Leaving Turkey, I was full of mixed feelings. The hospitality, the people, the harshness of the eastern side. The weather that nearly had us stuck in Erzunum with the high plains summer zero degrees and sudden heavy snow fall. Then in Agri the push off my bike followed by several locals helping lift the bike […]

5am, the usual waking time, one hour after the loud wailing summoning us to pray. I risk sliding my nose out from the torn bed sheets to sample the day. That tells me 2 things. Firstly the hole-in-the-ground toilet does not have an S-bend so all the fragrance of the last 100 years of ablutioning […]

I can remember my mother telling about babies and storks but it is only in the last few days I have seen these magnificent birds in the flesh. At a border crossing a few days ago there were a pair creating a nest on top of a light tower they seem be using large twigs […]

Breakfast was at 7am. An easy day was planned as we don’t want to spend too much time at the border town before Iran, so I planned a special treat for mothers day at the local spa with hot springs and massage facilities. The manager wouldn’t give us rooms as I suspect he found one […]

Times flying and every day has an exciting new experience. On the trail from Venice to Ezurum we have met some very friendly people especially the cute border guard at Bosnia. The bikes are all running well and returning a surprising fuel economy up to 30 km per litre which is 80 mpg in old […]

Dr Gareth Morgan has been battling the dreaded Green Peril for most of the Black Sea coast traverse. Not being a medical doctor he seeks mysterious potions from the Witch Doctor also known as Jo Morgan. The treatment has been long and arduous and not just for Gareth as you will see. The good Doctor […]

Being a Kiwi I have a view on what a good dunny should look like, and how it should operate. For example, on the back of the door there should be a place to hang your motorcycle jacket and camel back. There should be toilet paper available, and there should be somewhere to wash ones […]

We started the morning in Besıkduzu on the Black sea coast. Breakfast was the standard bread with meat and cheese and jam and boiled egg breakfast, we all crave toast and vegemite. Down the road an hour and then a cuppa in a men’s club (as all the coffee bars seem to be) in a […]

I think I’m going to miss getting a card to my mum for her 94th birthday and if any one is nice they could ring her 03 218 3673 or send her a card and I’d be really grateful Mary Baırd 325 Kelvin St Invercargill THANKS xx Jo

In short it has been cold. So cold that most of us have regularly worn two Icebreakers, BMW rubberised undergarment as well as these BMW jackets & trou we all have, each with their gortex liners. Every now and then it will fine up and we have to strip back but that has been the […]