Saturday, May 17, 2003  

Giving Notice

I resigned yesterday. Obviously it had to be done to accommodate this trip with the given two weeks . . well - given. I feel strangely liberated . . a huge weight off my shoulders. It has certainly been some good times with this company and some even better friends I have come across in my time here.

But now, another chapter draws to the end and with the anticipation of a lost traveller in the desert looking for water, so to do I have a dry thirst for what is yet to become.

I am in Atlanta now, having flown in on a red-eye and am typing now with heavy lidded eyes. My purpose over the next 5 days is to clean up some loose ends as well as to fare well some of my closest friends I have met here. I will be flying down to Miami tomorrow to do the same there.

It is not with a sad heart that I leave though, like when I left Hong Kong. I know now with the abundance of electronic mediums it will still be easy to keep in touch with those who care to, even from some of the furthermost corners of the planet albeit sporadically. It will also be liberating to be able to freely look for a job again and travel without restrictions and not live under many other dampening downs of the freedoms of a foreigner in this land.

I do have my regrets though. Which seem to pain more as one gets older. Tis' the folly of experience I guess.

On another note, the world does seem to becoming a more dangerous place to travel in - a bomb in Casablanca yesterday has claimed 41. Unlike the middle east Morocco is directly in my route.

Taken with a grain of salt. Without putting too much emphasis on it, they say that we haven't lived until we have lived with the fear of death. Should make for some interesting stories.

posted by Shaun; | 8:13 PM

Sweating the little things

Hmmm, the "To Do" list and available time before the trip no longer match. I suspect I am freaking a bit at the moment. Actually lost sleep over the fact that I have not packed a valve stem tool. Then remembered that I can buy one on the road. Stupid. Oh well guess I will have to get over it. As for the visas, not sure I like having to count on getting them in Alaska. What if they don't arrive on time or a denied......go south and ride South America I suspect. Oh well nothing to be done about that one so, I should not worry.

posted by Henning; | 10:57 PM

How to plan for beuracracy - you can't

News today of the visa's - apparently they are 'still in process'. Not too much later than expected, but it does get a little nerve racking when these are the last items in a long line of planning and in some ways the most important.

Henning and Matt may have to get their visas and passports delivered to them in Alaska. I, on the other hand, as a non-US citizen must get my passport back before I leave the country and head into Canada and on to Alaska.

A potential fatal flaw in the plan stan . . .

posted by Shaun; | 9:09 AM

Note to the wise

BMW USA leaves much to be desired. I went to my BMW dealer, Berkshire Motorworks in Schenectady NY for a tune-up....was told "we can not fit you in until early July"...hmmm not good. Well, spoke and pleaded with them an they said "bring in the bike and we will work on it". So, brought the bike in and left it there for over a week, went down to pick it up...... nothing was done....they did not have time. Well, being that I am taking a little trip I needed some parts as well. So, when I dropped off the bike I ordered some spare bits and pieces (break and clutch lever, fuel filter, water pump rebuilt kit etc.). Here we are three weeks later and most of the parts are still not here....found out BMW USA also has no parts tracking so they do not even know if the remaining parts have been shipped. Lesson learned: Do not buy anything that makes you depend on BMW USA for service or parts.

and a picture of the woods . . .

posted by Henning; | 5:28 PM

Electronics and bikes do not mix

Well, it just had to be done didn't it. I bought a brand new digital camera for the trip and was filming some offroad action in the mountains up behind the valley when the camera fell off the bike. So, one brand new $500 camera is now not so brand new. Luck to be not too much damage apart from the lense protector or whatever it is now doesn't close. The worst thing though is having something new and cool which now looks like I have had it for four years.

oh well - check out the video here and enjoy the end ;-)

posted by Shaun; | 3:23 AM

Pre Trip Shakeup

Matt and Henning went on a ride during a weekend,and took some pictures I'm posting it for them as they are both off congratulating alexander bell on his new invention and haven't got round to learning computers yet.

posted by Shaun; | 2:37 AM