Ask anything to a guy who drove from Europe to Afghanistan for shits and giggles.
Moved here from /b/ on advice from nice people.
>>1053050
y tho?
>>1053052
To see if I could. And I did.
>>1053054
K then. How long did it take, and where did you start?
>>1053055
8 months, departing from Western Europe on the Atlantic coast. Circled though the middle east, up through central asia, back through Russia and all the way home.
>>1053050
anon from the previous threads here
did anyone ever get pissed because you took photos/shot video?
>>1053057
Well.. Not often, but because we were careful about it. If we took pictures of civilians in rural areas, we always asked if we were on foot, or just snapped a quick one if driving by. If military, we always did it discreetly. In some countries, it's completely illegal: in Turkmenistan you cannot take any picture of any government building.. But we did it discreetly and it went fine. Pic related.
>>1053050
you stated in a previous thread that your government didn't like you going on that trip
did they actually contact you and tried to keep you from travelling to some countries? or did you just have trouble acquiring the respective visa?
This is righteous, how did you manage this. I figured they wouldn't let you in/out of the middle east.
Also do you look like a white dude?
>>1053050
Hey I was the guy in /b/ that suggested you come here (I posted a pic of an asshole)
Anyway, can you please post ANY pics you may have taken while in Mosul under ISIS, also what parts of A-Stan did you go to?
I was thinking you were not going to make a thread here and I was pretty bummed out
>>1053061
Visas have nothing to do with my government, they are entirely the purview of the country I'm going to. Definitely had problems acquiring some visas, but that had nothing to do with France, and everything to do with danger and/or endless post-soviet bureaucracy.
They did not contact us beforehand, but as we alerted our embassy in every country we crossed, they knew what we were up to. It started in Iraq, where they were pretty pissed at us. We got in good with the security officer of the embassy, because we had brought a few win bottles from France with us, and gave one as a gift. But the Consul was definitely not amused. In Afghanistan it was much worse. They were all hunkered down in Kabul, and knew nothing of the areas we were in.. They yelled at us on the phone stating things like (and I'm quoting here): "You are extra-terrestrials, noone ever comes here, flee this country as fast as you can, you WILL get kidnapped" and such.
In Turkmenistan we stopped by the embassy to say hello, the ambassador was there. Refused to shake our hands, basically insulting us for wasting his time.
Shortening the stories here, but you get the gist.
Pic is of the Turkmen border fuckers strip-searching our car as we cross over from Afghanistan.
>>1053065
They let you in and out fine, if you have the proper documentation and proper ... confidence in the bullshit you tell them.
I am white, but I definitely don't look it. Black hair/eyes, beard, and naturally tanned skin. But one of my friends is ginger and pasty white skin....
>>1053067
Let me see. I don't think I have much, as I said, we never drove into downtown Mosul. Just the periphery roads to get west of it. Was a day trip to meet some people, and we were pretty fucking scared.
As for Afghanistan, let me pull up a more detailed map of our rough itinerary.map It's rough and made quickly, but you get the idea.
>>1053080
It all depends on what you want.
History and historical landmakrs: Uzbekistan
Remoteness and unexplored land: Tajikistan
Wild mountains: Kyrgyzstan
One of the stragest dictatorships in the world: Turkmenistan
Want to kill yourself: Kazakhstan
In Iraq, roughly.. 12 days if I remember right. We got in on a Kurdish autonomous region visa, so couldn't go very far in.
Iraq was roughly in April, Afghanistan in June or so.
>>1053084
What is wrong with Kazakhstan? It was at the top of my list mostly due to the fact that I figured it would give a good ratio of urban, and remote areas. Although it is obvious it doesnt have the islamic vibe the others have.
Fuck, reading threads like this sometimes makes me wish I wasnt so tied down in my life and I could just up and go.
Safety bump, board is under attack
>>1053087
You can always uproot and go, Anon. Always. The only thing holding you back is your head.
I'm only half joking about Kazakhstan. Basically the most corrupt system you can find, including cops stopping you everywhere. Ambiant racism between ethnic Russians and others. Discrimination. Extremely expensive in the two major cities of Almaty and Astana. Not much to see or do. Vast, vast expanse of land...
It was still fun, but... I would rank up second to last of the central asian countries. Last only being Turkmenistan.
Pic is of Lenin statue in Osh, Kyrgyzstan.
>>1053092
Between owning my own business and having my wife itd be hard to uproot. You think Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan would be safe for me and my wife to visit? Any time I travel with her I am always worried about her saftey.
I guess I see what you are saying about kazakhstan, I dont know much of its culture before the Soviet era, while the others seem to have rich histories.
>>1053094
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan would both be very safe for you and your wife. Please be aware, however, that this is current info, and may change in the future. Kyrgyzstan went through civil conflict a couple of years ago, and Uzbekistan is notorious for being the home of central asian Islamic fundamentalism.
However Kyrgyzstan is at peace now, and things aren't going to change, it seems. Uzbekistan has been massively cracking down on any sign of Islamic fervour, and most rebels have fled down to Afghanistan. Safe as well.
Central Asia got fucked up by the soviet era. The borders were randomly drawn, and they still function greatly by ethnicity. You have ethnic Uzbeks in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz in Tajikistan, etc...
Kazakhstan does have a rich history, but it's mostly oral and tradition related.
OP is my new hero. New life goals added.
>>1053096
Wonder why they drew the S like that?
Yea the Islamic fundies in Uzbekistan is my largest worry, my good friend was in the Army in Northern A-Stan and he said they killed tons of people who were from Uzbekistan. Although it seems like most of the danger is in the southern part of the country.
map form /b/
source /b/
>>1053101
Don't know.. This is an old sign from way back. Probably from the 70's when Afghanistan actually had tourism. Maybe some guy mispelled it while painting. Noone will ever know.
Yeah, but like I said, Uzbekistan did a pretty good job of cracking down on them at home, basically by cracking down on any muslim. Muslim names are banned, mosques shut down, zealots arrested and such. The actual Uzbek islamists fled to Afghanistan, most of them getting killed, the others hiding around the Wakhan corridor on the border with Tajikistan.
>>1053105
Thanks bud. I should redo a better one when I have time.
You seem like me, you just do stuff because why not. Wanna come over to mine in UK? I'm on Couchsurfing, I got good reviews man.
Let's do stupid shit yea?
>>1053108
is this just a tent on a platform, or is it somehow modified / mounted on the board?
Any usefull skills you had / wish you had / learned there ?
btw. i'm also from the thread on /b
>>1053109
Heh, when I got the time, most def. Always up for more.
>>1053111
Nah, poorfag student traveller here. Those roof tents cost in the thousands of euros.
Built a wooden platform on the roof, it unfolds and is secured by ladders, and just drop down a cheapo tent to sleep in. Works like a charm with air mattress.
>>1053115
More mechanical skills, but that's always a work in progress.. More language skills, would have loved to be able to communicate better with people.
Wow.. Very. First off, driving the entire time would probably kill you, and sometimes.. You just need a presence with you. Alone you'd shit your pants.
Pic of a Kyrgyz sheepherder sowing a firehose tube in our engise to replace a blown radiator hose... Held up for about 500meters.
which device did you use as GPS or how big was the screen?
>>1053120
Up to Turkey, used my Garmin GPS. Stopped working after that, no maps and such. When we had reception, used MapsMe app which is simply fucking amazing. When no reception, paper map and compass.
>>1053121
So like when you broke down and shit, what did you do for help if you were in a remote location? Also can we get some pics of the Kyrgyzstan mountains, I dont think there was any in the /b/ thread
>>1053124
Well this answers all of your questions.
Video is of us driving up a Kyrgyz mountain, after our radiator hose exploded. You can see the steam coming out. The hood of the Landie is taken off, and tied to the roof, to air out the engine more. We can't stop, because if we do, we won't be able to start again for 2-3 hours due to overheating. We have to get to the top of the mountain before there is no water left in the cooling system. And a magic truck appears in front of us on the tiny path, so we honk to make him stop.. He understands..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFhr0dvfoI0&feature=youtu.be
I've really been contemplating on doing this but I wonder if my car is capable or discrete enough. It's not 4WD and it's a luxury sedan (not a flashy brand though) so it'd kinda make a walking target when you're rolling on foreign plates?
Going alone probably isn't very wise either?
How was Turkmenistan? My uncle went there with a few friends a couple of years ago with some friends (also drove a similar jeep as you guys) and his descriptions made me very interested in the country.
He said that the capital looks very nice, marble everywhere but there are few people there. He said that while driving on the street to the hotel, there was a bus that stopped at every stop but nobody ever got in or out. He also said the the government buildings were essentially deserted or something. Did you experience anything similar or any other interesting stories to tell?
>>1053127
Depends on where you want to go. No need for 4WD in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran or Afghanistan. Definitely need it in central Asia. However I wouldn't go there with a luxury sedan, you will rip your suspension to shreds..
