Preparation ? Almost non-existent. The planets seemed perfectly in line, with a messy divorce, my 40th birthday and a 6 week paid 'holiday' due to a contractual issue when changing jobs. Shame to waste it :)Preparation ? Almost non-existent. The planets seemed perfectly in line, newly single again, my 40th birthday and a 6 week paid 'holiday' due to a contractual issue when changing jobs. Shame to waste it :) My first idea was to stick panniers on my 62,000 mile 1999 TDM and disappear...... but then I realised that buying a properly equipped tourer off Ebay and selling it when I got back would be cheaper and more comfortable. About 8 minutes later I was the new owner of a 1995 Pan European - and after a trip from hell (well, Birmingham actually) in heavy rain down an accident-littered M40 and M25, things are starting to shape up. While waiting for the V5 to arrive from the DVLA, I am putting a cigar lighter on the Pan so I can use my iPod for both music and for photo storage. I am expecting to build up an extensive photo library on the road - one benefit of travelling alone is that no-one else gets bored with all the photo shoots ! Eagerly awaiting a V5 before the next instalment....