Friday 27th May. That’s the day ‘the letter’ says I’ll be leaving work. This feels a long way away, but counting down it’s only 80 days from now. So this is as good as time as any to have a think about what needs doing in those 80 days.
Big stuff:
Iran visa
Pakistan visa
India visa
From looking at their respective websites, it looks like a bureaucratic nightmare, more on these to follow.
Get road tax for current motorbike which expires soon, then…
Sell motorbike (Yamaha Fazer FZ6)
Buy motorbike (Yamaha XT660)
Buy luggage set for new bike & make frame to fit it
Arrange all other mods to new bike
- hard wire GPS & 12v charger to battery
- fit centre stand
- fit rasied screen and hand guards if not already on
Arrange international driving permit from AA
Arrange carnet for new bike from RAC
Make sure all documents from driving license to passport are up to date and make good colour copies of everything.
Take out bike insurance to cover as many countries as possible
Take out health / emergency airlift insurance
Find out what jabs are needed and get them
Arrange a check up at the dentist
Sell car, cancel insurance and collect no claims evidence for when next need it
Sell or store everything that’s not coming with me
Little stuff:
Work out actual departure day & catch ups with everyone before then
Book Eurotunnel or ferry before it gets too expensive
Work out a route & some couchsurfers for the first few days
Look into & print walking routes for a few mountains
Learn how to use video camera and editing software
Cancel mobile phone contract, get new one with international sim
Change a load of money into US$ for emergencies
Make sure all banking Direct Debits etc are up to date
Get CV up to date and work references
Annoying questions:
Look into what happens to my pension & national insurance
Look into completing a P85 Income Tax Form "for those leaving the United Kingdom" and forward to the Inland Revenue with P45
There’s probably more, this is just what’s on my mind at the moment and it’s a relief just to get the list written down. Much like thinking about the trip itself, trying to take it all in at once is impossible, so breaking it down into smaller jobs is the only way. Next up must be selling my bike and buying the one for the trip. Hopefully the next post here will be headed with a photo of the shiny Yamaha XT660. More soon.
