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Well now I aspire to be dole scum. Apparently, I don’t even qualify for them to give me job search help.

I suppose it could have been worse, they could have charged me for their time.

“i’ve looked at your claim, and because you were out of the country 2006-2007 you aren’t entitled to anything for job seekers allowance”

“Do I still get the 40 minutes consultation about jobs in the area?”

“No. But if you have access to the internet. You know what that is don’t you? Then you can see the jobs-On-line there”.

So nothing. Nada, nilch. No help at all. Seems I’m falling through all of the cracks. better start looking for cardboard boxes at this rate and saving Sunday Supplements for bedding…yes, seriously!

Today I become “dole scum”.

A Job Seeker, as per Pauline and her pens, in League of Gentlemen.

Saturday night I also walked the brink of becoming, not homeless, as I don’t have a home, but roomless.

My two cases would have joined me, in living on the street. That’s a bit of a fall from a 3,000 ft home with all the trappings, and a fall that’s occurred all within two months.

It goes to show how ephemeral security is, how fragile trust and love are and how quickly they can turn sour and leave you…I suppose ‘destitute’ is the correct word, without wishing to appear too dramatic.

Fortunately the room is still available, although the air is still tense after an altercation and the obvious solution is to move elsewhere. But there in lies the problem.

Limited funds, with no replenishment of finances. No fixed abode equates to no job, also no shipping address for all my stuff, which I believe is still in Seattle.

No access to banking services, so any money I do have, I can’t get at.

No transport, so I can’t go anywhere unless I’m taken.

No phone, except the US phone which is charging me astronomical roaming rates, can’t even get a pay as you go, because they want a direct debit to set it up, which requires banking which requires an address and proof of an address (utilities bills etc..) I don’t have any.

In one text and a brief phone call, everything, and I do mean every single  little aspect of my life, has been changed dramatically, for the worse. If I’d not experienced it, I wouldn’t have thought it possible. There is no safety net.

Today, I could have been living in a hostel (although I believe there’s a waiting list), with only 40 quid to my name. Two months ago, I was regarding hostels as exotic alternatives to a tent, a place where because I’d have had the option to leave, I’d have enjoyed the experience of staying in.” Slumming it” for that authentic travel experience.

That changes when it becomes your only conceivable hope of shelter for the future.

There are many worse off than me. But I nearly joined them and having looked over the brink, I now see how easily anyone can fall. And from where I stood on Saturday, it seemed bottomless.

As it is, I’d say at best, I’m clawing away at a crumbling edge at the moment.

Love and trust in that love don’t half leave you vulnerable, once it’s taken away.

My un-ending thanks must go and indeed do go to Kevin, Toni and Matt, plus the M3 series of cats. Giving me not only shelter but also companionship and friendship, when what I needed most of all was those two things.
For being sounding boards as I sought to work out what had happened and, what was about to happen.
For all of that and so much more, I will be eternally grateful.

May you be blessed with all the joys a festive season can bring, at your Scotland retreat.

And now an equally humbling thanks is extended to Rob and Gill, who likewise, have thrown open their house and offered their unquestioning friendship, back here in the UK.

It’s been a common theme throughout the Three Teas Tour, that when I’ve needed help, people, sometimes complete strangers, have stepped up and offered. Generosity beyond expectation and in expectation of nothing in return.
I have been fortunate to meet these people. Obviously I have and what follows is in no way a lessening of the gratitude I feel for those I encountered, however, and this is in part the theme of Three Teas, the fear that you will somehow be stranded in a remote place, without any help, is a fear born out of ignorance. Ignorance of the fact that people are essentially friendly, helpful, generous and will be there for you. For while I believe those who have helped me are special, exceptional, those of you who may ever find yourselves in even remotely similar situations, will find your own exceptional people too.

Karen?
Who knows?

All I can tell you is, that last night was the first where my dreams didn’t include her in some disturbing way. I put it down to having my subconscious being overwhelmed by indigestion. I’d forgotten what eating pickled onions and stilton late at night could do to you. But in order to avoid the dreams I’ve been having, it looks like that will be supper again this evening. By far the lesser of two evils.

