LONG WAY HOME - Post Trip Report Sue: It seems so long ago now, that we left England at the start of our 'trip of a lifetime'. We have been home three weeks, and the initial flurry of activity that comes with being away for 6 months has subsided, as has the accumulated pile of junk mail. I leave now for Aberdeen and the wedding of my son Ian, to Ann. All through the trip I had been warned I had better be there - or else! One of the hard things now is to 'let go' of Mick. After traveling together for six months, seeing each other everyday, talking over the events, planning where we go tomorrow it will be strange to return to 'normal life'. We had agreed that we would go together and come what may, we would return together. Well we succeeded on that score. At the moment still friends! A trip such as ours has been, most people only dream about. We made it happen, those memories will stay with us for always.
Mick: I thought I would find the travelling hard, moving on every day, not knowing where I would be that night... it’s never been my style, never done anything like this before. Within a few days I had settled in, was enjoying the trip for everything it was, no angst, no fears, no wishing to be home, and taking each day as it was... G R E A T! "What if this... what if that..." would intrude into my thoughts in those early days, questions to myself about possible problems, but hey, there isn’t a problem that can’t be surmounted. Within days I was totally relaxed and enjoying, and this surprised me. Riding the endless roads of Russia, through Siberia, became a way of life... I could, quite simply, have kept going forever! Wherever we went we were offered hospitality and friendship like I’ve never known before, and on such a mass scale. People greeted us, rode/drove alongside us offering bread or water, even the statutory drink of vodka. Everywhere we stopped we were surrounded by smiling faces, handshakes and offered genuine hospitality. Sue has stolen my use of the word kaleidoscope, but a kaleidoscope of memories, meetings, thoughts, people, happenings, situations, roads and scenery it is. I have a thought and my mind goes into overdrive... I could say so much but no words are sufficient to explain just how it was, and if you’ve been on such a motorcycle trip then no words are required! It was without a doubt the toughest thing I have ever done in my life and yet the most enjoyable. I have never laughed as much, I have never cried as much, and I have never sworn as much! We hope you laughed, cried and swore with us...