9,000 miles 14 countries and one mouse later....

And which country are you from?

Gandhi once said "At the age of 18 I went to England.  Everything was strange, the people, their ways and even their dwellings. I was a complete novice in the matter of English etiquette and continually had to be on my guard. Even the dishes that I could eat were tasteless and insipid. England, I could not bare.....". 

Coming from Wales I have to agree with him! They are a strange bunch! (Just kidding. Calm down!). However, it just goes to show that it works both ways. The cultures are so different despite the fact that India was under English rule until as late as 1947 and our culture is probably just as alien to other people looking in. Unlike Gandhi though, I am enjoying the culture shock immensely! 

The incident of the curious mouse in the night

Is it a cow or is it Bambi?

I woke with a start (actually I jumped 3 feet in the air) as I felt a scraping on my foot and looked up to see said mouse at my feet on the bed! As I screamed, the mouse jumped off the bed and back in to its hiding place behind the cupboard. Poor thing was terrified no doubt. I found it on the chair next to the bed 20 minutes later and managed to finally get it out and in to the freedom of the corridor! 

I didn't sleep much after that. It was too late! I was awake!!  I tried counting cockroaches but it didn't help! I was also eaten alive by mosquitos and possibly flees!

I wont be recommending that hotel on Trip Advisor! 

Namaste India

It was disappointing to arrive in India by plane. The airport did not seem appropriate for this adventure and being without Rhonda for the first time was strange.

I went through the usual ritual of being ripped off by the airport taxi (here comes some more fresh bait) and arrived at the hotel a few minutes and a short conversation later. I finished arguing over the price with the driver and stepped out to be greeted instantly by Alex and Vidya who had travelled the 14 hours from Goa by jeep to help me in any way they could in my first few days. My heroes for sure!

Goodbye Dubai

Not long now until I board the plane and say goodbye to Dubai for a while. Rhonda SHOULD already have taken off by now and I hope we can be reacquainted without too many headaches on the other side. I will arrive armed with biscuits, water and lots of patience just to be on the safe side!

Getting her on the flight was only complicated by the missing paperwork incident! Paperwork that SHOULD have been given to me on arrival at the port. Paperwork that was required to get Rhonda out of the country. It was an import form that was in addition to the import stamp on my carnet and clearly something I had no idea about until it was requested by the customs officer at the airport.

Get me to the Drake on time

Hi guys
Please check out the link and get yourself a funky new t-shirt or hoodie..
 http://teespring.com/onestephbeyond

This T shirt has been designed by Paul Tomlinson. A biker and all round nice guy who I met at Bikers Cafe in Dubai.

Sheikhs and Rockers

I could see Dubai! I could actually see Dubai. I don’t mean as an pin on my map this time but I was actually on a ferry on the Persian Gulf and heading in to the Port of Dubai. Was that the Burj Khalifa I could see in the distance?

It was the biggest moment of realisation so far. Don’t ask me why. It was just like I had woken up after a long sleep (which actually I had) and found myself still in the dream. What an amazing feeling. I hope I have many more to come. 

You have to be confident to start a trip like this. You have to put your fears to one side and say “I AM going to do this” and you have to believe it but I guess a part of you never really believes it until  you are there and doing it. Before then it’s really just talk!

Entering the shipping machine

The Nokia ringtone will now forever transport me back to Iran! Perhaps it is another "forbidden" to change it! EVERYONE, it seems had it as their ringtone in Iran! This was particularly apparent in the ferry port offices where there were lots of people with lots of phones and no exceptions!  I even had it myself on my iranian phone!

I had made it to the port by 10a.m on Sunday morning. The ride in early was a very good idea but as I
got to within one hour of the port I hit what I can only describe as a wall of humidity. It was bizarre. The change was that sudden. Luckily I didn't have that far to go and I patted myself on the back for getting up early to avoid the worst of the heat. I had expected to spend the next two days sorting out paperwork for the bike before sailing on Tuesday to Dubai. It turns out I was to leave Iran that night.

The Camel Man of Percepolis

The desert wind was relentless but we rode on dodging the tumbleweed and trying to avoid the bigger dust devils. When they did hit they hit hard and threw us from one side of the road to the other and back again.

We had 235 miles to ride in these conditions if we were to make it from Yazd to Percepolis and it was hard work keeping the rubber side down.

Rhonda used up more fuel that usual. I think it was due to the constant battle against the wind. I had certainly used up more energy so I can only assume the same applied.