TRAINING RUNS
You need to know your bike, you need to know how to ride difficult terrain, you need to ensure you know how to fix a puncture and you need to know how to deal with the elements.

Let people know where you are going and how long you are going for. Subject yourself to the most horrendous conditions, and ask yourself this simple question 'am I up for this'. If you answer is not yes. Stay home (I bet your mum still washes the skidmarks out of your undies).

Unfortunate situations may rise daily, just like bed snakes. Deal with them and move forward. There will always be people or things that try knocking you back on your ass. Once you overcome the hard stuff you will see past the crap and enjoy the real moments. As some would say, the best part is the journey itself, not actually arrivin

FITNESS
You must be fit to do to do serious exploration (no not that sort of exploration), exposing your body to severe elements. A fit body is a working body, which may be the difference between survival and suffering, or even dying. Make sure that you can ride for days with no food, pick up a bike after a hard days ride. All this adds up to a better adventure, one that allows you to go just about anywhere on earth.

FIRST AID
You are you own doctor. You might be stuck out with no one around, a blown tyre and a mouthful of rocks. If you have a broken leg, you need to know how to splint it and get ot a safe place. Hence the need to complete various St Johns First Aid Courses. You need to have complete trust in youself, and know Your bodY. First aid can be invaluable.

RIDING SKILLS
You can ride over just about anything with a little practise. You need specialised knowledge and training or lots of time to practice. No one is too good not to require a little training. The ability to confidently burn through sand is one of the best feelings in the world... that feeling comes from having the skill. Everyone benefit from riding advice. You may still know it, but to be reminded can be gold.


SURVIVAL
Read survival books, memorize the key skills and go practice! That way you are better prepared when all hell breaks loose... you need to have the resources to survive some of the worst conditions on this planet and still have the energy to light a fart at the end of the day.

FOOD
There is some interesting cuisine in this world, and some people are not fortunate enough to eat whatever they like. Plus some cultures expect you to eat what they eat. To ensure you don't insult anyone, subject yourself to some interesting meals.

Roasted ants (quite tasty)
Deep fried cockroaches and grasshoppers (crunchy, like coco pops)
Malted moth lava (good for fibre)
Piranha (tastes boring and bony, but hey, its food)
Lambs eyes and brains (hold in your stomach)
Deep fried mars bars (very tasty)
McWrap (avoid at all costs)
Guinea pig (better eaten whole)
Goat offal, goats ears (quite chewy)
Cockaspaniel (don't knock it till you've tried it)

ADMIN
The most time consuming component is research and getting yourself ready. You will be surprised just how much stuff needs to be done, and how long it takes.

Things you need to do include:
Visas if you are traveling to many countries, you need to keep on top of whether visa requirements change.
Carnet de passage customs duty insurance for your steel horse, many countries require one for entry.
Insurance if you can’t afford to insure your own safety, you can't afford to go.

Registration you need to ensure your bike rego is current, otherwise the carnet is no longer valid and some countries might not let you in.
Freight air, sea, road, this can add up to be a nightmare, and every person you call will give you a different quote. Don't be shy to call around. Half an hour can save you thousands. We spent months researching and still spent thousands. Evil freight people.
Air tickets the sooner the better; you will get a much better rate. Not all economy tickets cost the same especially in peak times. Flight Centre usually gives one of the best deals in town. We booked over three months in advance and still had to spend NYE on the stairs of the aircraft flying out of Tahiti.

Consulate advice so important, consulates around the world know what is happening in their own territory, and will track your movements and send out a distress signal if anything can go wrong. But don't abuse this service, always keep in contact and let them know where you are and when to get to your indicated location.

Injections! Make sure you get all the necessary injections. The most knowledgeable people on this topic are the people at the Travel Doctor. Speak to Anne Watson or Dr Ina Paola. They are very thorough and know exactly what they are talking about.

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