No, we were rolling on normal plates, but hid the EU and country symbols with duct tape. Just black on white letter/number showing.
I personally would not have done that alone...
>>1053130
Turkmenistan is ... very odd. It's a remote, shut-in isolationist dictatorship. 95% of the country is empty desert, and the only real city (in terms of infrastructure) is the capital. All the money is diverted to it. Lots of flashy buildings, but indeed, almost noone there. It's eery, and policed. It's illegal to take pictures of government buildings, but indeed, they are mostly empty...
Pic is of the "gates of hell" in Turkmenistan. An old soviet natural gas mine that exploded and has been burning for 40 years...
>>1053124
Another video of the Kyrgyz mountain roads.. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXFpcpCw6fA&feature=youtu.be
>>1053142
what do you think are good alternatives to the LR110 ?
have you done some similar trips?
have you met other overlanders / international car campers?
>>1053143
Very situational. The vehicle has to match the trip.. But I'll say the LR, in my eyes, is in a class of it's own.
Land Cruiser - you have large financial backing, and will encounter quite a few garages alone the way
Lada Niva - You want a throwaway car, you're planning on taking it as far as it'll go, and get a plane back.
Nissan Patrol - Decent. Actually hesitated with it originally. Cheaper than a Landie, but less hands-on
Speaking as a Euro, so not up to snuff on NA models. I know Jeep is decent.
Only one similar trip: Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos by motorcycle, alone. All other trips were backpacking.
Yes, once we got into central Asia. Met a couple of older guys overlanding a similar trip. They were from Australia, university professors. Also met a couple of Mongol Rally teams in Kazakhstan, but didn't stay long with them.
>>1053144
First time, but I was briefed. Will definitely check up on the thread again.
Russia... Well it's hard to define. Soviet-style ugly cities, generally with a smaller, more recent downtown that was made to look Western... A lot of beautiful nothingness in between. Amazing people.. And then there's Moscow, the bustling capital, not that different from a Paris or London.
Pic related.
did your parents know about this trip? did they care/worry?
>>1053147
I was actually planning a trip to Moscow this Janurary but decided to go to to Prague and Krakow because my wife said Moscow would just be TOO Cold.
In terms of "third-worldness" is Central Asia behind South East Asia? I have bee to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand but in my mind (and perhaps this is just me romanticizing the unknown) Central Asia seems to be the most unknown, unexplored place on earth.
>>1053153
They did, about most of it anyways. Not all. They're used to it to be honest, they're worried of course, but know better than hound me. I kept in touch frequently enough, we had set up a private facebook group for friends and family.
>>1053154
It's definitely more remote and unexplored than southeast asia, but it all depends on what you're comparing. Almaty will be more first world than a lao village close to Dien Bien Phu for example.
Overall central Asia is more remote. Vast areas of land, few people, hasn't developped fully yet. Remember these were soviet countries that got their independance 25 years ago, and for most of them went through intense civil strife afterwards until the dust settled.
Expect ruggedness, expect minimal comfort, expect amazingly warm and open people, expect out-of-this world natural beauty.
Pic of a landslide that took away half the road. Our mascot in the foreground.
Video of downtown Herat in Afghanistan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppZ32A-dieE&feature=youtu.be
>>1053050
Any info on Tajikistan and crossing into Afghanistan from there? I've been contemplating a trip to Kyrgyzstan - Tajikistan - Afghanistan for a while.
Also, any idea if it's possible to cross from the Wakhan into Pakistan, or would one have to go back to Tajikistan, then to China, into Pakistan for that?
Shit, OP. This is fucking radical.
>>1053162
Not OP but from what I have read about the Wakhan its almost impassable so I would imagine you would not be able to without some help from some locals at the very least.
>>1053162
When I was there, tensions ran pretty high. There were numerous reports of Uzbek islamist fighters leaking into Afghanistan from Tajik pamirs, and lots of patrols on the Tajik side.
There is a border crossing where you can get into Afghanistan without a visa, but only for the day, and only to visit the Afghan market on the other side of the bridge. Don't have the details off the top of my head, as we didn't go. Other than that, you definitely need an Afghan visa.
There is no passage I am aware of from the Wakhan corridor to Pakistan. There might be local goat trails, but definitely no official border crossing open to foreigners. Would not advise it, it's a beautiful but extremely dangerous area.
Off the top of my head, you would have to go all the way back up to Kyrgyzstan to go into China, as the mountain border in the Tajik pamirs is binational (open only to Tajik and Chinese nationals). This would need to be fact checked however.
Be aware, however, if you are driving your vehicle, that China does not recognize foreign drivers licences. You cannot drive your vehicle in.
Picture of us getting caught in the sand, offroad in Turkmenistan, getting rescued by an ethnic Mongol nomad on a motorcycle.
Video of downtown Erbil in Iraq, with the Citadel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9eWzgT_qS0&feature=youtu.be
came also from /b
tell us something about the company. how many? age? long time friends? good friends? how could you all afford to be away for 8 months?
how was erbil? i'm thinking of flying there from istanbul to spend a weekend. not even sure why
>>1053169
Three guys, 24-25 years old, good friends. Saved up, wanted to do a trip, got together, got drunk, decided on this trip.
>>1053170
Erbil is a great city, and safe as can be. You can even find booze.
Citadel is beautiful, and being restored. Bribe your way in to visit it. Make sure to go to the mosque at the top of the Citadel. Hard to find, but definitely worth it. You'll meet this guy, the mosque's Imam, one of the nicest people we met in our entire trip. Make sure to sign his guestbook... He has like 5 signatures, from 1995 to now.....
Pic related.
>>1053175
>that isis flag in the back
>>1053176
retard
>>1053175
inb4 v&
>>1053176
>>1053182
I hope people like you are joking. Not all muslims are evil, not all arabic writing is ISIS symbolism.
Stop watching fox news.
Were you able to speak the native language in any of these countries?
Any tips for communicating with the locals when you can't?
>>1053075
Nice trip OP. Now please, tell me stuff about the leg in Afghanistan. I'm going there in about a month, crossing from Iran and heading on to Pakistan, without a vehicle. At this stage I'm expecting I'll have to fly some legs, but I'd rather not. Why did you turn back before Maymana? I know there is high Taliban activity on the province, was it that bad? Would it be possible to continue on that road to Mazar with local transport? Did you see anything interesting on the way? What did you see when you drove down towards Farah?
Did people immediately know you were a foreigner when they saw you and your friend in local dress? I know plenty of westerners can pass for Afghans, but I have a very Anglo look and light brown hair so I'm not sure. I speak enough Persian to get around so that will help, but nowhere near enough to pass as a local. Did you find people generally welcoming to you or were they too scared of the Taliban to interact much?
>>1053188
No, never. You'd need to be able to speak Arabic, Farsi, Pashtun or Russian, depending on where you are. I speak none of these languages fluently.
Pidgin english when possible, hand motions when not. We had a small book with thousands of miniature photos of different stuff for complicated requests. We would open the booklet and point at the stuff.
>>1053189
Crossing Afghanistan from Iran on your way to Pakistan is suicidal. Not risky. Not dangerous. Straight up suicidal.
From Taybad border crossing in Iran, you will be able to get a taxi or hitch a ride to Herat (although taxis and hitchhiking in afghanistan IS risky). But from Herat, you will need to fly onwards.
You have three roads to Kabul. We started on two of them.
The northern route through Mazari Sharif is extremely dangerous, and very changing. Uzbek islamists come down through the border, it is under Taliban control, and frequent fights happen. We had to turn back, forced by military. They escorted us back to Herat to make sure we went there. Lots of checkpoints, they will not let you go through.
The southern route goes to Kandahar. Taliban region, very contested area. Helmand province is one of the worst in the country. We turned back because it was getting very bad, and there was an absence of Afghan checkpoints. No man's land.
The central route is suicidal. Central Afghanistan is under warlord control, and they WILL capture you and sell you off to the highest bidder.
I say again, do NOT leave Herat on foot, you are asking for trouble. We tried, because we were driving, and could hightail it if possible. With a car you are also traveling faster than the word of mouth of local people. On foot, everyone and their mothers will know exactly where you are.
Myself, I could pass for a local. Many people thought I was. But my two friends are very european looking. People are generally welcoming, but there is a constant suspicion. Everyone observes everyone, and noone volunteers too much information. They will all ask a lot of questions of you, and you will need to use your judgement to know if it's real curiosity, or if they want the information for something else.
What nationality are you? Do you already have your Afghan visa?
>>1053194
That's pretty much what I thought, thanks. What I had planned at the moment was to fly from Herat to Mazar, travel by public transport to Kabul, check out Jalalabad if it's safe, then probably have to fly to Pakistan.
So your European looking friends were instantly picked out as foreigners? I'm Australian, and yeah I already have my Afghan visa. I've been in southern Afghanistan before with work, so I'm under no illusions about the dangers.
How long did you spend in Herat? Was it fun?
>>1053194
That dude has the most intense unibrow I have ever seen.
