last Update: August 1, 2016
“I like making plans, but just to be able to change them later”.
Actually, we don’t like to plan much, and I’ll say the only fixture is that we are eventually going to arrive in Europe . However, we need to consider (soon, again) seasons and visa rules, so here is what we have worked out so far. We’ll update this regularly.
If you are close or will be, we are more than happy to meet you. Or you come visit us and cycle/hike together for a while?!
After a fair bit of pondering we have decided to add a “home visit” this September. Lisis sister is getting married, we both like to see family and friends again and organize a few things. We also decided that for it not to feel too artificial, we are at least not going to fly. Therefore, we have now added a bit of China to our trip, from where overland travel is much easier/faster/cheaper, it allows us to see – guess what, a bit of China! – and also allows us to arrive in central Asia for spring, not winter, without “having to” hang around India for some extra months.
So here’s the plan:
- August / September 2016
Leave the bikes with someone in Kunming, China, take train/bus for Urumqi, cross into Kazakhstan. Head across through Kazakhstan, where trains are fast and cheap. Get Russian transit visa, probably in Uralsk (regular visa very hard to get outside country of residency). From there the train to Moscow (just 24h), then on to Kiev or Riga (12h). Europe! - October 2016
Europe. Spend at least 4 weeks in Germany, depending on how soon/late we arrive in September, return early or late October. Idea is to get a “proper” Russian visa this time, take the Transsib towards Mongolia. Maybe via Altai? Explore on the way, though without bikes. - November 2016
Reunite with bikes in China. More cycling in China. Head towards Myanmar, either through direct border (permit needed) or via Laos/Thailand. - December 2016
China / Laos, Thailand, Myanmar with Lisis sister and fresh husband for Christmas and New Year - January 2017
Myanmar to North Eastern India, Bangladesh. Wish us luck that they will issue border permits again by then! - February 2017 North Eastern India, Bangladesh, Central India, Nepal
- March 2017
India, Nepal - April 2017
India (Ladakh?), Pakistan, Karakorum Highway (opens in April), China - May 2017
China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan - Summer 2017
Central Asia. Tajikistan with Pamir Highway and so much more we don’t know yet. Usbekistan. Eventually Turkmenistan transit to Iran - Autumn 2017
Iran, Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), Turkey - Winter 2017
Depending on how slow/fast we actually are, we might try to race home for Christmas 2017 or hang around southern Europe a little longer and hope for an early spring 🙂 - 2018
Think it is fairly safe to say we will arrive back to Germany this year, with the general idea of Berlin as a first destination.