The blog is up and running again
I've decided it's time to restart the blog. Number of reasons for this, not least of which is my desire to head off on some travels again at some point in the future.
For those who are not already aware of these plans I've got a hankering to cycle overland to India. This has been a dream of mine for a good few years but with the way both the world and my life seems to be heading I've decided it's now or never! Of course when I say "now" I mean late winter/ early spring next year, not "now this minute, where's me passport". There are two main reasons for this, weather and money.
The weather factor WRT timing is predicated by when it's good to cross Baluchistan (Iran to Pakistan), which ranges, apparently, from boiling wasteland in summer to frozen wasteland in winter. After extensive research (i.e. posting on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree bulletin board) it looks like either setting off this autumn and wintering in Egypt whilst waiting for the snow to clear or setting off next February/ March and passing through when it's hot but not at it's zenith and with a degree of acclimatization. Another option may be to set off in May/ June next year, boil all the way through Europe and Turkey then slide through the desert in autumn, although this involves waiting for at least a good year from now and I've itchy feet, metaphorically speaking (well, mostly metaphorical).
Money hinges mainly on what's to be done with the house, rent or sell. I'm minded to sell as both Helen and I want to relocate out of Manchester (darn sarf), though this may not be the ideal time given the housing market. The other option is to rent the house which is possible although that then means getting the cash together for a year on the road. Either way, it's liable to take longer than October to organise matters, hence March next year, with a view to May/June at a push.
Which leads nicely on to the plan, such as it is, to spend a year on the road. Four or five months getting to India, couple of months in India then over to SE Asia in order to take my IDC (Instructor Development Course) so as to become a fully fledged diving instructor with an eye to getting some work in the area. Simple really, what could possibly go wrong...
Well, let's see how it goes anyway! Many a slip and all that :)
For those who are not already aware of these plans I've got a hankering to cycle overland to India. This has been a dream of mine for a good few years but with the way both the world and my life seems to be heading I've decided it's now or never! Of course when I say "now" I mean late winter/ early spring next year, not "now this minute, where's me passport". There are two main reasons for this, weather and money.
The weather factor WRT timing is predicated by when it's good to cross Baluchistan (Iran to Pakistan), which ranges, apparently, from boiling wasteland in summer to frozen wasteland in winter. After extensive research (i.e. posting on the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree bulletin board) it looks like either setting off this autumn and wintering in Egypt whilst waiting for the snow to clear or setting off next February/ March and passing through when it's hot but not at it's zenith and with a degree of acclimatization. Another option may be to set off in May/ June next year, boil all the way through Europe and Turkey then slide through the desert in autumn, although this involves waiting for at least a good year from now and I've itchy feet, metaphorically speaking (well, mostly metaphorical).
Money hinges mainly on what's to be done with the house, rent or sell. I'm minded to sell as both Helen and I want to relocate out of Manchester (darn sarf), though this may not be the ideal time given the housing market. The other option is to rent the house which is possible although that then means getting the cash together for a year on the road. Either way, it's liable to take longer than October to organise matters, hence March next year, with a view to May/June at a push.
Which leads nicely on to the plan, such as it is, to spend a year on the road. Four or five months getting to India, couple of months in India then over to SE Asia in order to take my IDC (Instructor Development Course) so as to become a fully fledged diving instructor with an eye to getting some work in the area. Simple really, what could possibly go wrong...
Well, let's see how it goes anyway! Many a slip and all that :)
posted by Bill at 5:44 pm
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