When you said a military escort was it US military or Afghan? I can just hear US troops now talking shit
>>1053197
Dude have you done no research? I was in Jbad 3 years ago killing fucking Haqqani in/around J-bad 3 years ago. Fucking insanity getting there by public transport.
>>1053200
Pretty much none. Calm down, I'll ask around in Kabul about the situation. I'm not stupid.
Respect OP, you are a real traveller (TM)
>>1053197
Mazari Sharif to Kabul is doable, but very risky. Keep up to date on latest info, and definitely ask locals before attempting it. It can be safe (for Afghanistan) one day, and completely locked the next due to warlord checkpoints. Ask around, and get the latest info.
Jalalabad? Well the road is safer nowadays from what I understand, since the road between Jala and Kabul is no longer a military thoroughfare, but Jala itself is most definitely not that safe. Besides that, there's not much to see.
However, you may have to fly into Pakistan for a different reason: Not sure the Jalalabad to Peshawar border is multinational. It *may* just be for Pakistanis and Afghans. Need to check up on this, not sure.
Yes, both my friends were instantly picked out as foreigners, and so was I as soon as I opened my mouth.
Fair enough. The reason I'm asking is because the Afghan embassies in a lot of countries started to stop issuing tourist visas. I had to haggle quite a bit, and invent a mountain of bullshit to get mine. Otherwise, get it in Mashhad in Iran. Easy, cheap, and quick. If you're been in Afghanistan before, then that's definitely a good thing. You know the situation. Where were you at?
In Herat itself, about 4 days. Yeah it was, but there's not much to do. We walked around, visited the different bazaars, the Citadel, the old city and such. It's a very nice city in itself. If you hunt around enough, you can find a couple of cold beers. People are welcoming.
Hotels with proper security do get expensive here, but they don't screw around: crash proof gates, metal detectors, armed guards, the list goes on. City itself is quite militarized so safe.
>>1053185
Le Pen 2017 :^)
>>1053199
Afghan. We did not see any US military personnel whatsoever during our stay in country.
>>1053202
Im just saying it seems like you have done 0 research. OP is telling you your ideas are suicide, I am telling you your ideas are suicide and your response is simply "lol ill figure it out when I get there". Traveling in a warzone where people actively want to kill you is a lot different than moping around SEA
>>1053204
Yeah I've got a mate who did Kabul to Mazar and back a few months ago without any problems, but I will definitely be asking myself before doing it. Regarding the Afghan/Pakistan border, I've looked into it a bit and as far as I'm aware it's closed to foreigners. That's due to the Pakistanis and not the Afghans though. I've also read that it's possible to bribe the Pakistanis to let you through as it's only a short ride to Peshawar from there, where foreigners are allowed to go without a permit. Again, I'll look into that before I attempt it.
I was surprised at just how easy it was for me to get a visa. Hardly any documentation required and no questions asked beyond "why". I was in Uruzgan in 2010/11, in a Taliban filled farming valley. Kinda wondering what the situation is like there these days, I'm putting my money on zero government presence.
>>1053208
Try actually reading my posts, I know what I'm doing. I've travelled in a number of other warzones so I know the best way to do it is figure it out on the ground, there is very little reliable information online and the situation changes quickly.
>>1053209
>>Uruzgan
Well.. Not quite sure what you were doing there, but indeed, central Afghanistan has no government presence to speak of. From what locals told us, it really is lawless. Even locals that have to travel from Herat to Kabul do not take the central and shorter route. Most go north through Mazari Sharif, some south through Kandahar. None go through Panjab.
Did you get it in Australia? Interesting... For us it took repeated tries, fake documents attesting to the need of our travel. And even then, we only had the visa, and not the roadpass. Technically we were allowed to enter the country, but not drive our vehicle. We had to argue for roughly 6 hours at the border, and finally bribe a customs official, who wrote me a handmade "roadpass" in my passport to allow us to go through checkpoints. Was an experience to say the least.
Pic very related, and redacted to remove licence plate number and passport number.
>>1053216
Well shit, I'm surprised people would take the southern route over the central one. Times have changed.
Yeah I got the visa in Australia. All I needed in addition to the application form and passport photos was a piece of paper I wrote myself specifying that I would enter from Iran, visit Herat, and then return to Iran. Even Pakistan was harder to get.
How did you manage money during your trip? I've read on the /int/ topic that it cost 2500€ for each one of you, and I guess it wasn't easy to get fresh cash from a bank.
>>1053229
That's what we hear from locals anyways. Apparently central regions have really, really gone to shit.
>>1053229
They didn't even ask to see your Iranian multiple entry visa? Well, not sure if it's laxism of if they want Australians to get in, but was a hell of a lot harder for us!
>>1053236
Small steel safe soldered in a discreet place in the back of the Defender, US currency in 100$ bills. Exchanged cash when needed.
In Iran, credit cards will not work, and in central Asia banks can be few and far between. Do not expect to pay with cards at gas "stations" either.
Video of us getting stuck in mud trying to drive around a landslide that took away the only road, in the mountains of eastern Tajikistan, on the border with Afghanistan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb2MCjTeBVA&feature=youtu.be
Pic of some automobile bazaar where we found some much needed spares.
>>1053069
>Turkmen border fuckers strip-searching our car
Did any of the borderfuckers 'confiscate' shit from you when searching?
>>1053306
We kept a pretty good watch on them, luckily there were 3 of us. Only thing I think they stole was a zippo, fortunately.
But every border crossing in those areas has the guards asking you for a "gift", or a "present to the brave police/military".
Video of outback roads in Kyrgyzstan.
https://youtu.be/OiGByQMb6PI
Pic of Herat Citadel, Afghanistan.
>>1053310
>But every border crossing in those areas has the guards asking you for a "gift", or a "present to the brave police/military".
Do you pay up or pretend not to understand or just wait for them to let you through?
>>1053315
Never paid. Usually you get out of it by insisting on a receipt, or waiting it out. However, bribing to some degree is common practice and we did it often, just never with cash.
Typically you give them a couple of cigarettes, maybe a pack if they wave you in faster. We had a stash of "bribes" for our trip, random shit that people would want: reading glasses, sunglasses, cheap armenian cigarettes, stuff like that. It has no value for us, but lots to them.
Pic of Tajik forces patrolling the Afghan border.
>>1053317
Cool, good advice on the "bribes".
I've only ever had to pay a dollar or two "overtime fee" at random customs offices in Laos and Cambodia.
>>1053321
We kept to a strict "no cash" policy when answering any questions from cops, military, or border guards. If an official receipt cannot be issued, then we don't pay.
The only time when it got ugly was exiting Iran to get into Afghanistan. Iranians wanted us to pay an exorbitant fee for using diesel in their country. Something along the lines of 2200 euros. (Diesel is rationned, and hard to find).
Took us about 6 hours of haggling, holding firm, and threatening before they let us go. In the end we gave a bunch of cigs to a customs employee, who pretended to come smell our gas tank and went back to tell his superior the stupid frenchmen got it wrong and were driving on Benzine. (Which did not incurr the supposed additional "fee").
Pic of some lost city in the southeastern Iranian desert, close to Pakistan.
>>1053327
Nice pic, any particularly cool locations in Iran you can recommend outside of the usual attractions?
is that German guy here from /b that intended to do a similiar trip through Turkey, North Africa and back through Spain?
>>1053329
Well Shiraz and Isfahan are both amazing cities. Tehran is a bit disapointing. Mashhad is great if you're into culture and history, but is definitely the conservative hub of Islamic Iran.
Other than that, it's up to what you like, Iran has it all: from mountains to vast deserts, to beaches where you can go swim in the Gulf...
>>1053335
I remember that guy. Unfortunately a trip around the Med is not really possible nowadays. Syria is impassable, Lebanon remains slightly iffy (should be fine), Israel might fuck you over seeing as how you just came over by land from Syria and Lebanon, Egypt requires a fuckton of money to be able to import a vehicle temporarily, Libya is all but closed off, and Algeria is having some problems, unless you stick to the coastline.
>>1053327
Speaking of Diesel, was it harder to come across than Gasoline? I know in the US Diesel is slighly more uncommon than Gas and when I was in SEA I saw very little diesel compared to Gas and Propane.
What was the most useful/unuseful thing you brought to your trip?
how big was your tank and how many jerry cans did you carry?
>>1053342
It all depends on the country. Iran was probably the worst for diesel.. I remember a couple of times when we had to drive around the entire night to find a gas station with some left. It's all rationned, and sometimes you have to plead with the gas station attendant so he'll use his ration card to let you have some. Once we even had to buy it off a trucker.
In central Asia it's common enough. We did carry 3 jerrycans of 20 liters each, in case, and had to use them sometimes. But that's only because we had an autonomy of 750km only in the tank.
>>1053352
Most unuseful - electrical generator...
