George Hotel Lichfield

... decision to reside there has been entirely mine (albeit a decision born of convenience). It is perhaps to be expected that leaving Stoke once and - effectively - for all, has brought it home once again that, actually - this is a pretty big deal! All I was feeling was the sense of vertigo that is caused by the shape of one's life changing radically - and rapidly. It's like being on a fairground ...

... dinner last Saturday - it was fantastic! And to say to my mum - can't wait for our second christmas dinner this Sunday - woohoo!

Very excited at the moment about going on our adventure - but going to miss all our fantastic friends and family!

Ash

Ps won't miss the cold mind. brrr.

... stuff is arranged as follows:

Pannier 1: Tent, Waterproof clothing and riding accessories
(Pocket: Puncture repair, inner tubes, diary, camera stand)

Pannier 2: Sleeping bag, Mattress, First Aid Kit, Miscellaneous items such as tape, cord, chargers and wires)
(Pocket: Toiletries, Spanish Phrasebook, Hip ...

... in Cologne Hostel
CityNightLine Sleeper train from Cologne to Copenhagen
3 Nights in Copenhagen Hotel
Mum and Brother return to Manchester via Easyjet

It's taken me 4 weeks to get the timing and money right, but today I've booked the majority of the tickets, and I have a shortlist of accommodation.

It's weird how it's all coming together now, it still feels like booking a holiday....but it's slowly starting to sink in that this is a 1000 mile house move ...

... arrangements in this country.
2) Store or dispose of everything that I have been carting around in the car.
3) Sell the Car.

The end of this process is a watershed moment - from that point on it will be just me, my bike, and the belongings that I propose to carry on the bike... until the end of the journey. (duh duh duhhhh!)

Oh... and anybody wanna buy a Vauxhall Corsa?

... further south to start the journey in the light of the advancing winter - but as a man once said, "Go big, or Go home!" (I make no judgement as to whether he was a wise man). Starting in Amsterdam is more memorable and allows me to pass through three more countries (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) for the sake of an additional day or two on the road.

The countdown is at 15 days and 21 hours...

... A new form of fly away hair mine was fly everywhere.
I am dreaming of sitting on my parents decking in the morning sunshine eating a whole fresh mango (juice dripping type - yum) for breakfast reading the morning paper (prob be the Geelong Addy as thats Dad's usual, which I don't luv but at least its not footy season so I won't have to read just about the Cats). Bring it on I say.

Tow truck 3, turns up at 20:30, we get loaded up and set off at 20:45 only to find out that the AA have sent me a driver that needs to take his 45 minute break in under an hour. So I waited an extra 1.5 hours for him to arrive and then I have to wait ...

On the 4th I ventured on the train all by myself... yikes! It actually wasn't bad. Aunt Suzanne made sure I knew what I was doing before sending me off. I left Glasgow and headed through Carlisle and Crewe to Stafford where Robin picked me up. It was relatively easy to transfer and find my next train... I'm not looking forward to finding my way ...

... English mornings are turning cool, and will only get colder as the weeks wear on and the rains begin to fall with monotonous regularity. I thrust my hands a bit deeper into my pockets and it occurs to me that the industrial estate I'm walking through reminds me of so many others back in Australia that sit as a satellite, outside the boundaries of the township they are attached to by name only. Large steel sheds housing various light industrial businesses, tied together via a ...