Jo Ackroyd’s Big Biking Adventure

I’ve had a dream that cooking needn’t be a chore, my pots and pans need a stroke of ingenuity to make them truly work at a level of efficiency Reverend Stirling would be proud of.

Have you seen the Wikipedia page for Stirling engines? They are fascinating and the Rhombic Drive Beta version Stirling Engine is quite sensational…

Take a look. It’s a very ‘Male’ engine

Any who, off topic, I’ve been thinking how to cook with one pan. Apparently the boredom of food from a one pan cooking stove can drive you to excessive chumba eating elsewhere. So, I’m thinking how to make this thing work.

More to the point, I’m looking at the different to lessen the focus on the normal.  I’m pulling away from the ordinary and diverting to something else so I can imagine everything else is OK.

But to be more positive, I’m looking and spending time thinking of other things while my subconscious works out the detail problems of the now.

Both views are equally plausible, I like the latter but there is a disadvantage to this, that time passes while details are worked out in a less conscious state - as an old manager used to say; many times too often, “It’s a worry”!

Now and again I loose faith, or should that be FAITH!

I’m disappointed that the forks are not working yet, wrong springs, I’m upset my brake lines aren’t complete, I dont have the new K&N air box for desert travelling to help protect the fuel system, the electric modifications are not coming together.

To explain further, I don’t have the skills but I’m trying. I’m learning. My concentration has gone to pot - can I remember what it is I might of already learnt!!! Who knows.

I suppose if we were to consider the Buddhist view, when I need the information I don’t need to ‘work it out’  I only have to remember what it is I have already learnt.

Crikey - might take a while!!!!

The visas are not happening and I can’t find insurance, I have to keep working at work, I have to give a lecture on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I need help but don’t know where to look, I’m feeling both helped and lonely in the same moment.  Ive had a great weekend with fantastic friends. It was quite memorable for many reasons, the bar dancing, the pole dancing, the local dignitary…or the food.

I need to recover FAITH!

Any ideas?

Living alone is hard, but preparing this kind of venture alone is more lonely.

But that’s the whole point isn’t it? If you were to help, you would undermine some of the purpose while reinforcing the rest. Your help would be appreciated and would restore FAITH that people have a good nature. But, would detract from one of the purposes - to restore self confidence through delivery of new skills.

Oh Dilemma!

Communication, Expedition Preparation, Random Thoughts

Indian Visa

I became excited about the Royal Mail ‘missed post’ slip as it must mean a Visa has been returned to me.

I got up early and went to the Post office collection point and picked up my passport, only to find the Indian visa returned because -oh I feel so shy to say - it’s foolish… I hadn’t signed it.

Attention to detail huh! Im having trouble staying focused.

In my defense, the bit of the form where you sign was tiny, miniscule, it was not large enough for my quill and too large for my needle.

It was hidden under the contractual text, a sliver of white against the dark misery of contract law.
But on a good note - guess what this means!

I may have made a mistake measuring the ‘Stan countries but this is my opportunity to repair the timescale I had roughed out. Since only two of the ‘Stans are fixed, Kazkhstan and Kygrystan by the visa process, I can change dates form there on and now India isn’t fixed I can change that too! So all’s well again with the trip times, I’ve lost 2-3 weeks from the end of the trip but to be frank, the lower Countries approaching the Congo in Africa were begining to worry me.

Globalstar Sat phone

Apparently two satelittes have fallen into disrepair, buggered from space. They have been that way for 18 months so the Sat 550 phone isnt going to be a worth while option. Should I be a stranger in a strange land, go somewhere and try to stay out of touch, how does the rest go…I cant remember.

I guy in a phone shop suggested a phone to me thats open to networks and I could buy several sim cards and work out a tariff spreadsheet for each country. I would but I can’t help but wonder if he got it right. Not because I doubt him, but of course I do, but because he looked like he was 12!

I’m going to mull this over and see where I’m led, but time is against me so I’m going to have to think quicker than usual.

I’ll only take 5 days to mull this one over!!!!

Communication, Equipment, Expedition Preparation, Visa's