In about 17 days, I start my expedition that has taken an incredible amount of planning, persistence and communication, filled with highs and lows, obstructive officials, reviewing great products, reviewing crap products and best of all meeting some extremely helpful people.
The HUBB has also been instrumental in gleaning overland information, its a great website.

You can read more abt the expedition: www.onthewrongside.info

To prepare the vehicle and personnel gear has probably been the hardest part of the planning stage. Come to Hong Kong and I can get you any latest gadget, Armani Suit or top of the range Ferrari, but can I get anything remotely off-road'ish or extreme weather gear for the trip ahead. With no dealers or distributors, its custom make this and order on-line!

Being landlocked by China gives me no alternative but to drive across the border from Hong Kong to the Motherland. Shipping the car and myself to Russia is no cheaper, but the process has been long and fraught with revoked visas, complicated forms, driving test in China (as they don't accept IDP), traffic light insurance (in case I hit one) and the list goes on.

To this day my visa has been approved but not yet stamped..

Off-road training and mechanics course has been equally demanding, but an incredibly friendly team made up of Hilux enthusiasts have turned me into a confident driver..despite my Cantonese being below par. I still have to question whether I can change the water pump and timing belts in the middle of the Gobi...

During the expedition, I 'll come back to the HUBB adding stories and advice as I head west. I'll also post some reviews on the gear I am using and how it holds up in the hostile environment.

And for those heading East, maybe we'll cross paths.

C

Best of luck, have a blast.
Horizons is of course a dizzyingly comprehensive resource, and the people on here are some of the finest.

Your website looks amazing, good work. I'll keep an eye on your progress, have a great time!

The expedition has reached the Altai Republic, after spending 3 months in Mongolia.

Please go to www.onthewrongside.info for all the news

Just a quick summary of the OTWS expedition route through Russia:

Altai
Novosibirsk
Tomsk
Surgut (via River Ob ferry)
Khanty-Mansisk
Tobolsk
Yekaterinburg
Perm
Kirov
Vologoda
Vytegra
Karelia Republic
Murmansk

More news and info on www.onthewrongside.info

thats a barge ride I had pencilled in for future years.

You mention in the blog there is "some kind of timetable" ... even if you couldnt work it out.

Would be grateful for any info at all on that one.

How did the locals know of the timetable?

I would also be very keen in getting the GPS co-ordinates for the Barge Landing Points, both at Kargasok and at Strezhovoi, for my waypoints project

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Summary of the OTWS expedition route through Mongolia (9000 kms):

Zamyn-Uud
Saynshand
Choyr
Ondoorhan
Batshireet
Binder
Choibalasan
Great Eastern Steppe
Hatgal/Nomrog
Erdenetsagaan
Dariganga
Dalanzadgad
Gobi Desert
Arvayheer
Orhon Valley
UB
White Lake
Moron
Lake Khovsgol
Tsagaannuur
Ulaangom
Olgii
Altai (Tavan Bogd)
Altai (Dayan Nuur)

More news and info on www.onthewrongside.info

Will do as soon as I download all my maps.
As for the timetable, it started being Mon/Thurs/Sun 08.00 from Kargesok, taking 26+ hours to Stresevoy. Depends on flow rate of the Ob.
Longer coming the other way, 36+hours

On May 15th 2011 At 12.15pm, Charlie & the Hilux reached Cape Saint Vincent, 37,038 km / 361 days after leaving Hong Kong. It has been an incredibly rewarding journey and I would like to thank each and everyone of you who has helped me in some form or other!


www.onthewrongside.info

Sounds like an awesome trip, congrats. Now comes the hard part...

Well done Charlie.

I am still hoping for those Siberian barge loading and unloading points

If you are prepared to share your whole track log, I would love to take a look at it and see what may be useful for mapping projects.

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