Hello folks; Posted it up on the HUBB aswell. Just thought I'd drop line with regards to some plans next year. Me and my girlfriend/fiancée (will be wife by February) have been planning riding to Australia for a while (two up on the Africa Twin... its almost tempting to get another cg125 and do it on two of them rather than the twin... anyways). The rough plan is: Leave UK end of April-ish.. visit some friends in Europe... get to Turkey by June-mid June (mainly shuffling about in the Dolomites, Slovenia, Croatia and Albania, quick through Greece). Spend some time in Turkey with family (I grew up there and have family there). In July pop back in to Greece and travel the south of it, then had north to further die in the sun and make it to the Greece 2013 HU Meet. After that back in to Turkey, if all goes to plan will be meeting up with some friends from the UK and spend about a month or so (maybe more) travelling Turkey/ camping/ swimming/ eating /drinking etc I'm gona try do a lot of dirt roads in Turkey (gona be interesting 2 up). Then September time in to Iran, depeding on the visa would like to stay in Iran a bit, then Pakistan. Pak is currently bit of a gray area not really planned much, I might get in touch with Pak motorcycle club and CS and see if anyone can meet us and show us around a bit etc. I'd like to head down to Karachi do the makran coastal highway (hopefully it's not all tarmac) then back up to Lahore, then the mountains KKH etc then in to India... going to see how we like India. some people love it some people can't wait to get out, so we'll see... then it's Nepal I think, from around there fly the bike to Bangkok? Then it's abit vague after that. We want to do Cambodia and Laos, either backpack Vietnam or rent two bikes or even a car, whichever is easiest really. Would like to spend a month or so maybe in Thailand or on an island somewhere (I think making somewhere "home" for a bit and chilling might be nice). Then after that try get to East Timor through Malaysia, Indonesia (if the boat to Darwin is still running that is) if not seek alternative routes. So yeah, if anyone is planning a roughly similiar route with similiarish dates, baring in mind although leaving UK in late April/early May, we'll be in Turkey/Greece from June till early September, so our paths might cross there or onwards. Might be able to tag along in some bits and have a drink or two and exchange notes so yeah... there is the "masterplan".. now where was I with sorting that bike... Have fun folks! Oli
I'm probably heading for the swisss, italian, austrian alps then down the adriatic coast (croatia side) up to montenegro mid june - july, so our paths might intersect :)
Ooo sounds like Africatwin-o'clock I think our rough Europe route off the top of my head will be: UK-Dunkerque, den Haag (see family), might also pop in to Belgium to see family aswell, Munich (have a look.. might live there.. I like being lcose to the Alps), in to Switzerland, do the passes, Grimsel, Furka etc etc Stelvio in to Italy, Firenze, Venice, then back up in to the Dolomites, then in to Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, (might be popping in to Bosnia if some our friends are there when we are) then Greece..then onwards and onwards until we get Malaria :) If our paths don't cross have fun anyways!
Hi Your trip sounds great. My wife and I did Oz to UK last year on a DR650 and XT250. Missed Iran and did KKH into China instead - didn't fancy the troubled western provinces. Otherwise Pak is brilliant. Trans Air Cargo & Eale Eyes will look after you air ferighting Np - Bangkok. More info at my website below Best of luck, have fun
Your pics look very nice. Nice one on getting a book out of it. I couldn't get the other half interested until last month (she's only just got a wee cg125 and has started riding around)... we fear it may be too late to take two bikes though. Would have been nice.. One person carries jerry cans the other the tent. Ah well two up on the beast it is. Also I was umming and arring about to keep or ditch the topbox as I fear it may wobble and snap.. you seem to have kept it so I think I'll keep it till it breaks. Thanks for the input anyways! Have fun! Oli
The topbox only just made it! The box itself is fine, the plastic removable latch thing is the weak point. Best to ditch that and just bolt the box to the rack and make it permenant. Also I beefed up the metal mount with a welder and pipe work. If you can afford to buy proper stuff, then do it - its worth the money. Its a long way!!!
Assuming you head down through Montenegro, try this (below) I missed the bay loop when I did it and used the ferry. I've not been back since then so though but I loved the coast road, espcially in Croatia - so much so that I did it in one go.
Just had a thought and tweaked my route a bit.. so currently it is going to be: UK - Holland - Germany - Schweiz or Osterreich - Italy - Slovenia - Croatia - Montenegro - Albania - Greece - Turkey - Georgia - Armenia - Iran - Pakistan - India - Nepal - Thailand - Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam (backpack Vietnam) - Malaysia - Singapore (might not take bike in.. need to research this) - Indonesia - East Timor - Darwin Again giving ourselves a year with plenty of chilling out involved in bits we like, rough milestones.. get to the mountains by October (north Pakistan and north India) and Nepal by November - December-ish.
