A couple of weekends ago I had the honor of helping to bring the new Pod, that we have all worked so very hard to fund through local network fundraising, to the UK to be finished off, although, really it's only right that I helped bring her back as I did help "lose" Pod II in the Greenpeace action on the Leiv Erickson a couple of years ago.
I can confirm she is a beautiful thing to behold and very capable of being put to use around the world to stop bad stuff happening to our environment.
It was quite a long trip, firstly driving through London towing a massive trailer and then down to the ferry port, the ferry crossing was an overnight voyage and a very early start and we were woken at an ungodly hour by Bobby Mcferrin's "Don't worry, be happy" piped into our cabins by way of an alarm call and in fact throughout the whole ship, I take my hat off to the crew who have to endure that on a daily basis, but it did signal the start of a very exciting day.
Once we arrived at the Amsterdam warehouse and after a quick coffee to shake the road off we set to work, we tested Pod in the water to make sure she didn't sink, imagine that! and after a few other tests we set to work at breakneck pace to get her and her accompanying bits boxed up and ready to move, which entailed making a box tailor made to just fit in the van, it was a tense moment as the box was was fork lifted in to the back with but a hair to spare and my heart was in my mouth as it was slowly maneuvered in and with massive relief it fit like a glove, a very tight fitting glove but fit it did, the construction wouldn’t have won cabinet of the year but it was a sturdy functional item and the clock was ticking, we closed the van doors, which was the final test and sat down to a well earned and very Dutch meal of French fries and mayo, and delicious it was too, and then it was time to hit the road again
We finally delivering her to her new home to get finished off with a great sense of relief that I hadn't damaged her on the journey and a sense of awe as I looked at her and imagined all the incredible work she will do, which brings me nicely to my final point, the Pod is not yet finished and needs all the help we can give her with kitting her out, so please go to the pod website, have a look around and then give whatever you can, it's vital that we have a tool to protect our activists out there and give her all the equipment needed to sustain and broadcast the actions she will be involved in so please check out the Pod website (link below) have a look around and then please do give all you can to see her bristling and ready for action.
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