It’s now less than two weeks before I leave for Budapest and start pedaling my way across 2,000 km of Europe.

I have to say, despite some fairly consistent training, I don’t feel anywhere near fit enough and I still haven’t taken my bike out fully-laden with all the gear I will be cycling with. As always, I’ve left it until the last minute – partially because that’s the way I am and partially because it’s pretty damn hard to work, have a life and do more than 1-2 hours of cycling a day.

I’ve also been experiencing the first nervousness about the trip and regularly doubt that the trip is a) a good idea and b) worth doing. However, I’ve always had this kind of feeling when I’ve traveled alone and I know from experience that this kind of sickness/fear is always outweighed by the fun and adventure of travelling and it quickly goes when you’re in the company of new friends in unfamiliar places.

So, today I packed my bike and panniers for the second time (see photo below) and then watched a few Youtube videos for tips and tricks from other ‘adventure’ cyclists who have done way more adventurous trips than me. It really is amazing what you can learn on Youtube these days and it’s surprising how much motivation you can draw from them.

Here’s a great example: