~ Preparations ~ Week 6 ~

~ Monday ~

~ Organising from a distance ~

I spent the day in London, lounging around my friends and taking a walk through Canary Wharf. Running through my mind, all the things that still need to be organised. Tickets for arrival in Toulouse, a bike, tent, sleeping bag, cutlery, gas stove, tarpaulin, torch, waterproofs etc. Due to the stay in London, I had to figure out what I could do... so using the fabulous internet, I ordered my tent, 1 man, waterproof, light weight, next day delivery, thank you sports direct! As I was browsing the supermarket for my dinner I also bumped into a selection of sleeping bags, thanks again! My friend had an old Iphone to hand which I happily bought off her, GPS sorted amongst other things ie torch, email and blogging device, lightweight camera...Must say until using one I was sceptical, but they really do prove themselves.... THANKYOU! Arranged to see a bike on Wednesday, let's see.

Daily inspiration...
I found a left over note on the Iphone and thought it was one worth sharing it went like this.

Claudia Rainville, 
Meta-Medicine
Every symptom is a message.

Always relevant in Life, when looking at illness and disease, its important to take into account every part of the self, the thinking, the emotions and the physical symptoms, only when all are looked at will the true cause be revealed. We seem to have arrived in a place where only the symptoms are treated with antibiotics, pain killers lalala, but the problem keeps coming back.

Missing my bike!

~ Tuesday ~

~ Family fun ~

Arriving in my home town shortly after lunch, the avalanche of 'hello, how are you?'s' quickly followed. My brief 5 minute lift from my dad, shocking him with an update of my travels and future travel plans (he's was a little shocked by the news of my cycle for a cycle! But as always very supportive. Then arrival at my mums, met by my sister, youngest niece, aunt and of course mumsy! Lots of love, I last saw everyone at christmas, so it was a beautiful moment. We then arranged to go for dinner in the pub one of my brothers works in, to be joined by the other brother and his girlfriend. But my first mission was to pick up the elder niece from school. She was unaware, of course. The look her her 6 year old face was priceless! my heart exploded with love as she ran up to me a gave me the biggest hug, followed by speechless eye contact and another couple of hugs! LOOOVE! The evening with my close family was a great end to the day. Apart from discussing my plans, I can't say there were many preparations today.

Where for art thou bicycle.

~ Wednesday ~

~ Bicycle day ~

The day has arrived, ready for the bicycle. My brothers girlfriend said that she had a bike I could use, I had explained that it was a street bike and then presumed she was aware which type I needed. As the time drew nearer I was very excited to go and collect it. However when I arrived, I saw a bike very similar to my own, which is a dual suspension, mountain bike, mmm... 'soooo' I thought! 'WTF will I do now!'. Very grateful for the offer of the bike, but as I realised there was less than 2 weeks till departure, fear struck! 'I guess I'll just use my dual suspension mountain bike for now, before I sell it!' thought I.

After the fear I spent the evening with my bro and his girlfriend and we were speaking about our family histories. My main reason for moving to Rome was because of a rumour that I have an Italian blood within my veins. I have however recently been in contact with a distant aunt who has done 10 years of research into our history. She informed me that there is actually no Italian blood in my veins and gave me the links to view the family tree. Today I had the chance to take a look, of course, I jumped at it. The family tree goes all the way back to 1618` following a good majority of the marriage lines. I followed each of my mothers grandparents and every member is from the south east of England. Although the lack of Italian heritage was a bit of a blow, considering I have believed that since my early teens, it was still beautiful to see where I am from. Family appreciation week it seems. 

Will I ever get a bicycle?

~ Thursday ~

~ An introduction to camping ~

Ah the tent arrived today :D yay! Of course it needs a dry run, just to make sure I can put it up and down. I have been planning a camp out with my niece for a while and I told myself this was the moment. So the time came when I could break the news to her and she was very excited! So we went out in the garden to set up, she helped with the poles and laying out the sleeping bag, then filled it with her favourite books and teddies. Once it was all set up, we got in, snuggled in a 1 man, I'm glad she's a petite one. As we or should I say as I settled in for the night, her curiosity struck and she explored the small space that we sat in, the wall pockets, the zip, under the blankets, over the blankets. Hmmm in the house out of the house. No sign of sleep and the usual sleeping time had already passed. It was still light out and kids were playing out on the fields which she was not used to! So I tried a few sleeping techniques which I felt were very appropriate:-

- Technique one focuses on the noise that is disturbing you! For her it was the sound of the children playing, then transferring your focus to the noise that is soothing (the sound of her night time musical soother) for me its the sound of my breathing! 

