They blow in Tashkent. The British are leaving… the Americans are coming? And the British are coming!?
Yes, it is true. Ben has decided to fly home to London from Tashkent. He has pedaled from Malaysia to Uzbekistan but will now be returning to England to spend more time with his family before starting university this fall. As you have undoubtedly read, we have had some wild times together in Asia and he will surely be missed from the Revolutions for Relief adventure. He taught me everything I know about traveling by bicycle. I learned the benefit of a hearty meal every three hours. I learned to understand river valleys, mountain passes, maps, and Google Earth like never before. I started seeing lovely campsites among piles of industrial waste. And I found that I was always faster than Ben, except when we had to pedal. It was an amazing three months; it’s sad to see him go, but I am very happy we got to spend it together.
First, my little brother Cory has bought bicycle and gear, secured visas and plane tickets, convinced our parents to let him dart off to the other side of the world, and made arrangements to meet me in Tashkent, all in a matter of four weeks: impressive start to the trip. He will be joining the adventure across the five countries and one sea that lie between Tashkent, Uzbekistan and Istanbul, Turkey – the true Eurasian amalgamation. I am very excited as this experience should take me back to our family vacations of old, though probably with a lot less fort building and many more beers consumed. He will be posting frequently to the blog to give some of his impressions and fresh views on our journey. Two Smetanas is always better than one, and with a little work on his beard, I’m sure he’ll fit right in to the team.