RTW Talk
I was asked if i could 'do a talk' to my niece and nephew's school......
Attached (here) is a copy of the presentation - i also showed a few pics and a couple of videos. You can make up your owns words to the slides.....i have no notes to accompany them.
I think it went down well....in that they did not fall asleep and they asked lots of questions and came up with lots of answers to my questions.
My favourite answers were:
Me : What do you think i may have had in my panniers?
5 year old : Sandwiches?
6 year old : Grapes?
I am available to do more talks......rates are negotiable!!!
September 16
OK....last 'day by day' post......
Rode across town to where it all started.....the One Stop Training Shop to meet Mark and Phil. I partially hold these two responsible for the last six months as they taught me how to ride!!!
Thanks gents!!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 19/09/2006.
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September 15
Yes...i know i have finished my trip....but some people might be interested....well, i know my Mum will be, so that is one person at least!!!
Rode to Harwich (to meet the person who i hoped would 'run up to me, jump on me and kiss me passionatley (like in the movie Love Actually)'. As i parked up - outside the cafe where i had left the UK months earlier - i was so excited about seeing this sight and thinking 'last time i saw that i was on it'.
However...i was way more excited about seeing Helen. Champagne and sushi for lunch.......now i felt like i was home!!!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 18/09/2006.
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East Anglian Daily Times
Read all 'bout it..... (see the 'attachment' link below) or:
A LONE motorcycle rider came home yesterday after spending six months travelling the world.
Mark Stowe set out on the open road on April 1 with only his BMW motorbike for company, but ended up making countless friends on his epic journey through 22 different countries.
Mr Stowe, from Stanway, began his adventure in Holland, before travelling through Europe, Russia, across Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia and onwards to Alaska, Canada and finally America, clocking up a total of 25,000 miles.
The former engineer was inspired to take up the unusual voyage after watching Long Way Round, a documentary of film star Ewan McGregor and a friend travelling from London to New York on motorbikes.
Mr Stowe had never even ridden a motorbike before but was so keen to achieve the ambition that he enrolled straight on to a crash-course in riding and never looked back.
Mr Stowe said: “I've learnt that whenever you are having a low, you have to tell yourself a high will be coming along soon.
“You have to expect things to go wrong because they inevitably will at some point.”
One friend he is certain to keep in touch with is fellow Englishman John Yates, whom he met in Mongolia - they are currently planning another trip together for sometime next year.
“It was a lot easier to meet people than I had thought. You have to make friends or you would end up going mad with no one to talk to.”
Mr Croft [Eh...Mr Croft? - ed]was sponsored by the Sudbury-based Internet company e-tribes. He is hoping to work as an engineer again before setting off on further travels, but he said he might need to buy a new bike when he does.
“I wasn't the most experienced of riders when I started my journey - and let's just say the bike is not quite in the same condition now as when I set out,” said Mr Stowe.
Turning left.....twice.....
25316 miles, 167 days, 1884 liters of fuel and lots of ££!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 18/09/2006.
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September 14
Rain....woke to rain!!! My last day of riding and it was lashing with rain!! I spoke with 'Geoff the farmer' (Adams landlord) and we both agreed it was about to stop!!!
The M40 was jammed...but the rain had stopped! I filtered all the way down the M40....and rode past miles of traffic on the M25. What was i do here in England?....have not seen jams like this anywhere else in the world!!!
Stopped at my old place of work - had luch with some of the old lunch time group and caught up with lots of other people at work. Asked for a job....will have to wait and see!!
I was now late for my appointment at etribes HQ.....ended up riding like a hooligan across the Essex and Suffolk countryside to make it to Sudbury for 1530. A few pics later and then it was time for some food.....what else....but the McDonalds in Sudbury:
So.....it was now time for the final leg of my trip.....the 15 miles from Sudbury to Colchester on the B1508 and then A1124 - these are the roads i rode almost every sunday last year with Adam and Andy - the best piece of biking road near to my house!!!
Made it home just after 1800.....and pulled left into my drive. Job Done.
- Posted by mark stowe on 18/09/2006.
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September 13
John took me to his local cafe.....it was our last coffee together :0(
I followed him out of town and onto the M23 - i was heading into London. I followed John in his Fiesta....he could not face riding the bike.....'i have done enough travelling on a bike' were his words.
It was a sad goodbye.
Into London.....what an evil ride that was, although it was safer than cycling in Portugal!!! I rode over Tower Bridge and made it into Canary Wharf where i met up with an old friend.
Up the M11 to find the M25 was closed. The next few hours were spent travelling across the UK looking for the M40 and Banbury - where i was going to stay with a friend for the night. Clocked up my 25000th mile....outside a McDonalds...how apt!!!
The English road system was starting to get me down!!! There is just too many roads - bring back Russia where we followed one road for about 2 weeks!!!
Adam took the bike out for a spin.....apparently it was still good for popping wheelies!!
A drunken night at the local pub - my first pint of Greene King IPA....that was a nice moment!!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 17/09/2006.
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September 12
Woke up at some ridiculous hour - 0730 and walked up to the cafe, next to Carolines school, and had a final cheap coffee.
The flight home was on time - but i had the worst airplane food i have ever had - Ben, to use your term - 'it was a dirty sandwich'. Arrived a little late in Heathrow and walked into the arrivals hall.....for the first time ever (i think) there was someone to meet me at arrivals!!! The person did not run up to me, jump on me and kiss me passionatley (like in the movie Love Actually) - instead, he casually walked up to me and i shook his hand!! It was John!!!!!
We had a final coffee (not starbucks) and then the very nice man from Lufthansa picked us up and took us to the warehouse where the bikes were!!
Martin (the very nice man from Lufthansa) was a star - he had helped us sort out getting the bikes through customs and as we walked into the warehouse the bikes were there and ready to go!!!!
We hit the british roads.....and headed for the nearest gas station!!! How much!!! 91p for a litre of gas!!!! What happened whilst i was away!!!??? A bit of roadrage later (somethings never change in the uk) and we were on the way to Johns house - sussex way (never actually really worked out where he lived....i just followed him!!).
Stayed the night at Johns and met the lovely 'Gail and the kids'. Thank you Gail - eating some nice home cooked food was a really pleasure!
- Posted by mark stowe on 17/09/2006.
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Plans
After over 5 months of planning, i have finally work out when i will return to my house - and complete the journey.
I will be riding into my drive at around 1800 on Thursday September 14. Then sitting down with a cup of tea - assuming someone will bring along a pint of milk!!
The reason for the super accurate timing.......one vision i have had from the beginning of this trip, and the reason i left from Harwich and not Dover, was that i want to leave turning left out of my drive and return turning left into my drive. I have the picture of me turning left out....i just need the picture of me turning left in...and for this picture i need at least one friend to be there!!
NB: Of course...all plans have the potential to change!!!
- Posted by mark stowe on 12/09/2006.
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September 11
Started to pack all my kit (arriving in Heathrow tomorrow lunchtime) and arranged with Lufthansa and Heathrow Handling how to get the bike through UK Customs. The bike arrived in the UK this morning at 0517 ( http://www.lufthansa-cargo.com/GB/tracking.jsp?prefix=020&awb=49209042 ) - still planning to pick them up Tuesday. Still not sure what day i will actually be riding home....i have some friends i want to see before i arrive.
- Posted by mark stowe on 11/09/2006.
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