Most useful - Smartphone with MapsMe application. That shit is amazing, it'll find goat tracks in the middle of Kyrgyz mountains. Just make sure to use a paper map with it to check topography, because sometimes shortest is not quickest in these countries. Apart from that, a book, to read at border crossings while you wait, and wait, and wait...
>saw the thread yesterday on /b
>closed my laptop lid and went sleeping
>came back today to see that both threads are still open in another tab
anybody interested in the info given there? so op doesnt have to answer the same questions over and over again...
>>1053050
So, what the hell do you do when nobody within miles of you speaks your language?
Do you just sort of get by with charades?
>>1053355
>Most unuseful - electrical generator
How did you keep your phones charged?
Off the car engine? Solar on the roof?
>>1053355
what was your electrical setup?
>>1053376
Sign language generally works well. We also had a small booklet with hundreds of pictures of various items, objects and such. If the conversation got too complicated, we'd just pop it open and point at things. It's a good test of ressourcefulness.
>>1053384
We charged everything off the car battery. Had a 12V - 220V converter for the bigger items.
>>1053386
Heh.. we're talking about a 1986 LR Defender, so electrical setup was a bit gypsy-like, and homemade.
1 battery under the driver seat, and one in the back. Homemade circuit so they'd both recharge equally. Three 12V plugs on the dash, with multi-12V strips plugged into them. A 12V-220V converted for the bigger things. We had a small fridge in the back.
You can see here: >>1053121
a picture of the dash with a 12V fan plugged in... Was the only way we could survive the middle eastern summer with no AC...
Pic of my bud checking a leak at a checkpoint stop in Iraq. Peshmerga wanted to take a photo op on our car.
>>1053121
why are there two radios?
>>1053372
Yes please post
>>1053392
Aren't really. One is an old radio, we used it to listen to local radio stations. The other is a newer set, with an adaptor for cell phones, so we could put on our personal music. After a while you get tired of the ... local tastes.
And there are plenty of places with absolutely no radio reception.
>>1053430
Your car is gorgeous.
Was there any point during your travel where you thought "That was it, we need to turn back/ can't continue". Maybe due to some major fuck-up or just your mental health?
>>1053434
Thanks, I really appreciate that.
Well.. First thing you realize, and that happens very quickly, is that there is no turning back. Because of visa issues, it simply isn't viable to just pull up, make a U turn, and head home.
We did have to cut a few corners, speed through the night a few times and so on to stay on schedule.
There were a couple of times when we weren't sure we could go on, however. For example, on attempting to enter Afghanistan, our visas were in order, but we did not have what the Afghan army calls a "roadpass". A document issued by a diplomatic offical that allows you to drive your vehicle in Afghanistan, along a certain predetermined route. They were ready to let us go on foot into Afghanistan, but we had to leave our car at the border. For obvious reasons, that wasn't viable, so we held our ground and argued. In the end, we got a handmade roadpass handwritten into my passport to allow us to pass checkpoints. See >>1053216 . But it did take most of the day..
Another time was in the eastern mountains of Tajikistan, the Pamirs. Due to heavy glacier melting, there were massive landslides happening in this very mountainous region. Now we're talking about an area that is roughly 45% of the country, with 5% of the population... Deserted high altitude mountains, and roads are few and far between. There is only one major road, the Pamir highway, that was built way back in the day by the Soviets as a mean to send troops to Afghanistan. It's in disrepair, and there was a long leg that got destroyed by the landslides.. At that point we thought we'd be stuck, and would have to wait it or, or park the car and fly out. Thankfully we found a more southerly little dirt road, that basically follows the Afghan border until it heads back up north into the 5000 meter high road towards Kyrgyzstan.
Those were about the only two times when we thought we might be fucked.
Great pics/stories OP
Did you guys cook yourselves all the time or did you also eat at local food places?
Did any of you guys get sick? And how did you guys bathe?
>>1053105
Did you stay in Poland, Lithuania etc ?
>>1053441
Thanks!
About half and half. Had a hefty stock of rice and pasta in the car, and gas camping stove. But we also wanted to experience the local food.. (sheep)
Yeah.. One of my friends got really, really sick near Khorog in Tajikistan before we entered the Pamir. Had to pause for 3 days. We think he had some severe food poisoning, couldn't hold anything down, and was literally emptying himself on both ends.
For showering we had a couple of thick black heavy plastic bags with a short hose and nozzle attached. You' fill them with water, tie them to the roof, drive for 2-3 hours in the sun, and you could take a short little shower with warm water after it heated up.
Pic is of the tiny little passport check on the Iran - Afghan border.. We spent roughly 8 hours there arguing with the officer on duty to let us pass without the "roadpass". They offered us melon, tea, all the good stuff.
OP here
>>1053445
Yeah we did! Lithuania has amazing food..
Will you do another trip?
And if so, do you (vaguely) know when and where you will be going?
>>1053448
Merci pour toutes ces infos, ça donne envie..
>>1053451
Most definitely. Not quite sure yet, as it depends greatly on finances and security. But I'm thinking of going south to Kinshasa in the Condo DRC, and coming around through Bangui, in the Central African Republic and back up, following the Congo river. Heart of darkness shit, you know. We'll see how it goes. If I do it, it will be this summer.
>>1053454
Avec plaisir :)
Pic of a lake we camped at for a couple days, that had a huge cannabis field..
did you have to use a spare wheel?
Were you armed in any way? Handgun, rifle, shotgun?
>>1053460
Yes, we had two spare wheels, used both, and had one repaired on the road, but didn't need to change a third time.
>>1053476
No. You cannot, and will not, bring a weapon cross border in these countries. Besides that fact, a pistol won't help you much should you meet someone intent on doing you harm armed with an assault rifle.
>>1053479
i just noticed the doorhandle. is this a ex military defender or is it just the door?
Pls make a website where you make all the essential info about your trip public and accessible after this thread dies. I feel like it's too valuable to be left in a /trv/ thread. I haven't heard of a trip this interesting in a long time.
>>1053507
There are lots of crazy overlanders out there. I remember reading a thread about a couple driving through Congo (the dangerous-est one) a while back, on some forum.
How many likes did this album get on facebook?
>>1053512
how's fallout 4 so far?
>>1053429
I made a jpeg of the thread but image resolution is too big. any idea?
>>1053489
Nah, just a very old Defender. They made them like that for a while.
>>1053507
Thanks man. If I find a decent web platform to document it, I will for sure. Have to get around to it.
>>1053511
Nice. Would love to read that if you can scrounge up the link. Planning on going to that region.
Pic is of the Friday Mosque, in Herat, Afghanistan.
>>1053050
OP tu es le roi officiel de /trv/
>>1053540
You can right click and save the page for an exact copy of the page but that would be hard to share around
>>1053511
This one?
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/50799-Democratic-Republic-of-Congo-Lubumbashi-to-Kinshasa
>>1053584
Merci, ca me touche que cette histoire plaise aux gens.
>>1053651
Well... A great many thanks to you. Amazing read (just spent the last three hours going through the pages). You definitely gave me the will to write this story down in a more structured manner. I'll throw up a post on expedition portal before too long, I think.
Different kind of trip, different kinds of problems, but the same spirit as far as I can tell :)
can you tell me something about the preperations you have done / the resources you had?
>>1053801
Well I can tell you a lot about the preparations and resources, but you'll need to be slightly more specific =p
Preparations were short. We did not have a lot of time, to be honest. Between the time we had the initial idea, and the depature date we set, we had 6 weeks to find a car, do all the proper documents/insurance and such, and get our visas and gear in order.
Financial ressources were... very low.
>>1053825
>medical
did you have vaccations?
what drugs did you take with you?
additional insurance
>vehicle
differential lock?
recovery gear? winch?
can you recomend any books / websites?
>>1053826
No specific vaccination. I went to a doctor beforehand, and listed the countries I would be going through, to make sure we didn't need anything special.
We had a fairly well equipped medkit. Everything from ibuprofen, paracetamol, anti-diarrheals, (different strengths), antibiotics both for infections and general sickness, lidocaine for throat, penicilline, anti vomit pills, anti nausea pills, anesthetic, stuff for burns, stuff for actual wounds, tropical strength mosquito repellent, sterile gauze, tape, all of that stuff.
Trip specific, we also had anti altitude sickness pills, as we'd be driving at 4500-5000m altitude in central Asia.
No additional insurance, I had my insurance from credit card which would work perfectly fine. No car insurance will cover you in war zones.
Yes, the Defender has a diff lock.
Recovery gear was basic. Hi-lift jack, bottle tube jack, steel tow bar, towing ropes. No winch... A winch is always a plus, but was not in our budget...
Yeah for sure:
Vehicle-dependant expedition guide, by Tom Sheppard
Overlander's Handbook, by Chris Scott
Land Rover Defender service and repair manual, by Haynes (if you're driving a Defender).
For websites... there are plenty, but usually it depends on your trip. The best websites are focused on a specific area, so you have to hunt around depending on your destination.
Although if you're looking for a central asian info repository, www.caravanistan.com is just absolutely amazing.
