Inspired by handing in my notice today.

Assume you live somewhere in Europe. You find yourself in a position where you either have no responsibilities, or are able to extricate yourself from them with relative ease. You don't have an office to go into any more, and your mortgage is easily taken care of by sale or rent. You are not rich, but have been financially paran... er, prudent, so you're not in immediate danger of starving.

You've wanted to do some serious overlanding for a while, and own a bike and a tent and all that, but have not actually done any long-term preparations.

What do you do? Where do you go first? Why?

Beautifully inspirational stuff ! I love "Lock The Door and Go!"

I can only assume you've already seen Eastern Europe? Maybe Russia, maybe more? So, perhaps by now your thinking of "other" places? Other continents?

You did not give us your history regards where you've been, so assume maybe somewhere new could be on the cards?

For me, I'm too lazy to arrange travel to far off places now ... and health issues limit me. I like Mexico and can fulfill my travel desires there fairly well. I just ride there, can be there in 2 days.

Seems to me, from Estonia you can simply RIDE to a lot of places without Air Shipping your bike. Of course, you can ride Eastern Europe, Russia, Mongolia and beyond.

But you can also ride down to Spain and take the Ferry to Morocco. I did this
in 2003. From there, Africa is in front of you. After that? No idea, but seems to me that would keep you busy for a year or so.

Maybe you can offer some tips on traveling in your area? What are best places to see in your area?
Hope you will check in with your plan ... once you come up with one!

I've been to a bit of Russia, by car rather than bike. Going east is always a possibility, but 1) I'd have to actually arrange a visa in advance, and 2) I speak the language, am fairly familiar with the culture (I think I also still have a standing offer of a couch at a cabin on the shore of Lake Baikal), so Russia is much less of an exotic wondrous place for me as it would be for others.

There's a fairly fascinating discussion to be had on the pluses and minuses of traveling in Russia as someone who doesn't speak the language, an obvious Other - compared to someone who is a native speaker but with an accent and general demeanor that definitely marks them out as Not From 'Round Here. Even the most friendly and open Russians still carry the influence of life in a place where safety requires constant counter-aggression to the environment.

The problem with even Morocco, much less Mongolia, is that my ride right now is very clearly road-focused. I've taken the VFR down farm tracks and sandy pine-forest paths, and I've reached every campsite I wanted to so far, but it's not the bike to go have fun in the dirt with. But yes, the easy option so far would be to start heading North (I've been promising to visit a friend doing a PhD in Lapland), check in to Nordkapp again, then go down the Norwegian coast with no hurry this time. Done a bunch of long weekend trips out there, but never had the luxury of zero deadlines. Keep heading south till I hit... Lisbon? Istanbul?

Africa also needs a carnet (easy enough via ADAC) and visas (seems to require a lot of forward planning). Been eyeing those guys in Peru who will sell you a rebuilt, ADV-prepped Chinese bike for 2,5k with a promise to buy it back for 1,5k. Cheaper than airfreighting just about anything. But that's more of an October idea.

Anyway, it'll be another month at least till the bike can safely come out of storage.

I read your earlier report about riding your VFR around Europe.

IMO, there is enough asphalt in Morocco to justify taking a VFR there, while riding a lot of the Spanish/French roads along the way.
You can take as long as you like over that trip if you, for instance, use the roads marked in green (the scenic routes) on the michelin maps for each of those 3 countries.

__________________
Dave

I have half-baked plans of doing a Melilla/Tangiers circuit, but what I've heard is that it would be a waste to go to Morocco and not go off road...

Yep, that feature has become prevalent i.e. if you aren't screwing around in mud, sand, dust, fesh fesh, boulder sized rocks or something outlandish then "you really are not having an adventure" no matter where you happen to be, no matter what you happen to be riding, no matter what experiences, pleasure and satisfaction you might achieve for yourself.
However, your last ride report on here proved otherwise.

Lots of the motorcycling websites have gone down that particular (off)road.

Before arriving in Morocco, you could travel through a dozen or more of the national parks of France,Spain and Portugal without even entering their historic towns and cities: just take your pick.

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Dave

I put a bunch into Destinations.

Very good observation antyx, a bit like putting a kid in a sweet shop and saying "there you go, everything's free"...where to start!? I've chosen southern europe and a little bit east then as it warms up maybe north, or maybe not? Choices choices!

Load up the bike, turn on the engine, follow your nose. Most plans fall apart as soon as you start moving.

Starbucks? to get coffee and think it over?

Hmm, that's tempting, but I don't think I can afford an R1200GS Adventure right now.

This is my exact position right now, and I leave in 5 weeks to hit the road with no return date set, pick your route then work out how long it’s gonna take. Work out how much money you need (depending if you wanna spunk it up in a fancy 5 star) or tent and live like a hobo. Apply for your visas paperwork then hit the road! You don’t need long to prep I’d say 2-3months, although I started planning 8months back


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I'm one of those who feels that just going is a viable plan. Even if you don't plan perfectly, there are stores to buy whatever you didn't bring and you will always find some place to sleep. Once you shut that door, hundreds of others will open. Good luck