- Technique two is just shutting your eyes and listening to your breath.

- My favourite is technique three which is counting backwards from 100.

After a dedicated time for each of these techniques she ended up sitting with arms folded, expressing that she still can't sleep! 'well would you like to go and sleep inside my dear?' I asked 'no I want to sleep out here, but I can't sleep'. By the time we went through each technique we still ended with the same answer so of course she ended up sleeping in her bed. But it was a wonderful try out of the tent and I got to stay out anyways. Smiles.

Bike worries.

~ Friday ~

~ Great Nan ~

I picked up dual suspension, mountain bike today nicknamed black beauty and took a ride to my great Nana's continuing the family appreciation week. She turns 90 next week and still seems as I have always remembered her. But it cannot be ignored that she has recently been rushed to hospital on two occasions with a heart attack and an internal bleed, it seem she is knocking on heavens door. Without that little old lady I would not be here today, for that I am forever grateful. I look forward to her birthday next week when I can present her with a 5 generation photo, that she has always wished for. Lots of love. 

~ Saturday ~

~ Importance of family ~

Today has topped off the family week with conversations all round about the importance of family. Starting with my Nan we discussed the fear of death and plans for Great Nana's birthday. Then with my sister we continued the family theme discussing impact of past generations on our generation and future generations. Then as always myself and my aunt dreamt about bringing us all together in a community setting where we could really support each other. 

I feel the near and certain death of the eldest in the family has opened up a new perspective. As with all families there are tensions and disagreements which can sometimes get in the way of the need for a family network. All I can say is that I may not agree with everything or anything you say or believe in, but I'm here for you always as I know you are there for me.

Black beauty made my day.  

~ Sunday ~

~ Bootfair ... Not ~

After a few days of finding someone to join me with their motor car, my sister agreed to help me out with a boot fair. Yay, a great thing about England is the second hand car boots, always able to find a bargain. The car was all packed up last night ready to set off early. When we woke up and looked outside another great England trait stopped us in our tracks. THE RAIN. With two little kids and no water proof covering for the stuff we decided it probably wasn't a good idea. The we used the power of on-line selling through a community Facebook page, we spent the day taking photo's and listing the items. in the back of my mind sat the thought, I don't have a bike, I haven't booked my tickets, lalala etc. But I gently reminded myself that everything will work itself out as it always does. I didn't sell a thing. My Dad offered me a bike for the trip, thanks Daddy ... Love!  

Black beauty went up for sale. 

~ Preparations ~ Week 5 ~

~ Monday ~

~ Ice cream and conversation ~

The last week in Rome before my summer adventure, means lots of good byes, if only for the summer. My dear friend and I met after work for a quick Ice cream, quick however, is not how it ended up! She is one of those friends who you can talk to for hours about the depths of your soul, the developments of your life and the dreams you have for the future. We were discussing this trip I'm about to take and plans for the future of Project Life Coach as well as her plans to move in with her boyfriend, which is a big change for her. Of course we both enjoyed a sweeeeet Ice Cream in true Italian style (on a bench at the side of the road) 

As adventure and opportunity comes into your life so to does change. It is easy to be scared, to fear the new and different. But it is and always will be part of living. What ever is it, if you fear it, it's OK, don't let it stop you. As you continue with fear by your side eventually the feeling of fear will also change. 

20 km on the bicycle.

~ Tuesday ~

~ Promotions ~

Today I had a regular day at work enjoying spreading bicycle love with the children, its a beautiful sight to see them getting the most from their bikes.

I also began the packing process, Saturday I will be departing and leaving my room and wonderful house mates behind soooo I have separated everything and it's ready to be spread among friends for the summer, until I return in September :D 

Then I decided that I should make a handy handout for this beautiful project so I can have something handy to spread the love and so I got to work.

