Leaving Oz

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Dear family and friends,

Packing the bike in the crate and trailering it to the freight company suddenly made the whole trip seem real. For the past few weeks life has been so hectic (partly to do with organising the trip and trying to finish things at work) that we've not had time to sit back and let the trip sink in. But saying goodbye to the bike until we collect it in Chile changed all that. I'm starting to feel excited, but also a little daunted at what we've set our selves to do.

There are lots of questions in my head. Will we really be able to do a 29,000 km circumnavigation of the continent or will something stop us in our tracks? Such as the notorious customs bureaucracy at any of the 14 border crossings? Illness? Impassable muddy roads? Will the bike be reliable? Or will something more serious stop us? And how are we going to navigate though the maze of streets of megacity Sao Paulo with its 20 million inhabitants?

I know these questions are only natural for a trip like this, and we've considered them all previously during the trip planning, but as the leaving date approaches I begin to ponder them in a less hypothetical sense. On the other hand I'm also keen to be on the road and riding though some amazing landscapes. High on my list of highlights is the planned ride across the spectacular Uyuni Salt Lake in Bolivia, 100 km from side to side, with strange rock and cactus islands. We visit this in the first two weeks of the trip. Can't wait.

 Murray preparing the bike. Will it ever run the same again?

Bike packed in crate, with grandson Jasper asking how we're going to ride it without the front wheel attached.

And the questions never stop from young Jasper, who is fascinated with the whole affair.