Oi! Sparrow!! That's quite enough of the ageist commentary. Especially as I haven't even started yet. All the aches and pains I get now along with the stiffness in all the wrong places will be as nothing to what's in store.. Pity me not! Well, of course you don't pity me. Why would you. I'm 66. I need my head examined. See you in 2019/2020. Have a great time in Majorca in September.
Nick
Fair dinkum - for a pom Congratulations Nick.
Does 20k on the clock enhance or diminish the bike's value?
Please say he to Mike and the girls.
Philip and Kate
20K on the clock Good question Phil. I think the bike's vworth buggerall now but the Brooks saddle, well worn in will hopefully fetch enough to cover the cost of beers when I get home.
Regards,
Nick
Stay safe Dear Nick
Wishing you a safe transit to Melbourne - take care on that Highway. I'm just back from a tame by comparison week's riding in the footsteps of the greats in Majorca. Say hello to Mike when he shows up.
Best wishes
Words from Dorset Hi Nick
How do you keep going? Impressive resolve and Australia so much larger than any country you have crossed already. I am amazed only your 2nd night of free camping. Hard to believe you always managed to find a camp site or b&b etc.
All ok at this end and busy couple of weeks with Josh's 1st birthday and Toby's christening. The year has flown by.
Still working 3 or4 days a week but just appointed new consultant so plan to go down to 2 days end of this year. Don't feel like stopping completely yet.
Keep safe and look forward to seeing you back in UK. When is that planned?
Love Geoff and Claire.
Homeward Bound At Last Geoff, I'm booked on a flight to LHR on 16th April. Time to spend a few more days here with sis in Wangi, peddle the last 1000km to Melbourne, throw out piles of accumulated junk,(aka excess baggage) get bike boxed and flop into the seat of a malasian airlines airbus 300!
See you soon.
Love,
Nick
Welcome to down under Bali to Cairns via Sydney? Convoluted indeed.
Considering the km's thus far without too much bike trouble - you could consider the bright side and feel fortunate. The other way of seeing this is that complex stuff tends to be complex (and expensive) - Rohloff gears might satisfy that (those) criteria.
If the worst comes to pass - and you do have to fly to Brisbane - then we will be fortunate to see you sooner than later. Good luck with all that. Michael
Traintime Mike, if the worst does happen I think I'll take the train. Boxing the bike for a flight is a lot of hassle and proving to be potentially problematical. The last flight home from Melbourne won't matter as I won't have to reconstruct the bike at Heathrow as I've had to after each flight out here. But yes it would further shorten the ride..
Nick
Who would have thought it Dear Nick
After passing the apparently (to us mere mortals) insuperable barrier of crossing Iran and finding the people there the most kind and hospitable in the world it seems a cruel blow that a tourist friendly/hungry state is refusing you on a technicality. Can we try anything at this end? Maybe contact the Balinese authorities or your MP over here?
In case the jobsworths have missed a trick this might be worth a look.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia/bali/practical-information/visas
Do you know any charity workers in Bali - MSF?
Good luck Nick, I'm sure you'll crack it open.
Philip
'Floaters' Nick - great to hear of your liaison with big O - I am impressed that you are able to identify the gender and age so easily! Also good to hear that you remain very interested (? obsessed with) floaters since being at the receiving end of Dr Burkitt\'s lecture so many many moons ago. You almost managed to get me interested with your overt enthusiasm for this fasinating topic becoming almost infectious. Take care. Much love from the Melbourne branch. Michael
Wow, Singapore already, well done! Only 2 months to get across Indonesia, eh. Flores is well worth visiting for the stunning volcanic lakes & the Komodos are on Komodo island only I think. They are scary! Sumatra was amazing (I spent a month there & popped back to Singapore for another 60 day visa - might be worth considering?). We\'re still in south India, moving v v slowly... N&M
Happy NY to you too Nick - enjoy your 2/7 roosting. PS: difference between blow out and puncture for us non-cycling psychopaths? Surely just semantics being used to skew the stats?
Hi Ho The Open Road Nat'n Matt,
You'll love Thailand and Malaysia tho it is a tad warm here at 2 degrees north. Lovely roads, Lovely people and mostly , lovely cheap food. When do you start on the Karakorum?
Blow-Out How VERY dare you!. A blow out is when the tyre comes right orff the rim. It's noisy and particularly annoying as both were self inflicted. Yes the stats have to be skewed to justify this whole silly trip. What would my sponsor ( Lin) think of me if I just had ordinary punctures like ordinary cyclists. I've had 2 proper punctures in the last week to make up for the previous deficiency so now joining the ranks of the common peddler. Had to happen but now a new tyre and should be sorted......
Last leg (of journey) Nick - as one of the two readers of your blog, I am relieved to hear that all is relatively smooth for you again. I am toying - JUST toying at this stage - with the idea of joining you on the very last segment of your ride - from Newcastle down to Melbourne - about 1100km. Much depends on date of your arrival, my work commitments, the paragliding opportunities I will miss, my very delicate backside, the sorry state of my very ordinary bicycle, etc. However if I can arrange a couple of weeks paragliding in northern hemisphere during our winter off season in June or July, then I will certainly make more effort. Heck - that only gives me a matter of weeks to get my butt + legs in some sort of order. Meantime take plenty of care and maintain a spot of suspicion even at the expense of occasional offence. Michael
It's all about your bike Mike, you're fitness to ride a few hundred miles is really not in question. What is most definitely in question is the state of your bike. If you even remotely fancy joining me for some of the ride the bike needs to be properly sorted. Everything from tyres (I'm now a world authority on this touchy subject, natch) to brakes, gears, saddle. Pretty much everything. And what about panniers for carrying tent spare knickers etc. It won't fit into a small rucksack. Infact come to think of it you may want to bring your wing! Think BIG!
Seasonal Greetings from Purley Dear Nick
Thanks for the entertaining blogs and real stories of heroic derringdo. For an educated chap like one's goodself it's life-expanding to discover and experience a few other cultures and as if that weren't enough, I expect during the monsoon conditions you are manufacturing a few new ones daily - patents pending.
Anyway thanks again and enjoy Christmas as far as you are able. With massive pluck and determination you are well past the half way mark and maybe you will soon allow yourself to start savouring the prospect of jouney's end. Then what?
Safe pedalling.
Philip and Kate/xxx
No heroics and certainly no daring-do But thank you Phil for your encouragement.The trip continues to be a blast. Rains have stopped. Sun's out and it's heating up down here at 7 degrees north.
Then what? Not another ride like this, that's for sure.It's a 1-off. I'm 60! Already too old to think more than a day or 2 ahead.
Happy New year.
Nick
Trawlers Nick - fortunately you don't have the mandatory beer belly - so you are unlikely to be mistaken for the creepy trawlers. The grey doesn't qualify.
Suddenly you are looking quite close - beer (+glass) in fridge. Might even put a couple in there.
Enjoy your R&R with Lin.
Love from us
Michael
Lin
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Good luck
Good Luck Nick and to your mistress Koga ?♀️ Stay safe ❤️