Hi All,

Could anyone shed some light on riding from NZ, via Oz, then across to ? and riding overland back to UK? We'll be two up, planning to camp as much as possible, and I ride a Triumph Tiger 1050.

My girlfriend and I are living/working in NZ, and love the idea of riding home. We know we'll be in NZ for at least another year, so won't start the trip until late 08/09. We are initially planning at least 3 months touring in Australia, then might have to find work for ?months (to save more cash). But it's the next bit we need some help on...

I know there are others who have done the trip in reverse (started reading their blogs!). I've also checked out the climate info, but was wondering if anyone could give an opinion first hand: when to go, how long to take from Oz to UK, best routes, how much money it might need etc.

Thanks,

Joey - I'm planning to do exactly the same thing. See this thread for a bit more detail - and note that my post [#2] sets out my preliminary plans.

Clearly, there are more here that have the same idea - so can I suggest that we all try and keep in touch? It would be great to share ideas, particularly as the research that's gonna be involved to make this trip successful will be significant.

BTW, my Trannie is currently stored in Cromwell, South Island - Whereabouts in NZ are you based now?

Regards

KEITH

PS - Please feel at ease to PM or e-mail me at any time.

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Hi Keith,

Thanks for your reply - have checked out that thread and it would be great to keep in touch. Am feeling a little daunted at all the research/planning involved, but loads of people have said how this phase can be just as enjoyable as the trip itself. Would be nice for someone to tell you where to begin though!!!

We're in Auckland at the moment, just came back from a trip to the SI but only passed through Cromwell on the way to Queenstown.

Will email/PM when able and have some further details - we really just started researching this week!

Thanks,

Joey

Joey - Let's keep in touch then. I have plenty of time on my hands for planning trips nowadays. Once my next Springtime's (mid-March -to- end May) return ride across the US is out of the way (San Fran -to- Newark, NJ) then I'll have little else to do except plan the NZ ~~> Blighty adventure, which will definitely kick-off in early 2009 ...

.. bloody exciting ride that's gonna be ..

Cheers

KEITH

PS - I have spent a lot of time, and have some good friends (inc loads-a JAFAs! ) in Auckland, BTW

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Hi Guy's

I have been reading your thread and am planning the same trip leaving Sep - Dec 2008 from NZ - UK via Asia.

I would be very keen to help ( or be helped ) with any planning details, or share any info that can be obtained.

I will be on a BMW F650 and will be camping most of the way as well ( got to cut cost were you can!!)

Cheers Dave

Looks like we can, between us, get summin' going then, eh.

To be honest my current simple plan is to ride one more last time around NZ from Jan-Feb next year ['09], then get the Transalp across the Tasman to Australia. I'll be spending quite some time in Oz - at least three months - before I head off to Indonesia and then island hop across to Malaysia.

I notice that GeoffL has something similar planned, albeit from Singapore to Switzerland; but I do like his outline idea of: Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand - Bangladesh - India - Nepal - India - Pakistan - Iran - Turkey - Bulgaria - Serbia - Hungary - Austria - Switzerland. All I/we got to do is add-on France - England

[Incidentally, I'm maybe facing a similar potential carnet problem as Geoff, insofar as I have a Kiwi registered bike that I want to ride one-way back to the UK - after which I intend to re-register it with the DVLA.]

So in summary: My first thoughts, after NZ, are to devise a dogs-bollocks route around Australia, taking advantage of the north~~>south climate divide as far as possible. E.g. I don't want to be up north during the Ozzy rainy season. This might even involve a two-stage tour, with a short['ish] break in between back in the UK. THEN I'll need to seriously get to grips with the rest of the trip. BUT, of course, I am keeping my eye-on-the-ball regarding the whole trip right now.

Does this make sense to you?

Cheers for now - and keep in touch

KEITH - the [mad] Cornishman ..

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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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