The following people helped me to realise this sad desire to swan off to who knows where in order to follow in the footsteps of a man already dead. They are, and not in any sort of order:-

-My parents, who obligingly accepted faxes and emails on my behalf, while dealing with the credit card bill; thank God for that.
-My grandparents, who were excellent conversation starters everywhere their photo was shown. Sadly, my grandfather died recently, but he can bask in the attention in Heaven from all those people from foriegn climes who will say they know him!
-Motorola, for ensuring that I had no qualms about leaving my job.
-For all those I worked with in Euroway building who got me a great leaving card and a Tibetan phrasebook.
-Tony and Steve, who acted as sounding boards for all my ideas, and obligingly trained me to a superhuman level of fitness; well, I could run for the bus without collapsing, which is what usually happened to me when I tried to keep up with them! Went to Nepal for some running in 1998. Tony is away with Mandy in NZ until mid-2003, and Steve is heavily involved in family life and the TA.
-Marina, who proved to be a Russian I could understand, in every sense of the word. Was studying in Japan for a year, but is now living in London and married to Lucien who she met six years ago in Irkutsk.
-To John and the other expats, who were all so helpful. John is a hard man to email; well, impossible to contact actually! I'll keep trying.
-Uti, who obligingly allowed me to see Mongolian student life, not to mention negotiating on my behalf with the locals. Now graduated, and working in the west of Mongolia. We still exchange letters.
-Zoe, for managing to turn up in so many places where I didn't expect her; I'm grateful! After some time in South Africa, she's now living and working in Auckland, New Zealand; for a travel shop, naturally!
-Nobuya, who ensured I made my journey to Golmud the scenic route. Sent him some cards, but never heard anything back.
-The truck drivers who gave me lifts at some risk to themselves-no names obviously.
-Sarah, Gideon, Gal and Yeung for companionship on the road. I got a "propaganda postcard" from Yeung in September 97 explaining how wonderful life under the communists was. I wrote him a letter, but never heard back. Sarah was living in Hong Kong, but arrived back in the UK November 1998 after travelling home via China and Russia. At present she's living in Oxford, having accquired my desktop computer somehow. I'm sure I'll be paid for it one day :-)
-Shy, for ensuring I didn't "die on the mountain". Was supposed to go on to Thailand to stay at a monastry (!).
-Dr Piggott, who was extremely generous to a sickly freeloader, and saved my bacon at the airport. Has moved back to Australia in the interim.
-Vik, who has been very helpful with regard to cycling conditions in Tibet, and contributed some new photos for me. Why do I want to know about cycling in Tibet? Watch this space :-)

I could have put in more of you, but as always, writing in Notepad makes me tired! Thanks anyway!