.: Post: 8 'Progress at Last'

Poor Circulation ............. 28,000 miles, 28 Countries on £20 per Day .......... and continuing

Prior to her untimely death in 2007 my Mother, Barabara Thomas, mentioned that she had only two regrets in life. Firstly, that my Father George Thomas died before having the chance to meet his new grandchildren in Boonville, California. Secondly, that together they could have ridden their beloved Triumph Thunderbird on roads as beautiful as those on the Pacific Coastline, namely 'California Highway 1'.

One year later, I sold all of my worldy goods and invested the proceeds in a Triumph Tiger Motorcycle. I gave myself a budget of around twenty pounds per day and set out to ride around the world carrying with me a 'Special Package'. That package contained my parents ashes. They rode with me through Europe and the Balkans, across Russia and the Far East and then down the Pacific Coast Highway through the Giant Redwoods to Boonville California where they were finally scattered.

'Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress' ... Thomas Edison

For the first time it feels as if Poor Circulation is actually moving in the right direction. We met last night with another set of 'Grown Ups' at Farleigh Hospice in Chelmsford; Alan's chosen charity, .. yet more people to hold us to account. When I returned home, I replied to the offer of free passage from P&O and we now have a UK departure date of 1st May, ... Dover to Calais. We can plan the UK route given a starting point at St Teresa's in Darlington on St Georges Day, .. a trip around Scotland and Wales, .... a second departure from the Farleigh Hospice in Chelmsford followed by another at the Ace Cafe before heading off to Dover for the ferry. Somewhere in the middle of those dates, I want to try and fit in a 'Track Day' somewhere along the route (Novice Group, .. or 'Old Giffer's Day' if available).

Today, I've discovered the limitations of filtering with Triumph's standard issue hard panniers. *Memo to Self: ... Very Wide!. With an offer of 'Free Graphics Vinyl' , ... I've even managed to get the Tiger looking less 'Outspan' and more, ... well, ... more 'Tiger' I guess. (Up close it's already looking as rough as a couriers arse, so I just hope that 'Shabby' is this years black in Russia).

As I write this, I've just received an email informing me that as we wish to remain in Russia for up to 3 months, ..... we will 'Possibly' need to apply for a 'Business Visa'. This requires a 'Business Invitation' which I think I've got covered, .... but why do we 'Possibly' need a business visa and not 'Definitely?' arrrrgh. If that is the case, ..... then it means that the 'Multiple Entry' visa will get us back into Kazakhstan and Mongolia which kind of keeps us on track, .... I think.

Making plans to visit the MCN Bike Show at Excel in London on Saturday. I'm sure we'll be like kids in a candy store, ... but it's good to dream. If it's anything like previous years, .... it's not going to be a 'Fire Sale', ... but if we can pick up a few good tips and the odd free gift then it will be worth it.

Still no sign of any 'Free Fuel', ... but Hey Ho, ... we live in hope.

http://www.justgiving.com/geoffgthomas