The Fifty and Above Club....if you're any younger don't even think about posting.

[topchippyles]

2 minutes ago, Bob_z_l said:

Yes Top Man.  Not dead yet!

 

50 was a breeze. 40 was my personal nightmare. Made redundant no job, struggling etc. After that everything else was like a holiday. 

 

Happy (belated) Birthday to you. Onwards and upwards. 

 

 

Thanks kindly Mr bob have a nice day sir 👍

[Baldbloke]

Bit of a quandary at the moment.

When I was a youngster in my 20s I used to guide tourists (by motorcycle) around the Middle East and sometimes over the Atlas Mountains (Morocco) and down through the Western Sahara towards Senegal. I lived abroad as a kid, went to boarding school from six, and was chucked out of Rannoch school in the highlands by 15. At 17 I worked my way around NZ and Aus, and couldn’t settle for a while after that, hence why I did a fair bit of travel. Motorbikes were my thing, and still are.

43 years ago I was travelling alone and having gone through the then shithole of the former Yugoslavia (having met up with an old friend who was then working in Belgrade) I decided I would go down to meet other friends in Athens. However, in Northern Greece another bike traveller stopped when he noticed my U.K. plates. He was off to Australia, and because my pockets were flush with cash from doing a stint in a German stone quarry, I said I’d go along with him for a while.

We had a great time but got stuck in Israel as the surrounding Arab countries wouldn’t let us out of Israel and into their countries with our own transport. You could only leave Israel by foot or by public transport as a tourist and only if you’d been sensible enough to not have your passport stamped on initial entry into Israel. We did try a few very dodgy but unsuccessful entries in spite of this issue. I left my friend shortly afterwards as my bike was needing a rebuild having done 25,000 miles in less than 7 months. Chris went back to a Greek island and then onto Syria, but then went onto Cape Town in South Africa rather than his original destination of Australia. Pretty unheard of in those days doing a solo trip down the east side of conflict raging Africa. Crossing the Namibian Desert and with 600 mile fuel un-availability being the least of it.

Within a year of doing that remarkable trip on a large road bike he completed North and South America too. Chris Donaldson’s book on this is called ‘Going the wrong way.’ Within the first couple of chapters you’ll realise that this chap is truthful, honest and doesn’t embellish his story in spite of it often sounding like fiction. I highly recommend it if you’re into travel or just to read an exciting book! I’m Jeff in the book as in my immature youth hated my given Christian name.

He’s now been back in touch and wants to complete his original wish of travelling to Australia on the exact same bike he travelled on through Africa, the Americas and Russia. His bike is a slightly modified 1978 Moto Guzzi Le Mans. His travelling companion this time, lost his bottle in the Middle East and has returned home. He now wants me to join him on my equally ancient Moto Guzzi.

The trouble is, I’m 63, married and have a well paid secure job so would lose it and any chance at building a pension. I’d also have to cover the cost of running my home in my absence, my travel costs, as well as trying to keep the long suffering wife happy, by trying to fly her out to wherever we were for occasion visits.

I know I’ll regret not doing this and in spite of needing another new hip and other arthritic bollocks know this is something that’ll top up my life experiences with which to look back on when I can no longer function as presently.

What would you do[emoji848]

 

 

 

 

 

[Baldbloke]

Following on from my last post and talking about coincidences, one of the doctors I occasionally drive in an out of hour capacity in his youth guided tourists around the Middle East in a truck within a year of me doing the same thing, also as a guide, but on motorcycles.

We both had similar scary experiences too🤣

 

[Bob_z_l]

1 hour ago, Baldbloke said:

Following on from my last post and talking about coincidences, one of the doctors I occasionally drive in an out of hour capacity in his youth guided tourists around the Middle East in a truck within a year of me doing the same thing, also as a guide, but on motorcycles.

We both had similar scary experiences too🤣

 

Not sure I'm any help, but your experiences are certainly worthy of committing to script. Be a book or other log/blog. 

Sharing with your family?

