The Route

Political instability and war, both have a remarkable tendency to close an International land border in short order.

Because of this, our route underwent numerous tweaks in the planning stages. A quick glance at the world atlas leaves you with a simple initial choice - Route either North or South of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Initially we intended to route South, across North Africa and into the Middle East. With a boat from the UAE to India, a dart through Nepal, and on into China, little could go wrong - Or so we thought.

Unfortunately, Libya closed its borders. Meanwhile the ferry tragically sunk, whilst the Nepalese border teetered on the brink of closure. We would need a more predictable route.

Further plans to re-route via Iran came to a crashing halt as the Iranian authorities closed its border with Pakistan to foreigners. With ferry services to the West coast of India also halted, it soon became a dead end.

Finally, although peppered with security related concerns, the decision was made to take a hopefully more stable Northerly route - Through Western Europe to the Balkans, transiting Serbia, Croatia and Bulgaria and on into Istanbul Gateway to Asia .

From here we dodge an unpredictable Armenia & venture North East through contested Georgia to Baku, Azerbaijan. A ferry across the Caspian Sea takes us to Turkmenistan, then its into Uzbekistan and last but not least, Kyrgystan.

The Peoples Republic of China requires all foreign registered vehicles to carry a Government appointed guide with them at all times. We collect our guide at the Kyrgystan border and venture directly into China along the famous Silk Road. Hopefully emerging seventeen days later at the Chinese town of Mohan on the Laos border.

We head South East in Laos, down to Savannakhet, then due East to the Vietnamese border facility at Lao Bao. With numerous trips to Vietnam behind me, its familiar territory from here on as we travel East along Route 9, past numerous former U.S firebases to the DMZ town of Dong Ha.

A Southerly route on Highway One, takes us through the ancient city of Hue. Down through Danang, into Nha Trang and finally Saigon for a well deserved cold beer in the rooftop bar of the Rex hotel.

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