Diary June 13th 2006

05. Juli 2007

Now the most important, maintaining the motorcycles.

New tyres, sponsored by Continental (see support), mounting them with Uli our private mechanic, always there if you need him. Oil change, new chain, brake pads, a gel battery - thanks to BMW Wahl for the discount (see support).

04. Juli 2007

A few pictures from moving and saying good bye...

 

After a chaotic week with moving organizing, and prepairing and saying godbye we stay with friends during the last week. Thanks to Peter, Liane, Jost und Jaro, Sascha und Nikole für die Beherbergung. we really felt like being at home . Of course thanks to all helpers carrying boxes, furinture and so on

especially to Kerstine - Anja's sister  , Jörg, Dierk, Peter, Uli, Ela and her brother Thomas in Zweibrücken who is the godfather of the FZ 750 and the XT 500.

And the last barbequeue in front of the garages was awesome .

June 27th 2007

We have finished  the renovation. Put on wallpapers, painted all walls and so on. I hope our renter is conted with the result.

Now I must finish the bikes (last cosmetics - I know they should have been finished).

May 28th 2007

Here a few pictures of our flat. We leave  june 30th and then we will be homeless for one week. We are going to sponge bed and breakfast for the last five days and then, on Friday we will ride home to our families. We are going to start from there on July 8th (if there won't be any problems)

Our kitchen was thrown away (after nearly twenty years of use). Bedroom and study are renovated

A few boxes and furniture have been brought to our hometown. Thanks to Aunt Waltraud for asylum. We are very happy for finding a place for all our stuff. The removal van is booked and on Saturday June 23rd we start to pack all our furniture and finish the renovation of the flat. We welcome all volunteers.

All connections (water, electricity) are cancelled, new bank account is given to all insurances that we keep during our trip. The general power of attorney is signed by a notary.

Visa for Russia, Kasachstan, Mongolia and China are ordered.

Some travellers adviced us to order a second passport - and so we did.

Bought a Garmin Map 60CSX (Touratech), little bags for the panniers, new sleeping bags (we can connect them to one - if it's getting too cold ), headlights and other useful things.

And of course a nice camera and a notebook.

Ela's dad welded two nice toolboxes - and they are put on the bikes.

Got a nice chain oiler (CLS).

Got immunizations for rabies and cholera. Created a list of medicine with Dr Pohl. Thanks to Dr Pohl and his surgery for all phoning and investigating and your support.

 

April 11th/12th 2007

Today we go to Wilbers GmbH in Nordhorn. Benny Wilbers was so kind and sponsored a complete suspension package for testing. Now we are test riders .

Thanks to Frank Müller and his technicians for caring (coffe, lunch ...) and modifiing the bikes

And of course thanks to Benny Wilbers for his support

 


 

March 6th 2007 

We have renovated our first room, so we have a storage for all our packed stuff .

We went to the motorcycle exposition in Dortmund to inform about news to talk to firms for. Now we are going to write to some firms for some support.

Bought maps of Ucraine, Russia, Kasachstan, Central  Asia, Mongolia, China, Nepal and India (Reise Know How) for planning our exact route. We would like to ride from Mongolia to Nepal by crossing China. But it seems to be impossible (except paying an amount of money). It is nearly impossible to get into  China with an own vehicle. Now we are in contact with a travel agency that is specialised on trips through China. But as I said before, I think it is too expensive.

swot Russian and Spain hard. I have decided to acompany Anja to both courses (well, it is difficult to resist a woman). Spanish is not too bad, but Russian is quite hard. Especially the alphabet is difficult to keep in mind. Our Russian teacher Soja is very nice and funny - thanks for your patience.

 


 

February 14th 2007

Today we have received the call for my exemption from 2008. Now we can start planning our trip exactly because we are goning to leave July 08th 2007.   

 February 1st 2007

Get another immunization (see organizational).

and our EU driving licence( without them we will not get the international ones - see organizational ). 

Started packing in the first room (thanks Ela for all the boxes), the first bullky waste will be February 13.

Anja enroled for two language courses. I prefer staying at home, or going to the gym (need power for lifting the bikes) Even if it might be helpful.

We think of the necessity of a GPS ...

Because of selling our car in July, it is chequed and renewed in a garage.

Used the Christmas holiday to do some transactions:

opened new accounts in Zweibrücken, cancelled accounts in Mudersbach, Anja's sister and my parents got an authority so that they can manage our accounts. In our Easter holiday they will get ageneral power of attorney.

Got our first immunizations (see organizational).

Anja went complete for a complete check up to the doctors.

 


 

December 14th 2006 

Merry christmas and happy new year 2007

Unfortunately I haven't got any information about my exemption yet. So I don't know if we hzave got one or two years .

We have renewed our homepage. Thanks Christian for your help and patience . The layout shows our bikes in Italy / Sardinia.

And of course, we enjoy christmas time. The smell of the christmas fair, the drinks (wine etc) and the nice  meals. No idea what will happen next  .

 


November  19th 2006

Anja as a booter, selling our household

   


November 12th 2006 - Slide show - Deserts of the earth

 


 

October 17th 2006 - BMW  Motorcycle Enduro-Training in Hechlingen:

Took our second day. It was a great day and Anja was happy to find an instructor who took her doubts because of her "accident" 

July 8th/9th 2006 - BMW Motorcycle Enduro - Training in Hechlingen:

We have decided to to an off-road training because we do not have any experience in off-road biking. So we went to Hechlingen  and took an 2-day training, bikes included. At the end of the day Anja had an accident. HerShe was not able to stand, but rode the bike back (oh yes she's really tough, isn't she). Well, the radiographics showed a split in her leg. 

 

 


 

 September 19th 2006

After our first test trip with our new bikes we can start now with the preparations for our trip.


 

 July 1st 2006

We  have decided to prolong our trip  so that we can start by bike and not by plane. Biut before I have to pass  bureaucracy - and of course, it's a hard "road" - we will see   


 

June 13th 2006 

We are preparing our trip to Australia and New Zealand. We note all ideas (things we need etc) on a pinboard. I 'm ordering all parts for our bikes but always find something new that I must have . The tank part are getting their colour and I'm waiting to finish the bikes for our holiday.

 


 

 March 2006

Modification can start


  

September 2005 und February 2006

 We have bought two wonderful BMW's.