Go to the closest place you haven't been. Once there stand in a crossroads and flip a coin to determine N,E,S,W. Now you can start traveling.

Pouring over Maps and actually going some place are two different things. Travel sounds romantic, but it can also be pain in the ass. Once on the road you may not like it. By starting slow, if you find it to be "not your cup of tea", you don't have to come back from the edge of the moon.

People think riding a motorcycle is romantic adventure, but most new bike owners never go anywhere and end up selling their bikes. That's why there are so many used bikes for sale with less than 3,000 miles on the clock.

I wonder why you are asking anyone where to go. If you wanted to travel you would be traveling.

Get up, turn off the computer, pack and go. And when you get there send us a postcard.

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Sam Jones

I have not read the whole of this thread, so it may be that this has already been said.

My girlfriend and I chose to go to S. America (Argentina and Chile) for our first longterm overland trip. It was far enough and different enough to feel like an adventure, but culturally not a world apart, so we were not completely lost. I speak Spanish so that helped.

Its a big place (Patagonia makes you feel very small: quite therapuetic to have to be put in your place so to speak!), plenty to see, lovely people and a vast choice of paved or dirt roads, depending on your preference. Its also nice that, although it can be a very empty place, the towns themnselves all the basic amenities that you might need are usually avaialbe: a nice cushion for the newly iniitiated to overlanding!

You can get to most places via one or the other, so you don't need to feel your hand is being forced if you'd rather avoid paved or dirt. (based on you choice of bike, I'm guessing dirt is not a bad thing)

Downside is that it does cost a chunk to ship yourselves and the bikes over there: a lot of petrol money!!

That said, if you go in the right frame of mind, 6 months around Europe can feel like an adventure...

Where ever you go, I think you will relish it. Have good one and ride safe!! (I'm quite jealous!!)

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)