SEnine
PERSONAL ELTHAM
Glasgow Globetrotter
All roads lead to Glasgow for Glaswegian native, now SE9
resident Mike Slavin, who is visiting the world’s 22 places of
that name.
John Webb
caught up with him.
What's the aim of your trip?
To pass a year in an interesting way,
while having fun.
What gave you the idea?
It came together in a complicated
way. I used to visit the US on a
regular basis on business, but always
the east coast cities. There I would
meet people who nearly always
came from somewhere else, usually
a small town. So I formed a vague
desire to visit small-town America.
I have also had a desire to see
Montana. This connected some
years ago with a programme on TV.
They said they did the cold weather
USA Surprisingly, there are none in of introduction to pass on to all the
testing at Glasgow, Montana. I
Canada, Australia, New Zealand or mayors I could find.
thought that was a convenient peg
South Africa. How are you travelling about?
to hang a trip on.
When did you last go to Glasgow I have a 2006 Mazda MPV. It is big
The most muddled component was
(Scotland)? enough for me to sleep in the back
an accident with MultiMap. I was
In March, just before I left, I contacted when I need to. It is quite difficult
showing someone where Glasgow
the Lord Provost, and offered to to get from any A to any B here in
Montana was, and I made some
carry some goodwill messages. The a single day. That’s usually when I
mistake. Multimap asked me which
Lord Provost invited me to meet him just find a truck stop or car park and
Glasgow I meant, and presented me
and told the press. The press made climb in the back. I stay in relatively
with a long list.
much noise upon it. cheap motels, which are in plentiful
All this gradually formed into an idea
supply here.
that I could go to Montana and then
How long do you expect to be away?
visit all these Glasgows.
I’m planning to take about a year. Funniest incident so far?
This depends on the co-operation I was in a shop in Glasgow Montana,
When did you start?
of the US Department of Homeland and heard ‘Amazing Grace’ on the
I left Southampton on the Queen
Security. bagpipes. I assumed it was the local
Mary 2 on the 8th April. I stopped
radio station who have embraced
off in New York, Boston, Chicago
Are you arranging to meet officials in the Scottish brand. Suddenly, one
and Minneapolis getting myself
the Glasgows your visiting? of the shop girls says “I must go see
organised, and eventually arrived in
Yes. I have had in informal, and a what that is”, and I realise it’s live,
Glasgow Montana on the 17th May.
formal meeting with the Mayor of outside. I follow her out, and there,
Glasgow, Montana, Dan Carney, is a man playing the pipes.
How many Glasgows are there in the
and with the delightful unofficial
world?
‘mayor’ of Glasgow Oregon, Jack Read Mike’s blog at
There seem to be 22. One in Scotland,
Stevens. The Lord Provost of
http://mikeslavinglasgow.blogspot.com
one in Jamaica, and twenty in the
Glasgow, Scotland, gave me letters
Take an interest in local events
25
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