Sept 2007 setting off - riding through Burford
What I set off with probably 30% of which I posted back home in first few weeks
Jacqui Furneaux, my hero, for she was the one who stood up and said you don't need a plan
The Millau Viaduct in Southern France - one amazing engineering feat
Just another danger on the roads - chestnuts in France
The Gorges du Tarn in France, my first big 'wow' though the camera does not do it justice
Italy and Abi joins the trip for a week to explore the Amalfi coast together
Abi at Ravello, Amalfi coast
A monastery in the Meteors region of central Greece
The perfect motorbiking cloud in Italy, I could see it for miles and rode up to it, parked up and put my rain gear on before continuing
One of the moments I really enjoyed: chatting to a country man in a new land even though nether of us could speak the others language
Posing in the setting sun in Capaddocia, central Turkey
The collective noun for a group of motorcycle adventures is what?
Taking time to myself to write up my diary notes away from the crowds is something I enjoy
The top of Mount Nemurat where treasures and tombs hide under a massive pile of peebles
Teaching English to the country school kids in East Turkey, a real fun bunch who though they asked more question about marriage in the UK than motorbikes or travelling
Radial stalactites of ice as I tried to push East, I even had to pour tea on the brakes to keep them functioning
The second of the only two roads I could take East that was also iced over
The only way through the ice-strewn roads in East Turkey
The snow that met me Iran - not the hot hot deserty terrain I had expected
Loading Vafa onto the luggage van in Tabriz so I could escape the snow, I was not impressed when there was no way to tied the bike down, she does sat between some large boxes for 12 hours
The Iranian family of Azadeh who took me in as I sort accomodation in the small town of Kasham
Persepolis, Southern Iran - a very impressive summer palace for the empreors of the massive Persian empire
Loading Vafa onto the 'roll on-roll off' ferry - it was roll on but only when the tide was at the right height so I and Vafa go in the cage
On landing in the UAE the cost of hotels was so high I slept in Abdul the fisherman's portcabin - far better
The smog in Dubai
The rear view of Dubai
A rainy day in Dubai where they have no drains in the road system even though the city is on the coast
Playing in the desert on Stephan's Honda motorcross bike, ace fun!
Out with the locals - of all kind
My Mum trying out being a Muslim in a mosque in Dubai
Dancing UAE style
A local woman doing handcraft while wearing a metal face mask
Mike a fellow bike traveller on the night Robbo, another bike traveller, had his bike stolen
Paradise: Wadi Bani Khalid see http://prexpressions.com/rtw/26.html
Taking a nap
The 700km road through the southern Oman desert - hands off at 80 mph
The only kiss I got in Oman
50 km from the nearest light pollution and I wait for the sun to go before the amazing show of the stars began
The portacabin where 6 Pakistani's and me shared 6 mattresses - luckily I got my own
Saleem, the Omani policeman, who took me down the beach drinking Whisky and to the hotels to watch the dancing girls
A turtle makes her way back to the sea as the sunrises on a beach close to Muscat - very moving
Eygptian girl who wanted to chat though a Saudi man warned me people were watching
Hamaid and Rakma who looked after me in Muscat and who were a delight to talk to about religous issues
At the 2008 Muscat bike I was made centre stage
Front page news in the Mablethorpe Target back home in Lincolnshire
Part 2 of the trip and I buy a 350cc Royal Enfield Bullet to tour India, here shown in the foothills of the Himalayas northern India
Crazy electrics in the suburbs of Delhi
Netted down for the night in a friend of a friend's small single room which I shared with numerous creatures
The piles of rubbish at the top tourist attraction of the Red Fort in Delhi. A real eye sore but the lower castes will sort through it
School bus in Noida!
View across to Rakhi's house with local resisdents
Paul the Hindu
Paul the Sikh
Fox Club gang
Thrashing the rice
Passing the sweets in a break from thrashing the rice - one of better photos I think
Lady carrying grasses from forest for fires - the ladies work hard in India
A huge golden statue to the God Shiva(?) over the holy lake of Rewalsar
Bullet posing in the Himalayas
Steam from the natural hot water in Manali a holy place for the Hindus and the Sikh's - but still a dump with rubbish dumped in the fresh water river
Enjoying the free Sikh food with the Canadian Sikhs
Do the washing in the Parbati river, Himichal Pradesh, Northern Indian, N3196946, E7721764 10tth Nov 2008 after bathing in the holy hot water in Manali, with the Bullet just visible in the back ground
McLeod Ganj, Dalai Lama's offical resisdence, along with the HQ of the exile Tibetian Government, and somewhere I could have stayed a long time enjoying the travel orientated life style away from the crowded India cities
The best socks in the world by Crocodile socks (one of my sponsors) after a walk up into the lower regions of the Himalayas
The momo's i made after attending a course with a Tibetan lady who spent 28 walking across the Himalayas to escape Tibet
Lunch stop on the roof of a cafe with Jean Paul who I'd met in McLeod Ganj and a fellow Bullet traveller
The usual fumes a biker has to deal with in India
Sign: no girl friend no tension
I need to talk to Abi about this
Another town and more cows living in the street
The non-foreigners have to sleep outside - at least no-one going to nick my bike in the night
4am and many people are dipping in the holy water at the Holy Temple, Amistar
The brick yard workers maybe 6 and 8 years old
At least 15 school kids rammed into this auto-rick shaw
How many India's can you get in one train?
I think was grain, maybe 30 tonne?
