Well,

at last we're off! The trip to China took a little longer than I expected but I only had a couple of punctures and, though the handlebars worked a bit loose in the Gobi desert, I finally arrived at the launching pad. I managed to sell the bicycle to a friendly native for a few apples and some bottled water that tasted a bit strange. I won't be needing cash where I'm going!

I'll post some pictures soon but at the moment my camera doesn't seem to be working properly; something may have got inside when I was swimming in the Ganges I suppose.

The weather is good and we're all set for take off in a week's time. Until then, I'm going to chill in the local tea-rooms. Everyone is so friendly and I'm having a fantastic time!