Prelude to epic trip, it's not easy to leave the UK!

I couldn't wait to start this motorbike trip but before embarking I was desperately rushing to wrap up the last remaining things to do in Manchester. I could say bye to many friends but sadly I missed some of you, sorry!

2 days before the departure date my motorbike decided to have electrical issues with direction indicators, brake light, and horn all stopping to work at the same time. After pulling out the electrical diagrams it is clear that the wiring of all 3 things only converge "upstream" with Fuse #4 (10amps). Clearly it was a blown fuse and replacing it solved the problem but only temporarily. Next time I tried to use the horn I lost all break lights, indicators, and horn so I had to carefully inspect all wiring to see what kept blowing my fuse #4. Then I found the culprit, the horn cabling had come lose and come in contact with the exhaust pipes which melted the +, -, and ground terminals together causing a short everytime I tried to use the horn. Finally I could solve the issue by replacing the horn wiring and I could keep riding. This experience exemplifies why I love working on my bike, in many ways it is a scientific process and looking at the wiring diagrams is no too unlike looking at the gene pathways involved in cancer where problems are identified by following where differently altered gene pathways converge. See the pictures of the my electric diagram and that of KRAS, a gene commonly altered in many cancers and perhaps you will also see the similarities.

My bike's wiring diagram.

KRAS molecular pathway altered in most cancers.

The next day and night before riding down to Dover to catch the ferry to Europe I was to be found working in the lab at AstraZeneca non-stop for almost 24 hours without sleep to finalise the manuscript on my research about gene editing with exosomes.

Finishing the manuscript in the lab until 7am Monday before starting the trip.

Because of these errands my mind could not pause to think about closing the Manchester chapter in my life and all the very important people, challenges, and personal growth I have experienced in the last 3 years.

At last I wrote the final words of my manuscript and shared it with colleagues and 6:50am in Monday so I finally turned my attention to the upcoming trip and packed the essentials for 2 months of life on the rode on my motorbike and finally began the trip.

It is crazy how much I will miss Manchester and so many people but it has only hit me now as I pause to write this entry...

My motorbike all packed and ready to set off on this trip.