Here I am on the cusp of Phase Three and

December 28th, 2009

looking with wonder at what it might bring.

Amazing how ordinary life can become in such an inordinatly short period. Im also amazed and intrigued by how the lack of my masculinity began this journey and now will end it.

Im thinking of how I could have gone further, seen more, increased my awareness and accomplished more with fem-fetales if only I were more of a man.

However.

Today is different. Tomorrow will be just as different as I am to its indifference to me.

Occasionaly I loose track of who I am, I forget that Im steadfast, bizarre, resolute, obnoxious, changable, compromising, expectable and morose. My particular gift is to be able to command an audience, to make friends and to gain trust with a whimisical comment, my cross to bear is to be never taken seriously - I am blow with the wind too much!

Im now confident that I dont need to know very much about where Im going or what I can do when I get there. Research implies an exam, a test, a measure of what ones learnt through study and that, is not life.

I dont believe in company procedures. I dont believe in company rhetoric on teams. I dont believe we have learnt the answers through studious learning.

I do believe in reaction, thought processes, working friends that can foresee common goals and work with you to make them reality and i do believe that what we have been taught empowers us to recognise what is about to become a part of our futures.

Ive made some terrible mistakes with people I care about, happily, those mistakes have been - on the most part - recognised as unfortunate circumstance of life. My Birmigham friend will be my friend forever regardless of time and distance, my Donny friend will start a new life and I hope will continue to be part of mine, my princess friend will occasionaly upset by my inaction but will always be forgiving and my classically beautiful friend in London will never quite be the same again. She is the one regret Ive not yet been able to acquisece.

India will remind me of my strengths and weaknesses. It will reinforce my ideals and my morals.

I constantly see days in my mind of the past year and the circumstances and events I have lived, expressed and become involved in. I also see one other purpose, long forgotten.

Ross saw it, Ian, Dutchy, Skippy, Zander and many of you. Its written on my bike in more languages than I can read…

Continue to inspire others.

I only hope that this time, I will be worthy of them. This time perhaps I can hold on to them longer than I have when I have returned to Blighty.

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Im seeing ghosts

November 8th, 2009

well, boredom returns and brings with it the aparitions of the many spiders ive been responsible for dispatching. I can see spider ghosts haunting my living room, rabbit ghosts - strange because i dont believe ive killed any rabbits, deer ghosts run through my lounge and Im left wondering for how long I might be haunted.

 

I have booked for India and leave on January 4th, ticket sorted and the itenary for the journey Im leaving, typically, to chance. To think too much is a worthless task. To research is to work too hard, but to leave these things to chance seems to always work out. A little research for the real particulars is worthwhile but not to go too far is just as important.

 

I dont think Im any closer to finding love, not in the world Im living in now, perhaps I am though by endorsing my emotions with a fantasy that one day faith will provide. In the meanwhile…Ill have to sit and wait.

 

Im looking for her in the Charity shop twice a week, in the world of Salsa, in my halfhearted daydream existance and in my hope…although I cant seem to get out of my head the idea that everyday that goes by is another day wasted when I could be involved with the right person. Maybe its also another day closer to finding them.

 

Bugger, soft as the poop from a poodle arent I? Im going to have to get a grip!

Im spending too much time thinking of what I had and have missed. Itll come soon, Ill find it. In the mean while…..

 

will you entertain me to pass the time?

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So what have I been doing for so long?

October 21st, 2009

Ive fitted an open fire for those long cold nights, to alleviate the fuel bills and to help create a romance in my living room!

Ive found my sister is going to lend me car which is just fantastic when your legs are so cold from riding a bike in British weather!

My Mum wants new flooring, oh no this means her head is going to be in front of mine while I fit the stuff - she is getting worse - as her eyes fail she needs to get more closely involved until you can only smell hairspray and old person!

I’m working as a volunteer in the Mind charity shop. Great fun, especially as the old dears try on a 50p skirt and make noises in the changing room with their husbands you might expect from a 19year old couple in their bedroom!

