UK - RTW route. Comments please!
 

Hi.

The missus and I are planning a RTW starting in May 2010. 13 weeks and counting!

I reckon on a couple of years but we're flexible. We're also very flexible about the route. I'd really appreciate any advice or comments on the loose route that I was thinking of. I'm intending to get visas on the way.

UK - start in May
Germany - visiting relatives/friends
Italy
Ferry Brindisi - Greece
Spend time in Greece and on Crete
Across to Turkey - bum around
apply for and wait for visas
In Sept/Oct into Iran
Pakistan
India
Nepal - Fly bikes to Bankok
Cambodia
Laos
Malaysia
Indonesia
Timor Leste - ship to Aus
Aus
NZ - fly bikes to south of Argentina
Up through S, C and N America
Depending on stamina, Africa?

Any thoughts? Thanks.

BB

my first thought is that the stretch of road down Italy to Brindisi is uber boring. You'd be far better, IMO to either get the Ferry from Venice/Ancona OR ride around (Slovenia, Croatia etc etc).

i second catweasel ... I would ride through the balkans. From northern Italy go thru Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and then Greece. if you want more detail on a suggested route thru there, just ask.

Thanks guys. We both love Italy and were intending to call in on old friends in the Gargano nat. park and near Saro but you're right - it would be a bit pedestrian.

The Balkans it is then! Any tips/advice on borders, visas, camping or anything else?

BB

Yep, the Croatian coast road is great, and surely worth riding....

but so is Italy, I think. Very much so.

May be you are referring to the autostrada that goes along the eastern coast to the south, that is indeed boring.

But if it´s RTW we´re talking about here, there is probably enough time to choose your route. There´s an abundance of fantastic places to see in Italy, also in the south - you´ll just need to get off that boring autostrada to experience them!

Here´s just a few of them, that quickly spring into mind from that region, that I´d most certainly go to, if I´d never been to them before, and was starting off to do a RTW via southern Italy:
- Florence (Im usually not a city-fan, but in Italy they are so special, I´ll make an exception!)
- Siena
- Rome
- Abruzzo National Park
- Naples
- Costa Amalfi
- Alberobello (trulli houses)

hi barking bikers!! cheers for reading some of our stupid never ending blog! route sounds really good, and south italy i thought was really nice, especially amalfi coast, so would be a shame to miss it out. but true balkans wuold also be very cool i think... maybe both?? instead of getting the ferry from brindisi (yuk), go back up north. depends on funds of course.

otherwise its the same as ours, though we were thinking of shipping from nepal, but from calcutta to bangkok was a lot cheaper. one really good bit was the very eastern bit of india, in the north east corner by darjeeling, that was good and off the beaten track a bit. and it gets you through the east of nepal too.

have a wicked time anyway, and maybe see you in oz!

Balkan borders are pretty straight forward for UK registered vehicles. If you dont have green card insurance, some of the NON EU countries will require you buy insurance at the border. Try and get a green card that includes Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and it will save time and money.

Other than that, its a fantastic part of the world and inexpensive.

mate which way you going to Gremany?
harwich or Doverf?

Thanks for the comments and ideas everyone.
Nic-ol-a + partner-in-grime - It'd be great to catch up with you both in Oz, but I've no idea when we'll get there. Depends how distracted we get on the way! Could be in January?? Which year though? :wheelchair:

As for how we're getting across the channel. we'll probably decide on the way down to the coast (am I bothered?). The chunnel could be fun as herself has never done it and it's quick and painless.

Any tips or comments gratefuly received.

BB

Take the tunnel

Its quick and painless

Book ahead, its cheaper ... book for 2 hours AFTER you plan to be there ... you will get moved to the next train after you arrive at the terminal anyway ... and being moved forward is free. if you book for the time to plan to be there, and you are late and miss it, then it costs you to change to a later time.! So book later than you expect and plan to arrive early.