So much has happened!
Where to start…!
The Russian Visa
Y’know I said it didn’t feel right, well it wasn’t!
See, the negative feelings have come through and buggered it. I should have thought lucky thoughts!
The visa application has been returned to me with £15 left to pay, now, the web states a fee and a postage and a service charge is due and my maths is not that bad! They also said any member of the EU has a lower fee but did not mention the UK as a member of the EU. So I sent in the higher fee and asked them to put the extra to charity if need be.
What a mistake, they must have smelt my cheque book was open. Still, lesson learnt, think positive; this visa will now be expressed through and returned in good time to get the next one on its way too.
Time
Time is becoming tight, it’s never as important as when it’s lost, the moments before its’ gone are frought by panic and distressed thinking. I should focus on what can be done now and how to fix the impracticals later. I find it’s a very rare occasion that stepping to the side isnt actually a step forward. Any desicion and action is better than a moment lost.
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran
Since Turkmen, Uz and Iran are all tied into the same agency for delivery of LOI’s and Turk cannot be issued until both Uz and Iran are in my passport and Iran don’t allow motorbikes in their country and they have a 4 week wait for approval and must be stamped by an Embassy Consulate after a telex from Iran is recieved…well you can see the problem.
Turkmenistan has similar issues. Foriegn tourists cannot travel freely around the country and must be escorted by Turk guides, at a cost of $200 a day plus expenses. On a positive note, the agency has suggested that if I have a spare helmet he could ride with me! Good idea if I could afford the weight. But they also suggest they might have others travelling by this route by then that could share the cost.
Look at a map, Uz is splitting Krygystan and Tajikstan, the Pamir Pass is in Taj. I’ve had to state a destination and Port of Entry and Exit for Kazakhstan and I’ve stated a border to Uz.
China travel has come in at £1855 minimum along with re registration of the bike, that so, then I should go through via a different route and aim to not enter Uz until later. It means crossing Iran twice. Unfortunatley the Visa has been done for Kazakhstan and the exit port defined. It means going clockwise through the ’stans and not anti clockwise as I first intended. Got to re arrange if I’m to cross the Pamir Pass. This would be easier if I could get a double entry visa for Uz, but you can’t get them!
Advice from an agency is dont worry, pay the border bribe. I like this.
Think positive!
India
Indian visa has gone in today. Other than not having a referee in India I dont foresee any problems, it should be back in ten days. The Indian referee may be a grey area…
Bhutan and Sri Lanka
Lets not worry about these! 
Passports
Apparently my reason for an additional passport is not valid with the IPS. This is my third application and so far all of the people at the IPS have given different advise, but this time Im talking to the woman that actually does the processing so be nice and see what happens.
I was being the incredible patient Jo and…
She rang me and dropped big hints on how to get an additional passport, at least then my third application was not in vain. A fax of an itenary to them and whooppee, today my second passport has arrived! It seems you only need to intend to travel to two countries that have a clashing entry policy and thats it!
A quick fax of dates and countries and two days later, here it is…thats how Im having Russia and India processed at the same time.
I mustn’t make any mistakes with this though, some of the visas need to be in the same passport!
Still to come…The Helmet Experience
Why did the Forks go so wrong?
Grippers and their help
Continental Tyres being sent to Poland
Final Camping gear
New Rear Carrier
Return of the Welded Front End
Windscreen Repair
Braided Hoses
Venom Hand Protectors Disappointment 
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