Here I am, 8 hours into our 12 hour flight to Santiago, listening to Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album, right now The Great Gig in the Sky track while Anthony sleeps soundly beside me. Flying has always brought such extreme emotions for me: I can’t excited about any upcoming trip because I dread flying so much. Then once up there, emotions get even more raw – I have often wondered whether the depleted oxygen is the cause… My deep love for Anthony, my admiration for nature’s sheer beauty as I look out of the window once we are up at cruising altitude, my aching heart for my beloved brother whom I miss every single day. Movies can make me laugh out loud or make me sob, right now it’s the latter as I listen to this great album which my brother and I used to listen to and which Anthony and I often listen to with a good friend of ours on his fabulous stereo system. What a fabulous sunrise – somewhat psychedelic I think!!

On our way to Santiago on a direct flight from Sydney

The midnight sky over Antarctica

Sunrise as we head towards Santiago

After 6 weeks of luxury at home, I am really looking forward to being out in the elements again. I had worried a little when we first got home on Boxing Day at how I would feel about being on the road again after being home, surrounded by familiar luxuries, good food and good friends. Will I still feel like packing our bags every morning, hand washing every other day?! It feels right though. Being surrounded by nature, meeting people on the road, experiencing different cultures, camping in the middle of nowhere, all our senses alive – that’s what we both love. I won’t lie, the hand washing does get tedious!!! And I’ll no doubt wish I had more off-road riding skills at times. But ever since we first flew over the Andes in 1988 when we visited Santiago on our way to Australia, we’ve both wanted to return and spend time in that part of the world and get a closer look at this mountain range. And here we are!! Nearly. As soon as Streak is fixed… I am so looking forward to exploring roads less travelled, enjoying the deafening silence of the open spaces and seeing all these mountains. I find mountains so awe inspiring…

Here’s hoping we don’t have a repeat of our Happy Delhi Days getting our bikes out of Santiago airport… Fingers crossed!!!

6 hours later… Our bikes have been delayed! Not arriving until Saturday now. Could be Happy Santiago Days!! Oh well, change of plans. Stay tuned 🙂

Anne