Well dusty, good on ya for making a decision...have a great trip and good luck with the gf.

thank you. now starts the planning and prep...
cheers
josh

__________________
"imagine all the people sharing all the world"

Well you have come to the right place to learn all you need to for that!

__________________
2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

Hi Josh

Well done mate and if you are passing through Oxfordshire on your trip, we'll be glad to put you up and get a couple of pints of warm in to you.

Cheers


Chris

__________________
[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"

Good for you mate. No real suggestions except to follow your instincts and don't set any timetable that'll stop you doing something that's not on the itinerary if it suits you.

Have a great trip and keep us posted.

Andy

PS: Thought of some advice I read somewhere; You need to buy a BM GS, only use Synthetic oil and eating yellow snow is bad

PPS; I'll get my coat now

Good lad! I agree with jeff916 in that there's never a right or best time to have a major change or upheaval in your life. What I'm doing now is something I should have done about 5 years ago but I also took the view that it just wasn't the "right" time. It never is.

Good luck and give me a shout if you're passing through northeast England.

thanks guys. if i am lucky enough to make it to europe ill be sure to stop by!!!
cheers
josh

__________________
"imagine all the people sharing all the world"

Since you started plannning and preparation ..... i think you should add it to your list ...

i have yet to read it but ill be sure to add it to my pre trip prep, maybe read it under one of those
cheers
josh

__________________
"imagine all the people sharing all the world"

Hi Dusty,

I just can tell you my story.

For about 20 years I was thinking pretty much about the same stuff as you do.
So you can see what my decision was when I was in the same age as you are ;-)
I didn't go because I thought I do have plenty of time and I will lose my girl or my job or ... there are always resons.
And then the girl went away, I changed jobs but I'm still had been dreaming of doing this trip.
So I made the decision to do it.
I'm starting in march 2009 - at my 40th birthday!
And belive me at this age it is much harder to do it.
- giving away a well payed job without beeing sure to get a new one when back
- not so many unmarried girls in that age, so how to find one if myone st me off
- ....
The important point is, that I know that I this dream will be in me until the rest of my life and if I do not follow it, it will be allways between me and my girl or my job - sometimes it is more intensiv sometimes less - but I is there everyday!

In two words: go know

Macs

im glad to hear that you are going make sure to post a RR and happy birthday to you what an awesome present. ive made my decision and im going to go and come what may i will find my way then and after
cheers
josh

__________________
"imagine all the people sharing all the world"

Hi Dusty and Macs

Nice to see that you blokes are both doing what your heart is telling you to. I did much of my travelling from 18 to about 30 then settled down (but still holiday a lot) and I can understand why it is much harder to do it the other way round, at 40, but you have made the decision and I look forward to reading your RR on the way round.

Alos both of you should read "Uneasy Rider" by Mike Carter. A very funny account of a totally unplanned 20,000 mile trip in six months, by yet another mid life crisis merchant in his early forties.

I'm getting itchy feet again and feel it won't be to long before I leave a note for the missus saying, I've just popped out. To Morocco!

Good luck chaps.

Chris

__________________
[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"

Never let common-sense cloud your judgement.

Good on ya - go for it!

My only observation is May 2010? Are you sure? Seems like a long way off...

Reading the thread, it seemed that the problem was immediate go or stay. To me setting a date like this seems like far enough away to be comfortable but close enough to be convincing, that you have a plan.

It reminds me that I once in my early 20's got engaged to somebody and put a wedding date somewhere into the far distance that made my girlfriend happy, but hoped that I could hatch a plan to get out of it or that something in me would change and in that time I would mature enough to go through with it. I was not being honest with her or myself, I was not strong enough to do what I felt was right for me...

A lot can happen in 16 months, and I really don't know you of course, so I can only relate to you through my own experiences which are not necessarily your experiences. Forgive me for that.

My point is be sure that you are being honest with yourself, if you have made a decision to go, have you told your girlfriend your plans or will you just hope to pack up your bike one day tell her you're off and the next day leave or even worse just leave a note on the kitchen table? but in the meantime stay with the relationship in some hope that everything will get sorted out and she will either intuit what's going on in your mind and say, "well it looks like you're off so I think we should part," or you're hoping she will come around to your way of thinking before you go and you'll get everything you want...

If this is true, make sure you put some decent music on your ipod because the the first 5,000 miles will be heart rending..

Be sure to tell your girlfriend your plans and live with the fall out... She might not love you for it but she will respect your honesty... one day ;-)

you should read "Uneasy Rider" by Mike Carter. A very funny account of a totally unplanned 20,000 mile trip in six months, by yet another mid life crisis merchant in his early forties.

I am 41 and still unable to commit, LOL, starting the next leg of my life from Cambodia to Europe by bike in May...

Another great book is the "seasons of a man's life" which was study of a group of men conducted by a guy called Dan Levinson, over a period of 40 years, it explains why guys get up and go...

He also did a similar study with women, they have mid life crises too, mostly housewives, when their kids leave home, they feel useless and no longer needed. The leave home and husband, and generally speaking start a new life of their own.

The books are a bit dated now and need revision to take account of the changes in society, more women with careers, I do hope somebody does this research because I think we are gonna see more women with big bikes and young boyfriends

all the best