A guy with a dream

[nigel.alcock]

Hi guys, I'm nige and I came here hoping to find some info. basically I have got fed up with my life going no-where and I have decided I want to travel to the southern tip of Africa by landrover. this is about as far as my dream goes. I was wondering what the costs are likeley to be like, any points you can add for me to consider. So far ive got about £1000 so I dont think i'm going anywhere yet.

cheers,

nige

[CornishDaddy]

Hi Nige. You've come to the right place so welcome. I found this board about a year and a alf ago, in the same sort of position as you, although we are driving to Australia.

I would say you question is very vague, and you might want to break it up, over a period of time to some smaller questions. You will defineately get the answers you need, but research n the HUBB and the web before asking.

Our budget to get to Oz is about £1500 a month to live on BUT I would say that we could easily do it for half that or less. It depends on what you want to get out of it, how many are travelling and you own requirements. Will you be staying in a roof tent? Will you be staying mostly in hotels? Will you be getting there as quickly as possibly, or will you be taking five years?

good luck either way. feel free to check out our website and email direct quesitons from there.

Cheers

Ollei

[bmw.bec]

As Ollie says above your in the right place. We spent 2 years travelling on 2 bikes until an injury that forced us to a) either give up b) travel but give up bikes for now - you can imagine what we decided on!

Now we have a landcruiser that we are prepping for Africa.

£1000 is a good start - we got by on £500 a month when we were on bikes (we've since worked out they cost roughly the same in fuel 2 bikes = 1 landcruiser) and intend to keep to the same budget in our 4x4.

It will all depend on how you choose to live - our budget is from camping all the time (there is always somewhere to camp), eating from the local vendors (our guts are made of steel now) or buying/cooking our own and minimal bribes (we sit it out)

Good Luck

[nigel.alcock]

I had considered doing the bike route. Theres going to be two of us I just dont feel quite up to a few thousand miles on tw wheels as Im the only one with a bike licence. That and we all know motorbikes can be a hazard to life, I wouldnt want to be responsible for her IF something happened. at the moment ~I am pretty lost to this. are there any good books etc out there particularly aimed at doing this on a shoestring lol

[danward79]

Hi Chaps,

I find it interesting to see your estimates of living costs. I am just working out mine for our trip starting March 09. There will be three of us me/partner and daughter (she will be about 4.5yrs on trip).

Do the £1000/£1500 you quote include fuel/maintenance etc? or is that just food/camping/living?

At the moment we have budgeted about £1400 for food/camping/Fuel/a few cheap hotels, or about £2000 including food/camping/Fuel/a few cheap hotels/maintenance/ferrys/visas/parks/repairs/bribes/etc, etc.

Works out about £14000/£19000 respectively for a 10 month trip.(not including set up costs here)

Sorry to hijack your thread! but I thought it was relevant.

Dan

[CornishDaddy]

Hi there,

The budget I have is from a couple of other people who have done a similar trip. It covers all expenses that we will pay out during the trip exceptone off charges like carnet, guides (China), visas and vehicle purchase.

We will also have aa £5000 contingency, but perhaps we will have spent that before we leave (15 months and counting!).

Perhaps it might move to closer to £2000/month, with inflation since people have left, and I think we will have eough moeny to cover it, but we will be aiming for £1500.

Once we get through Russia most countries should also be fairly cheap.

Cheers

[bmw.bec]

Our budget includes the lot!

We do not rush as like to take our time so fuel consumption is as low as it can be.

Using the occassional hotel may be cheap, but if it becomes habit......it becomes a large outlay over time.

Camping costs nothing once out of Europe (even in Europe in some places) as you do not have to pay for rough camping.

Again food costs are up to you - will you want to sit down and eat in hotels/restuarants 3 times a day?

Visas are a large costing but if you make the most of the time given then are not so bad.

Some places are going to cost more than others - China for example where you need a guide etc will put a large dent in your budget so perhaps other ways need to be looked at (we met a biker who left his bike in Pakistan whilst he backpacked through China to see what he wanted to see)

You can get by on whatever you have at the end of the day, and work is always easy to find as a Europeon - especially if you have a trade.

As for books, Lonely Planets Europe on a shoestring and Africa on a shoestring proved useful for us.

Becky

[danward79]

Hi,

Thanks for those responses.

We have both of those books thanks Bec.

I am glad that having finally made a few posts here, my figures are starting to look reasonable.

Thanks to both of you.

Dan

[nigel.alcock]

thanks for the help guys, I will get those books on order. they seem to be owrht their weight from how often they come up thanks for your help thus far I will no doubt be back for a little more advice at some point.

Have to say these forums are a joy to read with everyone being so friendly.

tarar for now

nige

[ChrisC]

Hi Nige/Dan

welcome to you both and enjoy your prep time.

Two very useful books will be:

1. Sahara Overland - the definative Saharan travel guide (to date), and all round exped info - by Chris Scott

2. Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide - ignore the pro Land Rover content but lap up some of the other useful info - by Tom Shephard

Chris Scott is also bringing out the Overlanders handbook?

What vehicles do you plan on using? etc

Cheers

[danward79]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

Hi Nige/Dan

welcome to you both and enjoy your prep time.

Two very useful books will be:

1. Sahara Overland - the definative Saharan travel guide (to date), and all round exped info - by Chris Scott

2. Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide - ignore the pro Land Rover content but lap up some of the other useful info - by Tom Shephard

Chris Scott is also bringing out the Overlanders handbook?

What vehicles do you plan on using? etc

Cheers

Hi Chris,

Thanks, I have got the Sahara Overland Book, but not got the Vehicle Dependant Expo book, is it really that good for £100+

To be honest I have been wondering if it is worth it for the price, obviously you think it is good, is that a unilateral opinion of others, if so I guess I better get a copy!

In terms of vehicle I plan on a Land Cruiser, VX80 or such 4.2ltr.

Thanks

Dan

[bmw.bec]

No don't spend all that money on Tom Shepherds book - look up the national geographic society as they have copies for £35 (when we got ours they said they had 30 left)

[danward79]

Originally Posted by bmw.bec

No don't spend all that money on Tom Shepherds book - look up the national geographic society as they have copies for £35 (when we got ours they said they had 30 left)

Hi Bec,

Do you have a link? I have search the National Geographic website and found nothing?

Thanks

Dan

[noel di pietro]

We have spent on average Euro 60,- per day, two persons in a Toyota HZJ75. 45% goes to fuel the rest to everything else including game park fees, visa, food, maintenance, litterally everything else!! We always slept in the car and eating out was a treat, not a standard. Some tips on preparation see my site below, tips & tricks.

Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

[nigel.alcock]

Im looking at using an old landcruiser for the sake of parts. going to look at a 1989 model with a hilux engine in tomorrow. looking at £100 for it... It is currently road legal for another 11 months so I presume theres nothing majorly wrong with the vehical itself although before trip I think a possible full rebuild will be in order to be on the safe side. (excuse my spelling, english was never my strong point!!) I am hoping to do most of the work myself to the car and I think I can do that for my £1000 through buying second hand parts etc (water tanks, roof racks spare wheels etc) are there any known major problems with these?

thanks

nige