On the road again (well nearly)

At last the plans are coming together and the start date is set for 1 July. The plan is that I fly to the UK and on to the New Forest to collect the bike. It has been at home in Brockenhurst in storage at an old chicken farm converted to vehicle storage and there it sits among the exotic vehicles of the south of England. The place is not far from Southampton and handy to British Rail. So I can fly to Heathrow, take a train to Liverpool Street on the Underground, and transfer to a District Train and head south as the countryside flashes by the window. UK trains are pretty good, not up to the Euro class which are very good and very fast, but still pretty good. So I am expecting my man at the storage to have had the bike serviced (fluids and filters replaced) so I can pack mount and go. The bike remains the same that crossed Europe from China to France and then rounded GB and Spain and then another France Germany Spain circuit that I am about to repeat, not the same route but similar because it is just a wonderful ride. Rivers, Mountains, plains, vineyards, Mountain passes, cities old and new, and so many wonderful and historic places. The influence of Rome is everywhere and is very interesting. First venue is at Rick Steins in Padstow. May take a day to get there but Friday I have a booking for dinner. That was not easy but I think it is now certain. Dinner, bed upstairs, and breakfast. From there it will be necessary to look at this site. The general plan is the South of England, Lands End, some Roman buildings at Bath ( and a bath of course) some Cathedrals like Winchester and Coventry, and then off to Belgium on the Chunnel. That is a very easy experience. Ride up, buy a ticket, wait for the next train and ride on when indicated by the lighting, park in a train carriage and stand there until the train stops half an hour later and ride off in France. Easy really ! One complication is that while I use NZ Registration for the bike ( I have no idea if they actually have a warrant of fitness) but insurance is required and for that I HAVE to go to Germany. The UK does not sell Insurance, which is apparently compulsory. We have inherited that sort of stupid rule making in the colonies. Anyway the Germans are happy to sell insurance, just walk in and they do it on the spot. It is essential in Spain where there are heavy fines for having no insurance. So it is France Belgium Germany and back to belgium, then off to the Rhine, the Loire Valley and thereafter lets see what happens. I hope you enjoy my journey, if anyone ever reads it, but it is essentially for me so when dementia sets in I can read the blogs I wrote and hopefully recall some of the life I have enjoyed. The experiences and the joy of not just being alive but living this short life.