16.6 km on the bicycle 

~Wednesday ~

~ Fireflies and friends ~

A few weeks ago, I returned from the farm late, when the sun had disappeared and the streets were dimly lit by street lamps. I took my usual route which lead to a park where only darkness remained. 'AAAAAHHH! It's really dark' thought I slamming on the brakes, to think out my next step. 'it's only a few minutes, to the other side!' reassuring thought said, 'but there's always homeless, drunks, who may attack you and steal your beautiful bicycle' responded fearful thought. 'I'm going' interrupted centred thought as my body moved swiftly onto the darkened park. As I sped through the dark strip of gravel combined with mud, I saw a flash. 'So small... there is another one, another... WOW!' I slowed the bike to a stop in the centre of that darkness, just able to make out my hands, I stood there in silent awe, surrounded by a wall of blackened trees which sparkled like a clear nights sky. 'WOW, so fireflies actually exist!' I thought or maybe said aloud in the darkness! As they flew around me I realised I was no longer scared, I was happy to be there, grateful and honoured to see natures magic.

Since this original meeting with the fireflies, I have introduced a couple of friends to them. Today was another occasion, with blanket in hand, flask of tea in the other, not forgetting the bicycle between my legs, me and my lovely house mate visited them again and what a pleasure it was.

Here is a song for you :D

20 km on the bicycle

~ Thursday ~

~ Crafty table making ~

As I mentioned on Monday, my good friend is soon to be moving in with her wonderful boyfriend and what a beautifully good match they are (LOVE) Due to my departure, I'll be missing all the action of first days in new house shinanigans, so I wanted to make them a gift for their new home. As I looked around at my bits and bobs, which I often recycle into new things, I was inspired by an old bongo drum which has been sitting waiting to be repaired. 'OOOO, what use am I like this' he moaned, 'There is no balance in my life, I just spend my days here alone, waiting for people to come along! When they do, they're not interested, I'm just a broken old drum!' sobbed the little drum. 'Ah ha, I know what will restore the balance to your life little bongo drum!' I replied with enthusiasm, 'How would you like to hold a yang and yang? To serve as a small table for coffee and cakes, be admired by all who come across your path!' of course the bongo drum agreed and so I took him to a little shop where three old Italian men, fumbled around their workshop, managing to create a small circular top and attach it to the top of the drum. I then used old magazines and PVA glue to design the ying yang. Not only was the little bongo happy about the big change in his life but my friends also really loved it :D happy happy happy.

This took up most of my day along with the preparations of a buon estate (happy holidays) dinner and so the bicycle was happy to have a day off!

~ Friday ~

~ Bye bye bicycle ~

During my working day the anticipation grew, I knew as I lay my head on my pillow this night, the beautiful bicycle that has served me well for the short period of 3 months, will no longer serve me. Reassured that she would be taken care of by a beautiful friend I managed to make it through the day. After work I went for a quick cup of tea before heading to my friends house to bid farewell. Love you training bicycle :*

20 km on the Bicycle

I went to sleep with my room deserted with only my bags packed ready for my departure.

~ Saturday ~

~ Departure ~

Took the metro to work for the first time in a long time today... 'I miss my bike' thought I.

Then worked from 8.30 - 5, walked to termini, where I stopped for my last slice of Italian Pizza and a cup of cappucino (If I'm honest, I think I chose the worst place) then I used Terravision bus lines to arrive at Ciampino for a 10 pm flight. After coming through passport check and then collecting my baggage it was already 1 am so I decided to sleep at Stansted airport until the buses and tube were running and I kind of love sleeping in airports, its quite similar to sleeping in the wild :D

0 km on bicycle

~ Sunday ~

~ A Lazy London Day ~

Today I spent the day with my very good friend, we watched the great Frozen followed by the beautifully scripted series Derek. We ate good food, talked a lot about the past 6 months of our lives and generally spent the day around the house. 

0 km on the bicycle

~ Preparations ~ Week 4 ~

~ Monday ~

~ Life Love ~

Well if you haven't already guessed from the picture today I made a number plate for my Bicycle (which is yet to be confirmed) After a long day at work I needed to get a little creative and this is how it turned out :D Keep your eyes open this summer, maybe you'll see me zooming slowly around the streets of Spain, Portugal or Italy! 

My thoughts have also been a little consumed with dates for travel, I have to return to Rome by the 7th September for work! sooooooo ... As it stands I have decided to cut out the ride from Portugal to Madrid and just get the train straight to Barcelona, where I'll start the return journey to Rome. I'll be heading to the UK on the 28th, where i'll decide which bike to use, then travel by train to Toulouse and start the first part of the trip :D happppppyyyyy happppyyyyy happpppyyyyy! As ever the universe will play a big part in the journey and I'll do my best-est to keep going.   