 

[Commando]

Bit of a quandary at the moment.
When I was a youngster in my 20s I used to guide tourists (by motorcycle) around the Middle East and sometimes over the Atlas Mountains (Morocco) and down through the Western Sahara towards Senegal. I lived abroad as a kid, went to boarding school from six, and was chucked out of Rannoch school in the highlands by 15. At 17 I worked my way around NZ and Aus, and couldn’t settle for a while after that, hence why I did a fair bit of travel. Motorbikes were my thing, and still are.
43 years ago I was travelling alone and having gone through the then shithole of the former Yugoslavia (having met up with an old friend who was then working in Belgrade) I decided I would go down to meet other friends in Athens. However, in Northern Greece another bike traveller stopped when he noticed my U.K. plates. He was off to Australia, and because my pockets were flush with cash from doing a stint in a German stone quarry, I said I’d go along with him for a while.
We had a great time but got stuck in Israel as the surrounding Arab countries wouldn’t let us out of Israel and into their countries with our own transport. You could only leave Israel by foot or by public transport as a tourist and only if you’d been sensible enough to not have your passport stamped on initial entry into Israel. We did try a few very dodgy but unsuccessful entries in spite of this issue. I left my friend shortly afterwards as my bike was needing a rebuild having done 25,000 miles in less than 7 months. Chris went back to a Greek island and then onto Syria, but then went onto Cape Town in South Africa rather than his original destination of Australia. Pretty unheard of in those days doing a solo trip down the east side of conflict raging Africa. Crossing the Namibian Desert and with 600 mile fuel un-availability being the least of it.
Within a year of doing that remarkable trip on a large road bike he completed North and South America too. Chris Donaldson’s book on this is called ‘Going the wrong way.’ Within the first couple of chapters you’ll realise that this chap is truthful, honest and doesn’t embellish his story in spite of it often sounding like fiction. I highly recommend it if you’re into travel or just to read an exciting book! I’m Jeff in the book as in my immature youth hated my given Christian name.
He’s now been back in touch and wants to complete his original wish of travelling to Australia on the exact same bike he travelled on through Africa, the Americas and Russia. His bike is a slightly modified 1978 Moto Guzzi Le Mans. His travelling companion this time, lost his bottle in the Middle East and has returned home. He now wants me to join him on my equally ancient Moto Guzzi.
The trouble is, I’m 63, married and have a well paid secure job so would lose it and any chance at building a pension. I’d also have to cover the cost of running my home in my absence, my travel costs, as well as trying to keep the long suffering wife happy, by trying to fly her out to wherever we were for occasion visits.
I know I’ll regret not doing this and in spite of needing another new hip and other arthritic bollocks know this is something that’ll top up my life experiences with which to look back on when I can no longer function as presently.
What would you do[emoji848]
 
 
 
 
 

Can you put it off until you retire? Looks like it’s not quite the right time now mate….

[Mick Dempsey]

3 hours ago, Baldbloke said:

Bit of a quandary at the moment.

When I was a youngster in my 20s I used to guide tourists (by motorcycle) around the Middle East and sometimes over the Atlas Mountains (Morocco) and down through the Western Sahara towards Senegal. I lived abroad as a kid, went to boarding school from six, and was chucked out of Rannoch school in the highlands by 15. At 17 I worked my way around NZ and Aus, and couldn’t settle for a while after that, hence why I did a fair bit of travel. Motorbikes were my thing, and still are.

43 years ago I was travelling alone and having gone through the then shithole of the former Yugoslavia (having met up with an old friend who was then working in Belgrade) I decided I would go down to meet other friends in Athens. However, in Northern Greece another bike traveller stopped when he noticed my U.K. plates. He was off to Australia, and because my pockets were flush with cash from doing a stint in a German stone quarry, I said I’d go along with him for a while.

We had a great time but got stuck in Israel as the surrounding Arab countries wouldn’t let us out of Israel and into their countries with our own transport. You could only leave Israel by foot or by public transport as a tourist and only if you’d been sensible enough to not have your passport stamped on initial entry into Israel. We did try a few very dodgy but unsuccessful entries in spite of this issue. I left my friend shortly afterwards as my bike was needing a rebuild having done 25,000 miles in less than 7 months. Chris went back to a Greek island and then onto Syria, but then went onto Cape Town in South Africa rather than his original destination of Australia. Pretty unheard of in those days doing a solo trip down the east side of conflict raging Africa. Crossing the Namibian Desert and with 600 mile fuel un-availability being the least of it.

Within a year of doing that remarkable trip on a large road bike he completed North and South America too. Chris Donaldson’s book on this is called ‘Going the wrong way.’ Within the first couple of chapters you’ll realise that this chap is truthful, honest and doesn’t embellish his story in spite of it often sounding like fiction. I highly recommend it if you’re into travel or just to read an exciting book! I’m Jeff in the book as in my immature youth hated my given Christian name.

He’s now been back in touch and wants to complete his original wish of travelling to Australia on the exact same bike he travelled on through Africa, the Americas and Russia. His bike is a slightly modified 1978 Moto Guzzi Le Mans. His travelling companion this time, lost his bottle in the Middle East and has returned home. He now wants me to join him on my equally ancient Moto Guzzi.

