Murphy's law.

m'harfy's law !

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Right now I feel insanely envious about you leaving on your trip, but were it mine I'd feel, as others have said, I'd feel stressed & fraught.

When it was our turn to ship out, I had an overwhelming sense of the unreal: I could not actually believe we were doing it: it had been an idea, a concept for so long that went it became real I couldn't grasp it!!

To be honest, it took about 2 weeks there after to sink in!

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

For us it feels unreal. Perhaps because we are so busy at the moment it has not sunk in yet. 2 weeks to go!

__________________
Belfast to Kathmandu on a Diesel motorbike 2010/11 www.suckindiesel.com

hi guys
I have read all he post and the same answers appear as I have experienced before and after the trip. night before people ask how are you feeling terrified! during the trip fantastic after the trip the girl which was very interested how as no interest in you and then there was the, was worth it question and every time
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY

I can sympathise!

I am 3 months away from the off and I am starting to get nervous and very indecisive

With 3 months to sort out all these things, it should seem miles away; but decision making, god knows how many times i have changed my mind over which panniers to take [hard or soft]. Already packed and unpacked my bags 3 times (only because I have too much, I think the charity shop will benefit though)

Bike isn't here or ready yet

But I'm getting to a point where I will just go with the flow and sort things out along the way. Important things will get done, I am having the month off before I depart to deal with that. Hopefully, I will be as lucky as you guys with regards to the girls

The scarey bit is when I get home. No where to live, will I get another job, the questions are endless ......................... and clearly not worth worrying about!!

However, this is an adventure of a lifetime for me, and with an adventure comes the unknown, excitement, anxiety and a whole load of other challenging stuff

For the time being, and waiting for those sleepless nights, life goes on

To those just departing

Pretty calm, really...

Which either means we're totally organised, or too dumb to know any better!

6 weeks to go before a 6 month tour of the the Americas...

Thank christ for that... I was beginning to think I was the only one!
Departure day was a big day, but no big deal. Everything was ready and we left.

Getting back was different though...depressing, even though we were meeting up with loved ones.

John

__________________
Nostradamus Ate My Hamster

Well I leave in one week !!

Bike is packed up, everything is in place and sorted... I'm just twiddling my thumbs now !

I'm not one bit concerned about the trip now but the only thing im REALLY REALLY not looking forward to is riding from my home on the Wirral to south London on bank holiday monday !!

Gonna take me 6 hours of miserable UK traffic and no doubt wet drizzley weather..

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

If you want an outrider, let me know!

Cheers for the offer mate !!

I don't really have any idea on the details of me riding out... I don't even know what day im leaving. Maybe at 2am to avoid all traffic etc.

Still interested ??? HAHHA

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Erm..

I'm busy that day actually

Nah, keep us posted on your departure

Did my trip in 2008, was totally crapping myself and thinking up all sorts of excuses to back out at the last minute. It's not just worrying about the actual trip - will the bike be ok? will the money last? will I be robbed at gunpoint? but the things at home - will the cats be looked after? will the flat get a tenant soon please? will work pay me the holiday pay and overtime I'm owed?

As the last few days approached, (in between Christmas and New Year), last minute niggles like the crap health insurance to be sorted, cancelling utilities, mobile phone contracts, packing and repacking the bike, and most stressful - saying goodbye to my 2 elderly cats - I looked forward to the first night on the boat, as it would be the first time in weeks or months that I could sit on my backside with nothing to do but relax, and drink .

A mate gave us a lift to Portsmouth with the bikes in his van. Riding from the van to the boat was the first time I'd ridden with that amount of luggage, and boy was my bike badly set up! Front end wobble only cured several weeks later after knocking the front forks thru and shedding some load. I was crapping myself for weeks every time I set off!

So no, you're not alone.
Have a fab time.
You know you'll do it all over again, anyway!!

__________________
Does my bum look big on this bike?

Ha. I've been stressed to the point of getting blurred vision and feeling ill. Mainly because 2 weeks from setting off to South America for an 8 month ride, after lots of research, i find i can't get my motorcycle license in California as planned (I'm Australian). There it's a weekend course and a ticket to ride within a week or so.

In Australia it's a weekend course, Learner's Permit for 3 months and then another test to get your License (a 12 month Provisional one at that).

So now i've found out that i can't get one in LA, despite 4 riding schools there telling me it will be no problem, I've booked in for a riding course and to get me Learner's Permit this weekend in Australia (a week before i leave!) and it looks like i can ride with a Driver's License (+International Driving Permit) in Mexico, Peru (and I'm guessing Bolivia) but in Argentina, Chile and Columbia i will need a Motorcycle License to be covered by my travel insurance and third party insurance that i buy at the borders.

So after telling my buddy 3 times this week that i'm going/not going/going again and so on, I am so over the stress of it that i've decided (despite being someone who has to tick every box) to just go, buy a bike in LA, dash to the Mexican border and hope for the best.

I'm open to comment, or a kick in the backside if that's in order, but to get this close to an 8 month tour of South America only to get held back by BS redtape that really shouldn't be there between 2 countries such as America and Australia.... argh! I'm even considering a $2000 flight back to Australia for a week in December just to sit a test to get my full license!

My main concerns are hitting someone or something and the compulsory third party insurance i buy at each countries borders not holding up to cover someone or something i might hit, and the other is not being covered myself for medical with my travel insurance in an accident. I've heard on here that bribe or a date with Photoshop opens doors, but... ????....

Other than the longwinded concerns above i think i can feel the tiny inklings of excitement creeping in...

Any thoughts?