Preparation for RTW Ride
 

Hello everybody, :)

As this is my first post I'd like to briefly introduce myself. I am 29 years old and work full time as a paramedic in sunny far north Queensland Australia. I own a Dingo who is about 2 years old and a F800 GS Trophy with aluminium pannier. I have already been to the top of Australia with it. Helping people, animals and travel is my passion.

I have been saving for a house/apartment and have approximately $70k AUD. This however is my safety net for whenever I decide to to settle down and used as my deposit to buy a house. Was thinking along my travels I might want to buy in Argentina!

I will be working FT for another 2 years I think and then I will take off and will have some savings also plus a bike that should be ready with all the gear. I think maybe I will leave with $10k AUD in my pocket to get me started. I have read many threads about money and saving but there has been little information about working on the go? As a Paramedic my plan was to help out in each cities hospitals for food, shelter and to save a little bit of money to put in the tank for the next hospital or destination. Would this be a plausible idea?

Furthermore, I am getting my top box customised so that my dog can come along for the ride. I know about quarantine because Australia is the worst country for animals to enter. But does anybody have experience of a four legged friend going overseas?

The route I have in mind is shoot over straight to South America or Alaska and travel North/South. Then ship over to the UK and do that, Europe, Africa, Eastern Europe and then finish off in Asia. The least amount of shipping and flying the better for the bike, me and my dog.

I am not very good with mechanics but am a quick learner when it comes to mechanics. My skills are forensics, football, english and being a paramedic. I have 2 years still ahead of me and was even thinking getting a nursing bachelor under my belt or even becoming an Intensive Care Paramedic. Would this help in employment on the fly?

So, I was wondering after all that information if somebody could give me pointers and maybe set up a list of "To Do's" in the next 2 years?

?c?

We've taken dogs into Mexico ... no further experience. Mexican govt. never asked about our Dog. Re-entering USA US customs asked if we had vaccination certificates ... we said YES, they never asked to see them.
(We had all Vet docs with us of course: Rabies, distemper, et al)

Every country has their own rules regards pets ... probably can be done in most cases.

"Lew and Punky" traveled S. America on Lew's KLR & Vstrom. His little Yorky went everywhere.
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/i-dQ5r...-dQ5rrtR-L.jpg

More Med skills you have the better! :thumbup1:
Language is important too. If you don't speak Spanish, you won't be much help & may not be able to get paid. Learn it. (you'll be the first Aussie! :rofl:)

Prepare to be shocked at lack of "sterile technique" outside western countries. Also, the lack of basic equipment and common medications. Public clinics can be especially hard hit, Due to corruption, supplies get "sidetracked" to private clinics for those who can pay. It's a mess ... but that does not mean you shouldn't TRY to help out! They NEED YOU!

Not sure how you can get paid or best places to get work. Outside of cities there is tremendous need for medics, nurses and Doctors. You could try to hook up with NGO's. I worked for two (film crew) going round documenting work done in various countries. If an NGO has a clinic, it's likely they'll have translators and foreign doctors working there. The Docs mostly come and go, so lots of turnover. That might be your best bet ... as NGO's have some money.

Some Hostels and Hotels won't let you in with your Dog. Also be prepared to be appalled at the general cruel treatment of animals. Lots of strays.
It's heart breaking.

Suerte!

The pay rates are also low. Money wise you are better off working at 'home'. Experience wise you'll have better contact with 'the people' if you do work. A general nursing qualification and experience is probably easiest to get a job anywhere rather than a specialist.

The Duvals (OZies) spent some time learning Spanish .. they went to Mexico or Brazil ? and staid with a local family while they learn it.. probably a very good way of doing it. their blog is around here somewhere on the HU. Depends on where you go as to what language you should learn. The most universals are Spanish, French and German.

The UK will be a nightmare for your dog. Until a few years ago any dog that had been further than Ireland had to go into quarantine for 6 months at the point of entry. We can now use vaccines and vets certificates inside rabies free EU countries, but if you've been anywhere else I think you'd still be looking at a 3 1/2 dog years sentence in a home office kennel.

Andy

It's going to cost you over £3500 to get the Dingdog into the UK if they let it in at all. Authorised kennels and jabs plus blood tests before you fly, same again when you arrive and a minimum of 7 days in quarantine = more money.
I don't think your plan is viable with the dog, even with a huge bank balance you really will struggle. It will shut so many doors to you. Is it fair on the dog?

I also wouldn't let on how much money I have either - this is still the interweb !

What ever you do - good luck
Paul

Thanks for the tips on the UK. I guess UK isn't the best place to go with a dog I would agree. My Dog is registered here as an Kelpie Cross, bought him from the rescue shelter when he was a puppy and the people there told me he was Kelpie cross. Months went by and now a year, the less Kelpie Cross he became and the more Dingo he had become. So, he can't fool anybody for being a Dingo but on paper he is a Kelpie so that should all be ok. It will be a lot of time and money and work to organise a dog along a trip I totally understand but my standards of living isn't very high. I would rather be in the middle of nowhere in a tent with my dog for nights than be in any major city. I would most likely be in and out of cities unless somebody would be happy to take my dog and I in. Any possibility starting a charity though dingo awareness to help the species could change anything?

Mollydog, can you please help me with some more material/information with NGO's? I don't even know what it stands for! Many posts have recommended the going home and making some money and going back to the bike and continue the trip. It seems like the sensible way to do it. However I don't really believe that is a good way to travel as I would really like to mingle and get to know the locals and work for a while before moving on. As as long as I have food in my belly, a place to sleep, petrol in my tank and a functional bike that is all I need. I really would love to help out remote and very third world places even if it means that I get paid 1L of fuel a day. Kinda wanna contribute to the community wherever I go.

NGO stands for "Non Governmental Organization"

Groups like Catholic Charities, World Vision and many others are considered NGO's. I worked for UNICEF, run by United Nations. It's run like an NGO, even though I don't think it is, technically. ??

I think your heart is in the right place. If you can handle working at "local" pay rates, then I'm sure you could find work just about anywhere, given your skills. Sticking it out for a while in one place really shows serious commitment, not easy to do. Big Ups! :thumbup1:

But not sure the local pay would even buy food for your Dog, let alone buy petrol, food and housing for you and the bike.

I think as your research continues, you'll find that camping in much of the world really sucks. Honestly, in some places it's just not feasible. Most of the problem is TOO MANY PEOPLE everywhere. In many places you can't safely walk away from your camp site and go into town or run an errand.
You're stuck there guarding your bike and your stuff.

Sounds like you plan to be on the road for a few years at least. Good on ya!
I'm sure in 6 months or a year you'll learn a lot about what works for you and your Dog.

The fact he is a Dingo will mean NOTHING in most countries ... where officials wouldn't know a Dingo from a Hamster. As long as you have the paperwork, should be OK. But as mentioned, some paranoid countries have
really barbaric quarantine rules. Only way is to avoid those countries.
When you check in for your Visa, just ask about pet importation rules.

I'm sure Australia have NGO's working round the world. Start Googling and see what you can come up with. The USA and EU have hundreds out there, small and large.

Cheers! bier

Try contacting HUBB member "lorraine", she has traveled Africa and Latin America with her dogs, overland and by air.