Route sounds good, fingers crossed I have a bike by the time you to my neck of the woods and I may join you for a beer. Suggestions; The Guzzi factory at Lako Como - check out their opening times though, a very small window indeed. Coffee in Davos - just for shits and giggles Fucking (Austria) for more giggles - don't try and steal the sign though, it's well secured. Budapest (if you've not been), almost on the way and well worth a visit IMO
Hello Oli, Well, I'm busy with preparing my trip for next year also...from Belgium to Poland till Montenegro and Albania, furter to Georgia and then going till Mongolia...after a small stay there back home. I try to leave home (Belgium) around mid may. So, I guess that maybe our roads will cross somewhere If you're interested to make a meet or to do a part of the trip together, let me know hé ! Cheers, Erik
Hey guys; Yeah it would be nice to meet with you both en-route. I'll update here or start a blog at some point so we might be able synch. Erik, There's about a million people doing the -istans route on the HUBB this coming summer, so you could drop a line there aswell. Take care Oli
Hi Oli, I'll be going that way but only till Albania, as I only have couple of weeks for this trip. I'll leave slightly earlier, end of March, but we might cross the paths on my way back. I'll be there again later in the year, end of May, so if you happen to be there at the time, drop me a line and I'll show you some places around. regards Bes
Just a quick update. We have moved out of our flat and are now living with the inlaws. Ow and my thesis got accepted just in time so I is officially a Dr (alas not a real medical one) Setting off this Thursday (16th), Dover - Dunkerque then to the Hague to a friends birthday. Then we leave there on the Monday the 20th. 1st milestone is to get to Turkey by the 13th of June so will be blasting through Germany, Austria and Italy, then take it a bit easier around Slovenia and all the way down to Greece then to Turkey. So yeah hope to bump in to some of you. Also pakistani visa got a bit complicated so we withdrew our applications (as we need our passports), we got our Indian ones, Iran ones should be OK from Turkey, then will apply to the Pakistani ones in Tehran, might get lucky who knows. Indian visa expires 1st of November. Will make our minds up regarding Baloch once o the road, if we get the Iranian visa we will go as far as Bam then head to the coast and catch the ferry to Dubai and fly out either to Pakistan or to Kathmandu and pop back in to India. If there are a few of us though might be tempted to carry on from Bam throught Baloch. We'll see. Bike is mega heavy (got cloth panniers all around.. still heavy) will just have to get used to it. All the bastid medication I need to carry (funny bowels ) doesn't help. Ah well it will get lighter as days pass and re-stock in india. Take care folks and hope to see some of you on the way. We are going to spend a bit of time in Turkey with family then travel Turkey, probably through Ramadan. All the best Oli
Perkins Shipping is the name of the shipping company for the Timor Leste to Darwin leg. There are heaps of ferries throughout Indonesia, no waiting, no delay. You most probably wont, but if you freight your bike into India you have to use a customs broker, I suggest you get a couple of quotes otherwise you get screwed, good and proper. I'm scarred for life. Have you got a carnet de passage for Iran, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Australia?. I think you need it for the other SE Asian countries as well. I wonder if you can ride through Myanmar now? You couldn't a couple of years ago, but things are changing. Regards, Mark.
Some changes are slowly starting to emerge in Burma.. but I would not hold my breath the borders will suddenly open. That said, I was surprised to see, that someone HAD actually managed to get a permission from the Burmese government to enter with his motorcycle from India, and this happened a few months ago. Getting this permission had, however, taken several months. Some have also gotten their bikes in from Thailand, on an organised tour (and pre-planned route). But anyway I think it´s fair to say, that you cannot just pop up at the border with a visa, and proceed into Burma. At least that part has not really changed in several decades.
hey guys, thanks for the info regarding shipping. We're sitting the rain out in Ljubljana for a couple of days. Its been raining pretty much everyday since we left England. Apart from a day in the dolomites. Then it snowed the next day lol. Yup got the carnet, well got my quote,will be getting it shipped to Turkey for early August as I don't need it till Iran. Might aswell maximise the time on it as paying £1700 for it (will be getting 900 back though)..still a large chunk of money. I heard of the guy who crossed Myanmar aswell. Anyways, more interested in the iran elections in june currently. Take care and have fun Oli
Hey folks, Here is our blog if anyone is interseted. http://ctscholi.blogspot.com/ All the best and have fun! Oli
