hi joey, i haven't checked the hubb for a while but im planning pretty much the same trip as you at the same time! im living in auckland saving at the moment, a couple diffrent ideas that i have are, flighing me and the bike from viangchan in loas to dhaka in bangladesh to get around the berma, china bit and also get on the kkh into china for a short time then take a left into the stans and take the pamir highway through to the caspian and into eurpoe that way,
where abouts in N.Z are you living now? could be good to meet up and bounce a few ideas around, i was thinking of leaving aussie at the end of febuary, cheers trevor

Hi Trev, the saving thing sounds familiar! We're living in Milford now, if you're local it would be good to meet up for a chat, pretty much anytime is good with me. I had pretty much dismissed the 'stan's as I'm concerned about the infrastructure up there, the last thing i want to be doing is digging the bike out of a sand-pit! Do you know otherwise?

We have started sorting a spreadsheet out, giving details of border crossings, visa conditions, shipping options etc. I'm quite amazed at how much info you can pull off the web in such a short space of time. It might just be possible after all!

Joey

hi
so your in milford, where abouts is that? ive been hear for a couple years now but really havent got around to much affraid, and i see theres a mini HU meeting in feduary were you planning to go?
the infrastructure in the stans is fine as there all ex russion countrys you have the tarmack to get you anywhere and in pretty sure its only turkmin that you have to worry about sand, but they are a bit stricted on where you cant go so you would probably have to stick to the main roads anyway, but for me tajikistan is the one looking at some pics from there it has some of the best landscape you can find anywhere, the only trouble it getting there, as i may have to duck into china, up to kashi then hang a left, and as you know china is the nemisis of all RTW trips
from what i can see you can get most visias on the borders so im not to worryed about then, the stans are where im going to have to think ahead, bike insurance is the one im thinking about, i know you can get "insurance" for most S.E.A countrys at the borders but how good it is, is anouther question, have you had any thorts on it? cheers

Hi,

Milford is on the North Shore of Auckland, and it's fairly easy for us to travel around Auckland from here. Had heard about the HU meeting in Feb, but it's in SI I think, and that weekend clashes with my girlfriends parents holiday from the UK.

Have also found the visa issue to be okay, except india which gives you six months starting from the date of issue, so means we will have to apply whilst in Oz somewhere. Shouldn't be to hard as we plan to visit Canberra, Sydney and Darwin after we fly into Melbourne.

Our next idea might be to ship the bike from Darwin to KL, Malaysia if budget and time is tight (skipping Indonesia).

But we haven't looked at insurance yet - although the pages on insurance in the planning section of HU looks pretty useful. Next plan is checking on the bike paperwork, carnet, driving license etc. before getting shipping quotes. And then there is the constant route research (completed at present by Pakistan).

Cheers, Joey

Joey, Trevor

As you're looking to plan a route through Asia, then for some ideas take a look at these Polish ATers and GSers & Co in the Himalaya's; absolutely stunning photographs, which are easily the best that I've ever ever seen posted by any travelling bikers.

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hi keith
just been looking at that blog and wow!!!!!! i think i have found my route through india! i was planning on going to kashmir i just hope the road to leh is open when i get there, thanks for that link

joey

yeah the insurance pages on hear are good, theres a good american company who seemed to do worldwide coverage sorry forgotern what there name is, the carnet is a slight isue, i was told by the rac in england that it should be fine to get a carnet in anouther country even if your not a resident there, which was good to know, perhaps we can help each outher out with any problems we come across, cheers

trev

Hi Joey. We are running the meeting at Arthurs Pass, this year AND next year. Also, we are presently planning (and have been for a number of years) the same route as you. Just waiting for kids to get a bit older.... we are looking at about 2010 to leave. In the mean time we have been hosting travelers and picking their brains for about 7 years. A long lead-in time, I know, but that's what families do to you. They kinda make you want to stay around! Anyway, if you can't come to this year's mini-meeting, plan on next year. That one will be a full meeting, with all the ra-ra that goes with it.

Kind regards

Nigel

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Hi Nigel,

I was really looking forward to another trip down to the SI until I realised that the mini HU clashed with the in-laws visit. But will definitely be there for next years meeting (unless that is, we've left the country already!).

Preparation/research has slowed down whilst we get ready for our visitors. But we're sorted with what visa's we need, have a good idea about where to ship, and it's now a case of reading all the lonely planet guides we can get hold of to plan a route through each country.

Enjoy the meeting - hope any one that goes who is planning this route can share some info on the Hubb when they return!

Joey

Nigel - I'll be in Auckland for the second half of February next year ['09] - from Sat-14 to Sat-28. I won't really have the time to ride down to Arthurs Pass (having just ridden up from Christchurch to Auckland, starting Sat-31-Jan), but I see no reason why I shouldn't fly down from AKL to CHC; then somehow get from Christchurch across to the HU Meeting. This second overland stage will, however, be the challenge for me, as the early morning flights into CHC (from AKL) start landing from around 7:30am - 8:00am.

After a cursory on-line search I notice that there are two services that run daily between Christchurch and Greymouth , e.g: (1) the Tranz Alpine train; and (2) the Coast to Coast Bus Service. Both of these would get me into Arthurs Pass by around - or shortly after - 10:30am. In time, I guess, for the start - or shortly after the start - of the HU Meeting. BUT here lies the rub?! because both services leave Christchurch at or shortly after - 8:00am! It's gonna be very tight indeed, maybe even impossible, for me to get from CHC Airport to the overland departure venues in Christchurch before the train or bus leaves for Arthurs Pass /Greymouth.

