Round The World 2006

Is this fate?

Today, i finally signed an employment contract with Ford Motor Company - almost 14 months after leaving, i have a permanent job back with them.

So....i get home a catch up with email and find that Ewan and Charley have just started a new journey - here

They left Scotland on Saturday (May 12) - here

Is this fate? Can my bank account take another trip. Will my new boss find it funny when i tell him i want to leave? Can mother take another summer of worry?

Advice?

Posted by mark stowe on 15/05/2007.
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From Russia (with Love?)

The Very nice lady that planted a tree for me in her slowly growing forest wrote to me today....

I sent here some pictures of my visit to here 'hotel'....she sent me a letter back with some photographs.......any idea what she has written?

here

Posted by mark stowe on 20/01/2007.
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Videos added

I have added some videos here.

Posted by mark stowe on 02/01/2007.
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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!!!

Posted by mark stowe on 27/09/2006.
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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.

Posted by mark stowe on 18/09/2006.
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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!!