England to Asia anyone?

Hi,

I am a 37 year old guy from England and i am looking to do a long cycle trip this year and am wondering if anyone else has a few months cycle trip planned?
At the moment i have 3 ideas in my head

1)uk to Asia via Turkey and Iran starting around July or August

2)uk to Morocco via France ,Spain and back via Portugal

3) Vietnam,Cambodia and Thailand starting in November

I would try to camp and keep costs down so i can stay on the trip longer.

Would anybody fancy getting on the road for a few months and seeing new places?? if so please leave me a message

Martin

 

Hi Martin. I've just put my house on the market as I've totally had enough of the UK. As soon as its sold I want to go on a bike tour. Not sure where yet..... Maybe through Europe first then eastward to who knows where?? I'm really looking forward to it......a few years of total freedom. Would like to do it as independently as possible...... Small tent, camping out every night. As you say, keeping the costs down will lengthen the trip. Am looking at bikes at the moment, but as I'm a pretty competent mountain biker ill probably go for a similar set-up, with panniers and maybe a trailer. My planning is in its early stages at present, as I have to sell my house (and everything in it)..... But would like to go sometime around late summer maybe..... Simon, Worcester

 

Oh, and the 3rd trip idea of yours is one I'm thinking of doing too....... Southeast Asia would be fab on a bike.... I've backpacked there many times but it would be great by bike. I was also thinking of maybe taking the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to get there.

 

Hi Simon,

Sounds like a great plan of yours,sell up and enjoy yourself,i have no house but intend to just work enough every year now to get enough money to go traveling. I have realised i will never have enough money to retire so better enjoy myself now whilst i am still fit and healthy!! no point in worrying about when i am 70 as i may never even get there!!

Well so much to see in this world i think,i havae only been through Europe so far but want to get further a field now.I hate the thought of jst going on holidays though ,to me getting on a bike and cycling it worth alot more than that,it maybe hard at times but you get amazing experiences!
I really like the idea of setting off from the uk and just heading to the Pacific then spending some time seeing what asia has to offer on a bike (and maybe a bit of kayaking) for me its Iran i really want to see and also India but have been hearing alot of reports saying that is getting difficult by overland means now. Still if i don't try it i will never know. There are ways around if refused entry anyway,there is always the route through the stans.I would also love to get to Vietnam,Thailand and that area to.

for me there are 3 big cycle trips, uk to Pacific,..uk to south africa and south to north america.The asia one is the one that appeals to me at this moment though!

As to bikes i have a dawes galaxy which isnt suitable due to having road wheels so i have built one using an old reynolds 501 mtb frame and put modern xt gears,dura ace bar end shifters ,and had Paul Hewitt build me some heavy duty wheels.I am having to use tubus seat stay and fork adapters but after 500 miles it seems to be going very well so far. If i do have frame problems whilst testing i may have to strip it and buy myself a surley long haul trucker frame .

Anyway is there any other way of contacting you as i would like to hear more about your plans and how the house sale is going!!

Martin

 

Hi Simon

I thought i replied earlier to you but it doesnt seem to have been posted.

So another annoyed Brit ?? i feel i just want to get out of the country to andi have no ties to keep me here so may as well go,i havent got a big budget for this trip but camping should keep the costs down.

I really fancy doing the uk to asia thing but i really want to see Iran if that is possible and India would be good to although sounds like getting there could be a problem . Basically i just want to head east and aim for the pacific ,maybe spend sometime going along the pacific coastline if the money holds out and enjoy the sun and sea by bike!!

As to bikes i have been riding a dawes galaxy on pervious uk /european trips but 700c wheels won't really be a good idea for this trip so i have built a tourer using an old reynolds 501 mtb frame and had some handbuilt wheels and decent components stuck on it. So far its in the testing stage but has done ok up till now. I need to load it up more and see how it goes...if its not up to the job i shall have to swap all components onto a specially built frame.Mine was £15 from ebay so you can understand my lack of confidence in it

Anyway i would love to hear more of your plans so stay in touch and let me know how the house sale goes,maybe be can have a chat and see if we can work a trip out!!

Martin

 

hi,i am having difficulty contacting you ,i like your idea of selling up and moving out though.It would be great to have a chat and see if our ideas are similar,

Martin

 

Bloody hell it finally worked , can you contact me on martin29000atyahoodotcom

Martin

 

Hello Martin, I'm from Thailand. Lonely Planet puts out a cycling guide for Laos Vietnam and Cambodia, which is a good read. I'd recommend replacing Cambodia with Laos, and tour the northern part of Thailand. You can also add in Southern China if so inclined. Luang Prabang in Laos would be a very good trip. Despite a tragic accident to the British couple recently, Thailand is a very interesting country to tour by bicycle, and there are national parks to camp cheaply.

 

oh thanks for that ,i shall certainly have a think about what you suggest ,, i think that would make an amazing trip!!

 

Hi Martin. My email address is [email protected] Where do you live. I live in Worcester.