Preparation (alertness, anticipation, arrangement, background, base, basis, build-up, construction, dry run, education, establishment, evolution, expectation, fitting, foresight, formation, foundation, gestation, getting ready, groundwork, homework, incubation, lead time, making ready, manufacture, measure, plan, precaution, preparedness, preparing, provision, putting in order, qualification, readying, rehearsal, rundown, safeguard, schoolwork, study, substructure, training, tryout, workout)
We didn’t have much time for all of this and in our opinion it is way overrated. We decided from one day to the other that we go. We just knew we go with our bike, go far, how long we really didn´t though about. We heard of people who plan for a one year trip three years, which can be fun to do but we do not think it is really necessary. When we made “plans” on the road they changed sometimes within hours, sometimes so much that we actually decided to stop making any plans at all.
So what was our preparation then? Quit our jobs, sold in Prague what we really don´t needed anymore, asked good friends if we can store some things in their basement for a year or so (THANK YOU ANSGAR!). We moved back to Germany and stayed two month with some other good friends in Cologne (THANK YOU SVEN and JOE!!!) and with some other friends at their farm close to Münster, Telgte (THANK YOU Anne and Oli!!!!).
And then the D-day came and we left.
Preparation is an ongoing thing meanwhile, get information about the next border crossing/requirements, maintenance the bike constantly (e.g Kerstin is just tailoring our new Sheepskin for our saddle), look in the morning where we go this day, get the shopping done and the drinking water for the next two days or more, check where the gasoline stations are on the way and so forth…
The usual preparations which you just have to do we do as well; like getting the Carnet de Passages en Duane for the bike, Kerstin did her Driving License, Health Insurance, Insurance for the bike, GPS, Maps, Medical stuff, our Camping gear, a new tent, new tires, new chain and sprockets, new brake pads, oil change and some small stuff. Here we had a lot of help from the Horizons Unlimited Forum (www.horizonsunlimited.com). HU is a great community for travellers on two or four wheels. The HUBB is a great source of knowledge, let´s say you are crossing the next border in South East Asia somewhere you just have to know if it is 5 or 50$, because sometimes they will just ask you for 50$ fist ;)
Kerstin doing her motorbike license:
