I had a 2 years planning timeframe for the transafrica. And it was not overplanned at the end. But we were well prepared...

In this timeframe i had to evaluate and buy the car, to equip the car, to build a sleeping plattform - to had my eyes on the situation in and around Mali, on the visa situation.

Two years was pretty short.

But for an Europe roundtrip - just look the sightseeing spots - the big other part - has not to be well planned - just drive.

Surfy

__________________
About Overlanding, Travelogues, Equipment
Trans-Africa over the west coast

Same for me, but preparing a Landcruiser takes a lot more time than a bike, more stuff to modify. Our double trans Africa trip was also well prepared from a technical point of view. From itinerary point of view, I hate reading the travel guides so I left that to my partner and she did well and roughly planned the route, leaving room for changes. At the end of the day, the preparation for me was a very big part of the (pre) fun and it can already put you in a different world, atleast in your head! The con of being well or over prepared is that it indeed eliminates some of the spontaneity of the trip, that is if you’r not flexible. Bottom line I would say, don’t overprepare the itinerary but you cannot overprepare the bike! You can overload it though J

Cheers,
Noel
www.toyotaoffthemap.blogspot.com

Toyota LC HZJ75, '93
Toyota LC HJ75, '86
Africa Twin RD07a, '97

For my trip I'm carefully planning the correct documentation for me and my bike (boarder, insurance etc.) in order to be able to move freely while on the road. I have a rough route in my head but it's always subject to change.

Most people over plan to a schedule;

10 minutes at the Eiffel Tower, then 15 minutes to get to the Louvre, then 30 minutes there, 25 minutes for lunch etc... This is about what you get on a tour group ...
Most Hubbies at least avoid this.

Next trap is .. day 1 over night Paris for 2 nights, next night stop Nice, then Naples, then Roma for 1 night etc ... ok for getting A to B .. but if you are trying to explore? better to have 'goals' that you can skip/miss if you want/need. Yes you have a time limit.. but set things up so you can achieve them in 60% of the allowed time - leaving say 40% for the things that crop up on the trip itself... like seeing something on a hill top .. and going and looking at it .. found a monolith to Hood that way.

Procrastination? That, for me, is leaving a day or two after I planned to leave! Unless I'm flying or have a ferry to catch.

As for looking at others photos .. well those were taken when you were not there. So the lighting will be different, the weather will be different. What happens if you get to the top of a mountain and it is clouded in? You could wait for the view .. that you know is there from photo, or it could be cold and wet so you come back another day? Yep, I look at others photos to see if I want to go there, some are motivation... or comparison between attractions.

Planning can be fun. If you go past the fun bit then you may be over planning = time to stop and think about that then.

Can you over plan and research a trip?

The essentials, bike, flights or transport, registration, medical insurance and genral points of intrest require a little planning. Some people need planning for all things and like it and stick to a plan, some go overboard with all manner of things, like spread sheets for a 2 day hike, (yes Ive seen it) seriously ???

IMHO.......Keep the destination and points of intrest in mind but......Meeting people, taking another route with a another biker, locals or a group for that matter, finding a sign, a town, village, market, winding road, bridge, river, mountain, castle, homestay, helping someone or simply getting lost is an essential part of and makes the adventure, for me anyway I'd be on a plane within hours given the funds :-)

Happy travels, Dave ;-)

Something I'd add in re planning is that I've found it essential to agree on the degree of planning you want to do before committing to travelling companions. I know it sounds a bit silly, but from experience I can tell you that it's the most fustrating thing to have a travelling companion who insists on just heading off without any fixed destinations or budget when you yourself are really keen to plan every single stage of the trip, and vice-versa.

I suppose the first few trips you endeavour should have more planning and research, especially when your a first-timer and novice.

If undertaking a big trip overseas to places where assistance is limited, it's only sensible to have an idea what you should do and can do, when things go wrong.

I have just returned from a 15 day trip to Slovenia and Croatia. Minimal planning use my usual gear that I know works for me. Anyway I didn't get to Slovenia because I found other places routes that kept me occupied. Because of the lack of planning my whole trip became quite different to the one I envisaged when I headed out!! I think with meticulous planning I would have been bound to the plan and not the trip! And that's the way I usually travel works for me. At one stage the fuel controller packed in and lost a day working around it and then finding a supplier but there was no pressure I was never behind in any schedule. I managed to visit or at least pass thro 8 countries clock up 3200 miles and enjoyed every impromptu minute of it!! I travel mostly Western Europe and IMHO you can create unneeded pressure and stress when sticking to the plan!

Mal.

Over planning No chance. That's half of the enjoyment of going. I do it all the time. Always over pack. But next time, is next time. Me as long as you have an idea of where you are going. That's one thing done. Next is how long is it going to take you to get there? Second, by day three most plans are out the window. In the way of what you wanted to see and do. I find that just getting there is just as much fun and being where you want to be. Don't expect to see every thing and get the mileage in you need to arrive on time. And add an extra day on your journey, You will need it. So if it's four day's to get to a place, allow five.
Best of luck any way.
John933

__________________
To buy petrol in Europe. Pull up at station. Wait. Get out a 20 Euro note, then ask someone to fill up the bike. Give person money. Ride away. Simple.

When I toured Europe for 9 months back in my youth, the only plan was the landing at Heathrow Airport. From there it was by the seat of our pants until we ended up on an island named IOS off the Greece mainland. To this day it was the very best decision I ever made in my 53 years.

You can never over plan, just don't over pack.

Before doing my first big trip to Europe, made a detailed plan. Day by day, how many kms will be ridden, where to sleep etc.

Was in Mostar (Bosnia) in the evening, wanted to stay there. To stick my plan continued to Sarajevo. Heavy rain started, also the dark. Weather was cold. Couldn't see the road well. Tried to follow the cars, but they were fast. Nearly was going to make a serious accident.

Seen a light of bar. Stopped there. All my undies were wet and I was felling crazy cold. Hopefuly they had a room. Lesson learnt : don't over plan and don't try to stick your well prepared crazy daily route schedule...

__________________
"where the traveller goes, nobody knows ! "

That's funny: I did the same thing heading in the opposite direction--downhill from Sarajevo through Mostar to the coast. No bar, though. Wet undies. Cold. Dark. Should've stopped in Mostar, by all accounts a very nice town.