In my case I had done quite a bit of camping before I started cycle touring, so I had a reasonable idea about tents and things. I had done a lot of cycling before I started cycle touring, so I had a pretty good idea what it was like to ride day after day after day. My family and I were into hiking and long walks, and I considered myself somewhat of an outdoors person.

I had done a short pseudo-tour in the mid-1990s, and then a few weekend tours over the next few years, and then a week-long tour in Wales in 2003, before embarking on my long tour in Australia in 2004. Nevertheless ... I wished I had done more practice/shakedown tours that year. It would have saved me from packing as much as I did, and having to put it into storage shortly after I got to Australia. And may have saved me from some of the difficulties I had with climbing with a loaded touring bicycle.