Simply Awesome I've just finished the Rust2Rome trip starting in Edinburgh and finishing in Rome and has given me the appetite to do something bigger like yours. Loved the write up and wondering what you did with the car when you left.
WOW, amazing I think you need help from a local agency for driving into china, several fb overlanding group mentioned it.
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adventuretourchina.com/tourcat/china-crossing/
Wow hi David, I have just read your trip in one sitting. Since my wife read it and recommended I do, we have discussed taking a similar trip in a VW camper. you have inspired us to take a flyer and just do it.
amazing story. Thank you
Mark
Same plan Hi David, I am planning almost the exact same route but with a twist. I'm an American and will be purchasing a car in England. I would totally love to pick your brains about some of the finer details. I've done the trans Siberian a couple of times and have traveled long term several times but never with a car. Please contact me through my email if you have the time/inclination to help me make my dream come true:). Thanks so much. Look forward to hearing back from you.
Just wondering if you had made the trip Ihave been thinking to drive to China for a while and the route suggested in your blog is really helpful. Thanks
Hi there, yes, we made it to the Chinese border. See the later days in the blog. We didn't cross I to China, because they require foreign drivers to pass their local driving test, and we didn't have the time for that. Some advice.... take some copies of your whole route with you, to show to customs officials.... we found it the easiest way to explain why we were entering each country. Most of them smiled, and seemed to think we were a bit mad :-)
Well done you trio Hi my partner and i are both 70 we are looking at driving around the world in our converted mercedes sprinter van loved your blogg and would consider this a wonderful part of our journey.
Thanks, and good luck! I really hope you go ahead with your plan. Let me know if you start a blog too. I found this site quite good, and was typing up each day's 'report' on a tablet whilst we traveled. Just about everywhere had WiFi, so I saved it as a word doc, ready to be copied and pasted into the blog when internet became available.
My best advice, if you haven't attempted a long road trip before, is to:
1) assume that the roads will be very poor, and very hard on the suspension. So either take your time, or get the springs etc checked out, and maybe upgraded, before you go.
2) Assume that you will be stopped on various occasions by dodgy police, so don't keep lots of cash or valuables on you as you drive, and don't keep anything in the back that can't easily be searched by them, or else they may wreck it to get it open.
3) Don't stop for someone waving you down to help them, unless you're really sure they're legit. If not sure, but want to help, drive on, turn around and do another pass.
4) Assume that traffic coming the other way will try lunatic overtaking maneuvers on your side of the road, quite regularly.
5) Download the Heremaps phone app, and then download all the maps of the countries you plan to travel through. The app works offline then, just using the phone's GPS, and was brilliant for helping us navigate, even in the rural passes of Kyrgyzstan.
Other than that, it'll probably be easier than you imagine :-) Let me know if I can help with any other advice or suggestions.
Kind regards
Dave
fantastic adventure Hi David, I really enjoyed reading about your trip. Amazing idea and fantastic that you managed to carry it out. Nice blogging as well. Look forward to read about your next trip. Inga
Thanks! If you want any more details about the specifics of that trip (eg costs, visas etc) let me know. Also, I'm happy to hear your suggestions for our next trip :-)
Hey guys, been following the blog every day so far, really enjoying reading it - David P clearly has a knack for travel writing! It sounds like you're having an amazing journey/adventure, and thankfully no major problems. The car sounds as though its doing a sterling job, bet you'll be sad to abandon it to get home!?
Anyway just wanted to say hi as I've been meaning to comment since you left and never quite got round to it! Have fun, stay safe, and all being well i'll see you this time next week!
Cheers Chris, we're having an amazing time. I'm a bit behind on the blog, but should have 3 more days up by tomorrow morning. Week today we'll be back in the office. Looking at the snow capped mountains right now, and it seems a very very long way off :-)
Good luck! >> Everyone was relaxed and happy.
I get the confidence that you did not expect this ...
Taking into account that tells your media about Russia. :)
Good luck!
Colin Urquhart
non-member comment
Simply Awesome
I've just finished the Rust2Rome trip starting in Edinburgh and finishing in Rome and has given me the appetite to do something bigger like yours. Loved the write up and wondering what you did with the car when you left.