Mark Dalton

February 2014
Well its been a month of ups and downs..
Problems with the route plans. Upheaval in Pakistan has meant a lack of enthusiasm for traveling in that region. My own timescales not matching up with fellow travellers plans and notification of border crossing difficulties.

In the end I have decided that I need to refocus on my original plan, which has been for some time to plough my own furrow and chase my own dreams.

Trying to make my plans fit in with someone elses isn't how it should be. If our plans coincide then all well and good. As much as it would be good to travel with a like minded group of folks, that was not the original plan and I have been diverted from the purity of that initial thought because I have sought comfort in companionship and a sharing of the difficulties instead of looking after myself and my own thoughts.

Yes I will find times when it would indeed be very nice to have someone to lean on. Someone to go to for guidance or even encouragement. But finding my own way, reaching into my own thoughts and psyche will be cleansing for the soul and character building - is that too much of a cliche I wonder? Will I just want to run away from the difficult bits? Its a possibility.
Of course I am fully expecting to find fellow travellers en route - I like the idea of chance and luck coming into who I meet along the road.

Finding my own limits is part of the adventure I think.

Anyway as far as the route goes. There has been ideas and plans to cross the "stans" and into China. However there are 2 difficulties for me taking that route and one that everyone that has thought about the route. That being the security issues recently in Pakistan. Which has reduced the enthusiasm for using the Karakorum highway from Kyrgyzstan into China (Kashgar) and Pakistan. That route also includes a 4000m high mountain crossing and while I was confident in my ability to deal with anticoagulation for a limited period of that trip the alternative that re-routes away from Pakistan crosses the Tibetan plateau for a significantly longer period of time at extremely high altitudes. Not something I think I can deal with.
In addition the expense of that crossing would significantly impact my ability to compete the planned journey.

So an alternative is to head toward Mongolia where I have read it is possible to air freight to Bangkok, putting me back on track and on schedule. I hope!

So time to get moving!
Still lots to do and time is marching on.
While my plans will mostly chase the sun around our blue planet this summer, the winter in the UK seems to be doing its best to make sure I appreciate a bit of warm sunshine. Time will tell !