And I have just ordered a EU usb charger. This is the latest thing on a very long list of things I have recently bought with the hope it will be a vitally important gadget that we couldn’t have gotten to China without. We have also invested in new bike parts, new tools, new clothes, new shoes, new bags, new gadgets and new bikes. The to-do list has become rather crossed out, and i’ve realised that this whole quitting-life-to-cycle-to-China malarkey is going to turn out to be rather expensive.

But the preparations, despite seeming to purely consist of shopping, and being stuck with needles (got our vaccinations this week and now have very sore arms), are firmly underway, and in 5-ish weeks we will be flying to Lisbon and setting off. And I am so…. nothing, I don’t feel excited, I don’t feel nervous, I just feel kind of like my brain has decided that it isn’t really happening. It’s like it’s something cool happening to someone we know, not something I am about to fall straight into. It’s very odd.

We have been asked quite a lot what training we are doing for the trip, and the answer is actually none. I figured after a couple of weeks of touring we will be probably as fit as we are ever going to get, so there is no point. We both know how to cycle and cycle pretty much everyday, it’ll be fine (famous last words).

Anyone who knows us will understand that saying we are both BIG eaters is a bit of an understatement, and as I have been pondering the pressing question – will we be well fed on tour? – I had to choose between starting smaller portions now to get used to tour-rationing, or to stuff my face as often as possible in order to stock up/long term carb load (is that a real thing?). I’m sure it’s pretty obvious which road I took.

So in summary – preparations have been both minimal and expensive, but we are very nearly ready to go. We are hoping to have a (so far completely unplanned) weekend away gear testing in a couple of weeks, so we shall see how it goes!

Jade