"Its not the journey but the stops that are important"

Not sure who to attribute the quotation to, or even if I have it word perfect but I guess you will get the idea.

Thinking back on my previous two overland trips, firstly by Landrover from Nord Kapp Norway to Cape Town in 2003 and my second trip from Istanbul Turkey to Kasgar China by bicyle ( and with some assistance from the lunch truck) in 2007 my most vivid recollections are of the places we stopped and the people we met.

The days travelling on the road seem to have blended into one long day.

Now sitting comfortably at home in Cape Town my objective is enjoy the trip day by day while retracing my 2003 trip down and hoping that the appeal of strange and different places and people remains. It will also be interesting to see what changes have taken place and also if the change from a landrover to a motorbike will vastly affect the experience.

On a motorbike I am limited by the size and amount of what I can carry as well as being more exposed to the elements and PEOPLE. Hopefully though it will be a step up from a bicyle.

Also no more saddle sores!!!