Europe / East Australia Route?!
 

Hey guys, firstly im new to these here forums. :thumbup1:

Looking for a bit of help about routing a motorbike trip abroad. Ill put it to you simply. Going from Leeds, England and our destination being Brisbane, Australia then onto Tasmania [as i have a friend there i can stay for a while, on a beautiful secluded beach] and also a friend in Brisbane i want to see...

Now its the inbetweeny part im quite baffled on... Im only 21 and have been riding for on/off 4 years. Ive travelled to many European countries but never on a bike.

The main questions though are:

How much of Europe do i do before i get a ferry to Brisbane or some where east Australia?
Do i do the whole of europe and asia and then ferry it to Aus?
Do i do england/west france and west spain and then get a ferry to Brisbane. As the only other place from is Iraq....

Thanks, bars open... :scooter:

Thanks mate a Big Cold One for me! I have been planning a similar trip starting in May 2008. The following is the route I am planning to take at this stage. Total time about 11 months.

PICK UP BIKE (Felixstowe, Suffolk)
Travel to France
France
Belgium, Netherlands,
Denmark
Norway,
Sweden
Around Baltic Sea to Finland
Ferry to Estonia,
Latvia
Poland
Germany
Austria
Greece
Turkey
Iran,
Pakistan
India
Nepal
Fly bike to Bangkok
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos
Malaysia
Fly from Bangkok to
Darwin Brisbane

This may change of course but I think I will be travelling at the right time weatherwise. I may do a few side trips but will worry about that when I am on the road

Kenny has it sorted! Go with him :scooter: :scooter:


As for Oz, im from here so I suggest you make up a loose plan and loosely follow it. No plan is usually a good plan ( within reason)

The Lonely Planet is a good bet to whet you appetite.
The coastal route from Sydney to Brizvegas is straight forward ( cops are a nightmare) Nazis with speedcameras. But there are numerous little towns that hug the coastal fringe.

hey kenny, thats sort of the route i was thinking of but is just too long for me! I only have 5 months max for this trip as im at university at the moment.... And will be in my 2nd year when i leave on the bike.

I could plan to start the trip with you?!
Or could meet in Australia/Brisbane and then onto Tas?

Does any one know where i can actually get ferries/plane to and from to get to australia?

The cheapest option is to fly from London to Sydney .. (or possibly cheaper still Perth!).

The next cheapest option would be to quickly ride through Europe (the expensive bit) and then slow down after Turkey .. India is very cheap .. Then fly from there to Australia ..

You want to chose flight 'hubs' .. that is the central place used by the airline .. Delhi would be Air Indias hub .. and that may also be used by otehrs Thai, Qantas etc .. then pick anotehr place they go straight to (or with one stop over if it is a longer flight) .. that will be the cheapest flight ..

You can get boat shipping .. from major ports .. read the stuff on the left side .. there is heaps in there about shipping the bike .. and carnets .. saves repeating it here ..

Hi Kenny, Im putting together a similer trip. Im just planning it at the minute and dont know when id be going. The overall trip will be to Australia wher i plan to work for 2 year. If i like it i intend to stay depending if i can somehow get a permanent visa. If not then ill carry on with the next stage of my trip. Dont know where.

Just wanting to ask about visas
Am i right in saying you can get most of the visas on the road at the border with exception to Iran?

Visas are a bit of a grey area for me so I will be playing it by ear as I travel. If I have to stay in a particular place for a while to wait for a visa to be issued, so be it. As long as ther's good food and beer, I think I'll manage.

Yeah id probably do the same thing. I was just wondering if there was any country that you would have to apply before you left.