We have to put our hands up and declare ourselves guilty.

Yes, guilty of dreaming of bike touring again, a mere 4 months into our re-integration. In the last week alone we’ve considered the Great Divide, India and South America as possibilities for the future.

And then we remember that we only just got back, and maybe we should work on building up the bank balance a bit longer? But it’s tough when you have road lust and we’ve got it bad. We clearly need some kind of 10-step program.

Or maybe we’ll just follow these tips from Eric, the owner of the Vakantiefietser bike touring shop in Amsterdam.

For bike tourists suffering withdrawal pains, he recommends these steps:

• Walk around in your SPD shoes at home.
• Have a cold shower outside, from a bucket.
• Stuff your moneybelt under your pillow.
• Wear your old sun-faded t-shirts.
• Sit 1 hour per day in an internet cafe.
• Ask a taxi driver or shop keeper if he wants to bargain.
• Check your shoes when you put them on. Maybe there’s a snake in them!

Maybe we can add a few:

• Don’t shower for 3 days. Smear dirt on your body for extra effect.
• After 3 days, don’t have a proper shower. Use baby wipes instead.
• Eat pasta and carrots from a pot for supper.
• Put your tent up in your living room and sleep inside it.
• Stuff some dirty clothes underneath your head for a pillow.
• Put the contents of your closet into your panniers.
• Pretend no one speaks your language. Try to get by just with sign language.

We’ll let you know if any of these steps help our rehabilitation…