x360 Journal

With the Indian subcontinent now safely tucked beneath the eastern horizon and most of the coastal hazards behind us I can with confidence close the Asian chapter of the circumnavigation. Since departing Australian shores in May 2005 the route has taken the expedition through some of the richest and most diverse environments the planet has to offer: from the coral reefs of Indonesia to the rainforests of Laos to the desolate harshness of Tibet. Each regional ecosystem uniquely individual in its own way and very much representative of the different peoples that live there. It has truly been one of the most educational and enriching sections of the entire trip.

Moksha's bow is now turned towards the next continent en route - Africa. At the time of writing there are many unknowns about this area of the world that many people have raised serious questions about the safety of. Yes there are dangers and perhaps Africa has its own level of cruelty and appetite for violence that surpasses what other regions of the world are capable of. But there's also an irresistible feeling of adventure and historical significance that wells up inside of me when I read words like Khartoum and Addis Abbaba off the map. And arriving in off the waters of the Arabian Sea will I think provide quite a classic way of introduction to this most ancient of all landmasses.

Life aboard during these early days is the usual chaos of adapting from one very different living environment to another. Sher has the worst of it, being both unfamiliar with the set up and way too large (6'2" and wide set in the shoulders). He still has yet to get used to the idea of hanging on with one hand while performing even the smallest of tasks, such as stirring the tea or opening the lid of the sugar container. So there have been frequent collisions between his head and the side of the boat. While at first these episodes were quickly followed by a fiery tirade of expletives against the particular wave in question, his outbursts have become fewer and less intense with time, to the point that now he just smiles when it happens. This is encouraging for me also, as I know that as well as being a strong pedaler, I have also asked the right person to join me in terms of his mental fortitude and ability to disassociate from pain and discomfort - an essential quality if he is to even remotely enjoy the voyage. And so far he has shown nothing but the most positive of attitudes towards the experience of being out here, which for newcomers is not always easy to adjust to.

Our worst enemy at present is fatigue, and the long graveyard shifts at night are as tortuous as I remember them to be on any of the previous voyages. We're doing our best to spend as much time snatching short catnaps in the sleeping compartment as our spare time will allow. Even lying flat for 5 minutes allows some respite from the constant rolling motion of the boat and relief for our tired muscles that are working round the clock to keeping the good ship moving forward, albeit at the laborious pace that human power affords.

Jason