Do you remember me talking about crossing from France into Ireland? As we left France and got on the ferry, we were checked out of the country with our passport being scanned. Getting off the ferry into Ireland we just passed on through without any passport control. The only official record of us entering Ireland was us leaving France. After riding around Ireland for a couple weeks we ended up near Dublin. A ferry runs from Dublin and across to Holyhead, Wales. Now this crossing we are leaving Ireland and going to the UK. That is the same as leaving the EU and entering, since Brexit, a non-EU country. You would think there would be some border control at this point. There isn’t!!
As we got to the ferry port in Dublin they looked at our passports to confirm our tickets match. They are never scanned. Not really thinking too much about it we boarded the ferry for the crossing into Wales. As we leave the ferry port at Holyhead, Wales there is also no border control. We just rode straight through into the country. I really find this strange and reach out to several friends in the UK about it. I’m really concerned that we will have an issue leaving the UK and into France. Several people tell me to go back to Holly Head to get that stamp into our passport. By now we were 100 or so miles into the country. We turned around and headed back to the port the next morning. We checked with security and there is no border processing agents at this port at all.
This border is considered a common travel area. There is an agreement between the two countries that allows travel to Irish and UK citizens without a passport control. The problem with this is it also allows free travel between the two countries for any passport. Right now there are asylum seekers and others crossing back and forth between the two countries without any issues. Hummm!
On to the fun stuff of travel. Are first stop will be to MotoCamp Wales, AKA Motojunkies. This fantastic camp for motorcycle travelers is the brainchild of world traveler Steph Jeavens. She has written a motorcycle around the world and ridden on all seven continents. She has a book on her adventures called “Home by Seven”. MotoCamp Wales is a welcoming place on the site of an old golf course. The main area is upscale lodging and a bar. They also have plenty of room for camping and small huts that you can sleep in. They run tours and motorcycle training out of the site. It’s also in a very central area near Eryri National Park (Snodonia), where you could spend a couple days or a week just riding and enjoying, which we did.
As The Overland Event was just in a couple days we rode towards Oxford in England. A very good friends of ours, Nigel, and his friend David, had an invited us to camp nearby for a couple days prior. We met up with him the night before the event and had a fun evening catching up at an empty campground.
The next day we rode to the Overland Event. This is absolutely without doubt, my favorite motorcycle overlanding get together anywhere in the world. This will be the fourth time we’ve been here. The event is jam-packed full of noteworthy world travelers. The special thing about this event is there all up to tell tales other travels and most will check their egos at the door. The two mates who run the event, Saul and Paddy, are two of the finest guys I know. They give this event their all, including their hearts, and it shows and is appreciated by everyone in attendance. We are warmly greeted at the gate and hop off the bike to say hello to so many friends. After taking our spot in the empty campground and setting up camp we head on in to the main site to do what we came here for, see friends.
With heavy hearts we hear the news that this would be the last Overland Event. The people that run the event, Paddy Tyson, Nick Brown and Saul Jeavons, want to get back on the road and travel more. Totally understandable! World travel seeps into your blood and will change you to the core, in ways that you can’t understand until you go. I withdrew a bit Saturday night and just wandered around. This is the one event that really ties me to the motorcycle overlanding community. I had made so many friends, and the idea of not seeing them all together here was just too much.
As of this writing I do have exciting news though. The Overland Event has been resurrected once again for 2025. The caliber of the speakers at this event is inspirational. So many folks have done so many things, so many places visited, so many exotic roads traversed. Just being there humbles me.
I have never spoke at this event. Why? My insecurities. I love speaking to folks and inspiring people. But now, at this event, that is going to change. I will be at the 2025 Overland Event and up on a stage speaking. About what? I have no idea. Possibly just about our past fourteen years riding the world. We will see…
Thanks for reading and we hope to see you in Oxford in 2025,
Cheers,
2WANDRRs
2WANDRRs 
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