IMAGES: TOM BING AT www.thewestroad.net
How long are you planning on travelling for?
We are aiming for a year in total but who knows. We quit our jobs and the flat rented out withing a day of being online. We might end up quitting in a couple of months or spending a bit of time somewhere we fall in love along the way. We are totally open to ideas of how to live for a while.
How did you find doing your test in the UK?
I found the process of the test really difficult. I failed my Mod 1 the first time round because I ran over a cone pretty much immediately. The Examiner wore a helmet in the yard the whole time and had piercing mean eyes. I didn't feel like I was actually taught to understand how to ride and instead just told to do it. I changed riding schools and found the next guys teaching style way more helpful, less chauvanist and spent time explaining things more logically. For me actually learning to ride was way more important than passing my test if that makes sense. It cost money but I ended up taking my time, having more lessons than they would usually give. The only problem then was that I was cuttting it really fine with regards to the trip. I knew how important it was to have my license for so many reasons but in particular to cover me insurance wise, I am sure there are countries out here that you would never be asked. We cut it so fine that the morning of my flight I had to take a detour to pick up my new license which had just arrived. It was pretty stressful and I ended up putting a hell of a lot of pressure on myself to pass but I did first time, that was after getting the wrong date for my first one, I turned up two days too late and ended up sat in the waiting room next to my old instructor, that was a bit shit, ha. I spent the whole test itself thinking that I had surely failed and when in fact I got two minors for hesitating, smashed it. Never been so happy to finish something and never have to do it again to be honest. Most people I speak to say the same thing, it's not an easy process. I don't mean to discourage anybody because it really is well worth doing, it feels amazing to know that I can now legally ride any bike I want.
How do you think riding in the uk differs from riding in South America?
It's early days yet but after nearly 3,000km's there are definitely positives and negatives. On the plus side, the weather is amazing, it never rains, is always warm and dry. Chile is so big that the cities are really spread out, the infrastrucure is not the same as the UK, there are 'gas gaps' of up to 400km meaning you have to carry a jerry can really to avoid getting stuck. In England I wouldn't ever choose to travel on a motorway, here you have no choice sometimes, its the only option for part of the country. The Ruta 5, the Pan American Highway here is pretty horrific, there are huge trucks and busses flying past way quicker than necessary, and then they come up behind you and sit on your tail being really menacing. The smaller roads and dirt tracks are absolutely amazing though; stunning scenery, sea to the left, mountains to the right and when you inland a bit its like a cross between Mad Max and Jurrassic Park, not another car for miles and plenty of empty beaches to camp on for free. Those big stretches of empty roads never get boring. One big problem is the dogs. Everytime we pull into, or leave a town on the bikes, dogs chase us, snapping at our legs. They don't seem to like the noise of the bikes and they really mean business, I am writing this having just returned from hospital after losing a battle with a German Sheperd last night, although that was nothing to do with a motorbike. I'm OK.
Will you be getting a bike the UK when you get back?
We kept our XR125 for when we get back. I can imagine after a trip this long that it would feel strange not to have a bike, I am becoming quite attached to it. For me, the romance is where motorbikes can take you, I'm not bothered about the aesthics and heritage as much at the minute, though I can appreciate the appeal. Right now, my dream bike would be anything that can let me ride though any terrain, particularly sand and dirt maybe with one of those long range tanks. A set of good OS maps and some better tires would also be mint!
What advice would you give to someone considering to do a similar trip who maybe spent have their licence yet?
I would say that I am not really able to give advice quite yet, but having your licence gives you so much confidence when riding. If you're even thinking about a trip like this, start the process get your license, but do it nice and early! Before this trip, I had no desire to ride bikes really but having this skill feels amazing, that said, I am dreading the next part of the journey (400km's with no fuel on the 'Most Dealy Highway's in the America's). What I would say is get a Garmin GPS, use Bikehike.co.uk to plan routes and take a good tent, a jerry-can and a Primus Omnifuel stove (as these run off petrol). My top tip is a pair of decent old Levis (when they were proper denim), take them to the old lady in the Indoor Market and get her to sew in E-bay Kevlar into the knees and hips, I live in these jeans, on and off the bike, Tom too. Trying to find decent ladies riding gear is a nightmare and it really doesn't need to be expensive.
