| How to Bugger Off Dylan Field has been talking to us about his upcoming trip overland from Melbourne to London this year. After abusing him for being in a position to go for it I've parked my jealousy. I thought you'd be interested in what he's learned in the pre-journey errr... Journey. We can all suffer in our jocks! Here are his thoughts. ******************** You won't be prepared. That's the ironic lesson I learned planning my trip from Melbourne to London. It's not the logistical effort of getting from one place to another but an emotional one. You sit there in your room, surrounded by maps, boxes, bags and motorbike parts counting the cost. You constantly wonder what the hell you're doing. It's the same thing Carlos Sainz pondered at the passing of Paulo Gonçalves at this year's Dakar Rally. My advice, keep going. 
Preparation began with the idea. I met a guy at a bucks party who rode Melbourne to Romania. The conversation began when I told him my partner's from Iran. He showed me pictures of him riding there. I was stunned. I didn't know you could ride an Australian registered bike around the world. When I took off on my 3-month ride around North America, I knew I had to do the same. I looked up all the mountains in the world and plotted a route through them the night I got home. 
The rest is details. I met up with Drew from the bucks party and he gave me some advice and direction. I selected a motorbike and almost switched it to an e-bike to save costs and hassles. I plotted a route on a giant map with a piece of string, took note of the weather, terrain and bought the appropriate gear. Shipping, border crossings, and political situations are some of the other balls being juggled during planning. Iran is one of the main destinations. I don't even know if I'll get there. My partner's Iranian and I want to see the country and meet her parents. It's a beautiful and culturally rich place. We keep a close eye on the news as tensions with the USA flare-up. Fingers crossed everything goes well and her father likes me! Planning an adventure of this scale is daunting and full of unknowns. Doing it will be just as tricky. You'll never be fully prepared for what lies ahead. 
It certainly helps to have Andy's support and a set of his Avduro pannier bags. They're lightweight and tough enough for anything I'll put them through. Dylan My tips: - Find someone whose done it - Focus on getting there - Know your budget - Know the weather - Try not to worry Follow the ride on Instagram: https://instagram.com.au/dylan_george_field | 
