I have a dream, & I need advice on a few things.

[Cringles]

My name is Chris, I'm 26, & I'm really busting to experience a cycle tour. For years I've been lurking on the forums, taking in advice on camping, bikes, gear, visas, finances, navigation etc. I've many sites bookmarked which I eventually read, & I follow quite a few blogs, some of which the person is still on tour.

My reason for wanting to tour is that I love travelling, the idea of adventure, getting away from the 9-5. A few years ago, I managed to get the courage to leave on my own to Australia to backpack for a few months. No cycling was involved at that point. 6 months travelling from Sydney to Cairns, & eventually ending up in a small town, working in a tomato factory to try to get a 2nd visa. But only a few weeks into that job did I become homesick, & eventually flew south to Adelaide to live with my brother for a bit. But things got complicated, & I got to comfortable so I came home. It was then that I took up cycling. I now think back to how I ended up in that tomato factory. It wasn't because I wanted to, it was because it was what everyone else was doing. When I reached Cairns, after a week I wanted to keep going. The best part of my trip was the constant travelling & site seeing, I didn't want to stop, or stay in one place too long.
As of now, I'm still living at home, & run a small business with my dad. But everyday I'm thinking of travelling. The main questions that come into my head are, 'can I afford it'? 'Can I do it alone, though I'd prefer to do it with others' & last is 'can I realistically keep a good supply of medication with me?'

Finances wise, I think I might be fine, mentally, I'm still trying to figure out if I could do it solo. Medical wise, I have Cystic Fibrosis, & I average 20 pills per day. My health has actually never been better now that I'm fortunate enough to receive a new pill. Which at this point in the history of CF, it's as good as a cure, the pill is that good. Obviously, medical wise, that's something I have to discuss with my Dr, but I don't think I've come across many blogs or forum posts about people who would require a decent haul of medication.

Because I have no one to physical to talk to about this trip, face to face, in the sense, no one with touring experience. I know I may have answered my own questions time & time again, but I guess I'm hoping for others to ask me questions, as I know I haven't thought about everything.

 

[jhawk]

Do it, my friend. I'm taking off across Canada next year.

As long as it is medically okay for you to bicycle tour... Then you have very little to lose!

"Adventure will change your life".

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

We set off 3 years ago last feb. we were only on the road 12 months - we had planned for more but circumstances put pay to that.

Medication wise - I'm a severe asthmatic and require 9 sets of meds for my asthma alone, am slightly paralysed, have a pituitary adenoma, am steroid dependant (whilst on the road I was only steroid dependent when ill or over doing it), high blood pressure and the list goes on.... I don't count how many tablets, it got too depressing.

We planned our tour loosely, but did start close to home first of all. The first 3 months were on the road in the UK and Eire for that reason. Could I handle my health issues on the road, was it even feasible for me to be doing this (and I have to confess those first few weeks were bl***** hard to say the least). I had spoken with my GP before going and had 3 months meds with me (1 front pannier was dedicated to my medication) and had arranged to collect another 3 months on our return to the UK before leaving for Europe.

We then did a big loop of Europe - up to the very far north of Norway, along the top of Norway to Russia and down to Greece and Turkey. Once in Europe we found ways and means of dealing with my meds. In Scandinavia, when I needed more meds, I simply went into a tourist information office and asked for help. I know this sounds odd, but they have lists of private doctors and they found me one with excellent English who could see me that day. I listed what I needed (repeat prescriptions are so very useful at this point!) and I was given a private prescription for what I needed. In the chemist I was told I only needed to collect what I wanted to carry with me in the country and collect the remainder of the prescription before I left the country - saved me carrying a lot of meds around for thousands of kms. In eastern Europe and southern Europe and beyond, life got easier and harder... some of my meds were not available in some countries, and some were available and I could buy them over the counter... so it became a case of always keeping enough to get to the next country and also to have a bale out option.

Those bale out options included over the web consultations with private dr's back in the UK and then shipping the meds to me via consulates (needs to be agreed in advance and delays you in that country) or my parents coming out with the meds for me - they were happy to do this if we had covered all other options and there was always the option of me flying home to collect more meds.... how it would have worked in some other countries with me taking steroids across the borders we never found out because of the incident that ended our tour. But there are ways and means around the problems including companies set up for overseas workers who will do private prescriptions online and arrange for you to 'collect' by which I assume they mean pay for your meds from a local to you chemist. And despite all of the concerns over 'fake' meds from chemists/pharmacy's I never knowingly encountered this issue and my asthma would have very quickly told me if I was not taking the right dosage.

Go for it and keep investigating. I suspect a lot of us do not mention it in our journals, I know I didn't!

 

[jay clock]

You are young. Go for it. Read Crazy Guy on a Bike journals. You have nothing to lose now. In 10 years you will likely be settled with a family etc and regretting it.

 

[Mark White]

At 35, the idea of travelling took a hold of me, and about a year later I got a one-way ticket to Thailand and have been here, and around South East Asia since. Not on a bike mind you, but I've met a few who are, one who had driven from the Middle East in a car, and plenty of others just doing the travelling thing.