As I will be running around trying to re establish my banking, social security, national insurance, personal insurances, transport and everything else that was let go when Karen and I moved to the States, my time will be limited, so may I express my heartfelt thanks to all who have wished me well and whose paths I’ve crossed, both for the Three Teas Tour and with the subsequent fall out from that trip. Have the most splendid of times this Christmas and beyond.

I hope our paths cross again, you’ve all changed my life in someway.

If I may bestow upon you one wish, it’s that ignorance is removed from your lives and the fear that goes with it is gone too.

Remind me to tell you all about the “chikin” man and the Austrian.

Central Asia Institute

If you doubt the effectiveness of this organization, read the book Three Cups of Tea (purchase it through the Amazon link at www.threecupsoftea.com and they will get over $1/book purchased, plus 7% on anything else you buy through that link) That $1 will educate a girl at a CAI school for one month. The website also says that their program expenses lately have been affected by Mortenson’s travel schedule, promoting the book. This man and his organization are amazing.

The schools are in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and without the religious elements being taught, the kids that go to these schools will have a better comprehension of the world and acceptance of the differences that occur within that world.

Taking a morning break from packing and organising my move, I took a trip to the Seattle Motorcycle Show. And I’m glad I did. The number of folk who said Hi was amazing. The number that had read this blog was rewarding too.

I feel sorry to be going, knowing there are so many folks I could count as friends, I’m equally sorry that I spent so little time cementing those friendships.

I’m now almost done and just need Karen to meet her obligations, so that the transition will be a smooth as possible come Tuesday and the following days re establishing my life back in the UK.

I’ll certainly try to keep in touch from the other side of the Atlantic and who knows, our paths may cross at some point. I do hope so.

Today was deadline day. The bike arrived in Seattle. I could have picked it up or had it, still in its crate, shipped straight to the UK.

It all depended upon the result of one final call. A call that confirmed that there was no point in trying any longer. An open invitation to do anything that is required to alter the situation was summarily snubbed without hesitation.

And so the bike was picked up and collected for shipping. 50 to 60 days time I’ll see it again at a dock in Liverpool.

Well the first post Dear John meeting took place.

Incredible!

You’d have thought that this was a take over bid, or announcement of job cuts, rather than a person who’d been married for 5 years, shared life changing adventures, exotic moments, deep feelings of love and affection and what should have been a commitment to a future.
Not one good instance was mentioned. Negativity oozed from every pore and looks that would dissolve even the most optimistic and resolute of partners were glanced.

Incredible!

No debate about it. No second chances, no compromise, no arbitration, no explanation, “This is my decision, you live with it”.

There’s still something amiss about this decision and the outcome. Still something more deep rooted and unsaid. Maybe.

When I was still in Colombia, I mentioned to Javier that Hank, the guy I’d ridden in parts of mexico with, was on his way south and they should meet up.

And they have. Javier was in Cartagena in Colombia and Hank flew there when he shipped his bike across the Darien Gap.

What are the chances? I’m so happy that their paths have crossed, even if only momentarily, as Xavi heads to Venezuela. And I’m the linking glue, even though I’m thousands of miles away. What a small and wonderful world.

Bike is being shipped to the UK and I’m following it, to Liverpool.
Leave on the 16th Dec, so that I’ll catch a UK Christmas with friends.

Three Teas will continue from there. It’s a one way trip though and a solo ride.

What a shame that is.

How come I can get a bike from Bogota Colombia, to Miami in two days, but I’ve been informed it’ll be another 4 days at least (that’ll be 14 days in total ) to get it from Miami to Seattle?

People (riders) complain about the border crossings in Central and S.America. Sure, it can sometimes take a couple of hours. A couple of hours, not 10 days (it’s still in Miami as I write this).

I’m now looking at not un-crating the bike, just forwarding it to a ship, to take it and some of my other things straight back to the UK.

I’ll pick up the Three Teas Tour there.

In the meantime, www.unchainedworld.com needs your support. www.threecupsoftea.com needs your online book purchases.