Hi guys,

Looking for some advise here!

I am planning a trip from Dublin to Sydney starting next September. Unfortunately, due to work I cannot take more than 4.5 months off for this. Even though, in all fairness, I do contemplate an option to just quit and turn this whole thing into a proper RTW halfway through.

But for now let's think I only have 4 months starting in September.

I'm planning to skip through Europe (I have already been in those countries on some previous trips), then go through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal with an aim to reach Kathmandu by mid-late October.

Ship to Bangkok and then options vary.

Option 1: Go through Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor to Darwin and then on to Sydney.
Complications: Weather (I understand its wet season in Indo), time (the route is long), weather again (I understand Darwin in December is a bad idea).

Option 2: Ride around in Thailand (which I love) and Cambodia (which I haven't been to but looking forward) for 2-3 weeks, then ride down to KL and ship from there to Perth. Ride from Perth to Sydney with an aim to arrive by the New Year.
Complications: Skipping Indonesia and Timor where I haven't been before, Weather in Thailand and Cambo can still be a bit wet esp. first part of Nov, Cost - I'd imagine shipping KL to Perth can be expensive, even though I'm not sure it'll be significantly more expensive than taking ML > ID > Timor > Darwin route.

Would really appreciate some advise here - I've tried to compile the weather maps but obviously lacking experience there might be things I've overlooked.

4 months isnt much on such a long trip, and adding two shippings included in that time frame - which often are frustratingly timeconsuming - I would say is not a very good origo.

If I were you I would have tried to get the numbers of shipping down to one.

Example - The freight Dili to Darwin takes at least 3 weeks, and thats if youre lucky. The ship that freights the bike sails from Dili to Singapore and from Singapore back to Darwin and that takes at least 16 days if the ship doesnt have any trouble or meet bad weather or queue when docking. And then add days of customs clerance, container inspection, quarantine inspection of bike (has to very clean to enter Australia!) and then roadworthyness inspection of bike. All separate things that cant be booked and done before the other things are cleared. The worst examples is persons have been waiting two months for this shipping.

Its possible nowadays to ride through Myanmar(Burma) although you need a guide and it will cost a bit. I have heard about those who paid as little as 1000 $ for this including guides and accomodation.

Thailand/Kambodia/Laos shouldnt be too bad about rain. August and september are the wettest months there according to weather statistics. October can still face some rain but by november it should be ok down there.

In Indonesia the rainy season starts in november so its not a good time to come there. And december in Darwin is not a good time either.

Indonesia is very interesting and facinating by all means - but its very time consuming too. The traffic is terribly jammed and chaotic and dont expect to ride more than 3-400 kms in a day. And that will be a good day. And Indonesia is only islands and ferries are time consuming too. Especially after passing Lombok. Some only goes once or twice pr week. You will need at least 20-25 days just to get through Indonesia, and that if you dont stop anywhere to take in sights and if you dont have any trouble.

If I were you I would have tried to get more time available. If not I would have tried to skip one of the shippings you mention, probably the one between Nepal and Bangkok. Ride from your destination to Thailand. Ride around there a bit - if you have time - including Kambodia (or maybe Laos which is a much better option than Kambodia if you ask me...) and then ship from BKK or Kuala Lumpur to Perth.

Well - just my two cents. Feel fred to ask more questions and details as I just arrived in Darwin after riding from Norway and thus have recent experience along some of this route.

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Snakeboy, this is an amazing advise, thank you very much!

Indonesia is sadly out of question then, will have to make a separate trip there. Especially since I've read some more material and apparently shipping from KL to Perth is relatively easy and relatively cheap, hopefully will be quick too!

And great advise about Burma - I've read its opening up but thought its still prohibitevly expensive, but $1000 (even if it goes up to $1500 or so) is reasonable, comparable to shipping from Kathmandu with bike freight and ticket and - more importantly - makes so much more sense to see Burma and also use this route since I want to visit north-west Thailand anyway.

May I ask you which route did you take from Norway? This might prompt me to ask some more particular questions about the route

Thanks again for your help!

Alex

I rode Norway-Finland-The Baltic states-Poland-Tceck-Slovakia-Hungary-Romania-Ukraine-Russia-Kazakhstan-Kyrgizstan-China-Laos-Thailand. Time spent was around 3 months. Then spent 3 months in Thailand-then did a 2 month loop in Laos and Cambodia, then spent another 2 months in Thailand, left Chiang Mai in mid May, rode a good loop of Malaysia for a month, shipped Penang to Medan (Indo) then rode Indonesia for more than 3 months and then to East Timor and then shipped to Darwin.

Indonesia is a really amazing and diverse country and almost everybody I have talked to loved that country - (but not the traffic though) So since your time frame doesnt allow you to go there in the dry season and your time frame is quite short I think it might be a better idea to skip Indo this time and maybe try to do it on a later occation. I spent more than 3 months there and when I left I felt just like I have seen only small parts of it. The absolute highlight was 4 weeks on Sulawesi... Freakin awsome place!

Anyhow - good luck with planning your trip. Just ask if there is something you want to know....

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Thanks Snakeboy, I think I'll skip Indonesia this time then, but include Burma

Good luck with the rest of your trip and thanks so much for your advise!

I wouldn't want to skip Indonesia. Indo is like no other country in SE Asia - allowing 6-8 weeks to cross the archipelago (northern Sumatra to Timor) would be the minimum time I would set-aside.

If your plans are really that flexible, have you thought about spending your 4 months riding to say Laos or Cambodia and storing your bike there for a while? Go back home at that stage to catch your breath - maybe even earn a little extra money - then return (no doubt, with some essential spare parts!) and pick-up where you left off, getting the timing right to avoid the rainy season(s) all the way down to Sydney?

Just a thought.

Keith

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I definitively agree with you that Indonesia is something that should not be missed when travelling in that part of the world. But considering TS timeframe and time of year travelling its not doable within TS limitations.

And a good advise and suggestion to leave the bike a while in Asia and continue travel at a later stage. Cambodia should be a good country to store a bike for a while since they dont seem to have any temporary import thing or other kinds of registration of foreign vehicles going into or out of the country. Laos and Thailand have both 30 days temporary import.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

I absolutely agree with that.

I temporarily stored my bike in Phnom Penh for 6½ months in 2013 (April - November). No problems at all.

Storage in Malaysia is also possible (.. if you are smart with your paperwork. )

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