Will's Web Watch: Follow me on my travels

silicon.com managing editor Will Sturgeon is travelling to Kenya to report on the work of charities putting PCs into schools in the developing world. While there he is also taking part in a 400km fundraising cycle ride for Computer Aid International, which provides refurbished computers to organisations in the developing world. Below is an account of his journey which he hopes to update on the move...

Day Six: We crossed the finish line in Kissumu at 10 past 12 local time. I can honestly say I've never been so exhausted in all my life and absolutely delighted to step off my bike for the last time on this trip.

It's been fantastic - incredibly difficult at times, very challenging, very trying. But it's been a great experience and Kenya is a beautiful country with fabulous people.

My colleagues and I from CNET Networks UK have together raised more than £15,000 for Computer Aid International, so all in all it's been hugely worthwhile. I'd certainly encourage anyone at home who's followed this blog, or been introduced to Computer Aid International as a result of the coverage around this event, to look into the great work they're doing and to do what you can to help. Whether that's to give money or donate computers, I'd encourage everybody to get involved.

I would never wish upon anybody else the trials and tribulations we've been through over the last five days but I'm sure everybody out there, especially those working in IT, can find a way to help an excellent charity such as Computer Aid International and their partners in Kenya - Computers for Schools Kenya.

Day Five: The problems I've been having with my knee seem to have abated, just in time for possibly one of the toughest days of cycling.

We've had a 95km ride today from Eldoret to Kakamaga over very undulating roads and then along a 30km off-road section, taking us through jungle.

But 'off-road' probably doesn't do justice to quite how bad the tracks were and towards the end of our jungle-ride we were delighted to see our first glimpse of tarmac for a couple of hours.

I think we're all starting to feel the strain now and this final section has certainly left us all feeling rather beaten and battered.

But we've only got one more day of cycling left and the end is almost in sight with our shortest cycle so far tomorrow of just 53km down into Kissumu on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Now we're in these rural communities the sight of 16 Brits on bikes - complete with crash helmets, sunglasses and decked out in cycling gear - coming through tiny villages and settlements on mountain bikes is certainly causing something of a stir.

Word certainly seems to be spreading; as we pass every school groups of children congregate at the end of the driveway, or along the fence to cheer us on - and probably have a good laugh at the sight of us all.

I can honestly say this is the toughest thing I've ever done. But I'm still telling myself it's all for a good cause, and it certainly is. A timely moment to thank all our sponsors, particularly Ricoh, CNET Networks UK and TallyGenicom.

Day Four: I'm starting to struggle a little bit. I spent some time with the doctor last night and this morning - one of my knees is apparently intent on slowing me down.

We began today at sunrise in a place called Kabarnet, once more up in mountains and above the clouds, looking down on the Rift Valley. We're now about 200km into the 400km in total we'll do on this cycle ride.

As we cycle through very small villages and past tiny settlements one of things we keep noticing - and one of the things that keeps us going through this - is the sight of kids walking miles and miles to school and the value they obviously put on education.

To be here in the country taking part in a project that is going to provide learning aids to schools, not just in urban areas but also in rural areas with a guarantee of supplied electricity and service and maintenance of the equipment we're providing, is a fantastic feeling and a great motivator.

This afternoon we're looking at a cycle onto a town called Eldoret. That will leave us with just two more days to go.

Hopefully with a few pills from the doctor's magic bag and a little bit of rest this evening I should be OK to press on.

Day Three: We started off bright and early with our first stop at a local school where we saw a computer suite, similar to the ones we will provide through the money we are raising.

There were about 30 children and around 20 computers so all the kids were able to get hands-on use of the computers.

We left the school for our next day of cycling, which was fortunately more downhill than up, and saw us cycle 60km across the Rift Valley. The air was less thin at lower altitudes and breathing became a little easier for all of us.

We're now in a town called Nakuru, where we're going to have some lunch and then transfer by mini-bus to where we're staying overnight, ahead of what's reported to be the most gruelling day of cycling with around 100km to do, including a 26km hill, rated as steeper than any hill we did on the second day, which would take some beating.

