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Chronic Addiction....... Chronic Addiction.......
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After the big trip They came, went... and did it! But where are they now? DID that big trip change their lives? What to do with all the travel experience and how to use it? How to get a job afterwards! Was the trip the best - or worst - thing you ever did?
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



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  #1  
Old 2 Jul 2010
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Chronic Addiction.......
It's been a few years now since my 'big trip' it was my first time on a motorbike, I went on my own and whilst it was a small 20,000 mile trip it completely blew me away. The years of office induced boredom just went and a fire burned in me like nothing before (apart from climbing, but that was a shorter lived high).

Now I have been back in the rat race for too long, the colour has drained out of my life and I was starting to climb up the walls when my assistant at work said he'd be up for going round Vietnam with me in November. Immediately I could feel the fire flaring up. I now work in drug addiction treatment services and one of the signs of addiction is that the brain releases dopamine when it becomes aware that the rat (the metaphorical rat that lives inside us and gnaws away when he doesn't get what he wants, not an actual rat) is going to get 'fed'.

Proof if ever it was needed that bezzing around unknown lands on a bike is definitely addictive! It's just a shame that the hit costs so much....

It even feels good to post on the HUBB again, look out folks I'm back!

p.s. the elefant is back on the market to pay for it, bugger but required
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  #2  
Old 2 Jul 2010
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Motorcycling and travel are two of the most wonderful addictions, when combined it's the best!
David
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  #3  
Old 2 Jul 2010
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Indeed, as adventure motorcycling is a bit of a mouthfull I might start calling it Speedballing!

(for non-UK residents speedballing is also the practice of mixing heroin and crack cocaine)
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  #4  
Old 2 Jul 2010
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I think you've got it right Henry. Doing the small, shorter trips still keeps you in the Rat Race (job, family, "security") ... yet you get to "dabble" with the "rush" of riding in an exotic land. It's called vacation. Short, but better than nothing at all.

I've ridden in Thailand and Cambodia a couple times. Great riding, great people, pretty inexpensive. I'd love to see more of Vietnam. I've been but not on a bike. Biggest expense would be air fare. I did Thailand and Cambodia on employer's dime, so that was lucky, but I only had two weeks each trip. You could do months there easily.

I really enjoyed riding the small bikes, actually learned the traffic game and found astounding places very kind people everywhere. hang in, do what you can.
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Old 3 Jul 2010
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after my last trip I ended up getting my fix by delivering Pizza, so have become quite a fan of unruly behaviour on tiny bikes! Will only be three weeks so am thinking of flying to Hanoi and staying north, maybe jammming into Laos or Cambodia. Cant wait!
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