Mapping Out & Financing A Trip...
 

Hey Guys,

So this is my first post on HU! woooo :clap:

I have been doing a lot of reading throughout different threads about financing long distance motorbike tours but majority of the responses are from those that do have houses to sell, rent out or re finance... I need to know about how the younger generations do it, because i cant be the only one!!!

I have savings and i am still working at the moment, but i need to try and get some ideas for future funding should the savings not be sufficient.

Also i have been trying to map out a tour using Google Maps but the program seems to lag once it has a fair bit of information in it, not to mention it doesn't show current roads in some parts of Asia!

Would anyone recommend mapping software that is Apple friendly? I don't mind spending a little bit of money if it means i can map out the trip and also record where i have been - (GPS Points) I want to be able to select particular roads or trails and work out distances etc etc... all of the stuff us riders want to know when we are traveling away from home... well traveling with our home, cause home is where the heart is right? haha :innocent:

Looking forward to every ones responses! =]

Regards,
Aaron. :scooter:

Hi Aaron,

I am one of the 'Younger Generation' and have done a few short trip and one long one.
All I can tell you is I have a good paying job and spend a lot of time saving money and for the big trip I moved out of my flat, left my job and sold most of my stuff.


Ditto, sorry to say I haven't come up with a better method as yet.
Paper maps are always an option though!

That sounds like what i have been and am doing money wise. I guess i just have to stick with it and wait until i get to that goal!

As for the maps, Paper maps seem to be the best option in my case, can you recommend anywhere online that i can buy detailed maps of individual countries? Particularly Russia, Asia and North USA.

I have found that Michelin maps are pretty good for route planning, they do sets that cover entire continents such as Africa, Europe and North America.
A little more information about yourself would be helpful, such as where you are, it does affect the answers to your questions.

Sounds like exactly the questions I considered posting when I was planning my current trip. Now that I'm on the road (one year and counting) here is what I suggest:

Don't worry, just leave. The only hard part about long-term travel is the decision to do it. Not the money or the borders or deciding where to go or anything else. Just the decision to do it. After that, everything is easy.

But if you want the long version, as I'm certain you do at this stage, read on:

A house or a good paying job helps a lot, but doesn't really matter. I've met people on the road who left with $1000 in their pocket and traveled for years. The difference? They volunteer a lot and work regularly. Bartending and teaching English seem the best route, but odd jobs work too. Talking to these people who "just left" with little or no money, I'm not at all certain my route of saving for years is any better.

If you do save, I am convinced that income is irrelevant. The important part is saving every last penny. This begins with being debt-free and continues with sacrifice. Would you rather see a movie or travel another day? Would you rather have a one week vacation or travel another month or three? Would you rather have a beer or another meal for your trip? Would you rather have the dignity of living alone or live with your parents for free rent?

By the end I was counting every last penny of expenses and justifying each against my desire to travel.

Route planning. I tried this and have long since given up the task as (a) hopeless and (b) a great way to ruin an otherwise fantastic trip. Hopeless because the world is just too big a place, even if you can find accurate maps. A great way to ruin the trip because the best part is the unexpected places you find either by accident or by recommendations from others.

I spend a lot of time talking to other travelers (All types! Motorcycle, backpack, bicycle, RV, locals running tour companies, etc.) and getting suggestions of good places to go in the direction I'm headed. This started before I even left by reading blogs of other travelers. On occasion I get suggestions from guide books (Lonely Planet), but only as an absolute last resort. From there, I wander around each country finding those places which sound interesting. Sometimes I have a map, either paper or GPS, other times I do not so I stop to ask for directions. Even with a map I ask directions frequently because most maps in places I've been in South America are completely useless (yes, including GPS maps).

I sometimes even just wander randomly down roads if the locals say the area is safe. I've found some amazing places that way.

A better route for your planning is to prepare yourself and the bike. The more you are prepared for any condition and any challenge, the more you will be free to wander wherever seems interesting.

Hope to see you on the road some day!

Sounds like the bit of motivation that i need =)
Part of that was describing me, it was very accurate, saving the money instead of movies, drinking and holidays... I would always put $5 away and think ok that's a couple of liters of fuel to travel just that bit further!

I know that planning puts the mind at rest as to where we will end up on the road, but its true what you say, not planning it leads to some of the nicest places. =)

A little about myself, I am a Australian who is living in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada on a working holiday. I plan to be here until April which is when i plan to leave on a trip with the destination being home... I have told my family to not expect me back unless i am rolling onto Aussie land on two wheels. My bike back home is a 2008 KLR650 which served me well.

I plan to ride through Russia, Mongolia, China, Indian, Nepal and south east Asia until i reach Australia.

Aaron.

Good answer
 

That one should close this thread :thumbup1: All the advice you need is contained here.
However, I will say that OSMWorldRoutable (GPS maps for free for anywhere in the world) and Mapas Viajeros (Site is in Spanish .. free GPS maps for South America) though not extensive in detail are IMHO the best around. They are compiled from travellers own routes so have some of the lesser routes you may not find on the likes of Garmin.

Have a blast out there :funmeteryes:

Thanks everyone for your help, I certainly have a lot to think about. It is an exciting feeling thinking about the open road and unknown countries.