Hi all! I've been lurking around here for awhile but there comes a time when one must come out of the shadows and contribute something (hopefully useful).

I have done some touring in south eastern Australia over the past few years but in ten days I'll be breaking out and heading over to Europe for some two wheel fun. It will be the first time abroad for over twenty years and the first as an adult so starting to get nervous now.....

There's so much great info here and I've learnt a lot, but I've decided not to plan too much, I'll just arrive and see what happens. There are certain places on my personal 'must see' list relating to family history and long held interests, but whether I choose to head east or west from Calais I have not yet decided. I guess that's called adventure touring? I reckon any tour should be an adventure (with some of the bikes that I've owned, just getting home has been an adventure!).

I really want to see France, Switzerland and Swiss mountain roads, Northern Italy, Sicily (very much), do a few laps of the Nurburgring and get on up to the IOM TT. I would also like to get to Spain, but I'm not sure if this will happen at this stage. I've got six weeks on my own on the bike and then my better half will be meeting me in London and we'll spend six weeks together with her family in Nice and Slovenia (we'll also go to Sicily together). All or some of these things may or may not happen so I'm keeping a pretty open mind. It has been said before that the people and interruptions ARE the journey so that's really what I'm looking forward to. I may decide to attend the German meeting if there are tickets left and it fits in and if so, I look forward to meeting some of you.

Well that's about it. If I anything particularly outrageous happens I'll post here and likewise if I have any questions. If you have any suggestions or comments please post them, I'd love to hear and I have a lot to learn.

Cheers and happy travels one and all!

Tim