I've always been fascinated by long distance travellers and heroes, ever since I was a kid - Marco Polo, Scott of the Antarctic, Sir Francis Drake, Dr Who etc.  The buzz has always been there, simmering away in the background - especially when looking around at the dreary red brick Victorian housing, Tarmac streets and back yards in the Meadows area of Nottingham, where I was born and lived in for many years.

 

Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful childhood and a warm close knit family, also great childhood friends, who regularly joined me in local adventures using our own imaginations! (lost on todays generation?).  I used to gaze out of my third floor terraced house window, at the clouds low on the horizon and wonder if that was what real mountains looked like!

 

So, when recent circumstances conspired to put me in my current position, it only took a casual read of a marvellous book (Jupiter’s Travels, by Ted Simon) to re-ignite the spark again.  It suddenly made me realise that it is possible to have a life changing adventure, even  the likes of an ordinary person like me!

 

I had many interesting discussions, and watched many tv programmes, dvd's etc., with my late wife Michelle, about the wonders of the world, about people of all sorts travelling the world, and we both dreamed of sampling some of it, but due to the obvious constraints created by Michelle's illness, we knew it would never be possible, so it remained a pipe dream. 

 

When Michelle, my lovely wife of 18 years, died in January of 2009 (from pneumonia at the tender young age of 44 ), it took quite a few months before I could even think about fulfilling one of Michelle's last wishes,  for me to take up this personal challenge.  Then, with the assistance of one of my sons, John and many other contributing friends, we rebuilt an old rusty bike that was sitting under a plastic sheet in the rear garden, (a Honda CB500 1995), made all the (rough) plans, and took off around the world.

 

Accompanied at the time by good friends, Simon & Lydia Bird, riding two up on their own bike, we set off from Derby, on my birthday in Oct 2010. Unfortunately, things didn't go quite to plan!  As we hit Africa, both Simon & Lydia decided it wasn't for them, and took the decision to return home. This left me riding solo, and, after a couple of days readjusting to being alone, was thoroughly enjoying it!!!!!! a proverbial duck to water. Sadly, after a few weeks, and several thousand miles, I took seriously ill (lungs!) in Southern Mauritania and got only as far as Dakar in Senegal, before being forced to abandon the bike and return home myself. (ps. got the bike back about 3 months later.... slightly damaged :(       raced it in the CB500 series, then sold it to another racer :)

 

Since then? It's been burning away inside, and I'm now making plans for another attempt, and hope to be away on my travels,  mid January 2015.  This is the story of my current project, from the decision to try again, right through to present, and through this website, I will show the preparations and progress of my second attempt at, what for me, will be the culmination of that childhood dream.

 

If you would like to follow my progress, or even support me on this venture, by following the build up, and then on the actual trip, which will probably take well over two years), then just keep this site on your favourites list, and check it every now and again. I will do my best to keep you posted as I travel although by the very nature of the trip (deserts, jungles, oceans etc.) this will, at times, be extremely difficult, but as I say, will be updated as often as is possible, with a diary of progress, many pictures, and of course, some video footage....

 

You will find, through navigation of this site, many aspects of the build etc. and preparations made so far, so please feel free to get in touch if you would like  to know more, or could even advise on anything?