I was pleased to learn that since Hungary prevented them from using the trains and were being particularly difficult by being strict to EU rules and forcing over 2,000 refugees to walk 150 miles from Budapest to Vienna that Hungary have provided busses to transport them to the Austrian boarder. From the boarder, Austria are providing transport to Vienna or on to Germany.
The problem is that while this was in the news because there was a massive build up of people at the train station in Hungary, it does not solve the problem for all the refugees still entering the country and wanting to progress with their journey. Meaning that those still arriving are still being forced to walk to the Austrian boarder town of Nickelsdorf where Austria are then providing transport to Vienna. Still a journey of about 110 miles. Which is what the video in the article below states.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-34165674
http://youtu.be/gGUwFr58h-w
I have also read other articles stating that Hungary are now allowing or providing further transport to the Austrian boarder, despite their original suggestion that the busses they provided were a one off. So I don't really know what's going on. Are people still walking or are they be given help?
I do want to do my part to help. As stated previously, I had the idea of walking a similar distance to raise awareness and highlight just how tough it is. And it is tough, last year I walked 60 miles in 30 hours and earlier this year, 50 miles in 20 hours, and I was in serious pain by the end of each endeavour. However doing such a walk would not be a very effective way of raising awareness if nobody is walking from Budapest to the Austria. So now I'm rethinking my idea.
I had started planning how I would walk 150 miles, and when I would do it. I thought I would walk 30 miles a day over 5 days. Walk Thursday 17th Sept to Monday 21st Sept, in a couple of weeks. I would use my home as a base and walk along trails for 15 miles, then turn around and walk back. I could go in 5 different directions each day. To make it more of a challenge and more like what these people are going through, I would set the tent up in the garden and camp out each night and I would still expect myself to continue with my parenting responsibilities. When I get home after a day of walking which would be about the same time out of the house as a normal working day, I would still expect myself to honour my parenting responsibilities as many of the refugees are families, and they still have to look after their children along the way. But even by doing this it would still feel like luxury compared what they would have to endure.
A couple of problems with this though is that while mid to late September is the 1st most practical opportunity for me to complete the challenge (it still clashes with existing plans and either plans will have to change or I will have to incorporate them into my challenge), in two weeks we might find that none of the refugees are having to make the journey by foot, as reports now suggest that they are being supported. Reports also suggest that they will not have to walk from the Austrian boarder town of Nickelsdorf to Vienna, but that there is constant help for them once they cross the boarder, reducing the potential walk down to 110 miles.
Taking time off work to do this would be a sacrifice. A big one for my family. We would survive, but I do wounded if it is worth it, and maybe I should just donate what I might have lost in income to a charity committed to helping with the crisis.
I am still anxoius to do something to help and raise awareness. But I might need to think of a different way. It feels so easy and heartless, but I may just resort to making some extra regular charitable donations over the next few weeks and months. I do already regularly donate to 3 or 4 charities.
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