Hello all, just joined this site and read this post, and you have given me inspiration and useful information.

I have just gotten into Adventure Riding in the last couple of years. I want to do more, and a RTW trip is a dream, hopefully will become reality someday, or at least doing multiple long trips.

Now I must start reading more in the different forums !!

Thanks !!

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Randy L.
San Diego Adventure Riders
www.dualsport-sd.com
'04 KTM 950 Adventure
'95 Ducati E900 Elefant
'00 KTM 640 LC4

[This message has been edited by Rad 900 Duc (edited 12 October 2005).]

Maybe look at buying a bike in SA. I'm hoping to leave in Sept of 06 for around six or eight months. I have a 3,000km KLR that I will probably sell after the trip. It works best for everyone if a traveller sells it to another traveller.

As for how to pay for a trip, I have to agree that working oil and gas is the way to go. I do public relations for a big oilsands company, and I'm worth quite a bit more in this industry than anywhere else.

We overlanded UK to Aus in the late 80's and sold the house, to fund it, buying a smaller one when we returned. Now do six month trips (by boat)returning to the UK and working the other six. You can always find somewhere to store the bike/boat cheap & secure for 6 months work period. Working half-years means there's a lot less tax on your earnings and 6 month slots prevent you getting bored with either work or travelling

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BobnLes

Thanks a lot for every one who has written their opinions on this post, IT really helps!
I ride an Enfield- Bullet 350CC on small tours in and around my home town in India I had never thought of doing a ride as long as some mentioned here. But now after reading so much and dreaming a lot more I am sure I will RIDE , and ride a lot !
Life is tooo short to be spent seeing photographs of exotic places sent by friends which they themselves received as forwards :-)
I really don't know nor have I planned my trip so far but I am sure my day will come too. And having seen above how all the others like you have managed their finances, I think I should be able to manage them too (Hopefully).
Thanks a lot for all those who have written in with their opinions. Like they say a teacher never knows how far his influence lasts, in very much the same way I am sure this post has made a lot of pople think! Thanks once again to Our Webmasters Sussan and Grant for Keeping this site up and free.
Hope to see you all some day in India!

[This message has been edited by Red Bull (edited 23 January 2006).]

excellent thread and in the spirit of keeping it alive I post.


my situation is tangled in the web of the current US society. I've travelled alot and have been riding alot more the past year. BUT I keep my home, I keep my business, I keep my sailboat and a stable of bikes. I am able to at the moment, but they can all be cutaway for when I do want to really get gone. In the mean time I am diligent about saving after tax monies.

Last year I rode to Honduras and leftthe biek there for winter and returned to rie hoem and all over the US...this whet my tastes for more..and the dream seeds are planted and being nourished

Breaking he family ties at the moment is what my wife and I choose not to do.

anyway...keep it up all...and thank you for sharing

[This message has been edited by FREEFLOW (edited 15 December 2005).]

Hi
one of the most important topics for travellers and felt i had to respond. My wife and I have been taking 1 month touring holdays around Europe on our bikes for the last 10 years (both self employed). However we would like to do some more long distance travel so our plans are this:
We are both re-training in different health care occupations (wife - speech therapy, me - Podiatry). There is a shortage of nearly all health care professions in 1st world countries and many of them are transferable. A few months agency pay in U.S / Canada can fund many months in S.A. Australia - Asia, Europe - Africa you get the picture. It will also give us an oportunity to do some VSO work and it's a nice industry to work in.
On the subject of returning blues; I have returned to a job which was just a money earner, now i am changing to something that is worthwhile and enjoyable and I hope it will make a difference - just a thought. we are 5 years from departure.

Good on you and good luck! I hope your target countries accept your US qualifications. NZ, for example, doesn't...

Our qualifications will be U.K. The different Speech Therapy organisations of U.S, canada, Britain, Australia and New Zeland reached an agreement in 2005. As for Podiatry it's not so easy but not impossible, I am also a bricklayer so I'm sure we'll get by. Thanks for the support - happy travels.

How many of you have realize how little changed back home while you were "away".

Talking about the cost of travelling, I must say that NOT travelling is VERY, VERY expensive...

My first post here, anyway my story...

When I was 18 living with my parents I got into a big fight with my father which led me to being told to leave. I grabbed a back pack full of clothes and got on my bike which was really the only thing I owned at the time other than clothes, and I started to ride. I only had $300 to my name and decided I wanted to go to california. I realised that i wouldnt be able to spend any money on hotels so I stayed at a friends house the first night hen went back to my parents house, grabbed a tent and some food and left. I made it to kentucky in 4 days on the food I had taken, sleeping in the tent off the road in the woods. The only money I spent was on gas. After kentucky I made it a point to seek out supermarkets, and while shopping I would munch on the food I was walking around with. Doing it this took alt more time, and I finally made it to california 2 weeks later. Once there I sat back and stayed on the beach for a few days, and got a job doing construction. did this for 3 weeks and I decided to go back to NJ. I didnt have too much money, so this time I made it a point to hit every major city I could find. I would ride around early in the morning and when i stood saw a bunch of guys standing on a corner I would go stand with them, usually they were waiting to be picked up for day work. I spent 3 months traveling around the US, made a short trip into mexico and another short trip into canada. When I got home after not having talked to my parents the entire time they took me back in.

Eventually i joined the army, and now I take a 2 week trip each year and just ride wherever I feel like as cheap as I can. Since my original trip Ive settled down married kids house etc... When I retire (in 11 more years) I am going to take a year and go around the world, not stopping in every country just go straight around, and after that who knows....