Do you know of, or can you suggest, some other means of getting to the Meeting's venue? as I would definitely love to attend and talk with you guys.

Thanks

KEITH

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PS - Nigel, thinking on, I reckon the best way forward here is for me to get an evening flight down on Friday-20th, stopover in Christchurch, then get across to Arthurs Pass the following morning. Going back, I can always catch a return flight to AKL during the evening of Monday-23. This would take all the heat out of the travel situation(s).

Indeed, the Coast-to-Coast bus service will even pick-up/set-down at selected inner city [Christchurch] Hotels/Motels/Backpackers points at no extra charge. See 'Other Information'. This has got to be the way to go.

See you all next year then ..

Cheers

KEITH

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Hi Keith. Next year's meeting is going to be a full one, not a mini like this year. this means it will be three or four days, so at the least a Friday start. However, it will still be fine to come for only a couple of days of course. As to transport, don't worry, I'm certain there will be a spare bike somewhere in my shed that you could use. There are about 30 there at present! I will be taking the truck as there will be lots of gear.
Thanks for planning to come.
This year's mini-meeting is shaping up well. 20 people booked, NZers, Aussies, Swiss, Irish, English, Czech. Nearly hafl women too, so the womens workshop should be good.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

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The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with . -- 2200 BC Egyptian inscription

Nigel! - You're just too cool mate! ..

I'll deffo see you next year then. Can't wait.

Cheers for now

KEITH

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Joey & Keith

Just reading your planned route to UK, one which I hope to do in 2010.

In the meantime, if you need somewhere in Perth to get fed & watered, keep my details & you'd be welcome to drop in. PM me for details.

I have a new tiger as well and was wondering just how it'd do across the continent. Two up is ambitious as Im around 95 kgs at the moment and my wife is 60. Dont know where I would store all the necessary gear for camping, so will be interested in how you manage.

Regards
Steven

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Steven
Perth to Perth 2012

Hi Stevenkirk,

Thanks very much for your offer, I reckon we could be heading out that way, if i find myself in the area, I'll give you a shout...

I'm not sure myself yet how we're gonna get along with gear etc. I have the OEM panniers, but there's no way these are roomy enough for any length of time, not when carrying camping gear, and being plastic they WILL 'explode' into a thousand pieces if they hit the deck. I can see it going one of 2 ways; either i bite the bullet and shell out for the metal mule style cases, (which would be ideal if they didn't cost so much) or similar, coupled with a smallish tank bag and/or tank panniers (for the heavier stuff) would be ideal.

Otherwise i'm toying with the idea of making a custom marine ply/glass fibre top box/pannier combo effort thngy, reinforced where needed, that can bolt to the rack and rear sub frame. I think this will be the way i end up going, but there's so many options i really don't think this will be an issue either way...

The rear shock is another matter altogether... Maybe i should go on a diet?

Joey

Thanks from me too Steven. I reckon that we should be swinging through Perth from the north - on the way to Secret Harbour (City of Rockingham) - towards the middle/end of April next year [‘09]. See you then mate.

I confirm Joey’s concerns regarding plastic panniers. I had a gravel ‘off’ last year in NZ, which more-or-less trashed my Givi panniers. See the pic below. They may spray-up okay for the jaunt up through from South Island to Auckland next February, but then I’m definitely going to switch to something more robust before shipping to Brisbane. I’m currently focusing on the Hepco & Becker products – possibly the aluminium option[s], or maybe Gobis in the composite material.

As far as weight and ambition goes; well, we have considered getting a second bike for ‘er-indoors to ride - she has her own m-c driver’s licence BTW - but this would, of course, mean twice the running and maintenance costs, which is a high price to pay for the extra load-carrying capacity. But as we have done many 2-3 week trips (+ a 5-week trip on one occasion) together in the past, we reckon a series of 3-month rides will more-or-less the same - only a bit longer .. if you get my drift!

After Perth we’ll go home (UK) for a few months; then return and ride back eastwards to Brisbane; then up to Darwin ~~> crossing to Indonesia and/or Malaysia. After a second three months worth of travelling we’ll go home again .. temporarily storing our Transalp in somewhere like Singapore or possibly Bangkok. Then after another reasonable break in the UK we’ll go back and explore the SE Asia mainland region for another three months; with the intention of gradually moving ever further west .. et seq .. thus making our way back home over the course of several potential trips. The logic here is that we both have ageing parents, which we don’t feel we can leave for more than 3 months at a time. Moreover, we have a nice home here in England to maintain - and we definitely don’t want to rent this out to strangers.

More about the Luggage Issue: Finally, I must say that nowadays I’m more and more coming around to the idea of travelling really light, by only permanently packing things that we’ll need for the whole trip. For instance, you can buy flip-flops when you get there (you will want to hit a beach eventually) and ditch/give them when you leave. In fact, the same goes for just about everything you think you might need for some portions of your trip. IMHO it's got to be worth spending money on the road to save on valuable stowage space, plus a few kgs.

Cheers

KEITH

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