>>1053455
Any chance you would want some random /trv/er to tag along?
I've been wanting to do an DRC trip for so long, and you guys seem like you know whats up.
>>1053857
Tricky question to be honest. Let me answer like this:
I couldn't say at this point that I'd be willing to have an outside person tag along. Would depend a lot on the trip itself. Living 24/7 with someone when going through a pretty physically exhausting trip is tough enough, but you also have to be compatible in terms of what each person enjoys, and risk-taking wishes.
I'd be open for a few beers with anyone that wanted to discuss a potential trip, through, and see where that takes us.
Hope that answers your question.
Did you have any luck with the local ladies in central Asia?
>>1053105
Jesus, I thought Kazakhstan was a tiny ass country. moutherfucker is bigger then half of europe.
>>1053934
Some. Wasn't the main focus, but I'll admit it happened on occasion.
>>1053935
Kazakhstan is an enormous country. Vast steppes and fairly rich.
Don't take Borat for truth.
Would it be feasible to a trip like this in a 1987 Volvo 240?
>>1053983
OP here.
"Like this", sure, but not exactly the same. There are many areas in central asia and russia that are impassable without a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Given the fact that the roads are extremely bad in some areas, you also need to watch out for your clearance, which might be too low on a non 4x4 vehicle. Additionally, your suspensions might not be enough for the hole-filled roads.
Also, is it a station wagon? You need to make sure you have the space to put everything you need.
A long overland journey is doable with almost any vehicle, but you might be more limited in your "freedom" of movement and exploration than we were.
What does OP do for a living? Education? Curious. This border negotiation is SERIOUS skillz.
If the answers to the above are "none" then I'm going to suggest you should apply for the foreign service program at Georgetown with your blog. Geez, natural talent. Are you the schmoozer? Your buddies? Life as a security expert or fixer can make big $$$ too. this trip is a job application. Maybe even hit up Bourdain or another travel show since you've got the video production angle down.
>>1053983
>http://expeditionportal.com/tuusula-finland-to-bishkek-kyrgyzstan-in-a-volvo-240-wagon/
>>1053987
OP here. Not sure if this is ironic, but I'll answer anyways.
I'm a student. Double bachelor, one in international commerce, other in History, currently doing a Master's in international relations, specialty in conflict resolution.
I guess I'm more the "schmoozer". I don't have much problem debating, but more importantly, in those countries what works is the impression you give. The facts matter less. If you seem hesitant, you will never get what you want. It's sad, but you need to act more important than you are, and more important than the person you are facing.
For the Turkmenistan visas, we had to create a fictitious NGO based in Brussels, with a mission order and stamps.
I'm more oriented towards public service at the moment. Less bucks, but generally more interesting work in the diplomatic corps. (At least for France, a country very active on the international front).
As for video, I'm afraid you're wrong there. I unfortunately have no video editing skills, and everything was done with an Iphone and GoPro camera we borrowed.
>>1053996
>I'm a student. Double bachelor, one in international commerce, other in History, currently doing a Master's in international relations, specialty in conflict resolution.
*high five*
I lived in D.C. a good long while, the program at Georgetown (for americans) is highly competitive (because the jobs are so damn interesting and desired for those at a higher class in life). So you'll see people like Trump's kids, politician kids and such, people who one day might get ambassador jobs thanks to connections also competing for it).
My ideas on the filming might have been projection from my mind, haha, because one of my minors was english with an emphasis in film studies. I saw a great Makhmalbaf foreign film once called Blackboards (from a highly talented filmmaker who got a few awards), where a few dedicated "teachers" straight out of university (in Iran? Afghanistan?) climbed up to those kurdish sheepherding villages in the middle of desolate nowhere and basically tried to educate people with a little reading/writing to people who really didn't give a damn about it all, children and women alike, and the teacher salaries were basically someone providing shelter and food to him. You'd find it fascinating and pretty much anyone in /trv should enjoy it, I'm sure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackboards
I had a childhood of multi-generational airline relatives who had incredible street smarts, and a lot of sketchy situations, like being in Guatemala during the 80s guerrilla warfare era for fun, just trying to stay out of trouble. I've done border crossings that were tense all up and down central and south america, but I was never alone, and I probably wouldn't do it again. I've outrun police (father driving) because of a bribe request. I'm not cut out for your kind of trip, due to horrible risk to a female and my love of 4star and spa-like conditions now, haha, but I certainly enjoyed the armchair travel with your pictures immensely! Thank you.
>>1054003
OP here. (Sorry for not posting more pics for now, I'm travelling all day and laptop is in checked in luggage).
Yeah, that's unfortunately how it usually goes. Diplomatic corps is very much about who you know, and less about experience and qualifications. But we'll see how it goes, I'm not eliminating the option of working in the private sector, if I get stuck in the inane administration work.
To be honest, I'd love to be more skilled at video editing, just haven't taken the time yet. Add to that the fact that I'm generally very bad at recounting my experiences (hence the Q&A theme) and you know why it wasn't my priority. I'll definitely look up that film, it's definitely my area of interest.
Sounds like an amazing childhood! I traveled quite a bit myself in my childhood, following my parents around.
Hehe, driving away from corrupt cops looking for a handout is definitely a useful skill. Just have to make sure they don't catch you at the border. Sometimes they communicate your licence plate number to their colleagues.
Well, I'm not a luxury hater, quite the contrary, but I do enjoy both. Coming home to a nice, comfortable place, where I have my bearings, to rest up and prepare for the next trek into the unknown. I suppose for me there's a time and place for everything.
I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures! I'll probably write up a more in-depth blog on a specialty forum, but might not link it here as most pictures show faces/licence plates, and 4chan is not the best place to relinquish anonymity...
In the meantime, I'll post more here ;)
>>1053050
you're actually insane lol
>>1054011
Why?
>>1054054
you had a deathwish entering those shitholes
>>1054059
You'd be surprised how much beauty you can find in what you call "shitholes"...
>>1054072
why did you take snow tires?
>>1054076
instead do all-terain.
OP today I was thinking about you after I read this thread. I came back to this thread to say you're an inspiration. I am really jealous. I hope that one day I can make a trip like this.
I have a question: did you sleep in the car and was it comfortable enough? Did you guys take turns in sleeping?
>>1054094
Thank you, I really do appreciate your kind words. To be honest, I've found that a lot of people thinking about doing overland trips like this are held back by their own imagination. They think it will cost a fortune, that you need a top-notch last model Land Cruiser with countless modifications and add ons. If by talking about this I can let some people take that final step, and show that all you need is a working vehicle, then I'm happy.
>>1054095
To be honest, given the time and the distance we needed to drive, we often took turns. Generally it went like this: one person driving, another relaxing in the front seat and serving as copilot with maps, and the third sleeping lying down on the back seat. When we were all too exhausted to continue, we stopped, unfolded the roof platform, and took a nap. Comfort... well we all have different definitions on what comfort is. It wasn't luxurious, but when you're tired enough, anything will do.
Pic related.
How did you feel after this trip. Did you feel like you were a new person? Did you experience spiritual liberation or something like that?
>>1054097
Haha. Well, it doesn't exactly happen like that. At least for me. I've travelled quite a bit by now, but I've never had the time of spiritual awakening or life-changing experience you can sometimes read in some people's accounts.
I've always been pretty self-reliant, and I'm at my best when cornered. That's my character. I work better under short deadlines, and I've always found ways to get out of problems that could seem hopeless at first glance.
I think the only thing I can say, even if it's not exciting, is that I was curious about an area of the world I had only read about, and went there to experience it firsthand.
Coming back from these types of trips is always the difficulty. Getting back to your old life, your apartment, the mundanity of city life... Going down to the pub for a beer with friends isn't quite exciting anymore... The work is to slowly pick up, get into a rhythm, get back to your old activites, and... prepare the next trip ;)
>>1053050
OP I just want to thank you for this thread. Merci and all. Really cool pics, and an awesome read. I don't ever want to drive (more of bike addict), so not going this path, nevertheless it's really inspiring, and the nicest reminder for me to take even more risks and just fucking go.
>>1054105
Thanks :)
You can onverland with a bike too! When we were in southern Iran, we found a fellow frenchman that biked there from Paris. His Iranian visa was expiring, so we took him up to the north, in Mashhad, to fly out.
Pic related, carried his bike on the roof.
Very inspiring story!
who's car was it and how did you divide the costs of prepping the car?
Im thinking about doing a little overlanding with my vw iltis
>>1054111
It's my car! I covered the costs of prepping, but they were fairly small. The cost of the trip itself was shared.
What kind of trip were you considering?
>>1053987
> this trip is a job application
I've heard this kind of thing quite a few times, but does it actually work that way? I've spent years of my life bumming around the shittier parts of Africa and the Middle East and I'm currently going through a security related degree, but I'm not really convinced it'll be a huge draw card in finding a job.
what was the most fun you had on the trip?
