I was tired after fourteen months on the road and needed a rest, a chance to recharge my batteries from the constant stress of being on holiday.

All the flights out of Patagonia were full for five days.

As the agent flicked through the screens one seat suddenly appeared on the next days flight. It hadn't been there a few minutes ago.

'Book him Dano!' I yelled.

Lucia looked slightly confused.

It was a world wide race to get my name on that seat.

It came back after a few agonising moments with my name confirmed.

'Phew'.

After securing my bike in the hotel car park and deciding what to take and what to leave there wasn't much time to let my family know I was coming home.

Besides, in my mind's eye I had been enjoying the walk from the station to my mother's house for several days rather so I decided I wouldn't tell anyone and just surprise her when I knocked on her door.

I flew into Heathrow and caught the express to P addington, the tube to Waterloo and another train to Cobham. The crowds on the tube reminded me why I had started biking to town all those ears ago when I used to padlock my moped to the railings in the middle of Waterloo station.

As I walked to my mother's house I savoured the late autumnal smells of the decaying leaves and the familiarity of the sights and surroundings.

I knocked twice on the front door.

Ted, my dog, immediately started barking as usual.

I put my handkerchief through the letterbox so he would know it was me.

I could see him frantically wagging his tail and then he sat down and looked back up the stairs. I guessed my mother was up there somewhere.

He barked and looked up again.

'It's only the postman' I heard her call after him.

I knocked again.

'Woof, woof, woof, woof' said Ted.

He looked around up the stairs again.

'What was she doing?'

'Why didn't she come down?

He was clearly telling her that I was home and she should hurry up and get down here.

I just hoped she didn't have a heart attack when she saw me.

What would I do if she did?

Eventually she came down and the door swung open.

I could see the thoughts go through her head.

'No, yes, no, it is!'

Now as I sit here and write this it was definitely the right thing to do.

She kept telling herself I was home after we sat and chatted for quite a while.

So here I am living with my mum at the age of forty six and a bit.

Very grown up.