The Stanley Arms Macclesfield

... November. All types of food and drink on offer plus many stalls with Christmas decorations. It has been great to hear the Halle Orchestra and Bridgewater Hall has a magnificent acoustic.

Christmas Break

We are really looking forward to the 3 week break at Christmas after such a long term and so much on. Lee and Shane arrive on the 17th, Christmas music in the Cathedral on the 18th and then off to Liverpool for a Christmas Beatles ...

... 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.

... the gorge up the gorge” debacle followed by kilometres of what, bog? on top of a mountain?!! where the hell were we?!! Also, damn the reservoir where, having run out of water, Ryan requested that I wade in and try and get some water for boiling. Cold! Muddy! Undrinkable! Squidgy!

... back for me while I got something out of my pack, he didn’t, and the sheep almost got me.

See that Campsite?

After almost finishing the part of the Pennine that I call “The Ball Breaker” Ryan points down the mountain to a little campsite in the distance. It was far away but hope sprang back into my heart until he said, “See that campsite? Our campsite is only 2km from there.” YEARGH!!!

Today, for the first time, I saw what it will all look like on the road - and now you can too. The pictures attached show everything that is to be taken (excluding what is kept on my person) in a loaded state.

As you can see I have eventually opted for panniers to drop the weight and it improves handling dramatically ...

... 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?

Well this is the beginning of a new chapter of my life. I have left behind a successful career to fulfill this life long ambition . You may ask what ambition ? Well, I always wanted to explore the world, I've left it until the age of 28 to begin my journey of exploration but I now think the time is right, I have no debts or ...

... and I'm lost somewhere,I'm lost and loving every breath of life. The rain, the clouds the altogether rubbish weather. I breathe it all in and I love it. I know I'm missing the indian summer were apparently having in Canada...sigh...we didnt have one of those since I was 10 years old. I was getting into some Frank Sinatra and it reminded so much of New York days...I remember my very first day in New York...what a month, what an ...