10\10 thread OP, your trip sounds like it was amazing. Reading this has changed my views on overland travel. Im going to thailand\cambodia\vietnam\laos\malaysia on motorcycles with two friends, our plane leaves for bangkok this monday. Gonna be there for a full year traveling around
>pic is the offroading rig I built out of a '72 Honda 600 and a suzuki chassis
>>1053936
Tell us about the ladies Op, I find central Asian women immensely attractive however with the countries being Islamic I assume interaction would be hard to come by, how'd you do it?
>>1054170
I've heard that many times as well, but to be honest I'm not sure. It did serve me to get into my current program, but like any "personal experience" would.
I assume it's more about knowing how to sell yourself, and present your vagabonding in a light that makes you seem more interesting. Annoying stuff.
Have you ever been to the Central African Republic?
>>1054173
That's a hard question to be honest. "Most fun"; 'most scary", "most" anything is pretty impossible to answer once your trip is longer than say.. 5 days.
I guess, to be honest and a bit lame, that sitting down in a bar in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, after over a month of the middle East dust and horrible roads, and having our first beer(s) in a long while was pretty satisfying.
>>1054180
Nice pic man! Seems like a fun car.
You're going to love your trip. I went through Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam on a motorcycle, over the course of 3 months in 2012, at about the same period (december to february).. Siply amazing.
Definitely do get into the back roads. If you like a little danger and fun, do the circle trip from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu, then up to Sapa, and back to Hanoi. Not sure how it is now, but back then they were having massive landslides and it was quite the experience. Can't miss it, only one road. (Pic is of that trip).
>>1054215
Well ... Kyrgyz women are among the most beautiful in my opinion.
Central Asia is definitely not as Islamic as most people think. It exists, but in most countries (ethnicities), it's a secular kind of Islam. Only in southern rural Tajikistan on the border with Afghanistan have we encountered some hardcore believers.
Not sure what to say. Women are women everywhere, and men are the same as well. The language barrier was hard, but once you get over that, it's the same.
Pic of somwhere a little before Sapa, coming from Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam, for the guy leaving soon.
>>1054096
If only it were my imagination holding me back... The financial issues and the lack of other people who have the time to do things like this is what holds me back along with medical issues. Once you get a job and start to settle down it becomes more and more difficult to break out of the day to day to do stuff like this. good on you OP for making the most of your youth.
Although it's not nearly as exciting I was considering a north american overland trip in my impreza wagon, but getting the time off work, getting the car up to proper condition and finding the right people to do it with has proven to be annoyingly difficult. Thanks for the inspiration to look back into that idea tho!
>>1054248
I've heard good things about Cameroon. My uni has, for some reason, a fair number of Cameroonian exchange students, and all are pretty calm, quiet, incredibly polite people. Now I am sure they represent the upper crust and it's a different story on the ground with lots of poverty around, but I have gained a fairly good impression of the place lately... It's more stable that CAR, too.
OP here.
>>1054255
Financial issues are definitely a big factor, however if one is willing/able to sacrifice a little bit of comfort, it is definitely doable on a budget. As students, we were far from having a stable financial background, but we scrapped and saved and were able to have (barely) enough for this. Overlanding definitely doesn't have to be a great months-long journey across the world, it can be a few days crossing the country. Sometimes there is beauty you never realzed only a few kilometers away from home. The distance, the risks, the lack of comfort, all of it is irrelevant to the spirit of overlanding. The spirit of hopping into your vehicle, and driving out, with only a vague plan and no imperatives.
>>1054266
Hehe, Cameroon is one of the few African countries I've been to already. The reason I was asking about CAR, is that I have a vague romanticized ideal of going up the Congo with a vehicle, through the jungle.
>>1054248
Nah I haven't been to CAR, but I've spent some time in places like the DRC, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia etc. Just the east of the DRC though so maybe not relevant to your future trip. I met a Japanese girl who had travelled through the CAR but she did it before the latest violence broke out. A friend of a friend was killed there last year, I don't have much recent news though.
OP here.
>>1054293
Interesting. Would love to talk with you some more on your travels and thoughts.
When were you in South Sudan? I went to Khartoum shortly after the independance of the south, but couldn't go there at the time.
CAR is a little tense at the moment. The Seleka was officially dissolved, but keeps on existing. The upcoming elections have not improved the underlying tension
The eastern part of CAR is unthinkable from what I understand, at the moment, as open civil strife is still happening.
But driving up from Kinshasa to Bangui for example, should be achievable. Unfortunately there's not much firsthand experience of that.
>>1054295
I was in South Sudan in late 2012, so I timed it well between independence and the civil war. Places like Malakal still existed, not that there was much there anyway. It was pretty tough travelling but a great experience.
I'd love to head back and do more of central Africa, but I have other things higher up the list at the moment (I'm the dude going to Afghan shortly).
OP here
>>1054303
Well it seems like we enjoy travelling to the same types of places.
I honestly can't wait to go back to Africa. It really has been my first love.
Out of curiosity, are those travels professionally related, or for personal reasons?
>>1053390
>We also had a small booklet with hundreds of pictures of various items
do you know what this is called or where i could get something like this?
also did you use another apps for offline navigation?
>>1054393
Nah, I'm travelling at the moment, and the booklet is at home. I'll look it up when I get back and post it here. (But I don't get home until 10th of December).
Yeah, MapsMe works with no reception, just GPS.
When all goes to shit, paper map and compass. Works fine.
>>1053084
What there is to do in Erbil besides visiting the Citadel?
>>1054408
We had some contacts there we wanted to spend some time with. Didn't stay too long in Erbil itself.
It does have some cool drinking spots, which to be honest is a relief after so long in the dirt and dust, without any booze anywhere.
>>1054412
Do you think it's worth flying there from Cairo to spend the weekend?
>>1054405
>I'm travelling at the moment
Where to now? Or you want to keep it low key?
OP here
>>1054421
Depends. If you know some people, or have access to contacts, (friends of friends, embassy, someone working in the same field you can contact, ...) then yeah, definitely. It's a fun place full of interesting people.
If noone... Well... You'll see the citadel and old city, but not much apart from that. And prices in Erbil are quite high due to the number of... expats.
Do remember that depending on your citizenship you may require an actual visa beforehand, and for some, that's very hard to get.
>>1054424
Hehe nothing too crazy. I'm currently in Croatia, then Kosovo, then Romania before going back home.
>>1053688
C'est vraiment inspirant ce que tu as fait. C'est vrai que de tous les trésors du monde, c'est le monde lui meme qui reste le plus beau.
I'll say the next part in English for the benefit of everyone, as I have a couple of questions about the trip specifically.
First of all where did you apply for your visas? Did you sort them all out before you left France, or did you do them as you travelled? For example for your Afghan visa, did you have to apply at the Afghan embassy in France? Or could you just apply at the Afghan embassy in any other country, so for example in Iran or Pakistan? My dream overland trip is, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbijan, Armenia, Georgia and finally Turkey. I would probably do it in public transport though.
Also I have read online that for French citizens, they are given a 14day tourist visa when they enter Iran. Did you only stay 14 days in Iran or where you able to extend it when you were there?
I am a British and French citizen btw.
>>1054289
>Cameroon
Oh cool. And? I mean I know it's still 'under developed' Africa, but how did you find the place?
>>1054323
Yeah I really need to get back to the DRC and see Mount Nyiragongo, despite all my attempts last time I couldn't climb up it because M23 were all over it.
I just travelled for fun, first time I was in Afghan I was with the army though.
you need to do a full write up in detail on a blog or something, this is a fascinating trip. i wanna plan something this epic in the new year.
>>1053058
reported
Pictured: OP
>>1054289
I do lots of small trips I suppose but it would be nice to get to a new environment and see a different world while on a wicked road trip.
>>1053175
>Erbil
Pic related. Did you visit Sulimaniyeh, too? The war museum there was incredible. All of its walls were riddled with bullet holes.
>>1053991
Cool. Thanks for the link :)
//Volvo driver
Cool trip mate.
>>1054072
I'm so jealous about your Defender. Ever since the start of this year I have the urge to buy one. I heard they are reliable as hell and most of the LR ever built are still running today. Did you have a lot of breakdowns? How old is your Land Rover?
Also an unrelated question, how old are you and your group (roughly, if that gets too personal)?
Hey all, sorry for the delay. Pretty busy these past couple of days.
>>1054442
Merci. Ca me touche beaucoup.
It depends, for some visas, we could apply for everything beforehand, as some are pretty lax in their times. For others, they are only valid in the month following issuance, or for others they require specific dates that cannot change (i.e. Turkmenistan). We got as many visas as possible before departure, and had to do the remaining ones on the road.
The Afghan visa was a bit complicated. We tried several times getting it in Paris, only to be rebuked. They had shut down the issuance of visas due to security concernes following attacks. In the end, we were a little afraid of trying to get it in Iran, since we could only enter Turkmenistan from Afghanistan. (Not only do the Turkmen require the exact dates, but they also require exact point of entry). So we create an NGO based in Brussels, and gave ourselves mission orders in order to get the Afghan visa before departure.