And finally, I’m gardening. After so long finally I have an idea of what to do out there…and its all romantic nonsense!

A planter to the left to hold two seats and a table for those sunny summer afternoons, reading the paper drinking tea/wine together, a Jack ‘n’Jill seat arrangement surrounded by herbs.

A planter to the right, very tall pampas grass for softness and privacy with a large curved in built table for the explosion of a party from the dining room to the patio.

Just in front a Pit fire for slow drunken evenings watching a real fire and holding hands while wrapped within a blanket.

To the left a little veg patch to pretend that self sufficiency makes me green while providing brussel sprouts for Christmas dinner and plenty of trumps thereafter, complete with two wickers of runner beans and flowers.

In the corner a garden shed on a patio, painted in the colours of a beach hut to remind us that we should always think we are on holiday.

A garden pond to make us want to pee but also to give the frogs a home.

A lawn to sunbath on, rising to a curved mound of grass to lie in under the magnolia tree and watch the stars by.

All of which surrounded by borders of flowers that will need little attention so whomever I’m with gets the lions share!

 

I’m turning soft aren’t I!

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Im home, for a while, but have thought heavily about

October 21st, 2009

many things.

I’m not going to explain again about how the grey life we exist and perpetuate drains us from the amazement of the life we could lead or have led. I’m not going to tell you that Ive been drained by the lack of fascination I have with life at home, or how we focus on capital or material growth and property when the rest of the larger world focus on only tomorrow and how much they love whomever might be by their side.

I have fantastic close friends who are enthralled - or so they pretend for my benefit (!) - by the myriad of stories I tell of people and events Ive both met and seen.

They tell me that inspiration is brought by modern means in the 1970s slide show and that they believe there is bravery in my decisions. Part of which they share, through me. I think that without such comfort I would have failed long ago in a way that would bring such shame. I’m enthralled they have the courage to tell me what they believe to be true and by these means i share their fascination and re-live the events through them, through me, through them.

I want to write my story, as many of you know and yet I wonder how valid this story might be. How it might be interesting or not, how it might be self funded into print through vanity publishing and a lack of public interest and while on the road, in my mind, in isolation and without converse, my stories hold a merit of physical adventure and metaphysical or emotion beguile.

Once home the story soon lost its flavour and my senses tell me through the ordinary and shadowed edges of our mundane life that its not worthy of either the effort to retell to record or to put into print.
My mind wanders into the regions of others lives, of the people I have met and of those stories I have read, to reinforce this belief that I am not worthy and my story is less important than theirs. A friend in a mountain village whose life is so difficult and yet perpetuates is worthy. Sam Manicoms adventures or Ted Simons years of travel are worthy. Adventures are long events are they not?

And yet.
It occurs as a passing thought, a flighty transient imagination that perhaps my un-succinct miss-match of emotions and reality, my ordeals, my life and my personal battles are fought both by me and by you. An adventure is whatever you choose it to be. Whilst our daydreaming lives hold adventures, so does a descriptive exciting journey through rush hour traffic in Nottingham. It could be held in the description and the telling and not in the size, scale and longevity of the expedition.

Unusual, yes, sometimes I can be very unusual and I don’t shy from this, but also usual and commonplace, a factor of your very lives re lived through me and documented, also makes me and you, a part of events and the life I have hitherto had and will continue to enjoy.

I regret being a poor life companion. I realise now that I have been a terrible companion for those who have chosen to be with me. I also realise I have no ‘women’ skills. If only! I thought before my trip that to be unable to communicate with women and to be unable to draw them into my sexual gravitational field was a failing of me as a male. It made me less of a man.
I choose to believe that this now only makes me more individual than my commonplace piers and whilst I do wish to have this skill, it would not suit who I am, nor whom i want to be in the future.

I have recently somehow made a terrible mistake with a girl, i was confused by responses, she was confused by comments and together, life didn’t end in a rose garden and picket fence. This is what was supposed to happen, it has led to a learning experience of some sort that my sleepy and dreaming mind has yet to work out.

