BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi folks
In 1 1/2 years I'll finish school and have plenty of time(half a year or maybe one and a half year), so I thought of travelling from Germany to New zealand without the use of a plane, maybe using a car.
Thought of following route:
-Thru Europe to turkey
-Iran
-Pakistan
-India
-Bangladesh
-Myanmar(Birma)
-Thailand
-Malaysia
-Singapore
-Ferry to Indonesia
-Going east by using ferries between the islands
-Australia by ferry
-New zealand by ferry

Do you think that would realizable? Is it safe enough to go through Iran and Pakistan? Are there ferries where I need to go? Would it be possible to take the car on the ferries? Can this trip be done in 6 months? Would 6000-8000$ be enuogh? Would I get all the visas?
Would help me a lot for plannig, if u could answer some of my questions...

Hey Chris

Well I haven't done that trip but I think it's possible. Maybe Pakistan and Myanmar are the more dangerous places.

I think it's possible doing that in 6 months because I know people that went from Madrid to Mongolia overland in 2 months, so I guess 6 months is ok

Maybe is difficult NZ, lots of requirements

Unfortunately, only the easy part of your route (Europe-Turkey) intersects with the parts of the world I'm personally familiar with. I'd highly recommend reading this post regarding the border area between Iran and Pakistan, along with Continental Op's other postings in that thread...they're very informative regarding the risks of that route, things I'd never heard of before. The countries as a whole are quite safe, but there are areas that aren't really under anyone's control.

Also, a quick google reveals that Burma's borders with India and Bangladesh have been closed since the '50s. This presents a bit of a problem, since it's not really possible then to get from India to SE Asia. There are roads through Nepal and China, but the Nepal/Tibet border is only supposed to allow foreigners through if they're part of a tour.

Road wise, it may be possible, though bureaucratically more complicated to head north from Iran, into Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan into China and then south. The roads appear to exist, and those borders are reported to be crossable. This would miss out on the subcontinent, but may be safer.

Visas will be complicated no matter how you're going, and always make sure you're not going to need extra paperwork for the vehicle. As far as I know, Germans are still able to get Iranian visas, though that country has lately been arbitrarily adding countries to their blacklist.

Clearly, you haven't picked an easy part of the world to overland through. More power to you. Difficult trips generally make the best memories. But make sure you're prepared, find someone who knows the ground (BnA may not be the best board for this route...simply put, we're earnest, we're interested and we're positive, but as a group, our experience is a little thin in certain parts of the world). Try to have more money available than what you've got planned...$8000 sounds to me like it ought to be enough, but I'm no expert, and I don't think you'll ever encounter a situation where more money wouldn't help.

Best of luck. It sounds fascinating.

you can't drive overland through Myanmar, and I don't think 6-8000 USD will be enough, seems like petrol will be crazy alone...

I should say...this may be counterintuitive, but it is usually easier to travel using public transport. The logistics might be a little more complicated along the way, but travelling with a car means that you often can't take ferries (since many don't carry cars), and trains sometimes run the more direct routes, or cross borders where cars can't.

These sites may help fuel the dream...

http://www.bumfuzzle.com/Pages/Miscellaneous/VW.html
http://www.vwvagabonds.com/
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy#Part%2019
http://torlasco.tripod.com/
http://oxford2oxford.co.uk/index.php

How good of a mechanic are you? What sort of vehicle are you wanting to take? Will you bring spare parts, or use a vehicle that is common in the areas you wish to go?

The short list of vehicles I like for the trip:
VW Buses, I bought one and rebuilt it dreaming of a trip to Tiera del Fuego. Fuel prices are insane, so the idea is canned. (Early air cooled uprights preferred, or a diesel vanagon for mileage.)

80's and early 90's Toyota Hilux/whatever body you want. They are indestructible. Diesels with manual transmissions preferred. Strong in all respects... my favorite trucks.

Isuzu TF and Hombre's with diesel engines. These are hard to find in the states, as they have all been exported to central america as farm trucks. They are beefy, no frills... with one of the best diesels ever made. Don't know about availability in Europe.

None of these have the ability to break themselves from power output. They are all no frills, not a whole lot of computer controls. All of them have suspensions and drive train that are up to the task of the roughest roads... the bus will give the smoothest ride.

I'd advise staying away from the classic exploring/adventuring vehicles... Jeeps (Except for india where they still make the CJ3b and the M606 that are scattered around the world) Land Rovers, ex-military stuff. They sound good, but parts are hell to find. Land Rovers are just a pain, unless the adventure you seek is working on it in exotic locations... don't. Ex-military stuff, Unimogs and the like are incredibly cool... but don't drive anything a military border patrol will find in a spotter book. "Jeep adventures" are done 'round the world in Suzuki and other Japanese vehicles... Not American Jeeps.

General stuff: Fuel is the biggest problem as quality is suspect in many places. If it comes from an oil drum, make sure it doesn't have standing water on top, or that they are tilted over so the water runs off. (The seam weeps water into the drum with the expansion/contraction of temperature.)

