Hey Maria,
Just remember that you have joined the world's most elite group of people.
Others make a new years resolution to "go to the gym" or "go to evening class"
You are "going to make a huge journey, have enormous fun, make new friends, learn about others and change your life"
How cool is that?
Thanks to Noel for helping us do the boring bit and I really hope we get a chance to meet up on the road,

Noel, my birthday is also in a couple of weeks time! I will be 39... although I've been 39 for a while now :oops2:
At least you have lots of plans! Few years ago, when my oldest brother turned 50 and he told me "now we are getting on we can only look forward to retirement". With Hell to that!!!!!! I intend to live my life to the full!

Nigel I do have my new year resolutions too: back on the diet, going to the gym at lunch time (Bodypump classes to build upper body strength!) :)

Few bits to do this month: finalise the visas for Russia, vaccinations, get the bikes sorted. We took bike number one to the workshop on saturday. Then the second one will go in next saturday.

Hope to meet you guys on the road. Departure date planned for week 22d of April! Depending on where / when we drop the dog (we have few possibilities for this thanks to friends and family - dog is very important!) but we need to finalise who will take him and when to drop him. Looking after a dog for 4 months is a BIG ask!

Not long now.
So I thought I would do a little tinkering on my bike to make sure all is well. It's nearly ready for the road now.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1V...it?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1V...it?usp=sharing

Totally Frustrated
 

Hello Fellow Travelers,

I have been on this thread for 4 months now. Noel, Tom C ,Tom B and I have been trying to coordinate our schedules. We are within a day or two of each other.

But I am stymied by the Azerbaijan/Turkmenistan part of the trip. I have read nothing but horror stories about getting stuck in Baku and obtaining the Turkmen transit visa. There does not seem to be any official and accurate information.

I am used to waiting days for ferries in the rain. But my visa was not running while I was doing it. So if someone has a link or the name of a fixer in Baku who can help please send it along.

Fritz

Late arrival here. A group of 4 are heading for Mongolia setting off late May from UK via Turkey, Iran, the Stans, Russia and Mongolia by the end of July.

One maybe two of the guys are carrying on round the world for a year or two whereas the part time adventurers like me will be shipping the bike back to the UK from Ulan Baator. I'm still looking at best means of getting the bike back home so any advice would be welcome please. Other option is to leave the bike in Mongolia for 2015.

3 other mates also coming as far as Iran.

Mixture of bikes from XR650R, KTM 690, Africa Twin and BM F650 Dakar.

Guys going to Iran are on KTM 950 x2 and KTM 640 Adventure.

Spreadsheet filled in and sent back to Noel.

Have a great trip everyone.

It's going to be crowded on the way to Mongolia! :clap:

As you may have picked up from the list on this thread, a couple of us will get on the Trans Siberia Express from Irkutsk back to Moscow with bike and all! Seems to be fairly easy from Irkutsk and not expensive. From UB seems to be more difficult because of the border crossing with the bike as cargo. From Moscow its an easy final leg back home by bike again! Takes a bit more time but may save some money and it's kind of nice not having to take any planes! :mchappy:

cheers,
Noel

I hope we get a chance to meet up on the road. We leave UK early May and head North to Sweden to Estonia and St. Petersburg. Then we head South and East to catch you guys up. My wife and I will be on a GS1150 if I get it finished in time.
Keep an eye on this thread to meet up or help each other out,
Nigel Tailyour
https://drive.google.com/?authuser=0...WpJT0IwMW5ISGM

Visas applied for - just multi visit for Russia.
We used Real Russia website.
Have not applied for Kazak or Mongolia. Can we do that easily in Russia?

Bike now has gearbox, rear drive and starter-motor. Front wheel bearings next and last.

Our route is Tallinn, St. Petersburg in May, Moscow, Kazakstan in June, Lake Baikal and Mongolia July, Chita and Vladivostok in August.

If anyone wants to meet up (Moscow for instance) then let's keep in touch,
Not long now,
Nigel and Sharyn

Lonesome Cowboy
 

Greeting Fellow Mongolia Travelers,

I like to post on here just to keep us all at the top of the board! It is now 54 days until I go to Ireland. Lots to do. I am resigned to sitting on my ass for a couple of days in Baku waiting for a boat. I am also resigned to the fact that I will be stressed getting across Turkenistan - assuming I can even get a visa.

So as our loyal readers have figured out, 4 of us are basically on the same trail out of Istanbul. Then we split while those with diplomatic representatives in Tehran take the easy soft southern route. Those of us from lands with less than stellar relationships with Iran will go by boat across the Caspian Sea.

