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Finally, I have taken the plunge. Finally, I have taken the plunge.
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Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



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  #1  
Old 11 Oct 2022
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Finally, I have taken the plunge.
Well, after a few years of prevarication I have taken the plunge. I have bought and just bought (for £2.30) and started watching Long Way Round. If it is any good I will let you know.

Some people might say that I am late to the party. I would be in that number.
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  #2  
Old 13 Oct 2022
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£2.30 !!! You were done.
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  #3  
Old 13 Oct 2022
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Originally Posted by backofbeyond View Post
£2.30 !!! You were done.
It has kept me quiet for a couple of evenings and I am about half way through. I just don't know if they will survive, it is very gripping.

Also, for my trip which isn't going to be around the world (well it isn't planned on being) I am left wondering how many people do I need to employ to do the planning for me? Any guidance would be appreciated.
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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.
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  #4  
Old 13 Oct 2022
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Originally Posted by Jay_Benson View Post
It has kept me quiet for a couple of evenings and I am about half way through. I just don't know if they will survive, it is very gripping.

Also, for my trip which isn't going to be around the world (well it isn't planned on being) I am left wondering how many people do I need to employ to do the planning for me? Any guidance would be appreciated.
It is a nail biter isn't it

The older I get the more back office staff I find I need (only half a joke). On our recent 'two old clunkers to the Sahara' trip we had a couple of people who were tasked with getting us out of the sh*t. There were a couple of times they got dumped with finding us places to stay when our phones were only marginally functional, and other times, telling us where the other one was when we got separated. Years ago none of that was either desirable or possible but if it's possible now then it's something you can either arrange / use or not depending on how you feel about backup. Personally, if I can get them to pay I'm all for it.
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Old 13 Oct 2022
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I'll be honest, if I was a zillionaire I think it'd be quite the boon to go on a long trip and just have backup on call for problems (and maybe someone to brief me on etiquette for each country, lol)
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Old 13 Oct 2022
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It is a nail biter isn't it
Spolier Alert

The first "hard" border that they got to the found that they hadn't got their original vehicle registration documents. I would find that more amusing if I hadn't set off back in 1994 to go to Morocco armed with my passport, some money and my clothes. No registration document (neither original nor photocopy), no carnet, no insurance documents nor medical insurance. Thankfully I didn't get pulled by the Spanish police and got home without any problem - and I didn't realise quite how stupid I had been until I came on the HUBB........ As it happens I didn't actually make it to the south coast of Spain either but that is a different story.
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Old 13 Oct 2022
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I was amazed they were able to get going at all when free bikes from KTM weren't available.
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Old 13 Oct 2022
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People poke fun at their series, but I've enjoyed them - even the Long Way Up when they were riding Harley Livewires and having a hell of a time charging them. I'm not sure it had the desired effect of promoting electric motorcycles, though; if anything it showed that they just aren't ready for prime time.
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Old 14 Oct 2022
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People poke fun at their series, but I've enjoyed them - even the Long Way Up when they were riding Harley Livewires and having a hell of a time charging them. I'm not sure it had the desired effect of promoting electric motorcycles, though; if anything it showed that they just aren't ready for prime time.
I enjoyed Long Way Round, but barely made it through Long Way Down due to extensive complaining about self-imposed limits and added drama which I wasn't interested in (and I love drama, lol)

Was Long Way Up better?
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Old 14 Oct 2022
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A big surprise here. She who must be obeyed (SWMBO) sat down quite happily and watched a couple of episode with me. She might, just might, be getting the idea of why I want to go on a long ride.
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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.
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Old 14 Oct 2022
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I enjoyed Long Way Round, but barely made it through Long Way Down due to extensive complaining about self-imposed limits and added drama which I wasn't interested in (and I love drama, lol)

Was Long Way Up better?
Being honest I did enjoy LWR despite the "rich boys holiday" vibe, unlimited budget/multiple freebies and support entourage. The bikes didn't ride themselves, and the boys had to solve a lot of real problems along the road. The other two I watched and was thoroughly unimpressed - the second was heavily and painfully staged, and the third was a big sponsorship fest that only succeeded in proving that EVs have a long way to go before they're remotely able to offer what ICE adventure vehicles have been able to do for decades.
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Old 14 Oct 2022
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I thought that might be the case from what I read about it, oh well back to Mondo Enduro and Bakuon for motorbike trip entertainment I guess ...
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Old 14 Oct 2022
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I read the book, which didn’t in any way inspire me to watch the video. Fun words like “puerile” and “solipsistic” come to mind immediately, providing more entertainment than their stories and photos.

I’ll acknowledge that tastes, like mileage, varies.

Mark
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Old 14 Oct 2022
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Also, for my trip which isn't going to be around the world (well it isn't planned on being) I am left wondering how many people do I need to employ to do the planning for me? Any guidance would be appreciated.
I guess it varies (like mileage, as markharf notes) however we do our planning ourselves. We do employ agents for shipping, customs clearance, and so on; we get CdPs from the relevant Automobile Association; we have been helped to transfer a CdP in Kenya (AA of Kenya); and we've worked with Insurance Agents for coverage in some regions. Other than these needs, for which we don't have the expertise or authority, we do everything on our own.
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