Practice

Seems like all the practice Ive been having is doing me well. Im getting used to the bike, getting comfy in the kit, getting used to the thought of leaving and this weekend Ill be getting some proper practice in with the loaded bike and also camping out in what looks to be some chilly weather. Oh and this week I got some practice in with some food poisoning.

Last week saw me getting some photos taken with Al, PJ and others (cheers for the flickr photo steal Paul) for AMP Bikes. So heres a wee shameless plug again for letting me get the bonny twat suit paid for.

Otherwise Im hanging back waiting for my last visa application to be completed. Apparently the passport is due to be returned to an agent mid next week then posted up to me. Once that arrives then Ill be good to go from the paperwork side and it all seems so far to have gone remarkably smoothly although the Turkmeni visa is solely a transit visa. Looks like that will involve a brief scoot through a nation closed to nearly all foreigners up until recently but allows me a quick transit over the Caspian and a move truly into the unknown.

A question Ive been asked on lots of occasions now is - are you getting excited yet? Theres been some nerves but not too much excitement up until recently. I cant believe how quickly that the trip has came about and it seems like forever ago that I decided I was going to get myself around this world of ours. On that topic its amazing to see and think about how life passes us by and has been hit home again just this week with the sad news that some old friends of mine this week lost a close family member. Those who know me well will know I had my own loss last year, one which has led me to question a great many things but theres nothing thats permanent although theres a world that you can slip through your fingers if you arent careful. There will be a good few moments where a glass shall be raised for those loved and lost during the coming months and I can assure my Mother that Ill be back (and hopefully not bore her too much) with random photos and stories of all manner of experiences.

Well, its time now to go get packed up for my wee trip over the weekend. Onwards and upwards!

Busy week

As the title notes, its been a busy week.

In no particular order Ive realised that Im within a month of finishing work, Ive received my tankbag, Ive sorted out travel insurance, Ive applied for and received today the visa for Mongolia, received moulded earplugs, had a look through a book that the baddest man in the office bought me called 1000 places to see before you die (Ill be back to bore everyone senseless in the autumn) and fired stuff onto eBay.

Not related to the trip Ive been to the gym every night apart from Wednesday where I managed to finish third in a game of poker and have loads to do this afternoon before catching up with friends this evening then going to go experience a horsey event tomorrow.

Meanwhile Ive somehow managed to hold it together at work after getting a little upset on Monday. Maybe theres a load going through my head at the minute.

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Scottish Motorcycle Show and spoke to the guy from Metal Mule for a while. He recounted a story about his first big overland tour and told me that he had a really hectic time in the months up to leaving and managed to get a few weeks into the trip before stopping and realising he had still been on fast forward up til then. Looks like Im in a similar position with allsorts running through my mind. At the moment Im planning a couple of stops early in Europe so am hoping I can catch my breath before I get out of the realms of the familiar.

Now if only someone would buy my flat. Times a ticking...