That is an impressive trip, unfortunately it's definitely not a good time right now... Passage from India to Pakistan is delicate, Pakistan to Afghanistan is completely closed to all foreigners as far as I know, and traveling up eastern Afghanistan to Tajikistan will be suicidal. Truly. If you'd be willing to do some sections by plane though, that could be a great idea.
For Iran, the 14 day visa on arrival is only for arrival at Tehran airport, never for land entry. And it's not a guarantee, just a "if you don't have a visa, we might be able to process you here if you're nice enough and don't look jewish or female".
The best bet is still to get one before going there, it's a fairly easy procedure, but definitely not simple.
>>1054445
Mostly we took turns while driving. One driver, one resting and doing copilot work with maps, and the third sleeping lying down in the back. When we got too exhausted, we'd stop, unfold the platform, and go to sleep for a few hours. In some cases, we took hostels, usually when in major cities where camping is prohibited.
>>1054460
Cameroon is a very beautiful country. One of the safest bets for Africa, except for the northern part. Underdevelopped to some degree I guess.. Probably some of the better infrastructure I've seen on the dark continent though. Great people as well, less anti-white sentiment.
>>1054480
Ouch.. M23 and the Mai Mai groups were/are no laughing matter. As a civilian I'd still take the Taliban over those groups any day.
The DRC truly is, in my opinion, one of the last wild places on earth. I can't wait to get there. Still not sure if I'm going to be able to overland to it though, that might be a trip where too much money is required to prep a vehicle properly.
Have to say though, you're the first guy I've talked to that has been to Afghanistan as a serviceman, and wants to go back for fun. Props, and I like it.
>>1054521
Yeah, I'll have to get around to it. I need to get some more ideas in order, and sort out all the pics and videos first, but I think I might end up doing it.
>>1054535
Heh, not sure if I should feel flattered of offended =p
>>1054545
True. That's one of the best things about overlanding. Your proximity to the host people and culture, and freedom to just pull up and enter a new world.
>>1054585
Yup, we drove from Erbil to Sulaymaniyah, before crossing into Iran in the mountains southeast of Sully. Beautiful area. Pic related, it's from there.
>>1054617
Well... To be honest, Defenders are not known to be overly reliable. It's true that most LR's ever built are still in circulation, but that's just because original production was small compared to today, and because old LR's were incredibly easy to fix yourself.
I'm not hating on them, I absolutely love them. But I wouldn't buy a recent one, I'd stick to the old models that will trampse through a jungle and not give a shit.
We did have some breakdowns, but thankfully nothing huge. Always able to fix ourselves. The clutch is giving signs of weakness by now though, and I'll get it checked out.
It's 30 years old in 1 month :)
We were all 24 during the trip, all 25 now.
>>1054107
Oooh this is some more great stuff. I got my last bike with a long trip in mind, and I have basically all the gear that's needed for long term biking... Now I just need someone to go with (I can probably convince my brother, we'll see soon.)
>>1054716
They don't care about the Jewish part as much as they could (as of last month). My friends aren't orthodox or anything, but they are Jewish, and look like it. They just came back from an Iran trip, no visa or other issues whatsoever.
>>1053175
Why are you deleting your faces from the pics?
>>1053160
>Video of downtown Herat in Afghanistan
>that cop/soldier/guard/whatever with the rifle
afghanistan, what a place
>>1054724
>M23 and the Mai Mai groups were/are no laughing matter. As a civilian I'd still take the Taliban over those groups any day.
I'd much rather bump into Congolese rebels than the Taliban to be honest. Very few people in the Congo are ideologically anti-West, they are just highly unpredictable. M23 were relatively benign and I have friends who were in Goma when M23 took the city and they and the rebels would just stare at each other as they went by and then go about their business. The Mai Mai may be friendly, they'll probably demand bribes, there's a decent chance they'll rob you, or they may be off their heads on drugs and brutally murder you to prove their manhood to their comrades, but you'd be pretty unlucky.
From what I experienced with the Taliban myself and from other sources, the very least a Westerner could expect is to be taken prisoner and be at the mercy of their leadership (you may be released if lucky), but they are just as likely to cut your throat on the side of the road. A lot of them are fairly reasonable people, but life is cheap there and they have a job to do.
>>1054778
Well, I probably exagerated a bit, of cours they generally won't refuse to issue you a visa for physical characteristics, however we were asked several times what our religion was, including at the border crossing. Talking to locals made it evident that there is a very strong anti-Israeli sentiment in the country that extends to a disdain for the religion.
>>1054796
This is 4chan. Need I say more?
>>1054827
For some reason, I'm under the opposite impression. In some African countries, it's not so much an anti-white sentiment, but an anti-white one. I'm not saying it's prevalent, but I've encountered it quite a few times.
More importantly though, is that unpredictability you encounter in Africa that makes it so unique.
Concerning the Taliban, my experience comes from being there as a civilian. The locals we talked to, including some guy that used to work as a translator for the ISAF forces, were telling us how it had evolved quite a bit over the last few years. Nowadas the Taliban are more focused on opposing IS influence in the region, and trying to be seen in a good light by the locals for that same purpose.
I guess our view of the world is modeled by our own experiences, and that's what makes it so interesting.
>>1054874
I actually never came across a deep seated anti-white agenda in my travels through Africa. Violence always struck me as more economically based than anything else, except in the northern Islamic regions. Confidence and bluffing was enough for me to get through the dodgy situations I found myself in.
It's good if the Taliban are changing a bit, I've thought for a long time now that the only way forwards was to reach a political settlement with them. There's no denying their power and they are certainly better than IS. Still, where I was they definitely controlled the population through fear; executions and beheadings were the order of the day. Even if they are trying to win popular support now I still wouldn't expect much lenience for a Westerner.
>>1054716
Can you tell me what steps you went through to get the Iranian visa? EU citizen here, I'm really interested in going, but I get very conflicting information on what's required. Even the official embassy websites are inconsistent and out of date. Some places even say that you need to get official fingerprints (reciprocity).
>>1054724
>The DRC truly is, in my opinion, one of the last wild places on earth.
Ha ha, no. DRC is easy nowadays and loads of people go there. I even know a lovely middle class family that went there for 4 weeks of fun. The DRC has been done and no longer earns you mad cred and respect, it's not 1974 anymore.. CAR and Chad are the only two places on earth left that are truly wild and hardcore. Git gud, bro.
>>1054897
Not OP, but what I did was get in contact with one of those Iranian visa guys who provide you with a number that you can use to pick up your visa at your local embassy. It cost me 30 euro. The visa itself was 30 euro as well so a total of 60 euro.
>>1054897
Pretty much what >>1054899 said. Iranian embassy needs a confirmation number provided by Iranian ministry of foreign affairs (if i recall correctly), before issuing a visa. You can get in contact with a tourism agency based in Iran, wire them a small fee, and they will provide that number 10-15 days later. After that, you go in person to the embassy, give all the docs including that confirmation number, and you'll get your visa. You do need to go in person, as all first time visa requests require them to take your fingerprints.
>>1054898
I haven't been there, so it might be a romanticized vision, but in my opinion all of the DRC is not Kinshasa and Lumbumbashi. North and Eastern parts of the DRC still do seem fairly wild.
I can go to the Sheraton Moscow, but it won't have much to do with the remote siberian plains. Get my drift?
>>1054890
It's a little of both. Typically most anti-white sentiments are countries that have endured autocratic colonial regimes. I remember quite a few stories of anti-white sentiment being perpetuated in the congo. Typically by the newer generation, surprisingly, as the older people actually miss the colonial period.
Shouts of "this is not your country, White", or "He's white, get his money", are not uncommon.
As for Afghanistan, it does seem like they're evolving to some degree. Not saying they're the good guys per se, but they really are trying to differentiate themselves from IS now, and realizing they're losing ground rapidly. There were even stories of locals being abducted by IS affiliated forces, and liberated by Talib fighters. But of course all of this is hearsay and personal accounts.
>>1054905
>You do need to go in person
Well, fug. The nearest Iranian embassy is 2 hours away. That means I'd need to take a half-day off work just go travel there and back. Because obviously they are not open on weekends.
>>1054898
>DRC is easy nowadays
Obviously never been to the DRC. At least the obligatory /trv/ jealous shitposter has arrived.
>>1054898
> Wants to be taken serious
> Uses an old map lacking South Sudan
> Clearly is clueless
lulz
>>1054898
God damn, are you the same guy that posts this every time you see anything said about the DRC.
No, its not an easy place to go, very few countries are harder to travel in and are more dangerous than the DRC, maybe less than a handful in the world are more difficult than DRC.
Also shit was actually more stable in 1974.
Hey OP just wanted to say your pretty cool and you are really inspiring me to go there. Though I am a young anon so this shit won't be in my question for another year or so but when i do what are some skills that you would need in order to do all that shit? bribing? general money cost? thanks.