So, I now believe in love.

Regardless of my adamant denials.
Regardless of my precious beliefs.
Regardless of upbringing and indoctrinations

I believe in love.

I believe we are not supposed to be alone throughout our life, that to share is to enjoy, to argue is to appreciate both the human and the emotion.
Why would we go to see a sunset deep in the desert if their is no one to talk to about it?
Why would we run from Police if later we have no one to laugh with about it?
Why would we sleep in the mountains on rough ground if we didn’t try to sleep ontop of someone else because it made us comfortable?
Why would we endure unless we hope to be loved and have complete and unequivocal love in return?
Why?

So I want to feel.
I no longer believe love is the fantasy of a poor 14th Century poet addressing the masses to sell his works. I do not believe love is Hallmark cards and holiday events.
I once, retrospectively, had love that was fluid and real and held in my hand, time and nonchalant existencebecame the enemy of love as cynical people become the enemy and destroyers of faith. This fluid in my grasp gradually evaporated to become steam, visible but surrounding while present, then this developed the characteristics of a fog and slowly, very slowly, it became a mist until all I was left with was a distance memory of what once was. It had become a part of the scenario over a hill top I saw others had and yet did not associate myself with.

I want to feel in love, I want to overdose on it and have more than my fair share, to indulge myself and to immerse myself in. I want to be honest, straightforward even to the extent of pain, in order that by taking the chance I might have a little of the enigma I have seen others enjoy, hate, be tortured by and yet still feel with such heat and passion that the glow warms you by its presence. I’m not going to love in an English way but rather in a jump in and swim, who cares who stands next to you and judges you despicable to the prudes of society kind of way.

I do however have a problem.

Im still alone. Positive in my conviction for what I believe is the first time in my life, but alone.
Tomorrow always comes and is always different to today. My convictions combined with life will deliver my expectations but patience is a difficult and time consuming task!

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Last update text from Jo

September 27th, 2009

Left the pairofknees this morning, traditionally late at 10am and ran through the small roads of southern france. Thank goodness its sunday and the roads are quiet because it became quite a task to do 500km. At 5to 5 i was at the cave i missed on the way down hoping to get in. They closed 6minutes before i got there as the clock on the bike was 10minutes slow! They open at10am tomorrow so i headed to rocamadour about 12km away. This is the number two rural tourist spot and as i entered there was an end of season festival on and around 20 hot air ballons were taking off from the valley below the chateau. Camping in france is now out of the question as their season is over, very short season huh? Talking of seasons, i noticed today the trees are begining to shed and it reminded me of when i set out in april just as they were bursting into life and my journey was begining. It seems fitting now that as my journey ends, or at least part of it, that the trees begin to shed as summer closes and autumn begins. So to a hotel, but with the festival the only room was 109euro, nice though, and the restaurant minimum was four courses. I asked for a beer and felt like a naughty school boy!
I sat atop the ramparts of the chateau to watch an incredible show of colour as the sun went down. A meloncholy mood has hit today, it feels like an ending, made more significant by the lonelyness of life. Thoughts of home and back to life normal and ordinary, beaten by each day yet to come. I must remember to read my diary, to remember how life has been and could be again, maybe its time to plan adventure part three. The caves tomorrow then a marathon journey home. The red bull to keep me going will no doubt change my mood. See you all in a day, winter is just 24hours away for me, physically and emotionally.

