I am planning a trip leaving uk late May 2008 travelling through Europe to attempt to enter China and on to Lao and Thailand. Before everyone tells me I know the odds on getting into China are slim !!! but I am prepared to try, anyone else interested?.

Have fun, ride safe !! Jimmy

Hi Jimmy, how advanced is the planning, what route, bike, duration ect. Brian.

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rust & dust

Hi Brian, I am still in the initial planning stages ( my definition). I travelled U.K. to Vladivostock in 2005 and then by7 ferry to south Korea, for that journey I used an xt600. I plan to use an xt again since I am only 5'6" and weight plus seat height limit the number of bikes that suit. The route ??? The sticky bit is getting into China without the $100 a day government guide. I know people have managed via Kahzekstan ( excuse spelling) So I will initially try the same route, I believe there are at least three crossings into China via Khaz. I have a few ideas to enhance my chances ( I think olympic year may be an advantage) also I think that too many riders will reduce the chances. I have no detailed route and though I will draw up a detailed plan incl;uding several China crossing alternatives. Mail me off the board for more info ( I am a bit protective of China crossing ideas, too many attempts at the same border point may reduce my chances)

Have fun Jimmy

Hi Jimmy, did you get the email I sent you about trip to China? Brian

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rust & dust

Hi Jimmy,

I'll be leaving the UK next year around April/May/June as well. Destination Sydney (for starters), maybe RTW. Planning either northern or southern route (China or Iran/Pakistan) and definitely want to go to Laos. Been there before and it's a great place.
You're right, Olympic Year might be a good thing. I haven't started any planning yet, so I'm open to anything. Feel free to PM me.

Bjorn

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http://www.panomoto.com

Hey Bjorn, what will you be riding?

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... and Nelly The Elephant packed the trunk and said goodbye to the circus...

Hi All, this is a message to PaulM, FizzyFish, Bjorn and others. Ive been in contact with Jimmy who started this thread, rough plan is to leave late spring 2008, head east and try for China. Would any of you be ok for a meeting sometime August, most of you I know are from London area, PaulM and Jim are further north so would you want to meet London or halfway between us all. Do let me know and arainge a date and place to chat and compare notes. Brian.

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rust & dust

I'd be prepared to ride down and meet up with you guys to exchange plans. Maybe somewhere between London and Birmingham may be good for us all?
Brian has kindly agreed to pull it all together if there's enough interest. Seems that we're all heading in roughly the same direction to start with and with a similar start date. Could all go our different ways from Turkey?
Cheers
Paul

Hey all,

Would just like to pitch in and say I am interested in something like this next spring/summer too. Have been saving up for a while and hoping to get a break from work. Destination would initially be Sydney for me then perhaps on RTW but would see when I got there.

I also have the madcap idea to build a diesel bike to do it on, but would have to see how i got on in time to do. Failing that I have a TDM 850 at the moment although could perhaps swap it for something like a Tenere.

Keep in touch.

Neil (Northern Ireland)

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Belfast to Kathmandu on a Diesel motorbike 2010/11 www.suckindiesel.com

me & my girlfriend 2-up on vstrom650, thru eastern Europe to Turkey then Iran-Pakistan-India, then stay in India hopefully for 1,5-2 months and maybe visit Nepal, Bangladesh (Bhutan?) and after that freight to Malaysia or Thailand (around Christmas?). Stay in Thailand for a while, then head futher south, final destination Australia. But Im not so sure how much this whole circus is going to cost, and how tired we might be after India, etc., so we will see about it once we get there. I think India alone is well worth the trip, and if we can do more, that´ll be a plus of course, but If we feel then that its better to ship home after India, we will do that.

Start mid-September 2007 (or October 1st latest), planning to be in India about the end of October. Might go to see the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan, if weather and other circumstances in the country permit.

Would be nice to get some travel companions for at least part of the way. If your around at the same time, please do get in touch!

Hi all,

Yes a meeting in London would be great. If it's London locals, we could do it in the city/westend. Or we could do the Ace Cafe on the North Circular – not too hard to get to for people from outside the North of London.
Whichever way – count me in

Bjorn

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http://www.panomoto.com

Maybe we should get in touch. Your route sounds very similar to what I've got in mind. Destination Sydney, with an option for the old RTW, depending on how long funds last and how I like it in Oz.
I'm open to all routes. I quite fancy Italy - Greece - possibly Eastern Europe for a bit - Turkey. Then through Iran/Pakistan, or through Kyrigistan into China and then Pakistan. Then India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia (with hopefully lots of island hopping (would love to see Borneo). Planning lots of camping and about 1 year for the whole thing to Sydney.
I'll send you a PM with my contact details, so we can have a chat if you like.

Bjorn

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http://www.panomoto.com

Hello folks, this is my first time on this site, but now I know what I want to do I reckon it's the best place to be. I've travelled on my bike in Europe so far but now I want to do the Full Monty....or something similar.

I don't want to be a quaking 80 year old on a zimmer wishing I had taken the bull by the horns and gone farther afield on a bike, so now I have made the decision to head towards Oz or NZ and see where life takes me afterwards. Timewise I'm thinking of August or September 2008 (primarily because I reckon you neen a lot of time to plan, and secondly, because I need time to get the cash together!) But my decision is made and that's pretty final as far as I am concerned.

At present I ride an 03 Triumph Trophy 1200 but I feel something like an Africa Twin will do the job nicely so this is something I need to sort out. As a very youthful 41 year old I'm determined to see this through to the end, so if any of you are interested in living the dream for real then you've already got a companion in me.

Anything goes as far as I am concerned. The route is largely irrelevant as long as I end up in the Far East somewhere, be it Bangkok, Thailand, Hong Kong, Oz or NZ. I'm not a picky person and am very easy to get along with.....and I sure as hell plan to have a lot of fun along the way....so if you're interested just let me know.

Chris

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"Life is too short to drink cheap wine!"

hi Chris, congrats on making the decision to go! From chatting to some of the others today I think most of us are planning to be heading East out of Turkey late Spring/early Summer, so may be a bit ahead of you. Keep in touch though as you never know...

Nice to see you guys today btw, and thanks for the tips! Here's a heads up in return - there's a solar eclipse in Russia/Kazakhstan/China on 1 August 2008:

Total Solar eclipse of Friday 1 August 2008

Got to be worth a detour if you're in the area!!

Hey Brian, Fizzyfish and Bjorn - how did the Sunday meeting go? Did you guys make any firm plans with routes dates for next years trip?
Mick Tharme, with his better half Colleen and I are definitely on for an early May 08 departure but route still to be confirmed. Have to be back early August for shipping Micks bike back to Aus.
See there's a parallel crew planning something similar from Belgium - if we have firm plans - could see if any of them fancy joining us for all/part of the journey.
Keep us posted with developments please.
Cheers
Paul