Just a
place for random thoughts.
Its like a diary, but then with more swearing, worse spelling, and more stuff that'll probably be used for evidence later on...
30 Okt 2008
About
two weeks before departure, seems like the right moment to start typing
my words here. Just an overview of the general progress, and some talk
about whats been going on lately. If your on the insightfull side, you
can probably base your prediction on how for we'll get on the stuff you
read here.
We're
still up to our necks in paperwork, but the end is in sight. Insurance
has been fixed, and if all works out the application for the carnets
should be going out very soon. The bikes are beginning to looks like
they mean bussiness, they run like a dream and just need some minor
tweaking. Still busy with sorting out all the tools and spare parts
we're going to take with us. Also we're fixing some extra room om
the bikes to mount jerrycans for extra fuel.
For
now that's all the updates on "how it goes" you get, because the urge
of drinking away my blues with whats left of the Glen Morven, is
stronger than the urge to write a compelling story.
Cheers...
1 November 2008
A
disturbingly large stack of Malarone has nestled upon my desk, it came
with a disturblingly large bill. Luckily my insurance covers large
amounts of anti malaria medication, otherwise we would have had a bit
of a problem. Insurance companies probably don't count on there being
too many people who willingly travel into malaria territory for
prolonged periods.
With all the rain, and the hangover-like
feeling that was probably caused by drinking too much, I can't be
bothered to go out and work on the bikes. Now that Daan has cleaned his
room a bit, there's some space to lay out all the tools, and spares, so
that we can check what is still missing and think of a way to take it
all with us.
With all the comotion Daan has caused, there's no way
of just sneaking off, and returning after a year saying that
you went for a ride, and that it all got a bit out of hand. But
that's probably for the best, I wouldn't want anybody to wory
about where I could possibly have vanished.
The
time has come to visit some family and say goodbye for now, and to make
sure the part of the world we leave behind doesn't collapse in our
absence.
4 November 2008
After a very helpful and
encouraging off road training (many thanks to Jos), we got back to the
other kind of preparing for the big trip. It's hard to descibe what
we're doing ,and to the untrained eye we must look like complete idiots
who are just aimlessly running around. But actually we're just filling
in the last blanks spaces so that the big picture becomes clear.
Due
to a slight lack of initiative on the planning side, followed by a
short phonecall, we're expected in Munich on the 17th of November to
collect our carnets. Instead of going to Brussels, and then to France,
we'll be riding through the "Rheintal" and probably autobahn the next
leg to Munich. I'm looking forward to travelling trought Germany,
probably because part of me thinks we can still make it on time for the
Oktoberfest. I know this is not going to happen, but please let me
dream, it's those kind of thoughts that make riding in cold wet weather
a little bit more bearable.
8 November 2008
I
managed to catch a cold, wich is not much of a suprise since I've been
riding around in shitty weather a lot, and I've not eaten my
vegetables. But it is very annoying nontheless, and I hope it'll be
over before we leave.
But
it is not about me here. We've been getting a lot of positive
responses, and a lot of people are placing a bet in the "poule voor het
goede doel" , we really appriciate your contributions, and we like to
think of it as a small step towards world peace. If I can track down
Daan I'll update the list on the site, and maybe I can fix a small map
to go with it.
9 November 2008
Life is hard, and has the tendency to kick you in the nuts with its sharp little boots.
Sometimes
you have, what can only be describes as "just a nice day". Not a great
day, not a bad one, but just nice. You get out of bed without a
hangover, get the things done that you wanted to do, and you don't
worry too much about anything. Those days are great, and should be
concluded in appropriate fashion. So I went downstairs, opened the
fridge, rummaged around a bit, and fell into despair as I realised that
there was no bacon left. I looked at the clock and it was just past
ten, so every shop in town was closed, except the one at the railway
station, but I know for a fact that they don't sell bacon. After about
15 minutes I got a bit cold, and closed the fridge door. Still hungry I
made some bread, but sadly it would never turn out the bacon-sandwich
it could have been. Dissapointed and a bit angry I sit here now, typing
my story, and chewing away "bread with chicken curry salad".
Of
course I realise that living on the road, especially in Africa, means
there's absolutely no room to be choosy about your food. But since
there's just one week left to enjoy the pleasures of modern life in the
western world, I'd like to make the most of it. With a coming year long
of discomfort and malnurishment in mind, it's nice to have access to
those simple things that still make a lot of difference, like a warm
bath, or a well stocked fridge.
11 November 2008
Daan,
as well as me is becoming a bit nervous, there's a slight "what are we
still missing" tension in the air. We stocked up on camping gear, and
got some clothes we still needed to buy for the trip. Thinking of it,
we should have done this a month ago, then I could have enjoyed
unpacking my own little self bought christmas presents. And yes,
I can give myself christmas presents, even in the middle of Oktober.
It's one of the few perks of not shaving/ growing a beard, once you
start to resemble father christmas you're allowed to buy yourself
presents in the name of christmas. The other cool thing is that if your
beard is nice enough, you can enter the world championship of beards. http://www.worldbeardchampionships.com
I'm still in doubt whether I shouldn't shave while on the trip and try
my luck against the other contestants. I could enter in the natural
full beard category, or maybe with a cool Dali moustache.
Anyway,
back in the reality of me going on a motorcycle trip, it's the packing
of all the stuff and the double checking the spare parts, that realy
swithes the "I'm going away" button. Up til now there's been a dreamy
unreal feel to the whole trip, since it's pretty hard to wrap your head
around the concept of going away for such a long time and not having
much of an idea of what to expect from it.
But
apart from me finally realising what the hell it is that we're going to
do, we still have to do some spare part collecting, and get some minor
paperwork done. Also we have to plan what to do on our departure, and
think of a nice route to ride on the first day when we'll be
accompanied by some motorcycling friends. The plan was to serve some
coffee and cake, say goodbye, and ride through the "Rheintal", towards
a nice hostel or something similar. As long as it is warm, has a place
to sleep, and serves a nice cold beer to the thirsty adventurer.
