UK - India with Indian passenger...?
 

Thinking about about making the overland trip to India in April 2002 instead of flying depending on the Afghan situation. Have a couple of questions that hopefully someone will be able to answer....

If I don't fly the bike from UK to India....an Indian friend of mine may want to come with me on my bike. She will be travelling on an Indian passport which is leads me to my first question..

Q1.Anyone travelled this way on an Indian passport? any trouble in Iran/Pakistan?

Q2.Can she ride pillion ok in Pakistan/Iran without being side saddle (or is it ok for her to even be on the bike with me - I am male!)

Would be grateful for any experience on this..

Cheers

Hi Spud,

It is not necessary for any pillion to ride side saddle in Iran or Pakistan or even India for that matter. The fact that some locals do is more of a cultural thing. I've seen local women pillions in Iran riding normally.

As for an Indian getting a visa for Pakistan, this should be possible but relations between the two countries are variable to say the least. I can only advise keeping up with the news and asking the advice of the Pakistani Consulate now and then once more about 3-4 months before you intend to leave. You should then know what type of visa can be issued, how long it would be permitted to stay in Pakistan and how long the visa would be valid for. When I went there I was given a 45 day visa valid for 6 months but I'm a UK citizen and an Indian is unlikely to get the same deal.

Stephan

Cheers for your reply... I think the growing issue of India-Pakistan relations may put a stop to my idea with the passenger anyway!

Hai Spud,

Let's be optimistic!
By the time you get there all this hussle will probably be history.
Take a look at the Afghanistan crisis. One of the results is that we will be able to travel through Afghanistan again in the near future. In every bad thing you can find a good thing, sometimes you have to search for it, but it's there.

Maarten

Hi Maarten,

Oh.. I am trying.. it was my potential passenger I was worried about as she has an Indian passport. I will still try my upmost to get to India overland on my Dommie. The UK's AA have said I cannot have a carnet for Pakistan but India is ok.. at the moment. I was thinking that I may try for Afghanistan in May as long as they let me! You're right though, where there's a will there's a way and after reading Robbie Marshall's book 'Triumph around the world' I think most things look possible!! Superb book by the way.

Hai Spud,

You could get the ADAC-carnet (see post: "cheap carnet" in "trip paperwork". It's not only cheap in it's bond, but also: it stil covers pakistan and egypt.

When Afghanistan opens it's borders you stil need to cross a litle piece of Pakistan... and would you realy want to mis the karakoram-highway?

But you are right... where there is a will... and a lot of persuasion.. there should/might be a way http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'll be folowing in your footsteps (OK, tyre-track's) in august. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif

Maarten

Hey Maarten,

Thanks for that. I have checked out the post and have written to Brigitte Werner at ADAC as suggested. I really hope they will give me a carnet for Pakistan! I shall post another reply when I get some information back.

Hi Maarten,

Looks like ADAC will come up with the goods. I shall post another reply when I have more info. They still issue carnets for Pakistan/Egypt too!

Spud

UPDATE from Brigitte at ADAC: "we no longer issue the carnet de passages for people living outside Germany and for vehicles not registered in Germany. There were too many problems with customs formalities and refunding the guarantee."

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

How sad!

The ADAC gave me a really good service too.