4 steps, 4 months, 40K km
 

Hello to Every body.
This is my first trip report, never have been written before, as always- what can be left for later- stays for later:), but not this time.
Now I decide to do it in real time. Here I will share our overlanding experience, and will be glad receive your comments. Decide not build my web side, because not planning get any many out of it.
I’m not journalist, not writer, not even English, please be forgivable about my written masterpiece.

About us: we are Erik & Ilga (Mika) married couple in age before fifty. Nationality- Latvians. Currently live in Norway and love long motorcycle trips. We like simplicity and try avoid fancy lifestyle.

Motorcycle: Yamaha Super Tenere 2012 with 10K on odometer.

Trip plan: trip is planned in 4 stages and start 28.04.2015
Stage 1- Preparation and Paperwork
Stage 2- from Riga to Minsk around Black Sea
Stage 3- From Brest (Belarussia) to Vladivostok through Stans, Pamir and Mongolia
Stage 4- Nahodka to Oslo

Stage 1- Preparation
 

So, 30 days to start.
Preparation actually started last year, when I came home from Russia on my Harley. I’ve done 15000km round from Oslo to Nordkapp, Murmansk, Tyumen and back. I survived, but decision was made that shall go further- to Vladivostok and together. Proper motorcycle was needed. So in September we fly to Germany and got our new team member Mania (short name of Yamaha in Russian).

Most of inhabitants in Russia are friendly

Stage 1- Preparation
 

20 days to start.

Visa logistics we started in February. From 5 needed visas, Russian and Kazakhstan visa already fixed in Oslo, Uzbekistan and Belarus visas we fixed in Riga, Latvia. Tajikistan visa we will get in Minsk end of May. We manage to do it ourselves, with no agency, what allowed us to save approx. 40% of paperwork cost. I would say we got almost no stress. People in embassies and consulates are very helpful and patient. Officials themselves fix all application mistakes we have made.
Russian visa x 2 (1 year, multi entrance)- 65€; Kazahstan visa x 2 (3 month, double entrance)- 100€; Uzbekistan visa x 2 (7 day tourist)- 110€; Belarus visa x 2- 50€; Tajikistan visa x 2 (15 days)- 80€.
Total= 405 Euros for visas
Medical Insurance: we are going relay on travel insurance offered by our credit cards- no extra cost.

Good luck with your trip Eshark. Look forward to reading your RR :thumbup1:

ref medical insurance via your credit card?? ... I would read the small print to ensure you and your wife will be adequatly covered...

Ride safe and enjoy the journey...:scooter:

Bones

I've rode it 3 times, looks like Skandinavians have best credit card travel insurance. Even scuba diving up to 40m is covered.

Stage 1- Preparation
 

10 days to start.
We are ready to go. In corner of room big box of things my wife collected for trip. Not a chance that we can take with us even half of it. Most of clothes, shoes and other *good to have* staff will be left at home.
As we going visit hot climate countries, packing principals will be- to pack all cold weather riding gear first, then other stuff by priority. Even we have panniers with total capacity of 160 liters, it’s going to be challenging.
What is left: get license plate for bike (still on German transit plates), to do scheduled maintenance and inspection, change tires and…that’s it… but 10 more days to wait…