Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster. Been around Australia earlier this year, now planning Sydney to London.

Rough route:
Darwin-Dili-Indonesia-SE Asia-Myanmar-India/Nepal-Pakistan-KKH-The Stans-Iran-Turkey-Europe-London

Don't have a firm date or schedule yet but thinking of leaving around March or April. Currently planning solo, riding a DR650.

If anyone is heading a similar direction at a similar time I'm interested in catching up and seeing if our itineraries match - particularly to share guide costs across Myanmar and China/KKH.

Cheers,
Dave

Hi! Dave,
Me and another biker also plan along the same route from Kuala Lumpur to Amsterdam. Yes, I am willing to team up to cut down cost ride across China and Myanmar.
My start time will around May 2015 but can make adjustment appropriately.

Cheers Mate,

Amzah

Im doing exactly that Dave. I left at the aame time last year its great. Do it. Ive made it India so far are you on FB? finding tyres an any auzuki parts is a mission. beware crossing into thailand by land you only get a 15day visa the bike gets 30 dont use ur carnet for thailand. And get ur pakistan visa before you come if you can. I may have to fly back just to get it other than that its all plain sailing. Liz and her partner just got their DRs to Dili follow them for lastest info. Im in Northern india debating wether to push through to greece this season or wait out the winter in India. Best of luck

Amzah, good to hear we might run in parallel - can you PM me your email to keep in touch?

Shane, great to hear advice from someone who's done a very similar trip before - a few questions on what you've said:
- You left the same sort of time, how was the weather on the run north? Did you cop much of the monsoon?
- I've heard of the 15day VOA for Thailand, but why do you say "don't use your carnet"? Would it be possible to go to the embassy in Malaysia and get a proper Thai visa in advance?
- Not sure what my plan is for Pakistan - maybe concurrent passports (send one home and get friends to get the visa); maybe fly home for a week (good opportunity to bring spare parts back!); maybe take a different route through Tibet and China into Kyrgyzstan. Worst case I'll fly from Delhi to Bishkek.

Hey Dave

I'm doing the same thing on a wee TTR250. Got into Iran a few days ago.

Try to get your Pakistan visa beforehand. I got mine in jan and told them I would be crossing from India to Pakistan in Sept sometime so they gave me a three month visa with 9 month validity! They wanted proof if onwards travel but I told them I will buy a plane ticket when I get to Karachi so they made me write a letter saying just that and submit it with my application. I recommend to not mention anything about riding overland, just pretend you're a backpacker, same with Iran. I used Snowland Treks and Tours for my letter of Invitation for Pakistan and Stantours for Iran. I got my Iranian visa in Islamabad and they guy was a real dick about it, but I got it. I met some people who were made to wait two weeks in Lahore, eventually they yelled at the consulate and demanded there visa who them promptly gave it to them! There seems to be a really macho arrogant attitude with people who hold positions of authority in Iran, but everyone else are very friendly.

You can easily get 30 day Thai visas in Malaysia (pick up next day) and surrounding countries.

I'd recommend getting an Indonesian visa in Aus/Darwin. They don't issue them at the Timor/Indo border and they only give 30 days if you get it in Dili and it takes a week. I'm on an NZ passport though so it might be different for Aus.

I left Darwin at the start of April and have only now made it to Iran. Its pretty cold here now and only going to get worse. If I had to do it all over again I would've left a few months earlier. I planned on being in UK by now. It takes a long time to get anywhere in most of Asia especially Indonesia and India.

Don't miss northern India or the KKH! Its fantastic! Best part of the trip so far.

Anyway. Have fun. Save save save every penny you can. I've run out of time and money so I'm going to store my bike in Bulgaria for the winter and fly back to Aus to work. Boo.

If you've got any other questions feel free to email me

fishernz@gmail.com

Cheers
Mark

Thanks for your info Mark. I'd be hoping to leave early March, so a few weeks ahead of your run. Did you find the Monsoon tolerable heading north?

One final question; how did you organise the Chinese side of the KKH? Did you need a government guide / tour et cetera? Was it easy to get to Kyrgyzstan?

I was planning on sorting all the Stan visas as well as Iran in Bishkek, anyone have feedback on Islamabad vs Bishkek Iranian embassies?

Hi PathLessRidden,

my initial Plan was to ride from Austria/Vienna to Singapore or Sydney.
But nobody is going this way from Marc to June.

Now I thought to ship the bike to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and team up whit you and drive home to Austria.

Burma is definitly a contry I want to visit and the KKH would also be amazing.

My time scedule is 01.03.2015 - 28.06.2015

What do you think?
I would be happy to hear from you

Greets
Christoph

hello
I am traveling at the moment in Thailand I drove around Australia to timor-leste and then indonesa up to Malaysia. I will take time in Thailand, Laos und Cambodia. I like to meet bike traveler and shear storis and a copel of . iam looking maybe four company four the way back to Germany. I a suzuki dr650.

Hi,

We are 3x dudes on 250cc bikes that will be travelling Queensland to Ireland from 28 Feb to June 2015. We want to go Dilli, Indo, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey etc...

Not sure about Myanmar, do you need a guide? we are waiting for our Visas to come back.

If you are kicking around we are aiming for Myanmar early April, Pakistan early May. We have a facebook - www.facebook.com/twentyonehorses

We will probably be down to 2 for the Pakistan leg - as our friend's wife has forbidden him.

Cheers, Luke

Hi Luke,

That's a very fast trip you're planning! I'm leaving at the same time (looking at 1st of March), but not arriving in London until the New Year 2016!

I'm looking at the boat out of Darwin on the 16th March, crossing Burma in early June, and getting into Pakistan in August.

Let me know if anything fits with your plans, and maybe we can catch up on the road somewhere!

G'day Dave,


Got a couple of guys, Moritz and Mart, shipping their bikes from Dili to Darwin around the 7th of March for a week or 2. Do you have a date set for Darwin? It'd be good to hook you guys up when you pass through.


Cheers Dave.

I am very jealous of how much time you have! Sounds good, how you going with shipping from Darwin? ANL? We were meant to be on the 11 March (leave from Darwin to Dili) but having some delays. looking into airfreight now... My email is luke.farrelly85@gmail.com if that's easier communication.

Hi Dave

I'm looking at a round Ausie trip myself , in Dec '15 Jan '16 time.
Any and all information appreciated.
Is it all tarmac / blacktop?
Would something like a Pan-European or BMW be viable ?
How long would it take Roughly ?
Many Thanks