Time to relax and take some time off work, contemplate the last year and the year ahead. Making plans and realising that time is tight!

Also time to watch lots of youtube videos showing how to make balloon animals and practice! Seeing the joy this brings to my little 2 year old, I can’t wait to give my first ones out to some random kids!

Here’s a monkey I made which I’m quite pleased with!

End of an era, I can’t believe the Russian course has finished already! Starting with 16 people, those pictured are the few who remain at the end of the course. I will be signing up for the next level, it’s a refreshing break from the other (techy) stuff I need to learn! Roll on course two, starting in Janurary.

Just over 4 months isn’t a long time to arrange Visas, transport, save money, finish preparing the bike, sort out water purifiation, a camping hamock (maybe) – along with all the other stuff I’ve probably forgotten. But, there’s always time for a day off and a spot of racing!

The Sidecar Racing club of Victoria had their come and try it day, it was a blast. I got to ride Bernie’s outfit most of the day, which I’ve been passenger on this year. It’s fantastic, so much so that I’d even consider buying one at some point in the future. Old friends and new came along and gave it their all, it was a truely superb day!

The outfit had been painted and the fairing all repaired, so it was a bonus to drive it on full song. Amazing machine! Now I have to get back to the hum-drum of planning a trip, the not so glamorous part and (specifcally) the part I hate most!

I’ve been reading about other people’s travels and there seems to be a recurring theme. The generosity of strangers. It seems the less people have, the more they are willing to give. Running alongside this is the sadness of not having anything to leave as a gift in return, when the smallest of things would have made a huge difference.

Travelling by motorcycle limits the amount you can take as a gift. I’d considered sweets, pens etc. But ruled them out as to baulky. I decided that a roll of stickers was the go, until I saw a balloon artist at a kids party the other day.

I had my eureka moment! Deflated balloons are light and small enough to carry. I can instantly make a present for anyone, colourful and vibrant. OK, so it won’t last forever, but somehow that adds as much as it detracts.

All I have to do now is learn how to do it! (I can already make a sausage). Realistically I only need to know a couple of things, as I won’t be in the same place for long. A dog would be the classic of course, though maybe not exactly like the one in the picture!