and it is important not to make any serious mistakes. As always I have to follow my gut feeling to take the right decisions. because during this sleepless night I went through all needed kit, set up the Expedition laptop, which doesn´t include Office and start thinking about what is the most important when doing a positive and important documentary, it is joy. If there´s no joy, it just won´t be good.

I have also pretty much figured out the map issue. Bringing 1:25 000 maps or 1:50 000 maps would be very complicated, heavy and bulky, so i am hoping there is a solution based on the Iphone. And I have also realized that I will be quite heavy, so I need a very strong and helpful assistant. Still not sure there. two months and around 500 miles of walking, means 12-13 miles average a day, every day. And bringing Dana will even make it more hard work. More than ever, the right partner is of essence.

I have found it quite hard getting people to talk straight without coming across as politicians here in Moss Side. Luckily I ended up at Champs Gym last week with two great characters who really filled me in with a lot off stuff of importance. best so far. They´re extensive travelling did help! These two are British Boxing Champions many times over!

And I talked to one of the young boxers to be, who gave me this great interview!

I need to get Dana´s all gear now. The stroller seems to be on and most of my kit. My wife still needs to go to Malmö and pick up the rest of the kit!

London and magician

Less than a month to go, and, yes I feel  the stress. I don´t have a 1/3 of the kit yet, still trying to figure out what I need as regards to the technical aspect, still don´t know if I have a partner, or if I need anyone except Dana. At least i believe she is on! But, for sure, I would need a partner to help me with Dana, and, look after her when I need to film. I might have a partner, but I still don´t know...maybe CW, see below:

I have been in London for a few days, some pain involved knowing Pam needed all my help, since she is in her final month now, but I just had to check maps, meet friends who can help and get opinions from Shane Winser the great! And all my other great friends, I am privileged indeed.

I have figured out a route, how to walk and which maps are needed and that feels great. I just need to sort out Moss Side properly now and of course, Monday is a Bank holiday so the girls are free from school, what to do, my wife is first in line to get her work done. So, I will start doing late nights again. Dana is sleeping now, and the wife and Eva is at Ballet school. And Ulrika left this morning after a bit more than a day of inspirational talks with her. She is really smart and has the plot in her head. An extremely important visitor for all of us. And she brought proper coffee, Skåne Rost!

I just need to figure out which maps, a lot and lots of money, and which kit I need.....

Obstacles ahead and experiencing the national day of the English, St George´s Day

27th of April, St George´s Day, the English National Day.....Moss Side of course had no clue, see we went into Picadilly Gardens and spent a couple of hours contemplating if this would be of any help for the documentary. Not really. All cliche´s. A fake cigar smoking Winston Churchill, American World War Two jeeps, Scottish bagpipes (not English), cheerleaders (not English) and...yes, really, really crap. I saw two or three non-whites, very few young and yes, I lack words.....

                               

I am still experiencing problems with the sound...and I realized my mistakes. This is due to lack of training in between films. I have changed cables, bought a Rycote Deadcat...but still not good enough...and I have realized why. Wrong channel, not changed it manually and I have run it all on automatic. It just ain´t as good as manual work! At least i have located the problem, see what I can salvage...

Just a month to go before it is time to leave and I am beginning to panic. Still no partner for sure, though I hope i have discovered another gem, just like Tanya Holm. 

                                    

And I don´t have a stroller, not all the gear needed and I am far from happy as regards to the material I have and now I have to head down to London and "waste" time, but I will get inspired though....And, my wife is in her most important moment of her research and the girls, they are demanding but easy. I want to be with them, but have to do this. This is a tough time! But privileged...

Doing the details, being a dad and suffering from the Lutheran presence on my right shoulder

It seems people are taken an Easter break. Complete void of anyone out there, which in a way is good, because finally, I will have time to do some more research figure out a kit list, find one or two more sponsors and rest the cameras for a little while. Honestly, lately i have been more tired then ever and going to the gym three times a week has been a struggle, but I have done it. Moss Side takes so much energy out of me, well, the whole family, it is such a demanding place, so interesting, so much happening and since everything is on board with the finance and so on, I have to produce the best of the best. And, knowing this makes me dead tired! At times I hate that Martin Luther on my right shoulder, who I have dragged with me since birth and suffered endless feelings of guilt since. And when  know people have invested in me, very little compared to most productions, I feel i have to offer my life on a plate. What to do....this will never change. A bit tiresome for the family though, having this husband and dad who always have to offer his life for his work....

Eva is home from school now, but I did a deal with my researcher, who´s son is home, so she is looking after my girls today, who likes her son!