18 km on the Bicycle!

~ Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday ~ 

~ WORKING! ~

Lots of work in these days, perfect for pre-travel savings and preparations. I have heard from the guy I met at Critical mass and he will no longer be travelling due to back trouble... Lots of love and healing energy for you ((*)) 

Roughly 17.5 km on the bicycle each day!

~ Friday ~

 ~ Love Handmade ~

The afternoon and evening was spent with my friend with a ride along the River Tevere to Trastevere. We went to the caffe where we met only 7 months ago and have since become great friends. Whilst reminiscing we decided to take the rest of the day as it came... 

Try to take Life as it comes, sometimes you may have to consciously remind yourself, as regular daily tasks can lead to rushing around and forgetting to just breathe.

... Alas after a decaf coffee and a little sugary snack we went for a ride, leading us through the old and windy streets of Trastevere. Buzzing with creative people; musicians, fire dancers, comedians, godly preachers and a huge range of handmade market stalls. Contacts collected and inspiration gained, not to mention my new travel companion... A summer hat made from recycled newspapers L.O.V.E!

If you want to see more of Alessio Palma's wonderful creations you can visit his facebook page  I have to also mention that his little handmade market stall moves with a bicycle :D more and more inspiration every day!!

We then returned via the river markets, stopped for a toilet and dance break and continued to the house full of positive energy and happy thoughts! Love to live in the moment! 

Uncountable km on Bicycle more than 20 I'd guess. 

~ Saturday ~

~ Ancora Lavoro (more work) ~

Working today 10 km on the bicycle.

~ Sunday ~

~ Summer Solstice ~

A beautiful day starting with a sun salutation and continuing with a beautifully fresh organic lunch and a wonderful acoustic sound... (not to self :- Always take peoples details) ... I'm afraid I can't offer much more information than that about the where's and who's as I was completely engulfed in the day and forgat all about blog writing. ButI know the Agricultora Sociale is located on Via della Mistica  and is next to a large childrens playground. We arrived on bicycle in 1 hour from Termini station, Rome central. 

~ Preparations ~ Week 3 ~

This week was pretty much full of work from Monday to Saturday, 8.30 - 6.30 everyday as well as a cold leaving me with a voice like Marge Simpson and a huge lack of energy. Luckily working with children and travelling everywhere by bicycle means there are a few relevant things to say :D

~ Monday ~ 

~ Boom ticket?! ~

As the festival was approaching I was keen to make arrangements. I looked on the site to find out how I might get there (bus, train lalala) Alas the first page I saw was encouraging people to cycle to the festival. Totally inspired the planning began, the route is planned, the bags are made, the blog is up and running, the crowd funding page is up and running, today ... 'oh but I haven't yet confirmed my ticket for Boom!' I thought loudly! 'S*#%! Silly me' ...
My Boom 2012 experience was not one I'd like to repeat... I was struck with salmonella :( I had to leave the festival on the 3rd day and there is more to this story, however I do not wish to go into it here... I encourage anyone staying at the festival to clean all your cooking apparatus thoroughly, eat fresh food, don't drink the tap water and take a first aid kit along with you! 
After my recovery from Boom 2012 I discussed my experience with the Boom team, then following their kind and loving philosophy, they offered me a ticket for 2014. Since then I was sure I had saved the emails on my computer, however :/ I seemed to have deleted them! DISASTER! So I sent an email in the evening and awaited their reply ...

21.2 km on my bicycle 

~ Tuesday ~

~ Sick! ~

Waking up with a throbbing head, a sore throat and a dribbling nose, I was not wanting to go out the door! But I shot back some lemon and honey before clambering on the bicycle. when I arrived at work I was told about Propolis and advised me to go buy some from the pharmacy for my cold. I hadn't heard much about it before, so I wanted to research before rushing to buy it ~ After all a cold wont kill me.
After looking at pictures of raw propolis, I realised that the farm where I've been volunteering actually make it, so I then asked this question to my best friend google, "can propolis be eaten raw?" the site explains that it can be eaten raw, but as always its important to have a chemical and heavy metal free environment. It also explains a little more about the production of propolis and how the bees use it. It is suggested that propolis is good for; fungal mouth infections, gingivitis, swollen cervix, herpes, stomach ulcers, colds, minor burns, pneumonia and more. I'll be heading to the farm to get me some of that!


