Hello lee, bob

hows it goin fella's
im on msn if anyone is around and ill see about gettin skype set up in the next day or two, the only goals i had in mind were the taj mahal and seeing everest, if my funds allow it and i had someone to ride with i would love to ride the karakoram highway and riding in tibet is on my list of things to do before i get hit by a bus !!

im hoping this wont be my last trip so im not too worried if i dont get to do everything. petrol has come down a small bit but who knows where it will be next year ! the main reason i am interested in camping is i dont have to be putting myself under pressure to reach the next town or hotel, just find a nice spot and throw up the tent !?

id be with lee on the time scale i would like to take 3 months roughly or longer but it just depends on the johnny cash, i would'nt like to miss anythin along the way but i dont want to be stopping every 10 mins to take pictures !! I have a brother living in sydney so i was hoping to meet up with him somewhere in oz for xmas or new year !?

as for the sat nav the best ones i hear about are the garmin 60csx and the zumo ?!
the nepal to thailand section could be tricky i would like to ride if possible but i would think we could get the bikes shipped overland to thailand ?

Hi Guys,
You are going to have to keep your eye on me.
I thought GBP250.00 was rather cheap for the fuel so I had another look.
You pay about GBP1.00 for a litre of petrol and I was calculating in gallons!
So I was out by about a factor of 4 (3.79 litres per gallon) so the real cost for fuel should be in the region of GBP1000.00

Visas; I cannot remember how much my Iranian visa cost - but an average price is GBP40.00

How about the carnet - any response on the quote?
I'm figuring about the same value as the bike.

Next, if we take things en-route as they come (I'll leave Adam to get across the Irish sea and into London)
Getting across the English channel - I have seen quotes from EUR32.00 on the boat to EUR110.00 for a roll-up and jump on the Eurotunnel train.
Let's say EUR100.00 x 0.85 = GBP85.00

How about daily spending money? I reckon GBP50.00 per day camping and GBP100.00 per day if we go up market - let's say an average of GBP75.00 per day. For 3 months; GBP75.00 x 90days = GBP6750.00

On farecompare.com I saw fares from Kathmandu to Bangkok for USD500.00
Suppose we calculate another USD500.00 to crate and ship the bikes.
Then convert to GBP that will be about another GBP500.00

Last step, getting the bikes from Dili, East Timor, to Darwin.
If you go to this web site (it's for a Toyota Landcruiser):
Dili to Darwin
my calculation for the bikes would be another GBP750.00
(I'll check with a friend who did this trip about 2 years ago on a 350cc Suzuki).

Last, but not least, is our own flight from East Timor to Darwin.
Let's say about GBP200.00

So I have an estimated budget of
Petrol 1000.00
Visas 200.00 (5 visas @ GBP40.00 each).
Carnet ??.??
English Channel 85.00
Spending Money 6750.00
Kathmandu to Bangkok 500.00
Dili to Darwin bike: 750.00
self: 200.00

Sub total: GBP 9485.00 + the Carnet

I think 10 Grand (+the Carnet) would be good for starters.
Any comments??

Finally, I like Adam's idea of camping, which is fine when everything is going well. The only problem being when it is pissing down with rain or snowing, then the pressure of getting to a room in the next town might seem more interesting. However, when you get to the next town, there is no guarantee that there will be a room available!

Take care,
Bob.

hello bob hows it goin ?

i was looking at your figures for the fuel and smiling !!!
it would be nice if the fuel was that cheap,
do you know of anyone who has ridden through myanmar ? that would save a good amount off money if it was possible !
I havent heard back about the carnet yet but i'll let you know as soon as i do.
I think camping in the snow and rain would be interesting some of the time and hotels now and again ?!

I think 10k is a fairly good estimate, im off to buy my lottery ticket, take it easy

adam

Guys:

This sounds like an exciting trip and it's happening at about the right time for me. Is four too many. I am 47 and in good shape. I retired from the Air Force just a couple of years ago and have found that office life doesn't offer the adventure that I need. I am fanatic about riding. My only ride outside the USA was a 6 day solo ride in Mexico last December. I have a well equipped 2006 Triumph Tiger. You won't hurt my feelings if you say no.

Wayne
Fort Worth, Texas

I've just read this because I read things like this as they're interesting but I'm not involved with it at all and therefore it's nothing to do with me but if I've read it correctly the budget for the number of days and therefore the total cost is based on 400 mile days.
Maybe I've misunderstood it but I would have thought that mileage was way, way optimistic to allow for days off, bad weather, bad roads, sightseeing, bike maintenance.
Anyway, good luck with it people, hope it goes safe and well.

