The Stans 2008
 

Hi everyone,

I kind of lost track of "who will be where and when" for riding through the Stans this year. From what it looks like, there'll be quite a few of us anywhere between April and September.

So I thought it'd be good to have a little "Stans 2008 mailing list". Those who would like to join in on that mailing list: can you please PM or email me your itineraries, name/email address and (if OK with you) phone number.

I'll then put it together into a spreadsheet and send an email with everyone copied in, so we can stay in touch, share some planning stuff & maybe meet up for some vodka on the road.

Bjorn

Plans...
 

Hi Bjorn
Got back from Turkey yesterday.
Have forwarded plans to date for The Stans by e-mail.
Only got the Kyrgyz visa so far. (Turkmen on the border with Stantours help)
Tajikistan visa may be a pain if they don't open the embassy in London in time (Have to apply in person for UK nationals so may need to detour to Brussels)
Will appply for Russia next week to satisfy the <90 day rule.
Hope to meet you and Len on route.
Cheers
Paul

Hi Bjorn,
Going to be leaving the UK 19th July for a leisurely 6 week ride to Ulaan Baatar via Russia, Kaz, Uz and Kyrgy.

stans
 

hi Bjorn

now monday i go to brussels to pic up my uzbeki and kirgy visa and in the same time aplaiy for tadjiki and turkmenistan
but for the dates , i now you want to enter china half of sept (monsoon India)
thad is a litle to late for me since a have a meeting in thailand
i hope we can stil do china with more people , but i stic to my plan to enter china half august. the monsoon in india is not a big problem for me since in india i stay only in ladak

schedual
 

12.07.2008 Leaving Croatia -> Serbia -> Bulgaria
15.07. Turkey
22.07. Iran
01.08. Turkmenistan (transit)
02.08. Uzbekistan
07.08. Turkmenistan (transit)
09.08. Iran
15.08. Afghanistan (Herat only, one day no sleeping)
15.08. Iran
20.08. Turkey -> Greece -> Macedonia -> Montenegro -> Croatia

+/-

My plans :
leaving Belgium in sept.
via Ukraine, Russia, Kazachstan, Uzbekistan (perhaps Kyrgyztan), Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey,... back home.
For the transit trought Kazachstan I will be taking the train because I'm doing this trip on my Yamaha R6 and this bike is not the most suited bike for offroading.

I'm having approx. 3 months the time.

"Stan Plan"
 

Hi Bjorn,

Two of us are leaving London in May and heading to the Stans through Iran. The wishful “Stan Plan” is:
Turkmenistan June 29 (transit visa)
Uzbekistan July 2
Kyrgyzstan July 9
Kazakhstan July 17

Then onto Russia. (We initially planned for China but gave up on that option when confronted with the regulations and bureaucracy).

Anyway, my contacts are Mike Preston. E-mail mikedpreston(a)gmail.com

Cheers, Mike

4 Polish Africa Twin will start from bishkek around 5 Aug. Then China and back to Kyrgyz, some days in Kyrgyzstan. We will finish about 4 weeks later.

Stans ride
 

Hi all,
We fly into Europe mid April and after touring around Spain, Italy and
eastern Europe for a few months, I'll head East around the first of July.
Hope to ride through Turkmenistan,Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan before
crossing into China in mid August.
I'll be riding a reliable and very nicely detailed KTM 990 Adventure.
I'm planning on end up in Oz next spring.
MAX

China?
 

Max - has China opened up to bikes? I tried to go through China and the only route possible was a very small part of the 'silk road' through the kashgar region, and at great expense (guide, accom. and fees were taking it well over 1000 dollars for four or five days - way out of my meagre budget...)

Would be great if they did open up but I think they are a bit cautious about foreigners being able to move freely, especially near any of the 'zones of special economic interest' (forced labour?)

Personally I think that criminals should be forced to work by the state, but they still wouldn't let me in!

foreign-licensed motorcycles in China
 

Nothing has changed regarding expense or paperwork for entering China. If anything, expect things to get more restrictive this summer prior to and during the Olympics.

Stans 2008
 

Hi guys,
we started yesterday from Austria and are now in Slovenia (in the snow!).
Check-out our blog at:
On the path of Genghis Khan

It seems we will be the first going there this year so will update you on the situation.
For China, I might try to enter as I have a Hong Kong Chinese driving licence and live in HK but agree it is not a given that we will make it. But I disagree, with the olympics coming up they want to avoid any international problems, hence might be a bit easier this year. They already announced that they will let journalists tour around China freely to see how great the country is.
Cheers.

Terrific trip! Keep on blogging and posting - I hope to be on that route in a year or two, and this is so useful...very inspiring. Good luck, good roads!

france via stans to malaysia
 

Hi all,

Leaving next month, heading east through turkey, iran. Expect to be in stans area for 3 weeks in May and enter china before June. Hope to meet some bikers on this road.

Sheen

Hello

We are 3 people from Germany, starting on the 10th of May. Going by train to Turkey ( to save some time), then via Georgia, Aserbaidschan and a ferry boat over the Kaspian sea into the stans. Back via Kasachstan and Russia. Visas are on the way. We have to be back in the middle of June. I hope to see somebody there.

Michael