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This page contains questions various people have asked me regarding my round the world trip. If you have a question to ask and it is not listed here than please feel free to email me.
- Why?
- Are you going alone?
- Are you scared?
- Is it expensive?
- Was it hard to make this decision?
- When are you leaving?
- What shape are you starting in?
- What tour experience do you have?
Why?
This is probably the most asked question next to number 2. I have had a fascination with travel ever since my first library card. I went into that library and it opened up a whole new world for me. That was many, many years ago. At first I wanted to sail around the world, that however, was not even feasible. Bicycling and backpacking are the combo choice of today, for me, for my limited price range. Keep in mind I may be going to go by bicycle to loose weight but, the fun I have traveling has always been the larger contributing factor.
Are you going alone?
Yes, there are going to be lonely, hard times as well as happy, carefree times. Both the good and the bad. It is much to hard to find someone that would be compatible with my timeframe, financial frame, and cycling speed. I am a SLOW cyclist. Given the nature of my health it couldn't be any other way. My boyfriend absolutely could not afford to loose the time at work. Mores the pity. With my health picture the way it is, I felt that now is the time to go, before it gets any worse. If I had my choice I would certainly want to go with my boyfriend, failing that, my second choice would be to go alone so I can go at my speed, on my dime, on my time.
Are you scared?
Yes, but not for the reasons you are probably thinking of. I am scared of rabid dogs, of being hit by a car, of being clumsy and injuring myself, of being far away from proper medical attention at the time I need it. I am scared that the cycling portion of this trip will be to hard for me and I won't be able to take the heat. I am scared that I when the final deadline comes I will flake out and call it quits and not do this trip at all. These are the fears that loom large on the horizon for me. However, I am not scared of being a woman who travels alone. It just doesn't work that way for me. What fears I did have about that dwindled against the years of research for this trip. Information is power.
Is it expensive?
Yes, but how a person chooses to travel makes a big impact on any given budget. I am going to try to go as cheaply as possible, sucks, I know, but I got to do what I got to do.
Was it hard to make this decision?
Hell, Yes! I have a wonderful life, boyfriend, house, and job! Anyone is a fool for leaving that kind of life behind, but I find that it is something I have to do for myself and for my health.
When are you leaving?
My estimated time of departure will be May first 2005 or thereabouts.
What shape are you starting in?
What ever shape I am in come May first is the shape I start with, which most likely won't be that great. I will do my best, though.
If it is one thing I have learned over the past four years of doing the diet and exercise game is how to pace myself and listen to the beat of my heart. I have been able to get up to 20 miles a day biking and still be and feel refreshed. I can also do 50 miles a day mostly downhill and be totally wiped out. Go figure. I will slowly work up to 50 miles a day and hopefully get in shape as I go.
If you do as I do and start out in, possibly, poor, shabby, physical shape then remember above all to do the following:
Pace yourself= Rest every hour on the hour, eat and drink lots! Bring oranges and fruit for last minute, in a crunch, snacks.
Listen to your heart= If I feel my heart beating to harshly or quickly I immediately slow or stop to rest. It is essential for me to pace myself in this manner. Listen to your heart it will tell you when to rest. It took me a long time to learn to pace myself to something as subtle as a heartbeat. Those four years were worth that alone.
What tour experience do you have?
Not as much as I would like to decrease my anxiety and increase my confidence. I have done many one day cycle trips ranging from 7 to 20 miles a day. I have done one overnight trip, outside of my home town, with a 50 mile day, rear panniers only, two mountain passes. That last trip was when I decided that I would like to start seriously touring. That is it. Obviously this will be a supremely big jump from random summer cycling to a long all out tour. I am counting on my love of travel and activity to pull me through. Crazy, huh? :-)