WOMBATS TRAVELS

I can’t believe that I still book economy class on an airline and expect it to get better!! But needs must and thanks to Mark Campbell in Melbourne I was duly deposited at the airport at the unearthly hour of 23.00 for a 01.30 departure. 24 hours later I was at Birmingham Airport freezing my jewels off. It seems that the British weather is the other thing I expect to get better!!

So the last two weeks has been a rush of trying to get the bike ready, fitting all the bits and pieces for not only this years trip but the big adventure to Siberia next year. The pannier frames and spotlights, the steering damper bar end weights and hardwire for the GPS. Thanks to Mike Dorrington who not only looks after the Tenere in the UK but also MOT’s it and then lets me use his workshop to do all these bits and pieces

in the workshop

New steering damper

LED Spotlights. Bright!!

The first weekend was spent up at Donington at a campground right next door to the race circuit. Not only that but also right next door and on the flight path of East Midlands Airport where the flight finish at around midnight and start again at four in the morning. If you don’t like sleep then that’s the place to camp!!. I was attending the UK Horizons Unlimited meeting and where I’ve been to the Australian one about four times now this was around four times the size with talks and shows going on all the time, too many to see them all. I left early on the Saturday afternoon as the sleeping bag I had taken just wasn’t up to the English summer (another good reason for not being able to sleep) but that one was my own fault. AN enjoyable time as they always are but it does start to loose the intimate feeling when the numbers are over 800 people.

Freezing nights!

Lots of people there

Last week was rushing around trying to get things ready for the wedding in September. Both Claire and I have given notice at the relevant register offices and the rings have been bought. We also managed to get her some good buys on bike clothing so she is better prepared for whatever the weather throws at us around Europe. Monday was a run down to the channel tunnel and thirty easy minutes later we were in Calais looking for a hotel. Yesterday was the run home to Fontenay en Parisis along the back roads meandering behind a surprising amount of large truck’s through the Somme region for the first time. I fully intend to go back when we have been around Spain to get some pictures and to try to find Claire’s Great Uncles grave.

Loaded for two