BELARUS

Talking to people along the way about my little Belarus adventure I am wondering why I was the only person who didn't know that Belarus is just a country that is completely crazy. Everyone except me planned their trip so that it was especially organised to avoid Belarus. People have been around it, over it but I am yet to meet a person who has been through it. The immigration there is so unbelievably strict, stricter even than Russia and the Visas so difficult to get and expensive that it is just better left alone. But it certainly presents a challenge. Anyone up for a trip to Belarus especially sometime next year? I'd love to go and see what's so special there that they do not easily allow ordinary people like us in there.

But I guess my mad adventure was nothing. There are moments when I think I could be sitting at home, watching eastenders and eating some proper home cooked food and my life would be nice and simple and predicatable again. Sometimes when I run into a little bit of hassle, I wonder why I decided to be on the road, so to speak, instead of staying at home. And then I meet people who put me to shame. The other day I met a German couple with a 10 month old baby. They have been cycling all the way round India, China and are now in Mongolia. They use cotton nappies and leave them to dry on the handlebars of the bike as they cycle along to the next destination. With their baby they cycle about 20 km a day. There are some people doing some amazing things and my travels and troubles along the way comparatively seem so miniscule.

But anyway, I guess I'm allowed to be a little homesick now and then. So of course I miss you all and hope some of you will keep me updated on what's going on in Eastenders and all the rest...