What a plonker I am! One of the most basic things to teach new riders is the necessity of making "life saver" observations every time you adjust your position on the road. Shame I didn't do that today, If I had I wouldn't be hobbling around with a bent and buckled bike to fix. I got hit in the side as I went to overtake this morning, great hey? I was going to continue to the mainland, but decided to stay in La Paz. There's enough facilities to sort it out here, and an English speaking worker at the hotel, it makes fixing us both so much easier.

Once hit I didn't know how bad it was going to get, I saw myself careening into the back of a truck, then felt us both go down. My only thought was, "this is the end of my trip," I was amazed at the lack of damage to us both. Trying to stand, my knee gave way, I had to roll up my trousers and check it. With no sign of damage I could accept it was only pain, nothing serious! What a relief! The young girls in the car were really upset, crying and convinced I must be badly hurt. I don't know how fast they were going, they weren't there before i put my indicator on, my fault for not checking again before pulling out. A stupid local idiosycracy is the use of the left indicator, they use it to mean it's safe to overtake. Of course the problem is how can the other drivers know whether you mean this, or that you are about to overtake, or even turn left.

The bracket for the headlight assembly is bent, so easy to fix. The worst damage has been done to my nice new boxes, the rack on one side has been torn apart and the mounting components knackered. The standard rear rack has broken, some bracing will sort that out. The actual ali boxes should bend back into shape, they aren't as bad as they look. All in all I've been very lucky; son of a bitch, could have done with that sort of luck four months ago!

I've recently been given information concerning Cai's bike. There was found to be a gelatinous substance blocking the fuel jets in the Carb, so it seems reasonable to see this as the cause of the loss of power Cai experienced, which caused his accident and subsequent death. If I've learnt nothing else in the course of the journey, shit happens, whether by your own omission or someone elses, it is unavoidable in life. We have to accept it and carry on the best we can, it's no good allowing it to effect the rest of your life. sooner or later you have to pick up the pieces and start again. Nothing can alter what has happened, however desperate we may be, and it may take some time to have the strength to continue; but continue we must!