Motorcycling in Europe

For people like me with very little time on their hands for trip research but who google 'motorcycling in Europe' in the hopes something will pop up, here's some tips from us. Not complete but, with the benefit of hindsight, tips which may have made life a bit easier had we figured it out sooner. This is a really girly list. Toby probably wouldn't agree with half of it.

1. Practise packing. And don't just stick 'most' of what you'll need on the bike and then ride around the car park in your clothes like we did. Put ALL of what you'll need on the bike, get dressed in ALL the gear you'll be wearing, and go for a proper ride. Up the highway, let the bike get nice and hot for a while. This is how you'll discover things like a) you need to readjust your jacket, b) your pannier drops into your exhaust and is going to get a hole burnt in it, and c) you have planned to take too much stuff.

2. Take electrical tape. The thick black stuff. Two rolls if possible. This is to fix the bike, fix the tent, fix your clothes, secure bags of pasta you didn't finish the night before, and so on.

3. Buy those little packets of tissues in bulk, then split them up and stick the individual packets through all your luggage. They won't take up much room but they will be invaluable. Not all toilets come with toilet paper you know.

4. Take hand sanitiser. Combined with the tissues they will come in very handy. Camping is dirty work. Not all toilets come with soap you know.

5. Take nail clippers, the kind with a wee file tucked inside. Again, camping is dirty work and if you can stop your nails flaking to shreds you will feel more human. Plus, clippers can cut more than just nails (see point 2).

6. Take some drugs. Some panadol and some belly stuff. Not a whole pharmacy, just enough that you'll still be able to function if something goes wrong.

7. Take sunscreen. Yes, you can burn through your helmet's visor. And some bug spray.

8. Take the motorway if you're bored. They're expensive but they'll get you where you want to go, and then you can get off and mosey through some more interesting countryside.

9. Have a go on the autobahn in Germany. A real go.

10. Take a GPS if you can, especially if you plan to go somewhere like Rome. Don't use it all the time, save it for a special occasion when you're about to kill each other.

11. For God's sake, do some proper research. 'Google' does not count.

Before we left I printed off this article: http://www.motorcycle.co.uk/Motorcycle-Touring-Europe/ and it was our bible before we left. I would agree with all his pointers, particularly the 'just go' mentality.

It was a terrifically stressful time for us, but in just a few short months we've managed to forget the difficult days and look upon it as what will probably be one of our life's great adventures. I hope everyone gets the chance to do something that makes them feel that anxious and cranky but overwhelmed by the loveliness of the world, all at once.