The Bullet in its element riding along an empty track
Indian style motorcycle safety gear
Guarding the bikes while Canadain Chris sort's the rooms at Hotel Pink Floyd; relaxed and at ease with the world
The big end bearing blew but before work could begin at the valve grinders some respect to the Gods was needed
After the big end bearing was fixed I managed only 50 km before another engine problem. This was when I hated India trying to get something sorted but 10-20 other people have to come and see what was going on
Chris from Canada, another Bullet travel, compare our grimey faces after 500km on the Indian roads, I'm the one with the 1980's porn star moustache
Chris, Bheru and me after our night of Bheru's petrol station store room floor
The Lake Palace island, now a series of luxury hotels and used in Octupussy, surrounded yet another holy but dirty lake
Pouring a bag of tea
Taking a sneeky view of the ships at Alang where they are stripped by thousands of India workers
Me swimming in river before nearly getting washed away
Doing the Katta with the local lads in Naskic
The onion girls
For me the structure in the foreground is more impressive than the white one in the background
Beggar woman
A tiny but still expensive room
Karla caves with ugly temple and concrete hut ruining it
Karla cave 8 inside - the pillars are carved out of the cave walls, the wooden arches are for show only. At least 1500 years old
Writing diary updates as washing dries in a very rare moment of peace in India
A truck load of pilgrims on their way to make a din near my bedroom that night
I did not spend my Valentine's night alone...
With my mother in Panji, Goa
My mother on the motorcycle taxi this time
Enjoying lunch two tier style with my parents as we travelled in style on an Indian train
What a bathing spot - Hampi a beautiful prehistoric feeling place
Taking a 'cruise' at Hampi with my parents
The Queen's summer rest home, Hampi
Me and parents share one double bed for 13 hours on the sleeper bus - as it was double booked
9 hour into the 13 hour 'sleeper' coach journey and we have had little sleep
Get your tools and crucifixes here
The building is where the bodies of the dead are left for the vultures to strip - a 3 hour process - something I would love to happen to my defunct body with the exception of the CO2 costs to ship me there
The famous laundry of Mumbai where 3000 men (no women) work
God is great taxi
Tribute 14-11-08
Danuik Bhaskar 12-11-08
Danik Jagran 12-11-08
Ajit Hindi 12-11-08
Alford Target Dec 10th 2008
Left side of VFR750 crated ready to fly from Dubai to Kuala Lumpur
Concerned (scared) look as Vafa lands in Malaysia
Dave Tucker (from the VFR Forum)'s VFR in foreground in bits, Paul's VFR in background in bits - happy days playing with bikes
The famous Sunny of Sunny's Cycles motorcycle shop, signing Vafa in KL
Abi at Petronas towers with RF1 umbrella
Getting ready to ride to begin our Malaysia and Thailand tour
Abi dressed to kill
The Malaysian rain bouncing off a car roof gave us warning of what to expect in the coming weeks
Local school children at the Elephant Sanctuary
Local wildlife to beaware of on the roads in Malaysia
Abi next to an amazing tree - a fig tree I think
A red flag waving mannequin to warn of road works being recharged ready for the day's work
Vista across street in rain showing typical old Chinese town buildings
Abi's protection from the East Malaysia cock roaches and mozzies
Angulla beach resort - our hut by the sea
Losing the elephants natural habitat
Our first Thai beer with some friendly locals in Hat Yai, Thailand - with Abi using the guide book to try and communicate with them, as oddly for such young people they could not speak English
The significance of the umbrella was about to hit us as the rain came down forcing us to spend 4 hours with the nuns at the Sumano Cave Temple
Abi scared of the bed bugs sitting on a plastic bag at the 5 star backpackers hostel in Trang, £3/night
Another heavy storm which we sheltered from as some locals continued about their business using just an umbrella
The previous night we had been drenched so Abi elected to go up a few grades on my normal accomodation. As well as a pool and a beach front the hotel had hot water and a hairdryer - useful for our wet gear
One of my favourite pictures of Abi looking for the spider holes
Paul trying to catch up on the diary notes post swim but still time to strike a pose
Who's the fish? Snorkelling Paul style
Our speedboat with 3 Honda Engines 'parked' at the Similan Islands
Abi's view of Patong
Paul, Abi and Vafa enjoying Patong Beach together
The rubber sap flows immediately like white blood
The monks having received the offerings then off-load them into a pickup to take them back to the temple
Thai massage 3
Sea gypsy children playing on the beach
Gibbon called Bo at the Gibbon Scantuary on Phuket Island
Paul at Phuket bike week
Chinese buns - looking very natural - the white one was savoury the others sweet
Plates showing pictures of deceased relatives in a Chinese temple - some had one husband and room for two wives
Now tell me the temple is not just an amusement park - this one even had Mickey Mouse
Sign: Where to head when it rains, I mean pours
Abi & Vafa pose in the Cameron highlands
The beautiful Cameron Highlands
The full wet gear
Is that a gargole?
Impressive cave - just ignore the man-made additions and the liter caused by the temple guardian feeding the monkies
Abi takes to the sky well the FRIM canopy walk
Abi in KL at night
The road goes on and on
Saeed and his house were I stayed 5 nights after meeting his nephew on the beach
The tin mug - probably the most useful item I took. Breakfast
Dinner
Mug prevented toilet roll getting squashed
Dirty laundry container
Mug: nail capture
For washing teeth and shaving into
and of course drinking from - gin and tonic in the desert
Thai massage