It looks like everyone is coming together in the last week of June in Samarkand. And then it is the Pamir Highway and on to Mongolia for horseback riding and barbeque. As I am a guy from the Sandhills of rural Nebraska, this will be just like home. Except, there will be fermented mares milk and vodka. Mostly just Coors and Bud here.

Anyway- our thread is now at the top again.

Fritz

Hi guys,

Small update on my side.

Visas:
We got our Russia business visa last Friday. We used RealRussia because my friends used them last year with no problems and also they were the cheapest by far. Also they made no difficulty when I asked for business visa for what is really a big holiday. Process was painless and successful.

I will applying for the double entry Kazakh visas in a couple of week time with the same agency. Debating about Uzbek and Tajik visas, as RealRussia charges a lot for those 2: £125.50 and 112.50 respectively; while in direct they cost £50 I think, and £80 respectively (plus $50 for the GBAO permit!). Cheaper to get it direct from the embassies… BUT the embassies open 2 days on weekdays from 10am to 12! Stupid. If I can vanish from work! Few times!?
For Mongolia we will apply for visas just before we leave.

Itinerary:
Link here to my map: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=203992001959248139808.0004ee32aa8cb36635d0 7&msa=0

Plan B would be via Turkey and Georgia if the SHTF in Ukraine.

Cameras (camcorder) :
After going through 2 Contour cameras that never worked in the last 2 years (original and replacement both failed) my husband got ma a hand held camera that is water proff, shock proof and “Maria Proof”. So it would be harder for me to “destroy” it apparently! Time will tell.
For photos I have a small pocket camera. Alistair has a really nice camera with big lense etc… but too bulky, so won’t travel.

Bikes:
Thorough building that included a hell a lot of new parts (those wee bikes had never been maintained!). We picked them up last Saturday. They have custom made pannier rack & bash plates. We will test them in the next few weeks on green lanes to identify any problem. Then they will go back for another oil change just before we leave. Tyres fitted: Pirelli MT 60. Did us good in south America and long lasting so using the same ones.

Timing:
Departure week of the 22d of April. Then difficult to predict. I would expect to be in Samarkand between the 15th and the 25th of May. Ride the Pamir late May / early June. Reach Mongolia by late June. Then about 4 weeks ride to explore and get to Ulaanbaatar before our visa expire (30 days) .
We have to get to Irkutsk by mid-August to ensure we have time to organise the train and get home by late August.

Although it seems we will be ahead of the “Pack” to start with, you guys will probably catch up with us as we travel slow on our wee bikes! And we have 4 months, so we’re not in a rush!

Cheers,

Just a thought...
In addition to OSM mapping, just wanted you to know that the Soviet Military Maps Pro app works fabulously on the Monterra (which as you know is an Android powered gps) and offers very interesting data - albeit not the youngest in town- for Mongolia too.
:D

I am interested in shipping my motorcycle from Ulan Bator (or somewhere nearby) to Bangkok (or somewhere nearby)
It is always cheaper and easier to do it with more then one bike. Perhaps sharing a 20ft container.
If anyone is interested please let me know.

Hi Ryan - looks like I might be up for this route now as is looking more and more like I wont be able to meet up with the planned KKH route.

Have you put any plans in place for shipping Ulaanbaatar to Bangkok ?

Cheers
Mark

Hey guys, how are preparations going?

I thought I would share this website with you:

Tim Cope Journeys

This guy is amazing. His video will be showing at the BANFF mountain film festival. Just got tickets for the London one :D
Could be interesting....


Only 6 more weeks left at work for me... and 7 weeks before departure date!

Things are piling up. Applying for Kazakh and Tajik visa today (Well dropping all to the agency today!) and also more vaccinations (tick borne encephalitis today and DTP and Typhoid on Tuesday!) I am going to be bullet proof with so many jabs!

Oh, and sorting out the dog! Few volunteers to look after him for 4 months but now we need a firm "YES" from one of our friends. :innocent:

See you on the road!

Got my DTP and 2nd rabies today. DTP very painfull :(. I think she put it in wrong! Three more to go in two weeks; 3rd Rabies, Tic Encaphalitis and Typhoid.

Tomorrow will post my PP with all Visa application forms (6x) in one go to the agency and hopefully hear nothing for 6 weeks and then get everything back with lots of Visa. Bike is almost ready but then again it's an Africa Twin, she is always ready :thumbup1:. In two weeks or so hand in my resignation letter :helpsmilie:Scarry!

Cheers,
Noel