|
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2010 17:33:33 GMT
So Spindrift and I are planning that trip we have talked about for some time now. We plan to travel from the UK to India, and then spend around 3 months travelling around India. This may be a year or so from now, but we would like to collect as many ideas as possible on this from everyone. Two single women doing this journey must have to take special precautions I imagine. Here's a rough map of the the route we will take: As discussed on another thread previously, we will be side-stepping Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (maybe). What do you pack for such a long journey? What kind of transport should we use? What time of year to go? Any tips at all appreciated. thanks in advance.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 28, 2010 18:56:59 GMT
Deyana - I can't wait for the day we put our 4WD onto a ferry from England to cross the channel and start our big adventure.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2010 19:09:45 GMT
Me neither! Yes, a 4WD would be perfect, just in case we encounter muddy/icy roads along the way. I wonder if Mark will let us borrow his for a few months? That's exactly what we need. This would be ideal: or perhaps a convertible, for those hot sunny days?: What do you think?
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 28, 2010 19:36:48 GMT
Errrr......... no.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2010 21:51:37 GMT
You mean you don't think?
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 29, 2010 4:40:00 GMT
I mean you can't borrow my car.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 29, 2010 8:32:05 GMT
Never mind - perhaps I'll be in a position to buy one....and having completed our long journey we can sell it somewhere in Asia, maybe in Kathmandu My son had the idea to fly to India, buy an Ambassador, roam around and then drive it back to England and keep it. You don't see any Ambassadors here.
|
|
|
Post by hwinpp on Mar 29, 2010 14:30:34 GMT
I'd go along the Black Sea coast in Turkey and try to add in Yazd in Iran, southeast of Esfahan. Not sur if it's on your route as you're doing it now.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 14:59:09 GMT
Just get a publishing deal before you start the trip and they will pay all of your expenses.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 29, 2010 17:21:05 GMT
ok, that's a brilliant idea. Coincidentally, today I met up with my princess friend who plans to return to Kathmandu the very same way overland....
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 17:44:33 GMT
So that makes three of you riding in a horse driven carriage!
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 29, 2010 18:50:25 GMT
Not three of us. She never goes anywhere without a 'retainer'....
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 22:01:20 GMT
My son had the idea to fly to India, buy an Ambassador, roam around and then drive it back to England and keep it. You don't see any Ambassadors here. That sounds like a plan Spindrift. I think a person can buy a car for around 2 to 3 thousand dollars (1,300 pounds) in India. And if it makes it across the continent, it'll probably work out cheaper than other forms of transport in the end. Here's a link about it: www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article3164205.eceI wonder if they have a truck version yet?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 22:03:26 GMT
Just get a publishing deal before you start the trip and they will pay all of your expenses. That's a great idea, K. I might look into that. I was thinking of making a documentary type kind of movie anyway, of my visit there. I wonder if any production companies would be interested?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 22:04:25 GMT
ok, that's a brilliant idea. Coincidentally, today I met up with my princess friend who plans to return to Kathmandu the very same way overland.... It'll be interesting to know how she gets along with this, Spinny.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 22:05:04 GMT
I mean you can't borrow my car. I was just joking, I knew what you meant.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 29, 2010 22:05:52 GMT
That's a pretty little car, Deyana....
Actually, I bet lots of people drive overland to India all of the time. We'd have to figure out how to structure our finances and whether to carry US dollars, Euros or British pounds.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2010 22:23:39 GMT
Yeah, I think there are many people who do that trip, maybe some even for business reasons.
We'd have to figure out what kind of currency to take as well. The visa's needed etc. It's quite the project.
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 30, 2010 4:41:20 GMT
Dollar is still king, but you can get by easily enough with Pounds or Euros.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 30, 2010 9:06:59 GMT
Then we'll take dollars. And if I had enough of them we wouldn't take long figuring out what to do and buy - with enough money we could make rough plans, throw our personal stuff in the back of a 4WD and just start driving... I think the most difficult item to find would be the required man/helper.....or perhaps we don't need a man
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2010 17:21:01 GMT
I think dollars are more recognizable? American dollars though I think, not so much Canadian.. Spindrift, hmmm....no, I don't think we need a man, we can do the trip without a man. We can always pick men up on the way anyway. (just joking folks).
|
|
|
Post by bazfaz on Mar 30, 2010 20:09:13 GMT
My (ex) sister-in-law and husband drove from the UK to India. They went in a Land-Rover (and it is essential that you have a tough vehicle) which they sold in India (and flew back). They did an amount of camping along the way obviously and got used to the locals coming and staring at them.
I had other friends who did it by train as far as they could go (somewhere in Turkey). After that it was buses. They just went with backpacks.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 30, 2010 20:17:37 GMT
We'll definitely have a 4WD....no buses for me!
Baz - how long did the trip take your (ex) sister-in-law...and did she enjoy the experience?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2010 20:21:16 GMT
I had other friends who did it by train as far as they could go (somewhere in Turkey). After that it was buses. They just went with backpacks. That's how I would do it if I did it -- I wouldn't want to have to worry about a vehicle (driving, theft, mechanical problems, being too exhausted...).
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2010 20:23:48 GMT
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 30, 2010 20:27:50 GMT
Bus travel is fine for those who don't suffer from motion sickness.
(I'm not very good at changing punctured wheels; I've had difficulty in loosening the bolts of hubcaps)....
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 30, 2010 20:41:33 GMT
And that's mainly because hub caps usually just pop on and off without bolts.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 30, 2010 20:43:19 GMT
well I didn't mean the hub caps. You are teasing me. I meant the bolts on the Wheels. Silly me.
|
|
|
Post by onlymark on Mar 30, 2010 20:56:57 GMT
If you two ever do get serious about this and you want to take your own vehicle it is very doubtful you can sell it in India or say Nepal without a financial penalty. It's quite complex but to actually get into some of these countries with a car you've brought from the UK you'd probably need something called a Carnet de Passage.
This means you'll need to either pay a lot of money up front or reserve that money in the form of a bank guarantee or take out an Insurance policy for that amount whereby you'll pay about 10% of it, but it's still quite costly. I'll explain more as the time comes if you really need it.
|
|
|
Post by spindrift on Mar 30, 2010 21:38:25 GMT
Mark - we really might do it one day....
I have heard of the Carnet de Passage. Why do we have to pay a lot of money up front? would this be a penalty in case we sell the car?
Would you recommend a new 4WD (well, not new, like a demo model) or an old one (but well serviced)?
|
|