I received an email confirming that I am on the list for a Boom 2014 ticket, yay! Cycle for a Cycle continues...

26.6 km on the bicycle.

~ Wednesday ~

~ Just keep swimming! ~

Another full day of work and the cold hasn't gone anywhere... Just reminding myself to keep going with Dory ... 21.2 km on the bike :o) 

~ Thursday ~

~ I want to ride my bicycle ~

An early morning in the park with the 2 girls aged 6 and 9, who I babysit. My suggestion was to take the bikes, of course the girls agreed and we set off to the park. The older girl has got the nack for hers, but the younger one needed a little assistance at first. This was not my first opportunity to teach a child how to master the true skill of bicycle riding and so it came very naturally to me. She wasn't to bad at first, needing a push off, wobbling a while then stopping. So I gave her my top tips which are as follows:-

Basic start -

1. Push you foot hard, on the pedal that is highest
2. Look where your going
3. Keep going 

Turning - 

1. Move away from people
2. Don't turn the handlebars too quickly
3. When you want to turn look where you want to go  

She soon had the confidence to do it all by herself, with just a few reminders to look where she is going. Well done!! Yay!!

As we arrived home I asked the older child what she'd like to do next and she said "I want to ride my bicycle", obviously I got the air guitar out, still standing on the street and started to sing the well known Queen song! She proposed to me the following question, "are you one of those people without control?" I continued before stopping to show her the real video, which of course led to her singing until I left.

21.2 km ~ Bike is best

~ Friday ~

~ Friday ~

Lots of fruit today ... mmmmm!

21.2 km on the bicycle

~ Saturday ~

~ Building a future ~

I had the pleasure of meeting another lover of the home-made Life, called Angela she lives in a camper van on the streets of Rome selling her handmade jewellery. Talking to her got me to thinking about the Life travel shop. I hope to sell items under every heading of The Life project; Play, heal, learn and grow. 

• Play will include board games, card games, puzzles, poi, balls, frisbee's, devil sticks, art supplies, bongo drums.
• Heal will include handmade information leaflets about natural medicinal plants, books and leaflets about various healing practices such as yoga, meditation, Thai chi, art and movement therapy.
• Learn will incorporate the items already mentioned as well as offering information on local teachers and places for practice or website where information can be found. Locally handmade products and how to make your own ie. jewellery, soap and other cosmetics, art.  
• Grow will include food and medicinal plants, as well as incorporation the other areas of the shop as when we learn about ourselves we naturally grow as people.          

  Slowly but surely I am gathering all the contacts and information needed for this to really happen. Please support me with a small donation and help me realise this project.

15.4 km on the bicycle

~ Sunday ~

~ Respect for the Bee's ~ 

This morning as I ate my breakfast a poem came into my thoughts...

When I eat honey and bread

a thought pops into my head,

how's it so tasty,

this thing made by bees?

When spread on a thick slice of bread.

Since the day on the farm when I put the big square headed body suit on and made my way over to the beehives. My love and interest for this little striped creature has only grown. I saw the interior of their home built to perfection, with the honeycomb for eggs separate from the honeycomb of the honey factory and each hexagon filled and sealed on completion of honey production. Creating honey, honeycomb, bee's wax and propolis as well as pollinating other plants. These busy bee's deserve a lot of respect and love.

Today the bicycle has remained stagnant as the rain has been pouring and I have been sewing. Completing a second set of pannier bags :D including a cooler bag on one side for food storage. 

~ Preparations ~ Week two ~

~ Monday ~

~ A Play Day ~

After a brief 10 km cycle to my friends house, I went for a day of fun at the lake. With poi, uno (card game), balls of all sizes, the bongo, a little guitar and a bag packed with a variety of delicious healthy food, we were prepared for our Play day! 

Lake Martignano is just a short drive from Rome and is set in a beautiful natural location. The crowd includes people from all walks of Life; hippies, young people, families and the sporty types :D 

We played and ate and played again; football, UNO, bongos, volleyball, poi. 

Play is so important in Life, many people don't make time for it. As you grow up the belief that you should act responsibly and no longer play silly games may also grow. This is fatal for your heart. Playing takes us to the present moment, whether your chasing a ball or awaiting your turn in a game of cards, in the moment you feel free, happy and light. It helps to mould better relationships by encouraging different methods of communication as well as giving you a little insight to yourself, maybe your a little competitive or a bad looser. Maybe your ego gets a little too big when you win, thinking your as the big dog of the game. To play is to create and to let your inner self express. It teaches you to let go! Letting go is so powerful! So my advise to you is if you haven't played for a while, start now!   