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Update on the 26th later on

September 26th, 2009

Yesterday was considerably uneventful as i ran to a campsite 260km south of madrid, nothing of interest until i met a man in the bar. None of the people here spoke anything but spanish and even soured when i asked if they spoke french! One guy insisted i got to know everything about his little bike which was a pityful little thing but he was incredibly proud of it! Nice he was happy and goes to put me in my place! Today i raised my miserable head in a bad mood at 930 and packed and left at 1015 knowing i was already late for what was going to be a long run to the pairofknees. While the sun shone, the mood in the petrol stations and lunchtime cafe were predictably dark! As i approached the pyrenees, i saw dark clouds and wondered if i could beat them to france. Nope. Changing into wet weather gear in a petrol station and two spanish motorcycle cops pulled in. Please dont look at the 2mm of tread on my back wheel! I got away and slowly pitched through the mountains in the rain. Heading for the second campsite dave had told me about. It was closed, he was only 50% right! Wait till i see him next time! So into a hotel for 32 euros which gives a great opportunity to dry out and ironically has the most fantastic shower! Nice nosh too so not a bad deal, especially since the french know how to smile! Night all …x

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26th September

September 26th, 2009

Right. I got through the docks and onto the campsite in tarifa pitched and done just as the sun went down. Considerebly less wind than when i arrived but the bar was closing! Prices out of season in spain havent changed though! Afeaid my view of spain is tainted forever. They are an arrogant miserable breed which persist in ripping you off for both substandard products and service. There are a few exceptions, ive met five spanish that were quite lovely, all of which were women bar one who i bought a drink for to start a conversation. Not a country worth hovering in, beautiful sceanery but even the serving staff are miserable, throwing your food or change at you regardless of any smiles or attempts to befreind. Out of all the places ive been spain is very much bottom of my list to revisit. So on the campsite i re met dave who is a bird fancier, arent we all… And had a nice evening exchanging adventure stories of north africa over a beer, although his tales beat mine, but he has had nine years of travelling to gather them!

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Note from Dan

September 25th, 2009

Sorrry folks, my phone was playing up so got a little behind with updates

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Update 24th

September 25th, 2009

Well here i am back in spain after some furtive dealings at the docks. A couple of bribes saw me first on the ferry with all my papers and no stops at customs at either end. Life has been fun in morocco, i hope totell all at forthcoming parties. Excellent place for adventure. I did go to cabo negro to meet a man called eddie but wasnt succesful. Now ive seen morocco, spain holds no allure for me so its straight back with maybe a stop in france to see a castle i missed on the way down. See you all soon. Xxx

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Update 23rd

September 25th, 2009

Headed to casablanca and got into the city, not at all the romantic notion you have of this famous place. The lorries and cars long past their useful life churn out deep bellowing dirty fumes that choke. They have no order to their driving and within 30minutes id more than had enough of mad cap overtaking and skimming either side of me to make me whince with horror. Since poop valve was broken and needed servicing every half hour i headed back to where i stayed my first night in morocco, in larache. The guy on reception remembered me and was very glad to see his hotel key again, i had been carrying it since id left. I fell into bed, with intentions to go out later but the only sights i saw this time were the toilet and my bed!

A bit later…

Left larache heading to the lixus ruins, impressive if you know your history, unfortunately, i dont! Im so uncultured! Into asilan and found a nice hotel but everything in minature! Used the toilet 10 or 12 times then fell asleep for three hours. Walked to the medina which has the exotic feel of an old greek island. Shower and out for dinner where i meet yet another old con artist. The entertainment with these guys is well worth the few euro they manage to part from you, always ending with a quick exit excuse of ‘i must go pray’ which is code for ‘find another punter.’ So ive bought some sandels for 15quid - they hurt already, i must shave my toes -, a 100grams of safron for 12quid, got a silver necklace with coral beads which will keep me safe from the evil eye - for ‘free’ because he felt i was kind, not to mention two large bags of natural viagra. Now, what would i want with natural viagra? Although it may be handy, i think you need two to trial and test. The interesting bit to this was the offer to try before i buy…ive often thought i should wander the streets of morocco at night with a bulge in my pocket, but not that kind of bulge! In the end ive parted with 30quid, about 380 dirham, but i have some things to hold, some smiles to remember and an experience yet to come, for me and some lucky girl!

A bit later still….

Had a close shave. I forgot to mention today i had a haicut and a real shave, i mean one like ive never had before. My face is as clean as a babies bum, its taken ten years off me. I now look 17again. Fantastic feeling, why cant we get this in england?

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