Reading all the wonderful stories from around the globe gets one wanting to do the same thing. However, money is an all too real issue for most of us. My suggestion is to take stock in what you already have. I used to live in northern Arizona on the Navajo Indian reservation where I worked as a teacher. The pay was minimal, but I was able to take advantage of my geography. I lived within a few hours of places that literally millions of tourists flocked to each year. I lived near the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and the various places located on the reservation itself.

I now live in Yuma, Arizona which is located on the border with Mexico. It is along the Colorado River which makes for a wonderful ride traveling north to Lake Havasu, and if I decide to get in the international mood, I can ride south into Mexico as far or as near as I would like to go. Its all a matter of one's perception.

I would bet that Australians could make an adventure out of visiting the territories and states of Australia, New Zealanders the same with NZ, Europeans with Europe. It might not be THE (exotic) trip of a lifetime, but at least you can get out and about, and visit an out of the way place, without having to make a dramatic life altering decision in the process, such as selling everything to finance the trip. You don't end up traveling as far, but you can still have fun. It is all in how you take advantage of your current geographic location.

The sites you appreciate the least are the ones on your own doorstep, I only appreciated the beauty of where I live when some friends from finland came to stay. Then when I was away on military service for 6 months, living in the same small complex the whole time and never allowed out, then I really appreciate where I lived!

Andy

Landy101 ambie/camper
TLC H60
1968 Morris minor travelle

"The sites you appreciate the least are the ones on your own doorstep, I only appreciated the beauty of where I live when some friends from finland came to stay"

On my father's side, all of my relatives live in England, with my closest relations in Faversham. My parents and sisters live in the Los Angeles area where I grew up. My relatives seemed to all want to move to L.A. when they visited, and I could not understand why. To me, the UK was such a nicer place overall, and the bonus was the rain and cool weather (yes, really, and no, I am not crazy!). My younger sister lived in London for a couple of years trying to settle in, but she ended up moving back to L.A. when things did not work out for her. I will have to stick with my "localized" plan for a while of long day trips/weekend rides due to my young children (18 mos and 6 years old)and non-riding wife. But I will make the best of those rides, as opposed to trying to work up to one long trip around the world. (I would still like to make a trip to the UK again, but go this time with my family to visit my relatives. I would also like to tour by motorcycle there, but I am not going to hold my breath, lol).



[This message has been edited by yuma simon (edited 27 January 2006).]

What a wonderful topic.
This subject has more insight and wisdom in three pages than a 10 ft. stack of books.

I'm guessing that the author of the original letter that started this is like me,
(younger than most of the people to reply)
So soak up as much of their wisdom as you can.
If I may give my two cents worth. the one thing that I got out of all this reading is that the author of the original question, much like myself has the (American syndrome.)

We americans tend to be raised in the sense that riches are measured in possessions. I too have a hard time giving up all that I have accumulated to go live what many consider to be a richer life. I envy and admire those that are able to do so.
I think we tend to forget that we enter and leave this world naked. One of the biggest lessons that I am learning from reading these posts is from the european posts. (If I may generalize) it seems that a great number of europeans tend to live much more minimalistic than what we americans do, living in this way leaves a lot more freedom for being adventureous and traveling. And in my view, opportunities in life as well. My wife and I are just beginning to realize that our great amount of baggage in life is a lot of what is holding us back from enjoying it more.

Perhaps if you cannot commit to leaving everything maybe you should start on a smaller scale and you may find this will pacify you. If it doesn't, than at least you will know that you are one of those who will not be satisfied with simply living the typical everyday grind type or lifestyle and that maybe it is time for a larger committment.
Now if I could only come up w/ a solution for myself as easily life would be grand.

The other great lesson in these posts is the time thing, take this from someone who nearly died just a year ago. There is nothing in life that will change both your view and outlook on life than almost dying. Especially when you discover that you don't have to be old to die.
The fact that you may be dead tommorrow never quite rings home until you experience it personaly.
So live life like there's no tommorrow and plan as though there is. And remember that riches are not measured in possessions and money alone. I truly believe that many of these people who live this lifestyle are going to go to their graves a lot richer than those who live the daily grind for money and possession type wealth. I only wish I had the (you know what's) to be like them!
The re-entering society was quite interesting as well.
Thank you all, for all of the wisdom and insights posted here.

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but to post a second reply on this one.
And realize that this may be a little off subject.

For the last 5-yrs. of my life I have fallen in to the
(can't buy a thrill category.)

I used to ride when I was younger but then gave up having a bike for several yrs.
Because I thought I couldn't afford one.
Recently an older neighbor offered me an old bike he had in a garage under a blanket for 15-yrs. (Thanks,......Norm!)
Approx. 120-125 hrs. later it is fully restored and functional.

Not only did I get great pleasure out of restoring it, the very first ride I took on it made me feel more alive than I have felt in yrs.
As I once read somewhere - You don't see very many motorcycles parked outside of a psychiatrists office!

These days if someone were to ask me I would say, how can you afford not to have a bike.
One of the greatest pieces of advice in all of these columns is the beauty that you miss right in your own back yard.

For me a days ride on the bike makes me feel like I just had a glorious vacation.
One doesn't necessarily have to ride around the world to have their senses renewed.
Nor do you have to give up everything you own to enjoy touring on a motorcycle.

This yr. I'm planning on heeding some advice I read, and shipping my bike somewhere and then riding it back.
I think that this will allow for a much greater range in my destinations while cutting down on both time and budget to be able to do so, while still alowing me to retain my (American syndrome) lifestyle as well.