Advice: Drive to China

[Potato-Peeler]

Hello All,

Due to reasons of adventure and boredom I am currently planning on attempting to drive from the UK to China. I just wondered if any of the many wise individuals may happen to have some tips, hints or advice on how to do this?

Thank you

[FN-GM]

Get a TomTom!

 

My uncle drove from the UK to India in the 70's and he said the best thing to do is just plan it all out and double check everything.

[Potato-Peeler]

So don't wing it essentially? Plan it all out as much as humanely possible? I will take on board Cheers bud.

[TheMan100]

Haha, surprisingly enough, Google Maps is able to produce a route to the heart of India, but not to China, oh well; nothing will beat a good old map.

[tech_guy]

The problem you will face is the situation in Iraq / Iran / Afghanistan. Unless you want some excitement you'll have to go via the countries that used to be the former soviet union. I've driven around India and it's a bit mental. Are you doing it in a 4wd like a land rover?

[Hightower]

Also, I know you would have probably thought of this but remember to buy a car that can drive on water (kind of like a boat). You don't want to get to dover and then realise you'd missed that out when you sink.

 

Good luck

[featured_spectre]

Get a Google map route to Tibet, then cross from there...also make sure you have your travel visas at the ready along with currency, and hotel/hostel bookings.

[Potato-Peeler]

I intend to sell my newish car I have now and buy something older, maybe 7-8 year old fiesta/corsa. Will make it more interesting plus if I need to abandon it not a massive loss. Yeah Im going to go via soviet, don't fancy Afghan or Iran tbh!

[elsiegee40]

OK.. there's all the proper advice and then there's me... a friend of the family called Mike Jones decided to canoe down Everest rather longer ago than I care to think about... the river is called the Dudh Khosi. He and his mates navigated to Nepal using a friend's sister's school atlas.

 

If, as I suspect, you're young enough to be doing this without the hinderance of having to be sensible and having a family you have to support at home... just go for it and enjoy! Mike did.

[m25man]

If you have never seen it watch The Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman it's a great documentary and covers the Eastern Block route by motorcycle.

It covers in great detail the logistics involved in such an expedition.

 

Not something I would undertake lightly, and your paperwork has to be watertight, I got myself into trouble once in Nepal with an expired visa got picked up and chucked into a Nepalese prison for a few days not nice...

 

Good luck, safe journey.

[Gatt]

Hello All,

Due to reasons of adventure and boredom I am currently planning on attempting to drive from the UK to China. I just wondered if any of the many wise individuals may happen to have some tips, hints or advice on how to do this?

Thank you

 

Don't?

 

Seriously, I'd recommend a good atlas and some good old fashioned maps....

[Dos_Box]

My advice would be to buy a more 'inernational' small car with an excellent reliability rating such as a Toyota or Honda. At least if you break down you will be able to get spares. I doubt if you will be able to get a new Fiesta radiator in Kajakstan or India.

[michael2k6]

Do not go in a classic mini. This is my only advice.

[Potato-Peeler]

Thakyou for the advice people, I shall take it all in. Especially the ideas about the generic car choice and the visa

[mattx]

Do it on a motorbike - like my mate:

 

Mondo Enduro [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Austin Vince: Film & TV

[DAZZD88]

If you have never seen it watch The Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman it's a great documentary and covers the Eastern Block route by motorcycle.

It covers in great detail the logistics involved in such an expedition.

 

This ^

 

I'd love to do some mad stuff like this but just don't have the money or time. I'm restricted to the UK for my adventures and to go when I have time off work.

[mattx]

If you have never seen it watch The Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman it's a great documentary and covers the Eastern Block route by motorcycle.

It covers in great detail the logistics involved in such an expedition.

 

Not something I would undertake lightly, and your paperwork has to be watertight, I got myself into trouble once in Nepal with an expired visa got picked up and chucked into a Nepalese prison for a few days not nice...

 

Good luck, safe journey.

 

M25man - those two morons McGregor and Boorman had millions of pounds + a support team. When they got stuck they rang my mate [ Austin ] on quite few occasions to get help. See my post further down !!

[DAZZD88]

M25man - those two morons McGregor and Boorman had millions of pounds + a support team. When they got stuck they rang my mate [ Austin ] on quite few occasions to get help. See my post further down !!

 

I think it's more of the logistics that M25Man was meaning. It highlights how much faff on they have with Visas and all that gubbins.

[Ketlane]

Exciting stuff can happen if you decide to abandon/sell a car that doesn't work - you may have to pay import duty and all sorts of things! One really good place to get indepenent travel experience/advice is the Thorn Tree Thorn Tree travel forum - Lonely Planet .

[Potato-Peeler]

Thanks for all the support peoples Currently looking at the the international driving permit thingy. Does anyone know how to get insurance abroad?

[sidewinder]

Sounds like an amazing idea, good luck. It will probably be a bit of a nightmare logistically, and bear in mind the cost of various visas will soon add up (though I imagine you have sufficiant funds available if you've got thousands of miles of petrol money!)