The trouble is, I’m 63, married and have a well paid secure job so would lose it and any chance at building a pension. I’d also have to cover the cost of running my home in my absence, my travel costs, as well as trying to keep the long suffering wife happy, by trying to fly her out to wherever we were for occasion visits.

I know I’ll regret not doing this and in spite of needing another new hip and other arthritic bollocks know this is something that’ll top up my life experiences with which to look back on when I can no longer function as presently.

What would you do

 

 

 

 

 

Dunno, but great story anyway.

Well actually, can you persuade him to let you do it on a more modern bike?

I was in Israel in 84, working on a moshav.

Got a few stories but not as adventurous as you. Chapeau!

Edited January 8, 2022 by Mick Dempsey

[Mark Bolam]

Just tell work you’ve got long covid and go.

 

You can write a book about it called The Long Covid Way Down.

[Baldbloke]

Not sure I'm any help, but your experiences are certainly worthy of committing to script. Be a book or other log/blog. 
Sharing with your family?
 

I have been told that by my friends[emoji1303]

[Stubby]

5 hours ago, Baldbloke said:

Bit of a quandary at the moment.

When I was a youngster in my 20s I used to guide tourists (by motorcycle) around the Middle East and sometimes over the Atlas Mountains (Morocco) and down through the Western Sahara towards Senegal. I lived abroad as a kid, went to boarding school from six, and was chucked out of Rannoch school in the highlands by 15. At 17 I worked my way around NZ and Aus, and couldn’t settle for a while after that, hence why I did a fair bit of travel. Motorbikes were my thing, and still are.

43 years ago I was travelling alone and having gone through the then shithole of the former Yugoslavia (having met up with an old friend who was then working in Belgrade) I decided I would go down to meet other friends in Athens. However, in Northern Greece another bike traveller stopped when he noticed my U.K. plates. He was off to Australia, and because my pockets were flush with cash from doing a stint in a German stone quarry, I said I’d go along with him for a while.

We had a great time but got stuck in Israel as the surrounding Arab countries wouldn’t let us out of Israel and into their countries with our own transport. You could only leave Israel by foot or by public transport as a tourist and only if you’d been sensible enough to not have your passport stamped on initial entry into Israel. We did try a few very dodgy but unsuccessful entries in spite of this issue. I left my friend shortly afterwards as my bike was needing a rebuild having done 25,000 miles in less than 7 months. Chris went back to a Greek island and then onto Syria, but then went onto Cape Town in South Africa rather than his original destination of Australia. Pretty unheard of in those days doing a solo trip down the east side of conflict raging Africa. Crossing the Namibian Desert and with 600 mile fuel un-availability being the least of it.

Within a year of doing that remarkable trip on a large road bike he completed North and South America too. Chris Donaldson’s book on this is called ‘Going the wrong way.’ Within the first couple of chapters you’ll realise that this chap is truthful, honest and doesn’t embellish his story in spite of it often sounding like fiction. I highly recommend it if you’re into travel or just to read an exciting book! I’m Jeff in the book as in my immature youth hated my given Christian name.

He’s now been back in touch and wants to complete his original wish of travelling to Australia on the exact same bike he travelled on through Africa, the Americas and Russia. His bike is a slightly modified 1978 Moto Guzzi Le Mans. His travelling companion this time, lost his bottle in the Middle East and has returned home. He now wants me to join him on my equally ancient Moto Guzzi.

The trouble is, I’m 63, married and have a well paid secure job so would lose it and any chance at building a pension. I’d also have to cover the cost of running my home in my absence, my travel costs, as well as trying to keep the long suffering wife happy, by trying to fly her out to wherever we were for occasion visits.

I know I’ll regret not doing this and in spite of needing another new hip and other arthritic bollocks know this is something that’ll top up my life experiences with which to look back on when I can no longer function as presently.

What would you do

 

 

 

 

 

Makes my little teenage stint look like a Sunday school outing . I do remember trying to sleep in the back of an old Post office van in Morocco up in the Atlas mountains . It was freeing with hail stones pounding on the van .  

[Baldbloke]

Can you put it off until you retire? Looks like it’s not quite the right time now mate….

I’d love to, but (rather like many others on this forum) have worked from a young age outside, and know that I may struggle to do the things I can presently do by the time a worthwhile NHS pension kicks in. Because of my ignorance through not filling in the appropriate paperwork or being able to prove working in NZ, Australia, France and Germany -to name a few, I am short of 9 years of U.K. state pension.
Totally my fault, and the belief that I’d live forever, and that my Dad was wrong.[emoji3]