Equip the vehicle with a high end fuel filter, ideally one that has two filter elements and a valve to switch between them... as well as water drains in each bowl. Suggest you bring along multiple spare tires. Skid plates are cheap insurance to damage to vital parts... a body lift kit would also be appreciated, as would as large of tires as you believe you can source when you shred one somewhere far off.

Decide if your going to live out of the car, or camp beside it... or hostel/hotel your way around. Very different requirements for each.

Best of luck!

Hopefully I can answer alot of your questions with a single link

http://www.overland-underwater.com/

I don't believe $8000 is enough. Do some research on whats required to import a car into Australia as far as cleaning is concerned.

Cemesis, that overland-underwater site is amazing!

I have a friend who knows one of the drivers from that really well in Sydney. incredible stories they have to tell

Hi
Thanks for all your answers. i am just at the first stage of thinking about and planning that trip, so your posts helped me a lot.
To my route: I think I'll avoid the Iran-Pakistan border area and go
-iran
-turkmenistan
-uzbekistan
-kazakhstan
-china
(maybe nepal, india, nepal)
-laos
-thailand

To Rocknrod:
I think the streets are too rough to use a vw bus and the other cars you mentiond are hard to find. There are many Mitsubishi Pajeros, do you think they are reliable, maybe year 1991?

To Cemesis: Thanks for that link, it's really helpful. The 8000$ is what I liked to spend, but I would have another 8000$ for unexpected things plus money for car plus all necessary equipment.

Thank you all

Read that site I linked to cover to cover. I found it whilst seraching on Toyota Landcruisers as I had aimed to drive round the world too (but the other way).

I would recommend the Landcruiser above all others for this kind of task, not just for reliability but due to knowledge of the vehicle around the world.

This site might be useful to you as well. They are a French family of 4 that traveled the world via RV and did it on just 1500 euros a month.

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcc...ev=%2Flanguage_tools

If you slow down your trip, you will save money. We are on a multi year trip around the world and doing it very cheaply via RV mostly. We also find it much more rewarding to go slow, so think about that alternative.

We ran into a great family from Egypt when we were in Tureky, that take a car trip every year from Egypt overland to Germany ( the mom was from Germany). They alternated paths every year and just loved the experience.

Good luck with your plans!!

Chris,

I am not familiar with the Mitsubishi Pajeros, in the states it would be a Montero. There aren't many of the older ones running around here.

I'd second the land cruiser, so long as its not a real oldie! Some of the old FJ's had 10 gallon gas tanks, and got 10 miles to the gallon. Real heavy for what they were, and not much good in fluffy sand we have here... (My opinion is biased!) The 80's and 90's models are plenty strong, though I haven't worked on many.

Good luck

Chris,

Great idea. Unfortunately shipping the car between various land-masses will kill your budget.

You are obviously young and keen so, having driven over much of your planned route over the years, I would recommend you purchasing a REALLY cheap vehicle (it does not have to be 4WD) of a very common model. Something 20 years old with basic, no computer mechanics. For across Asia this means Japanese. Keep it going to "the edge of the world" then sell it to the first passer by or invite your new pals to the bonfire. Of course you could just leave it in the airport car park.

Take your cheap flight from say Chennai to Sydney and buy another $1,500 special - you will definitely be able to sell this at little loss on departure (provided you have not hit a kangaroo and modified the shape). Every backpackers hostel has cars and small vans being bought and sold cheaply on the notice board.

A number of countries require Carnets (including India and Australia). These cost money and require a bit of administrative hassle AND require the car be shipped out of the country. Maybe plan your route to avoid carnet countries - just Google Carnet or Carnet du Passage to find the list.

China costs a real lot of money to drive in with your own car and would blow your budget.

I have just finished driving a 1969 Fiat 500 around the world from Vladivostok to Anchorage. You might have a look at that route (no carnet countries and minimum shipping) as an interesting starter for a young adventurer.

Don't take any notice of people saying this or that country is a nightmare to drive in and should be avoided. I think most of them have never driven there. With normal common sense and everyday defensive driving techniques you will get on quite happily in the Gobi Desert or the middle of Beijing. I note you are still in school so you should take a defensive driving course (might even keep you alive in your home town).

You can read all about our round the world trip on our web site www.next-horizon.org


Lang

Lang. You are my hero!

Rocknrod,

That is very generous but exaggerated. I have joined the forum to get as many people doing their own thing as possible. If we can drive around the world with little trouble in a piss-ant two cylinder car the size of a golf buggy ANYONE can do it in something slightly more robust.

Tours are for geriatrics (I am nearly there) and public servants. Adventures are for EVERYBODY who will grasp the nettle.

I want people to leave the tour as the guide relates how many brush-strokes per inch and the chemical composition of the paint on the Mona Lisa and discover a small painting in the next hall that excites nobody but himself.

Having dreams is a recommended philosophy - what a self-delusion! Living dreams is the ONLY philosophy!

Lang