As the evening approached we were informed of an open yoga session which was a great end to the day and perfect preparation for the week ahead. 

~ Tuesday ~

~ Pannier bags ~

As you already know, I am preparing for a 3000 km cycle around Europe to raise funds for my Life project. You can imagine, I don't have a great deal of funds at this current moment. But what I do have is creativity, ideas and determination to complete the challenge / journey and to continue towards my goal for Project Life. In my preparations I have been wondering how I may be able to carry my belongings on the bike, "I don't have those nifty little bags" I thought. After scrawling through ebay and amazon, then listing up what it is that I need, I figured that the money I would spend on buying the stuff would probably be better spent on building the shop. So I said to myself "you will have to make do with what you have" and as always I quickly realised that I had a bag with a broken zip, "That's perfect!" I continued to think and so the creating began.   

With 30 km on the bike and these handmade beauties, I was pretty chuffed by nightfall <3 p="">

~Wednesday ~

~ The hitch hiking butterfly ~

The morning started with my usual routine before heading to volunteer on the farm. Always wonderfully tranquil planting and picking. On my way home I noticed I had a little company, it was just a couple of km into the trip that I noticed it and I stuck in there the whole way home! It was great company, "where is it your headed?" I asked the little butterfly, 

"my journey, is my journey" the little butterfly replied, " I am with you now, after, I am not yet sure, the heart has not spoken and the feeling has not come."

"I like your style little butterfly, you are very free" I replied.

"find your heart, follow it and you to will be free." stated this wise little creature. 

We were silent and I pondered these words as I continued the journey home. When I parked my bike outside the house and left, the butterfly simply sat. 

The butterfly was not the only lesson to come across today, I see how the weather will effect my journey. The heat has risen in Rome and summer is creeping in. A new factor when riding the bike as the heat doesn't help my low blood pressure, luckily a friend advised me on the use of licorice, which has been added to the list of necessaries. The temperature is only going to rise so it's a handy lesson to learn.   

After my working day had finished I joined my friend in the park, we joined in with a lesson of African dance, whilst stretching and awaiting other friends who gave us a lesson in Thai Chi (my first). The thing that stood out in this lesson for me was how to keep your back aligned and always to move with your core, from your centre. By relaxing your hips, shoulders and belly and letting all tension go into the earth and following this by an extension of the neck, it releases everything and takes the awareness of your mind to remain concious of your position. This is a great way to stay in the present moment.

 "As strong as a mountain, as fluid as water" ~ Lorenzo!

I look forward to more of this practice <3 p="">

After this lesson I really took my time to ride home, being aware of every movement of my body and trying to keep the hips loose and the stomach relaxed through every push, using my centre. Watch this space! 

A total of 44.6 km and many beautiful experiences ~ Thankyou for my Life ~   

~ Thursday ~

~ Park Life ~

Between the 40.9 km today, I worked and continued to travel slowly, acknowledging my centre (as learned in Thai Chi) It really helps to stay relaxed and is a powerful meditation. I also found myself with slots of time to lay in the park, slowly stretching the body. From the feet to the neck and all the places in between. A great pace and a relaxed me! <3 nbsp="" p="">

~ Friday ~

~ Handmade ~

Today I spent the day collecting all the ingredients needed to make my own sunscreen, I found it very exciting and have been waiting since last summer to make some. I had all the ingredients I needed except beeswax. "Ah, there is a party on the farm tonight" I thought "I should be able to get it there." 

The farm isn't only a farm it is the centre for a bigger project which supports young people in rejoining society and building a better future for themselves. There are 3 homes around Rome with people aged between 14 and 21, who have been in trouble with the law and requested to live in supported housing. The project is called il Fiore del deserto, they also have a project in Kenya housing orphans of aids. The party was to raise funds for the projects and to show the local community, different things these young people have been doing. Some DJ's, some creating art, others selling products of the farm and Kenyan project and another which caught my eye, was a group of young girls, who have designed and handmade beautiful notepads, branding themselves as Blah Blah. It was beautiful to see them following their dream and creating a beautiful event together. I plan to continue with my voluntary involvement in this project and I hope to purchase some items from them for resale in the Life travelling shop. 

