Saturday 8.30pm 3rd May

As someone who prefers the written word rather than the type-written word, entering a tablet, laptop, computer or whatever other fancy device is available, rather than using good old fashioned ink and paper, is foreign to me.

Just ask Julia. Any time I have ventured  into our computer, it never does what I want it to do, whereas the pen in my hand, thanks to messages from my brain, always manages to complete the task required.

So the thought of taking a tablet on our overseas venture fills me with dread. I can see smashed or cracked screens, arguments late into the night, with a demented Pete screaming, 'I can't get the f...ing thing to send a message.

My wife on the other hand assures me that the world has moved on and I need to move with it.

However, this is from someone who never gets uptight, a real life 21st century hippie.

The world could be blowing up around us, yet Julia would still find something to be positive about.

Whereas I turn into your real life Victor Meldrew [look it up if you're too young or not into British comedy]

I figure that the more practice I get on the thing, the better.

This coming week we will be putting the bikes in for final adjustments and going over any maintenance 

requirements we need to know about. Last time we toured extensively, we were using travelers cheques. Apparently no longer, so we are arranging our "cash passport" which is a more convenient and hopefully safer way to transport our money.

Not that we will be taking much. Freecamping costs nothing and you find yourself in some of the most beautiful locations with no neighbours. We will probably spend less in three months than a couple would normally spend in a month. For us, its all about getting out there, enjoying the planet, powering our own transport and living simply.

At least it was last time we toured. We are now part of the "cafe culture" and we do plan to critique the overseas baristas.