Am arriving CNX Sat evening 17th Dec. Anybody around Chiang Mai? Leave a message here/PM me/email me via website (in sig).

Can't wait.

cheers
Chris

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Brighty's website: TheBrightStuffDotCom

CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

That was me that we met in the main street in border town in Lao, i just arrive from Chiang Khong and you about to go to CK... is a very small world we live in and both in Horizons... best luck

I'm in Phonsavan heading to Luang Prabang tomorrrow, if anyone is still around.

Also note that Highway 13 between Vientiane and Vang Vieng is in horrible condition, for those that haven't experienced it yet. I assume they are in the process of resurfacing some of it, but for now there are very few sections of smooth road, the rest is just rocks and dust, and with a lot of traffic. It took about 5 hours to cover that 150km. The gets much better about 20km north of Vang Vieng though.

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http://ryanbeales.blogspot.com/

Hello to all!


We didn´t check the post for a few days and so many new entries, wow!



@Donato:
For sure, we remember you! What a question!

In our travel report about Siberia, there are some pic from you!

If you are interested, you can find it here:
www.TimetoRide.de
Unfortunately, the report is not (yet) in English, but maybe you can translate it with Google! :-)
And there is also a video with parts of our Banja-experiences in Ulan-Ude! The video you can watch out here:
www.TimetoRide.de


@Gary D:
You saw us in Huay Xai!? Hm… we are sorry, but at the moment, we don´t remember that we saw any bike there…!? :confused1:



@rbslime:
The road from Luang Prabang to Muang Xai is also as bad as the road you described! But from Muang Xai to Huay Xai (Thai border) the road is very nice!


Now we are back in Bangkok and in a few days we´ll start to drive south to Phuket and also visiting some of the Islands before we´ll entering Malaysia in around 2 1/2 weeks.


Many greetings and maybe see one of you guys on the road!


Bea & Helle


PS: Does anyone of you know if there is a car-ferry from Malaysia to Indonesia or which is the easiest and cheapest way to ship our bikes from Malaysia to Indonesia? Because we heard some stories about renting a fisher-boat to ship the bikes from Malaysia to Indonesia…!? :confused1:

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The situation in the Straight of Malacca seemed to change almost weekly (for example, when we crossed it, they had recently opened a real nice "proper car-ferry service"..... but then they had closed it down already, too!!) So 4 years ago the best option seemed to be the onion cargo boats, run by Cakra shipping in Penang, and they go to Belawan, near Medan in Sumatra.

A big upside on this route was definitely, that it seemed to be a commonly used one (in Penang, we met other bikers going both ways using that route), so the carnets etc. are familiar stuff in Belawan, means you´re less likely to run into trouble with the Indonesian customs. DO NOT underestimate this – there were several travellers, that we met around Indonesia, who had had more than their fair share or troubles with the import, leading to complete re-planning of their entire trips. Do as thorough research about your intended point of entry as you can, might save you a lot of time, and headache.

If you get really lucky, then there could be a ferry operating right now. But I would not count on that, and shipping with Cakra was, I would say, on the ´easier´ side, if I compare to some other shippings during that same trip, which were a real pain in the proverbial behind! We took a passenger boat ourselves, and all in all it did not become so expensive. But sorry I have no recent info from there.

Here´s how it went for us:
MOTO1 - Matkalla

Christmas on the Road is pretty good...

This motley crew celebrated Chrimbo in Chiang Mai last night...



From right to left:
DaveG, USA: daveg travels

Harry, UK RTW on Diesel Bullet running on veggie oil: VegiBike, vegetable oil fueled diesel engine, Royal Enfield motorbike by Harry Lyon-Smith

Heiko, Germany RTW on R80g/s-outfit (and demon trials rider...)

Yannick, Switzerland RTW on Africa Twin

Chris, UK Tourist, on a quick 9 day trail riding holiday

Staying at Rider's Corner, Chiang Mai Rider's Corner Bar & Restaurant - Chiang Mai Bikers Hotel Thailand (HU Thailand Meet venue in Jan 2012) and a great resource for travellers: RideAsia.net • Motorcycle forum for riders from all of Asia

Merry Christmas
Chris

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CURRENT RR WITH REGULAR UPDATES: The Wife Takes on Chlamydia: A South American Retrospective

Hello!

After crossing Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia we finally reached Indonesia 2 weeks ago! :-)

At the moment we try to find out how often there is a ferry from Flores to West-Timor and some people say, that there is a ferry twice a week, other people say, there is a ferry once a week and another people say that there is only one ferry every two weeks!?!?

So if anyone of you know the current schedule of the ferries from Flores to West-Timor, that would be great because we are a little worried about our Indonesian-Visa (that the time is to short) if there is really only one ferry every two weeks!

Many greetings from West-Java and thank you all for your great help!
Bea & Helle

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Hey guys, I'm riding in the opposite direction and caught the Kupang-Larantuka ferry last night. The local ferry runs twice a week and costs 172, 000 Rupiah one way. This is a vehicle ticket so it technically means you're not allowed upstairs and you don't get a meal, but nobody is going to stop you doing the former and the latter did actually look quite appealing. I bought a small meal off one of the vendors that flood the ferry before it sets off.

It's a hefty slog, took off at three yesterday and arrived at five this morning, though it felt like I had a chat with just about everybody on the boat. Once I get some solid internet I'll be updating my photos.

Pelni run twice a month, but I have the impression that they don't do vehicles..unsure of this. Ignore any advice anybody gives you about Kupang being rubbish and worth avoiding, I loved it to bits. Stay a few nights, they close off the main street in town to make a night market and the food is great (ask for the Basa Malam), get someone to take you to Crystal Cave where at a certain time of day the sun shines deep into a cave with crystal clear water where you can swim and jump off the rocks and check out the monkey cave too.

Also try and see some of the local kids 'shuffling' which is a dance that has completely taken off and they have competitions everywhere. It's like moonwalking only faster and leave the bike for a few hours to catch one of the absolutely INSANE bemo buses that are basically discos on wheels after a certain time.

Really hope you enjoyed West Timor as much as I did.

Nick
A Blue Million Miles - Nick's Adventures on an old Honda

Hey Nick

There is a Telkom building - you can't miss it, just look out for the radio tower /mast - about 100 /150 metres or so pass the Fortuna Hotel (not a bad place to stay btw) heading east out of town. That’s the fastest internet connection we could find in Larantuka.

Enjoy your trip

KEITH

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Right Way Round ...

Hello Nick!

Thank you very much for the information, especially about Kupang, also! Because we have to stay there a couple of days to apply for our Timor-Leste Visa!

At the moment we think about shipping from Ende/Flores to Kupang/West-Timor because we heard that the ferry is quicker than from Larantuka!

Where are you at the moment?
Because maybe our routs will cross somewhere on the Indonesian Islands!
Currently we are in Kuta/Bali and tomorrow morning we got to Lombok. Stay there for maybe one or two nights and then we go to Sumbawa, also for one or two night and than we are in Flores already!

Many greetings
Bea & Helle

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