Planning. In some respects, it’s one of the things I do best and in others, it’s something that completely overwhelms me. Lists are becoming my best friend, and I love checking things off that list. So far, I’ve:
- Reserved my airfare for my sabbatical
- Bought new tires
- Bought new chain and sprockets
- Bought my new GPS
- Scheduled a safety inspection/routine maintenance appointment for my bike
- Developed a rough itinerary
- Got a chip and pin credit card
- Started documenting all of the HR processes so that my desk won’t fall apart while I’m gone for two months
Unfortunately, there’s still an awful lot to do:
- Finish my cargo reservation for my bike
- Secure green card liability insurance for my bike
- Secure travel medical insurance for me
- Secure a MedJet membership for me
- Order a new heated jacket liner
- Get new passport photos and passport
- Get Russian visa for Kaliningrad Oblast
- Get my tires changed
- Study my Eastern European phrasebook
- Train my backup at work in what I do all day
- Learn how to use my new Trangia cookstove
- Learn how to actually use Basecamp to develop routes for my GPS
- Find out if I need to get any vaccinations; get necessary vaccinations if needed
- The million things I’m forgetting about
One step at a time and it’ll all get done, leaving me with only the normal things to panic about – what if I get a puncture? What if my bike breaks down? How on earth will I manage to drive on the opposite side of the road in the UK? How will I manage with only 3 pairs of shoes for 2 months?