Luckily enough they had some beeswax for sale and I had completed my check list of ingredients. The day ended with 27.6 km and a warm jar of sunscreen setting on my shelf <3 nbsp="" p="">

~ Saturday ~

~ Kids know love ~

Today I spent the day with a recently turned four year old, she has a great, stubborn and fierce personality! Throughout my Life children have been my greatest teachers and they continue to this day. Today as we walked home from the park, a homeless man began to speak with her. It was a strange situation for me, as I know many parents fear the homeless, so at first I was wanting to avoid the situation. But as I let go of the fear I saw love, openness and honesty from both of them. She did not judge his ratty clothes, turn her nose up or tell him to go away! She listened to him, laughed with him and seemed to bring a smile to his face. It was beautiful reminder that no matter who you are, how old you are, where your from or how much stuff you have or haven't got, you can find a connection, maybe just for a few moments, but a connection of love and purity. 

By the end of my day, I had completed 28.6 km and opened my heart a little more <3 p="">

~ Sunday ~

~ Follow your Dreams ~ 

Sunday has been a day of rest, with 14 km to the market and back, the purchase of a few little bits, including, camera bag, puncture repair kit and charms for my current bracelet project. A grounded feeling as the day draws to and end. As I write this weekly summary, I see how everything fits together so well when you just follow your dreams. The time has passed that I give up, no longer, disheartened as old things stop. Moving forward, letting go, dreaming bigger, but moving slow. I love my Life!      

  

#4 Life is a lesson ~ Home made natural sunscreen

Today I decided it was time to make my sunscreen. Last year I decided I would no longer use store bought sunscreen as there are so many chemicals in the bottle! Not only that but they block the process of absorption for vitamin D. Reducing chemicals on, in and around my body has been a big focus for me over the past 2 years, through stopping smoking, massively reducing alcohol intake, using natural soaps and shampoos, limiting my chemical cleaning warfare to washing up liquid and cutting out make-up.
Now is the start of my home-made era <3 p="">
For this recipe and a lot of useful information regarding the use of sunscreen I visited wellnessmama.com.The site is packed with recipes, advice and information about a natural, home-made lifestyle for you, your family and your home.

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of beeswax
1/4 cup of coconut oil
3 drops of lavender essential oil
2 spoons of Zinc oxide powder     

Directions
Put all ingredients, except Zinc oxide into a jar. Put the lid on your jar loosely and place in a saucepan with approx 2 inches of water. Heat the water and stir your ingredients regularly until they have melted and blended together. Remove from the heat and stir in the Zinc oxide. Leave your Jar in a cool dry place to cool and use as you would regular sunscreen. Use within 6 months.

You can purchase all the ingredients from your local pharmacy or herbal store.

Look after your body and <3 life="" p="" your="">

~ Preparations ~ Week 1 ~

~ Monday ~ 
~ Remember water ~

I woke at 6.30 for my regular 30 minute meditation, followed by the healthy home made yoghurt, fruit and cereal... Best start to the day, a clear mind and happy stomach :D

My day on the road started at 9:30, I arrived back home at 12:45 in time for lunch. During that time I made several stops the first at the post office, second for a toilet and tea break, third to buy more water (note: should carry a minimum of 2 litres) and the fourth started as a quick stop to buy some 'miele' (honey) and ended in agreeing that I would come to help out for a few hours when I am free... Great opportunity to enhance my knowledge and skills of self sufficiency!

After a stretching and lunch break, my journey continued in the form of my regular daily ride to and from work 1 hour and 10 km each way. Apart from the short section of full on heat and no water, the day was pretty good. A total of 5 hours pedalling, 51 km covered, a fresh pot of honey and an enhanced tan, I feel this week has started well...

Averaging 10 km per hour, my end of day analysis is that I can complete 60 km per day over 6 hours. Lets see if I feel the same by the end of the week <3 nbsp="">

~ Tuesday ~

~ Life on the edge ~

Who knew that on the edge of Rome, just at the end of my very long street, you can find a beautifully secluded, quiet and natural area to cycle through!? I did not ... Now gladly knowing this road, I will for sure be taking it more often. For anyone else who likes cycling or nature walks this is one to try, I'm sure you could even find a nice spot for a picnic! What a perfect place to take a break from the busy city centre. So from leaving my house at 8:10 and arriving at 9:45 on the farm for my first morning of volunteering, I had discovered this street, been offered pizza and a beer by a passing driver - gratefully declined, and travelled 13 km at a pace a little slower than yesterday ... there was so much to take in and my legs are a little tender from all these km's! By this evening though, between jobs, I have completed a total of 47.1 km in all of 5 hours cycle time and taken home a few little goodies from the farm ... Not bad.  

