Rain Rain GO AWAY!

Week 1- Bilbao in Spain to Alcacer do Sal in Portugal

What can we say about our first week except it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. From elated due to being on our adventure, to tense, very tense when wild camping, to miserable when wet and cold due to the weather.

The ferry crossing was a bit rough, both Ant and I felt pretty sick so most of it was spent asleep. Left Bilbao to a beautiful morning and the old road to Santander was really wiggly through some fantastic countryside. We stopped in Torrelavega to find it is All Saints Day and Spain is shut!

Into Russia

September 1st
We awake and check our documents, we are horrified to find they are all damp, including the St Petersburg maps which are illegible. Luckily the hotel has a heated floor in the bathroom where we spread them out to dry whilst we eat breakfast. The hotel receptionist explains we need to book a slot to cross the border at a special office. We cannot find the office so again we go to the tourist information office.

Non-Fat Lattes and Manhood

"Sunrise in the mirror
Lightens that invisible load
Riding on a nameless quest
Haunting that wilderness road
Like a ghost rider"

---RUSH

Those lyrics penned by Rush drummer and fellow motorcyclist played over and over in my mental PA as dawn broke behind me. The big beemer felt comforting underneath me moving quickly westward into the Temblor Range as I tried to shake off the anger brought on my yesterdays events.

My wife had been fired yesterday, unjustly, with no explination by an untouchable bueracarsy we once felt we could trust.

USA...Carefree Highway

..i finally hit the road at the beginning of october, with a weeping petrol tank (27ltr), a bald back tyre and throw ov.....i finally hit the road at the beginning of october, with er panniers.....I finally hit the road at the beginning of october, with a weeping petrol tank (27ltr), a bald back tyre and throw over panniers.

Tuesday 25th May 2010

Before departing 'la Rive', Biscarrsone, I left my bucket and spade with my French camping neighbours who helped me lose at bingo last night. I won't be needing them where im going tomorrow. After 150 miles of long straight roads, I had to catch a short ferry to Royan, near La Rochelle. 195 mile later arriving in Dinon, France, I decided to press on to Caen in preparation for tomorrows sailing. 456 miles completed and 12 hours on a bike seat, his record to date. I had a disappointing, expensive meal in Caen. For the first time on this trip I cautiously chain up my bike on the pavement.

Selling the bikes in Argentina

After going from Bolivia into Chile and zig-zagging down to the south crossing the Chile/Argentina-border several times we end the motorcycle section of our trip in Buneos Aires.

We had put the bikes for sale by posting them on HU just 3 weeks before going to Buenos Aires. The idea was to continue trvavelling for another 4-8 weeks if selling took a little longer but we were surprised about the responses we got. Finally we sold the bikes a little earlier than planned.

Trekking with Volcanoes

I took a little walk...8-19-06 to 8-21-06

Kathmandu

I come to you from the Yak Cyber Cafe in Kathmandu. I hadn't planned to come back to Nepal, having spent a couple of months here previously, but it's no great hardship since it is such a pleasant country.The eternal visa search has brought Bernard and me here. Somebody must have had a change of heart in Tehran, since Iranian visas suddenly became possible and I now probably have two on the way, from two separate lines of attack! Pakistan was the next stumbling block. Despite our entreaties to their embassies in Delhi and London, they wouldn't play ball, so our efforts ground to a halt.

Thursday 13th May 2010

My day off by gave me a chance to relax a little before driving a 4x4 around Erg Chebbi desert and drink tea with the Nomads close to the Algerian border where we were constantly being watched suspiciously by the military from the surrounding hills. I then exchanged the wheels for legs and climbed aboard my designated camel 'Hamu' and headed deep into the dunes. It was dry and hot with no wind. En route we joined a caravan, riders being of Spanish, French and Dutch origin. Hamu struggled to keep up, reminding me of the globe trotter convoy incident earlier that day.

from the Elephant Festival

On the way back to the main Road, from the Elephant Festival, there was a huge line of Cars, Trucks and Buses, wanting to cross the Mekong by Ferry. Lucky again to be on the Bike, straight to the front. In no time we arrived in Luang Prabang.

Crossing the Mekong on car ferry

and on to Nicaragua

It was all I could do to lie in a hammock with a book and lift a beer once in a while.That is because these beach towns are hot. Lounging on a beach is nice for a while, but I'm finding out I am more of a mountain person, as far as a lifestyle goes.

8-30-06 to 9-5-06

News News News

News News News.. and it is all good. There is a BMW shop/mechanic in Cairo.. A long and lengthy process to hook up with this chap but suffice to say another traveller not a biker introduced us to him around 10.00pm last night. This morning we have a reconditioned gearbox fitted (with a kick start.....wow)