Here we go! 6 Months Couchsurfing Around Europe
 

I've been exploring this site for the last few months, and have learned a ton! Thanks to everyone who has put so much time and energy into making this a truly incredible resource. Amazing amount of info here. I thought it might be time to introduce myself and ask for some specific input on the trip that I am planning right now.

My name is Adam, and I am an American living and working in Seoul, South Korea as a voice actor, along with my wife, Jessica. We love the life there. I bought my first motorcycle here in Korea two and a half years ago, a Daelim 125, and then quickly upgraded to the Hysoung v-twin Mirage 125. My wife and I have completely fallen in love with bikes, and after some touring in Korea, set our sights on a trip in Europe!

We've been part of another great web community, Couchsurfing.com, for about 5 years, and have made friends with and hosted great people from all over the world, but primarily Europeans. They have all extended offers to host us in return, so we are going to take off in June of this year and visit all of them over the course of six months or so.

The plan now is to start with a circuit of the UK, head through Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden, ferry over to Finland and Lativia, then overland through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Rep., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece (more or less in that order). We have friends or couchsurfing contacts in almost all of those places, so accomodation should be free almost everywhere we go.

I know this is a far cry from the sort of RTW trips that so many of you have done and are doing, but it should be a great first, extended adventure that will prepare us for more challenging endeavors down the line.

I just bought a 2006 BMW F650 Dakar outfitted with ABS and Hepco&Beker Gobi cases included for the equivalent of $5,000 US, which was a pretty fantastic deal, I think, and is more than adequate for our purposes as is. I've assembled a pretty thorough kit of gear for the trip, which you can see here.We will be taking some more trips around Korea once the weather warms back up a bit, and I'm sure some of that gear will have to go, but it's a solid start. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Now, on to the questions-

1) Have any of you made a trip like this before? If so, is there any pertinent advice that you would like to offer?

2) Have any of you shipped a bike from Asia to Europe (and even from Seoul)? If so, do you have any shippers you would reccomend?

3) Is any one taking a trip to Europe during the same time frame that would like to meet up and ride with us for any stretch of the trip?

4) Would any of you be willing to host us, or allow us to use your shop for repairs along the way?

5) Any favorite roads or towns along our route that should not be missed? Any that we should be careful to avoid?

If you have made it this far through my post, thanks! Any insight or opinions that you could offer to help us plan our trip would be greatly appreciated!

Adam Lofbomm
Lofbomm.com

Should this be posted under Route Planning?

Visa?
 

I can't help you out with your questions, but have you considered the visa issue? I don't think that as an American you can stay in the Schengen Agreement countries (most of the EU) for more than 3 months in a 1 year period without a resident visa. As far as I know, it is not 3 months per country, but 3 months for all of Europe.
Just thought I would point that out in case you haven't considered it.

Wow, this is the first time that I have heard this. I will have to do some more research. As I understood it, it was simply 90 days each. That could be a problem if you are right about that.

Anyone else have any knowledge on this issue?

Schengen
 

I just used dogpile.com and looking at schengenvisa.cc/ , it does look as if you need to plan carefully. This site lists the schengen states. Best wishes. Linzi.

In EU there are basically no border checkpoints between the countries any more. Once inside EU you basically can move freely from one country to another, there is no border posts, passport is usually not checked nor stamped. Sometimes you may be stopped too for occasional check but overall it is now very simple to travel inside the EU, once you are here.

That is wonderful news. Very glad to hear that, Rebaseonu. Thanks for the info.

Europe
 

Hello,

If you like mountains i will advice to go to Swiss. Great riding there. France is nice too, the coast. Normandy is great! Germany is all so nice and cheap. Holland is flat and very crowed. Traffic is heavy, but the roads are good. Watch your speed because the police are strickt on that. You have to pay on the spot! Don't go to Amsterdam, other cities are nicer. The Netherlands are expensive. The people are direct and it looks like they are unpolite. But that is just the way the are. In the big cities you have to wacht-out for theft.

enjoy your stay and maybe we will meet, because i m riding in Europe allso.

Greet Euhreka :mchappy:

Hej,

in the case your route will meet the swedish west coast you will be welcome for a stop. Free Workshop use and help, campground (tent/cottage) nearby,
guided tour for some west coast highlights if you are interested.

Have a great summer in Europe and a safe trip.

Cheers

Hi Adam and Jessica,

Your trip sounds interesting and do not worry about how long you can stay in Europe. Look on the motorbike sites on Couchsurfers and ask the question someone will put you right.

Maybe you would like to get in touch with Rob Jardine from Couchsurfers. He is from England but is riding up from Australia to London as we type. He is in Singapore now. I am sure he would be delighted to hear from you.

CouchSurfing - Rob Jardine

I am also on Couchsurfers search for Steveindenmark. We are about an hour from the German border and 10 minutes from the E45 the main highway towards Sweden.

Contact me through Couchsurfers.

Steve

I too have wondered about staying in Europe for more that 3 months. Many of the countries on the OP's list are not part of Schengen Treaty, and I would not need more that 90 days for just those countries either, but the last few times I have been to Europe, I crossed borders without even stopping - the posts were all unmanned, so I don't think I could even get my passport stamped if I wanted to. Thus it would be difficult to prove where I was for how long.

I doubt going into and out of Europe could anywhere near as big a PITA as the US borders are, but I can just imagine trying to board a plane in Germany after a long trip and getting stuck at the passport control: You have been here for more that 90 days! I cannot allow you leave. You cannot stay here either! You must go to nowhere! Fertig! Kein Wiedersprechen!

equipment
 

I'm impressed, your packing list. But, a small headtorch is essential, gives you both hands free. A heating coil and two stainless steel thermo mugs are also mandatory. Tea, coffee or soup at the right moment. Using gas stove inside is a lot of hassel for one/two cups. Melted a hotel telephone making breakfast in bed with a primus...2000 W on the bedside table was too much.
To my mind you are moving too fast, too many countries in too few days, but you can always adjust your schedule. So long as you have funds I don't think the Schengen rules will bother you, it's unfair of course, but realistic.
Have no experience of Couchsurfing, but it sounds great.
Peter, in Oslo

GSPeter,

Thanks for some good feedback.

About the headlamp, I've got an elastic headband I can slip my little Gerber LED light into. It's a flexible little system. The flashlight also has a clip on it, so I can clip it onto other places, too.

The heating coil really is a good idea, now that I think about it. I had imagined just using the stove, but I guess that really wouldn't work everywhere.

Yes, our plan is a little ambitious, I know, and will certainly change en route. Our goal is to really enjoy the places instead of racking up miles, so we will definitely adjust our schedule to achieve that once we find our groove.

As for Couchsurfing, I highly encourage you to check it out. There are such amazing people in that community, and can really offer to a better experience of a city you are visiting than you might ever have on your own. Sometimes we have people surf with us on a layover in Seoul, and they usually go away surprised at what a great place it is, having seen it through a local's eyes. Can't say enough good things about CS. Plus, you can't beat a free room!