| September 2000
The real planning has now started, what with the website to finish, visas to be got and flights to book - there just doesn't seem to be enough time. I have been planning this trip for about six months now and suddenly I am running out of time.
October 2000
Packing for such a trip was not easy. What should I carry, what should I leave behind? The restricted capacity of the panniers was one thing, but the extra weight that my legs had to carry around the globe was, well, more important. Carrying an extra 50lb weight was going to take it out of me. The plan was to train over the past few months, however for one reason or another it didn't happen; I've only managed a total of 250 miles.
I hope to be on a flight to Rarotonga where I will spend a few weeks visiting the Cook Islands by the 1st of November. My planned route should now take me from the Cook Islands to New Zealand, Australia, Singapore up through Thailand, Burma, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey and into Istanbul, the gateway to Europe.
Monday 16th - Finally booked the flight, fly out to Rarotonga Tuesday 7th November
With such a short time left in the UK, it was time to smooth out all the wrinkles and rough edges in my plans. Heading down to London on Sunday 29th, my head pounding, wondering whether I had done enough planning. The time seemed to just disappear. Into London and Australia house to get my visa. I had expected to be sitting around the consulate all day, but no, it took only 30 minutes and I had a 4-year visa allowing me a stay of 6 months at any one time.
That done I wandered around London, finally beginning to feel relaxed. In fact, as I was wandering I suddenly felt a smile crack the otherwise pensive look I had been carrying for weeks. I noticed the noise, drivers blasting their horns and masses of people racing around in all directions. I took time to sit in Trafalgar Square and revel in the fact that I was in no hurry...
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