Hi chaps, my wife and I are leaving second week of August 09, UK-India-UK over an 8 month period. We are leaving at this time and for this period so we can follow the good weather ! We'll keep a look over our shoulders as it looks like you'll be catching us up, keep an eye out for a 650GS and a X Challenge

__________________
Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand 2016
Buenos Aires to NYC 2012-2013: www.facebook.com/curryhunt
India and back 2009-2010:

Hi Adam and Lee and others on the thread,
I have sent out an email to a friend who made the trip recently (2 years ago - is that recent?), about
1. cost of getting the bike from Dili to Darwin
2. riding across Myanmar.

No replies yet, I'll let you know when I hear something.

I signed-up for MSN messenger today. Let me know when you want to try it.
I am 6 hours behind UK time, so don't make it to early your time!

Dawnbreaker,
I'm not against you joining the group. Do you want to meet-up in the Plano/Fort Worth area one evening for dinner and further discussion??

Hustler,
400 miles a day was just a nominal figure of what should be achievable on fairly good roads.
If we take 10000 miles and divide it by 90 days (3 months) we get, 112 miles per day - which would be a very relaxed average. But once we start hanging around a few places for an extra day or two, then the average mileage per day soon starts to increase.
Possible adjustments in that case is to extend the number of trip days or increase the number of miles we ride each day or both.
Thanks for your good wishes.

McGiggle,
I hope to be in the UK next May en-route to the FIM Rally in Croatia. I expect your trip planning will be in a very advanced stage at that time. Can we meet up for a pint (maybe Lee would like to join us - looks like he is in Essex) and see if our route planning puts us on the same roads?

Great to hear from everybody.
Cheers,
Bob.

PlanoBob

Good idea, let's meet up for dinner. I'm home this weekend, so maybe we can go for a ride as well. When are you available?

Hi Bob,
May meet up is good for us, doesn't seem that far away when you're planning a big trip. maybe my email will help to keep in touch, p s mcguire at aol dot com

Cheers
Pete & Caf

__________________
Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand 2016
Buenos Aires to NYC 2012-2013: www.facebook.com/curryhunt
India and back 2009-2010:

i read your posts and would love to join your trip i live in dublin and have traveled europe wish yous all well john

Hi guys I am currently on the road. Presently in Erzurum waiting on Iran Visa. (Apply early.....in London !).
I have left it a bit later than I hoped but still think the timing is pretty close.
Hope to enter Iran in a day or two.......if the MFA lets me !
After that the usual Pak, Ind, fly Napal to BKK, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dili to Dawin etc.
Keep an eye on nzl04.com my blog if interested. or email me address on blogsite.
I am on a 04 BMW 650 Dakar with Excel rims upgraded,suspension (bmw suspension gave up at 30,000k) touratech bags, Garmin GPS and so far so good after 80,000 km. There are issues with these bikes however. Dont know how the 650 or the 800 with the new twin motors will go but its not the motors on these 650's that are the problem in my opinion its the poor BMW bits they put round them. Having said that I have had engine problems with water pump, thermometer sender unit, says its hot when its not, but I think I have been lucky compared with a couple of other on 650's I rode with.
Cheers
Dak

To Johnlahiffe... The more the merrier!!!!

To NZL04... Hope your trip is going well, i was going to apply for visas in London, as you rightly suggested, to avoid problems en route. Good luck.

hi guy's just been reading some of you're threads I would be interested in joining you, maybe we can meet up for a pint, I'm working in oxford at the moment so I don't mind travelling a bit to meet up, anywho my email is mr.hall@hotmail.co.uk if you're interested?

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.
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Hello Bob,
Might be a revelation this,
You may be thousands of miles out on your calculations.
I would hazard a decent driving distance from London To Darwin, will be close to 15,000 miles.
I think you 10,000 is well undercutting it.
As a decent 'rule of thumb' use 'crow distance' x 40%

Hi UK_Vette,
I do not disagree with your statements, and you are most probably closer to reality than my 'as the crow flies statement' what with all the running around, getting lost and criss crossing back and forth each country, however, I hope to have this covered a little bit by 2 previous statements I made:
3 weeks ago "Dublin to Darwin - rough budget": For any rough budget, you can always double it.
and
I have based my calculation on UK petrol prices, since they are amongst the highest in the world, it should gives us some money left over from cheaper places to buy more petrol to cover the distance variation.

I'm going for the double my original budget estimate version.

PlanoBob.