We've also just seen our pictures in the Kenya Times, one of the country's leading dailies. There is a lot of interest in this project because of the ways it is benefiting local school and communities.

Day Two: This is our first real day of full-on cycling with 105km from Nyeri up to an altitude of around 2,500 metres and across the equator for the first time.

This was incredibly hard going and predominantly uphill all the way with steep, steep hills but there were distractions along the way - including some baboons and elephants.

This day involved around nine hours of cycling and we finally arrived at our overnight stop at Thomson's Falls at around half past six in the evening - just as the sun went down, which takes all of about two seconds to happen in Kenya.

Day One: We arrived very early on Saturday morning at Nairobi airport and went immediately to the city's Computers for Schools headquarters. Here we saw PCs being reconditioned before they're sent off to schools across Kenya.

We also attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the headquarters for a whole shipment of computers, which have been provided by the sponsors of this project and Computer Aid International, the charity we're supporting on this cycle.

We were then transferred in hot mini-buses for four hours up to an altitude of around 2,000 metres to the town of Nyeri, where we all started to feel the thinner air.

Once in Nyeri, we got fitted up for our bikes and went on a brief cycle to the grave of Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the scout movement, this gave us an opportunity to get accustomed to our bikes.

Baden-Powell's motto was 'be prepared' and I think a few of us were already starting to fear we weren't.

Day Zero: As many readers may already know, from articles published on silicon.com over the past few months, I am off to Kenya in order to raise money for Computer Aid International and Computers for Schools Kenya and to cover the work these charities are doing to recycle second-hand PCs.

In fact as I write this I've just finished packing for a night flight to Nairobi this evening. While in Kenya I will visit a number of schools to see first hand the work the two charities are doing to bridge the digital divide - a hugely important objective.

While in Kenya I will also be cycling 400km across the country to raise more funds, joined by two colleagues from CNET Networks UK and ZDNet UK.

At the moment it looks as if we're going to encounter some fairly unpleasant weather conditions and the route looks incredibly tough (a 26km climb to the top of the Elgeyo escarpment on Day 5 should be a particular highlight - and sod's law says the rain will have been replaced by fierce sunshine just for that section.)

But it's for a fantastic cause and will surely be an incredible experience. And thanks to the people at MyCarbonDebt.com we are even able to ensure our return flights to Kenya have a zero effect on the environment (which is a topical concern some people had rightly raised about this trip). MyCarbonDebt will be offsetting the 4.5 tonnes of CO2 generated by our flights through tree-planting projects in Africa.

I would encourage any company to look at the work MyCarbonDebt does to see if it can help tackle your business' carbon footprint - its website even has carbon calculators.

On this page over the coming week I'm hoping to be able to publish updates to my journey and keep people posted with how we're getting on. We also have a blog set up where we hope to be posting.

We're not sure what connectivity will be like but we're road-testing a ruggedised laptop and data card combo - so watch this space. (We also have mobile phones and the promise of good coverage across much of Kenya - so we should be able to maintain radio contact.)

(Arriving in Nairobi should also enable me to become the first person to post a report on that airport for atlarge.com - a website for the business traveller from the good people who brought you silicon.com.)

But before setting off it is also very important I thank a number of people. The guys at Ricoh have been fantastic in sponsoring us very generously and showing a strong commitment towards our project and to the wider need for large companies in the tech space to do what they can to give something back to the community.

We must also thank our employers at CNET Networks UK for covering the costs of this project and thereby ensuring all money raised goes to charity.

Thank you also to our sponsors from TallyGenicom. Robin Edwardes, senior VP worldwide marketing, wrote to tell me, just this morning: "TallyGenicom is proud to be involved in such a worthy cause and wishes the team all the best in reaching their goals. Like Computer Aid, TallyGenicom is committed to help build sustainable communities, both at home and abroad, as has been shown through our successful and rewarding programmes with education establishments."

It's great to see the industry uniting behind a cause it should rightly be passionate about.

All our personal sponsors have also been hugely generous - so a big thank you to everybody who has donated so far.

And we're still collecting, so if you are able to spare anything it will be hugely appreciated. Please visit our JustGiving.com website and pledge what you can.

After we return we will also be reporting extensively on the work of the two charities.