Monday 27th September 2010

Hello everyone, the last few months have been pretty hectic as we have both been busy with final trip preparations as well as continuing with work and other life stuff.

We intend to leave the UK on 12th October 2010, and take a steady ride to Germany to visit friends. From here the plan is to carry on to Venice where we will meet up with a couple of other mad travellers, Robin and Helen and camp up for a bit, relax and see the sights of Venice. The initial plan is to travel for a short period together, then part somewhere in North Africa and continue on our own journeys.

If you can, you are welcome to join Andrew and I in the Haywain pub, St Ives, Cambridgeshire on 2nd October for a few beers. We will be there from about 5.30pm onwards.

Just turn up and have a beer with us, but if you are coming from afar it might be a good idea if you call one of us beforehand for directions! See you there!!!!!!!!

Diane. Andrew.

Wednesday 6th October

Hello!

and hello everyone who attended our leaving do at the Haywain on Saturday.

Thanks for coming and lovely to see you all there! shame about the singer, not sure what happened to him! We did not need him anyway!

Yesterday we booked our second ferry it leaves from Dover at 1045 on Tuesday 12th October. Its funny before we booked the ferry we were both a little nervous but know the nerves have vanished and we are both really excited.

With so much to do, need to get on!!!!

Diane

To be honest I thought we had listed this before we left!

Some stuff that we set out with, we sent back after periods of varying time. This is what’s left, when we left Africa. We heard from a good deal of experienced travellers that you need three of everything, one on, one clean, one in the wash. After six months in Africa where the conditions are not always ideal for washing, (drying is often the easy bit), We reckon that two is probably OK. I had ‘T’ shirts and waxed cotton water proof over pants that I thought would be worn most days that I never put on!

I still think the most difficult job to do repeatedly is pack up! Done poorly you can lose a lot of space.

The only item changed before we left was the rear tyre which was over half worn.

The modification to the bike were few and obvious, racks, panniers, front tool tube, extra cooling fan, heated grips and chain oiler. I don’t think you can carry too many spares and tools, if you can’t use them somebody may be able to help you or you can help them. In our experience we did not see anyone in trouble enough to accept our help when we stopped. Which is good! If you can take them sensibly then do it. You can always send them home, (not always cheap or convenient) swap them, or sell them…

Items we carry,

Andrews wash bag

Tooth brush

Toothpaste

Flannel

200ml water tight soap container

Quick dry towel

Razor

Shaving foam

Map distance measuring tool

Needle and cotton

Small veg peeler (don’t why it’s in there, it always has been)!

Diane Toiletries          (Diane will add her stuff when she stops working 28hrs a day)

Medical kit serious

 

Not serious medical kit

Andrew clothes

1 long pair silk socks

2 pairs cheap medium cotton socks

2 under pants

1 Marino/cotton mix thermal long sleeve shirt

1 Marino/cotton mix thermal underpants

1 short sleeved cotton T shirt

1 pair zip off cargo pants

I long sleeved fleece

1 x scarf

Riding boots

Leather over jacket

Leather over pants

Leather gloves

Silk thermal under gloves

Small Berghaus belt case (sometimes for camera, Victorinox knife or cash)

Sandals

Money belt

Victorinox pocket knife

Small Leatherman in belt sheath

Diane’s Clothes

 

Diane’s Toiletries

Tools

Tools  under seat

Standard KTM tool kit.

Open ended 10 + 13mm spanner

Spare tyre valve caps with valve key

Spare inner tube nuts

Tyre pressure gauge

Valve tool

Magnetic pick up tool

90 degree tyre valve adaptor

Gaffer tape

200mm adjustable spanner

Two pieces stainless steel kitchen knife blade for prizing apart pinch clamps

Paper clips

Mineral clutch fluid

Backpack pak-safe for securing helmets

Ink marker

Brake bleeding tube

 

Front Tube                                                                                               

Water pump repair kit

3 x 400mm tyre levers

3 x Rim protectors

Bicycle pump

Bicycle tyre repair kit

Coolant hose pliers

Ignition coil

2x sparking plugs

Radiator cap

Small vice grip

Tools in Panniers                                                                                     

Small 12 volt tyre compressor

Brake fluid

19mm spanner for sump plug

strips of 21 inch inner tyre instead of bungee cord.

2 x bungee cord

One litre plastic bottle chain oil

4 x 5 metre thumb straps

40 x 200mm cable ties

10 x 3 metre thumb straps

Spare front sprocket

Stuff on the bike

E-trex GPS

Protek triple sensor watch

2 x 5 litre water carriers

Front and rear spare inner tubes

1 x 3 litre Ortlieb water proof roll bag with water proofs

Starcom intercom system

One three legged stool

4 x 5 litre fuel containers

200mm G-Cramp

Heine Gericke 10 litre? expandable tank bag and containing,

Map

Andrews glasses

Umbrella

Spare GPS batteries

2 Clothes pegs??

Ink marker

Sun lotion

DC to AC Inverter

Local backpacker guide (if available)

Toilet roll

Diary note pad

HP Net book and chargers

Modifications

Heated grips

Extra Fan (fitted on route)

Modified Pipe carry containing tools.

Fuel tank protection bars.

After market aluminium sump guard.

Chain Oiler with high capacity reservoir

Home made aly panniers and top box

Home made mild steel racks

Bedding

2x 26litre Ortlieb waterproof  dry bags

Exped roll mat

Thermorest roll mat

2 x Nanok -10 Sleeping bags

Fleece sub zero liner

Nanok cotton liner

2 x Home made pillow case

Electrical Bag

Laptop speaker

Pack of playing cards

Diane’s camera charger

Andrew’s camera charger

Kitchen (top box)                                                                                                                                                    

Katadyn water filter

Colman Petrol stove

Herbs

Chillies

Seasoning

Potato peeler

Black pepper

Half litre pasta

Half litre rice

Soy sauce

Tomato sauce

Cooking Oil                                                                                                                     

Washing up sponges

2 x tea/coffee infuser

2 litre sauce pan

2 x washing sponge

Spices

Half  litre Lentils

2 x collapsible bowls

Cereals

150mm Opinel folding kitchen knife

2 x dessert spoons

3 x Forks                                                                                                                                                 

One person cook pot set

2 x half litre mugs

H’2o store roll up 8lt travel bowl

T-towel

Spatula

Spreading knife

 

Our House

1 x  Vango 250 Tent

Single Mozzi Net

1 x 36 Litre Ortlieb roll bag

and annoyances

Deet (for skin)

”OFF” (mozzi Repellent)

Fly killer

2 x 10 mozzi coil

Other Items

Duplicate driving licences and ID

Head torch

12 LED touch

200g Clothes washing powder

Spare glasses case (with Diane’s perfume in)