Merry Christmas to all (especially the git who stole my wallet)

Hah, what a week! What a fortnight even. My loosing streak has been going on for a while now so I forget how long but it is ok because I am still smiling. Infact probably smiling all the more for the crap that has gone down recently.

Ok so I have been ill for about a week now (you know, icing on the cake) and I have had alot of time to think about toilets. I am also getting very used to squats now. They are everywhere so I don't have much choice and I have even gone so far as to squat on "normal" sit down toilets. There are advantages and disadvantages of course. It is more hygenic for starters and trust me, in india, a little hygene goes a long way. The disadvantage is that you get to really closely examine what you ate yesterday as it lands flat on the ceramic and goes nowhere till you pour water on it (although this can also be an advantage as you can monitor the progress of your illness and, failing that, there is always a good ancedote about orange, slimey, jelly like sh*t wobbling its way down the hole) Another disadvantage is that when you squat down to pee "things" don't always point in the right direction. Aiming is quite difficult when your squatting, trying to keep your trousers from touching the ground and trying to stop yourself falling backwards all at the same time. No disasters yet (and luckily for you, no pictures)

ok, time to get a bit serious, all in all the past two or three weeks should have been crap. I mean I crashed under a truck, I hit an old lady, I have been ill, my bikes in pieces and I had my wallet stolen (two days ago, nothing else to say about it) and honestly, right now (even though I am still smiling) I am waiting for something to break me to the point where I just quit, where I walk into an airport buy a ticket, fly home and screw everything but it wont happen! I have realised how determined I am and that when I really want something there is nothing in the world that is going to take it away from me apart from death and taxes! It's a good feeling to know if I want something bad enough I am capable of getting it and it also makes me feel more mature, like in the last 6 months I have grown up 5 years.

Many people leave on trips like this either because they are running away from something or because they are searching for something. For me it was a test, prove to myself that I can do it and you know what, 6 months in and I know I will do it and whats more I have had quite a few epiphanies some of which are too personal to write about but as a taster.... I'm going to keep in touch with my family more, especially my extended family. I only see my cousins a few times a year and that is my own fault. I have been given plenty of invites to join them surfing, biking any number of things but I always say maybe and never do it. So that's the first thing. Secondly I have an idea about my career now, previously I was following what felt like a pre-ordained path but now I know what route I want my career to take and I am already plotting away!

There are other things too, things I have realised about myself. Some of them I like and some I don't but now I see and understand myself more it means I can be myself more, be the person I want to be.

So that's it folks, 6 months on the road, the official (and now debunked) half way mark of my trip. I could quit, come home. I have achieved what I set out to achieve but there is so much more to see, to do. How could I say no to Thailand? Brazil and Columbia? :-D I can't. So I am heading up to Hampi now. Back to my bike and back to what I know best. The past two weeks of backpacking have been very chilled, get on a bus, read a book for a few hours or have a smoke, arrive at location, find hotel, sit and look at the view. Enjoyed spending time with Tino and Philip too, Good guys, friends to keep in touch with when we part ways and who knows, maybe a few years down the line we will meet up again.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and New Years. Forget about the presents and the drinking just be glad you were able to spend the time with friends and family because at the end of the day it isn't where you are it is who you are with.

Ol