We've started our big cycle trip

We're off! After weeks of planning, packing, repacking, and repacking again, Kat and I finally set off on Friday 10th April on the big cycle trip we've been dreaming about for years. Getting the weight down was a bit of a battle, I'd hoped to keep both panniers under 10kg combined, but once the laptop went in, that was never going to happen. We left Valencia with 13kg of bags each. That's not a lot for a three-month trip, but it doesn't slow us down too much.

The send-off was brilliant. We had a farewell brunch with friends at our favourite café in Valencia - complete with bunting and an official start line. It was a really lovely way to begin.

It wasn't until we got into new territory that we slowly became aware of what we're doing.

The reality and sheer scale of the trip took a while to sink in. We do a lot of cycling, and the first three days took us along a route we already knew, so it felt fairly normal. But once we hit new territory, the enormity of it started to creep up on us. That feeling is fading a little now — but I'm still a bit in awe of just how far we have left to ride. About 4,000km, depending on the route.

In the first five days we've had a bit of everything from the weather: a really wet day that tested all our waterproof gear, an extremely windy day that genuinely tested our resolve to actually do this, and a hot sunny day that tested our sunscreen. We're spending four to six hours a day cycling, and the rest of the time is either eating or sleeping.

Sitges

Yesterday was a real highlight. The weather was beautiful, the route was perfect, and we covered 93km — mostly right along the coast on bike paths through pretty little Mediterranean seaside towns. Logging that distance at the end of the day felt very satisfying. We ended up in Sitges, which is a gorgeous town with some lovely restaurants. We found a great pizza place last night and there's a very promising-looking Thai at the top of the list for this evening.

As I write this we're taking a rest day here in Sitges, 350km north of Valencia. In the next week we'll be heading over the foothills of the Pyrenees and into France — cycling across a border is always an exciting moment, and I think that one is going to feel like a real milestone. Looking further ahead, I'm really looking forward to northern Italy: beautiful cities and great food, what's not to love?

On the work front, everything is ticking along smoothly. We're planning a full work day every four or five days to catch up properly, and as always we're available all day for any emergencies — so there's no change to the service you'd expect from us. We'll be writing more updates as the trip unfolds, so watch this space!