I have never met anyone who has regretted it. I've seen some cool transformations as people drop closed ways of being and become more of themselves, and met some very interesting and excellent people. And a few gits...

The medical issue aside (I can't offer any helpful advice, so won't), the only thing you say that doesn't easily fit with travelling, and that's "homesick". Some people get hooked up on the things that aren't there, and when everything is different every single day it can be too much. But maybe it's just a word you used and of no great consequence.

If money is no object, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do it. If money is an object, develop some portable skill so you can hole up somewhere you like and earn some pennies once in a while ("everyone" teaches English in Asia for example, but plenty of PTs do various stuff on the internet) and then do it.

All of the above is terribly biased, of course :-)

 

[vickster]

Start with the uk and see how you go? Lejog maybe?

 

[Cringles]

Some nice advice & good stories, cheers guys. I do plan to test the waters closer to home fist. I'm planning on doing Mizen Head To Malin Head. I'm still using a Felt racer, so keeping my eyes open for a suitable touring bike. I could spend around £200 just putting suitable panniers on my racer.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think a tour around Britain or Canada may be a great idea, We in the US also speak a form of English and can make ourselves understood, although dialects and accents can get thick outside the larger cities. Most medicine is done through private insurance and hospitals, although chain pharmacies (chemists) such as Walgreens and CVS have little clinics in them, where you can be seen by a physicians assistant. Weather and allergies may be your worst enemy. Food, if you are homesick, can sometimes be found in British style in larger cities.
http://cycle.travel
http://bicyclehobo.com
http://www.tour-tales.com
http://www.cyclocampingforum.com
http://forums.adventurecycling.org/index.php
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com

 

[Monsieur]

Only 26?
Do it!
You'll blink and you'll be married with kids, hefty mortgage, career to work on....assuming the above ties don't affect you I'd do what you want and do it now

 

[buggi]

leave some money with your family for an emergency flight home if you need it, and just go do it. Worse that happen is they have to book that flight for you.

 

[MikeG]

Twenty years ago I drove the length of Africa, camping every night in the bush, buying food in the local markets, treating the local water, cooking over a campfire. We crossed the Sahara, and the jungles of Zaiire (now DRC).. It remains the best time of my life. We had very little money (and have travelled often in Africa since with much more money), had absolutely zero communication with the outside world, and had to act as our own doctor, mechanic, and so on. There is no greater sense of being alive than in doing something like this, regardless of how little money you have.

I would urge you to just get on with it, but would also suggest that you ignore the "start close to home" stuff. Cut your umbilical cord, and get to somewhere interesting (not Australia, though.....the place is crawling with Aussies ). You'll spend a long time regretting it if you don't. It is highly unlikely I'll ever get the chance to cycle the length of Africa, and I regret that already........

Mike

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Twenty years ago I drove the length of Africa, camping every night in the bush, buying food in the local markets, treating the local water, cooking over a campfire. We crossed the Sahara, and the jungles of Zaiire (now DRC).. It remains the best time of my life. We had very little money (and have travelled often in Africa since with much more money), had absolutely zero communication with the outside world, and had to act as our own doctor, mechanic, and so on. There is no greater sense of being alive than in doing something like this, regardless of how little money you have.

I would urge you to just get on with it, but would also suggest that you ignore the "start close to home" stuff. Cut your umbilical cord, and get to somewhere interesting (not Australia, though.....the place is crawling with Aussies ). You'll spend a long time regretting it if you don't. It is highly unlikely I'll ever get the chance to cycle the length of Africa, and I regret that already........

Mike

did you read all of the OP? He has CF.

Medical wise, I have Cystic Fibrosis, & I average 20 pills per day

. My half sister had CF - past tense, she died in her early 20's from it. It is not a disease to be taken lightly which is why I can only assume that you did not read all of the OP's OP

 

[MikeG]

did you read all of the OP? He has CF. . My half sister had CF - past tense, she died in her early 20's from it. It is not a disease to be taken lightly which is why I can only assume that you did not read all of the OP's OP

Did you read it?

.....My health has actually never been better now that I'm fortunate enough to receive a new pill. Which at this point in the history of CF, it's as good as a cure......

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Did you read it?

yes but I am also more realistic about his chances of continuing to get some of his medication in various countries. I had a hard enough time with just my asthma meds and ensuring I managed to stay with sufficient to get home. Without those meds the OP could have major issues very quickly and implying Africa is a good place to start (and only being able to cover 20 miles a day) is not really sensible advice - hence my question?

Even Northern Europe on 20 miles a day would take some doing. Staying close to home and working out if touring is feasible seems far more sensible than Africa and confidence is clearly a problem (and understandably so).

 

[MikeG]

Where did I suggest that Africa was a good place to start? Where does Chris say he is limited to 20 miles per day?

Please don't start unnecessary arguments. My post was meant to be motivational, rather than prescriptive. Getting hold of his medication is just a logistics issue with a number of suggested answers, and I didn't comment on it at all.