~ Wednesday ~

~ Listen to your body ~

Today my body is crying "what are you doing!? This is too much for me!" and so I've had to admit to myself that I have been overdoing it, after all it is only week 1. Riding between work and pushing myself to do the kilometres as fast as possible is only going to end in injury. Not only that but I was convinced I had to complete the blog daily, share everything on facebook, have the plan all mapped out all at once! Wow, I love when I see myself ... this people, is the ego, say "hello ego!" 

Note to self ~ Remember to stay present and relaxed in everything you do!

More specifically my knees and and lower back have been aching, so I'll be eating more of the foods that help bones and muscles, Iron, protein and calcium rich food. As well as focusing my stretches on the lower back and knees. 24 km in 3 hours today spread out between work on the farm and babysitting.    

~ Thursday ~

~ No pressure ~

After letting go of the need to have everything under my control and done to the highest possible standard! I have had a lovely day, my lower back was really feeling it this morning, so I took more time stretching and less time on the bike. I spent half an hour in the park, then half an hour on the bike along the River Tiber, Rome before stopping to do my morning meditation, then riding for another half an hour to joining my friend for a fruit filled breakfast :D Yummy! 

After breakfast, I received a Shiatsu massage, which released all the tension in my spine, ready for the ride to work and home after work. So I spent a total of 3 hours on the bike today completing 24 km.

The cycle route along River Tiber goes all the way through Rome starting from Viale Guglielmo Marconi. I haven't reached the other end yet, I'll add it to my list of routes (unfortunately I can't get the route on google maps) 

~ Friday ~

~ A day of rest ~ 

Today I have taken a break from the Bike and focused my energy on the route planning for the trip, I have sent messages through couchsurfing. This is what the first part of the trip looks like ... 

Cycle for a cycle journey plan.

Times are calculated at 8 km per hour...

Toulouse, France -> 33.6 km / 4.2 hrs -> Poucharramet, France

Couchsurfing EVTYCIA – Call Eva 1 week before arrival and inform them of anything I may need (water). Food and bed included.

Poucharramet, France -> 141 km -> Pau, France -> 164km -> Pamplona, Iruna, Spain -> 194 km -> Burgos, Spain -> 96.5 km -> Palencia, Spain -> 47.6 km -> Valladolid, Spain -> 116 km -> Salamanca, Spain -> 121 km -> Almeida, Portugal -> 110 km -> Idahna a Nova

To keep me motivated and inspired I've been listening to the Life you tube channel Inspirational music soundtrack :D 

When you start a project, there are so many things to be discovered, the idea is just the start. As you move through each step the details come to the surface ... Life is a lesson <3 comment-3--="" nbsp="">

~ Saturday ~

~ A work day ~

Today there was a lack of preparations, I worked pretty much all day, cycled there and back which was approximately 14 km in total ... Still bike <3 p="">

~ Sunday ~

~ Critical Mass Rome ~

I woke up this morning with an urge to go to the beach on the bike. I called my friend to see what she was up to and she informed me that the Critical Mass event was taking place today from Piramide to Ostia ... AWESOME! I packed my bag with food and water and set off on my merry way, completing 10 km before reaching the starting point, I then met a few thousand people ready for the cycle <3 a="" about="" battery="" borrowed="" but="" camera="" died="" event="" facebook="" follow="" for="" from="" group="" guys="" href="http://www.tmcrew.org/cm/" i="" if="" information="" more="" my="" nbsp="" page="" photo="" see.="" some="" the="" then="" to="" unfortunately="" want="" you="">this link

 which should lead you to the website. You can also check out the Facebook group page Critical Mass Roma where there should soon be a load of pics and videos <3 1="" 80="" :d="" a="" also="" and="" any="" are="" be="" best="" better="" boom="" bucket="" couldn="" couple="" day="" end="" enough="" festival="" from="" going="" got="" have="" i="" in="" it="" km="" lucky="" meet="" nbsp="" of="" p="" people="" s="" say="" t="" that="" the="" thought="" to="" toulouse="" travelling="" was="" week="" when="" who="" with="">