So its over, the moto mission has come to an end.

The White Cliffs of Dover came into view, the end was in sight. My first English words were from the customs inspector who was stamping the paper work for the motorcycle.

“So you just come from France den ‘ave ya?”

I stared at him blankly (it was early in the morning). Then he looked closer at the paperwork for the motorcycle.

“From India? That’s a bit o’ a ride that is…”

I nodded in agreement. 44,269km to be precise. But what went down in the last 3 weeks still makes for interesting reading…

French Riviera
The Frech Riviera was at it’s hedonistic best during peak tourist season. What a contrast to a place like the high country of Kashmir. What would an Indian from a village in the mountains think if they were dropped on the beach in Cannes?

My brief sojourn ended with a night in St Tropez. While many were reclining in their $500/night hotel suites I was sleeping in a park amongst some trees with some Czech guys next to a huge amusement park that had arrived in town for the summer. By the time I turned up they were well pickled. At the fair they had a punching bag where you could test your strength. One of the Czech guys punched it so hard the bag almost ripped off the machine. I knew we could all sleep safely that night.

BFA - Black Forest Academy
I had one last misison to complete before it was all over. One last bunch of people to visit. Nathan and I had first heard about them in Syria. A school that unites missionary kids from all walks of life. From all over the globe they come to be together at a school in a tiny village in the Black Forest in Germany. Even though it was holidays I was going down to visit a bloke who had again traded his ‘normal life’ to come and teach (he wasn’t even a teacher before!) Why did he come?

“Because I knew it was the right thing to do,” he says.

Larry (aka Lare-dog) traded his life as a doctor in the US to come and live in a tiny village in the Black Forest in an environment as foreign as any middle eastern country. Larry’s family have all found their place in their new environment but his wife Jen isn’t afraid to say it’s taken her longer to feel settled in this strange place. The proximity of the school to the French and Swiss borders also presents other cultural challenges. We made a couple of journeys over to France where it seems all Larry’s language and naviagtion skills flew out the window and we were reduced to driving around in circles. It’s a great corner of Germany and most kids that go to BFA will tell you it’s one of the best schools out there.

The thing that Nato and I found really made a difference in any place was the communitty and BFA is big on community. Pretty much everyone lives together because the students come from all over the globe. There are student houses in many of the villages surrounding Kandern where the school is situated. Each one has its own special character too depending on its occupants. Its a real family atmosphere, which is important when your real family is thousands of kilometres away.

Even for the holidays the international church was full of people. After the service I was corralled by a fellow motorbiking guy who worked at the school. We ended up taking a ride together and (as people have tended to do lately), he took one look at me and realised I needed some feeding and possibly some financial support. Here’s to Steve, another one of those guys who stand out from the crowd we’ve encountered along the way. After being well looked after I set of back to France on the way to the finish line in the UK with an entourage in the form of Steve on his motorbike. So for a short while the motomish became two motorbikes again. Well at least until the first main town we hit, then he let me continue on my own.

O’l Blightey
A few days later and I was there in London, riding across the Thames surrounded by a sea of black taxis. Now I that I had to get rid of the bike and get back home. what was I going to do? What else do you do these days but turn to Ebay? It seems a shame to part with a bike that has been such a faithful companion all this time but practicality won over sentimentality and the mighty Yamaha sold to the highest bidder complete with helmets, tools and riding gear - ready for its next adventure.

As for the Yamaha’s old owner, he’s still thanking God he was able to make it all the way in one piece and feeling sad that it’s over for the moment. But hey, Motomish II - The Sequel, it’s not out of the question…
Now which way is it to the airport?
J-Lo