>>1054897
If you're flying in, you can also get visa on arrival at the airport. Then it's just 30 eur. (Better to sort it out in advance obviously.)
>>1055150
I wouldn't want to try to risk the visa on arrival. It's apparently far from guaranteed to work.
>>1053050
hey OP, I am loosely planning a trip from germany to the north eastern part of Russia where it meets Alaska. Since Russian Visa's are acquired by proxy of travel agencies that say you are staying in some (possibly made up) hotel of theirs for the duration of the trip, how is it when you enter the country in one place or get your visa checked in another which is physicly impossibly far away from your official location? Or do they really not care about the invitation letters?
How did you go about finding a suitable car for such a long trip?
>>1055172
>car
There aren't any roads past Magadan, are there?
>>1055172
>Visas
not "Visa is are acquired"
Not OP, but yes, you just need to write a hotel booking for the first week or so (I didn't even actually book with the hotel). It's not soviet times anymore, so they tend not to insist on you proving each day of your trip. They can of course as it is the law, but they typically don't. You are in theory supposed to have your visa validated at the same place you booked for when you enter the country, but I think they're pretty lax about this soviet hold-over requirement. I stayed with local friends and not at the hotel at all. After a few days, I was a bit paranoid so tried to validate the visa. Tracked down the hotel, and they would do it... for the cost of a nightly booking (about $80?) times the duration of my visa (two weeks). That was their serious offer. I literally laughed in their faces and walked right out. Walking back to a metro station, we saw a travel agency and just popped in to ask them. They said they'd validate it for $40 (I had some $20 US dollar bills on me). Bit pricey, as it's not supposed to cost anything to validate it, but whatever. Upon exiting, I don't think the guards even really paid attention to that, and I've heard from many others that they often don't. YMMV. Being in the far east may draw more attention, although I suspect the border guards would be more excited to actually have visitors that it would trump anything else. Maybe it depends how bored and in need of bribes to buy vodka they are.
>>1055186
There are but google maps doesnt show them and I am not sure if they take you all the way east, I would think so though. Either way a 4x4 is a must.
>>1055192
Thanks for the info! Where are you from and what was your impression of Russia?
>>1053096
>Uzbekistan is notorious for being the home of central asian Islamic fundamentalism
That's too bad. That reminds me though: Do people outside Palestine generally give a shit about someone being Jewish? Or do they care more about someone being American?
>>1055260
>outside Palestine
Actually Palestine is pretty safe. This means West Bank of course, since it's very hard to even get into Gaza. Most countries don't care if you're a jew, only that you're not Israeli.
>>1053075
Wait, the periphery areas of Mosul? Did you even encounter any ISIS officials? What did Iraqis think about you getting so close?
awesome thread btw.
>>1054905
I'm thinking of living in Kazahkstan for about a year. I'm an American that looks like an American. Any impression of how something like that would go down?
>>1055286
Do you speak Russian or Kazakh?
>>1055323
neither, would have contacts, but not contacts that I would know outside of work. I'm alright when it comes to learning languages though so I could probably manage survival with one of them within 3 months.
>>1055482
I have only visited Kazakhstan once, but language would be a very big barrier. I'm not sure that I met anyone that spoke English there. But I wasn't in Almaty or Astana.
Other than that, it could be great for you. Just be aware that they live very simply there. Any by very simply I mean very poor.
But they are still great people.
Any advice to a newcomer to traveling?
How much money did you end up using and how much should one generally save up before going on such an adventure?
>>1053527
without exaggeration and being 100% honest, this might just be the biggest burn I have ever read on the internet, holy shit.
>>1053936
lel thought the camel was underwater
>>1055286
Intruding here, but Kazakhstan is great to live in as a foreigner. I found that a lot of people there respected me for coming and developing their country as they put it. The countryside is quite simple, but I thoroughly enjoyed life in Almaty. Just make sure your company isn't sketchy and that you get paid in USD. Last August the government let the Tenge float and it devaluted 30% over night !
>>1056202
I thought the exact same thing. That's what makes it a cool photo.
>>1056202
>thought the camel was underwater
In the thumbnail, I thought the camel was a mural painted on a wall and the kid was on the other side of the wall and just randomly lined up with it.
OP here. Sorry for the absence. Was traveling these past 10 days.
>>1055260
>>1055263
Palestine is generally very safe, as long as you understand the culture and the people living there. There's generally a big understanding of the nuance between Judaism and Zionism. Nobody will care about you being an American.
>>1055277
No, of course not, or I probably wouldn't be here to talk about it. Well they're all Iraqis, but I assume you mean non-kurdish, non-ISIS forces. They didn't know. The Iraqi regular army has left the area over a year ago, and we were moving through kurdish held positions.
>>1055286
Kazakhstan is extremely safe, you won't have any problems. Just try and learn some russian, as english is almost non existant there.
>>1055697
Pack a bag, nothing you would be sad over losing, read up on your destination, and step out of the door. Most people get held up on that last part.. They read, dream, imagine.. but never actually go.
That would be my biggest advice: stop inventing obstacles to hold yourself back, and just do it.
>>1056202
>>1056474
Thanks.. Originally it was just a mistake, but I liked the way it turned out.
>>1056286
Heh yeah.. I was there when it happened. I can tell you I was not very happy, having exchanged USDs to Tenge only a couple days before. Everyone was majorly pissed.
>>1055286
Dont come here, mate!
Extremly hot summers and very cold winters, just like op said you will want to kill yourself. I am hobo, resisted as a kid that we dont have more comfortable in my country.
Btw why do you want to come here? Which city?
>>1057611
Hey man, congratulations on your achievement. I have some questions for you.
I've seen quite some similarities to the mongol rally route in your trip. Do you think that the mongol rally is worth doing, or would you deem it stupid considering that you can more or less do the same without having to pay a fee to join the event?
Also, what minimum amount of people would you "recruit" to do a trip like this? And how many is too many?
>>1057692
A lot of your questions don't really have set answers. It depends a lot on your character and your view of travelling and life in general. I can only answer for myself.
I personally do not like these organized rallies, for two major reasons:
- I despise what they hide under. A lot of them have a simplistic pseudo-humanitarian feel-good bandaid over them, to make you feel better about driving a car halfway around the world. I'm all for assuming yourself. If you truly want to do something for other people, then do something concrete, not bring a bunch of pens to children 10.000km away that will immediately appear on the local market to make a quick buck.
- I despise obligations. One of the best things on these travels is the absolute, complete, total freedom. Do what you want, and assume the consequences. I have no wish to do organized rallies, as I do not want any kind of hours, obligations, set route or competition (have enough of that in my "real" life). I want to be free.
Overlanding trips cost enough already, there's no need to pay more money to some guys who invented a random reason to do what mankind has been doing on itself for thousands of years: travel across the world to other, different cultures.
There's no "minimum" amount of people per se, although going at it alone poses a lot of very serious risks. I would advise always being 2 at a minimum.
If you're like me, freedom is the most important thing. The more people you add to your trip, the more obligations you add. Each person having his or her own agenda, needs, wants, hours, and such. Be aware of that when deciding and choosing your traveling companions. Once on the road, you can't really separate.
There's no such thing as too many either.. I personally prefer leaving with one car, but it's also because as a student I never had the opportunity to create a true expedition with other vehicles. For safety and security, it's always better to be 2 (repairs and getting pulled when stuck).
>>1053050
You're like a refugee in reverse.
>>1057722
Thanks for your input, I agree with your points.
By the way,I'm not sure if you answered this already, but did you buy your car to do this trip or did you already have it?
>>1053108
Quecha tent. Someone been to Decathlon? And is it any good?
>>1057746
Bought this car for this trip, but plan or keeping it for future trips. Just have a lot of work to do on it to make it more reliable / comfortable. This was just the "fuck it, I want to know if I can do it" trip...
>>1057769
Yep, and yep. Just wanted the cheapest test that wouldn't rip in two on first opening. Something like 30 euros for a spacious reliable tent that doesn't take up space.
so, apart from the memories and the feeling of being alive, did you bring back any actual souvenirs?
If you want to turn this into a blog and need help. let me know. I can set up and host your own blog/domain if you want.
you are inspiring. been traveling myself for 5+ years, but never insane stuff like this.
>>1058045
Yeah lots of stuff. That's one of the advantages of going by car!
Nothing too crazy, didn't bring back a rifle of anything, but lots of small things along the way.
>>1058174
Actually I might take you up on that... People have been asking me to do one for a while, but I never really got into it, mostly because of a lack of technical skills... Is it a long process?
Thanks guys!
>>1058582
I really like this pic
>>1058582
you have a pic of all the souvenirs? I'm really curious.
>>1053050
Nice OP, one of the best threads I've seen on /trv/.
>>1053050
bravo op toi et tes potes avez des couilles massives. merci pour ce post de qualité et bonne chance pour le voyage en afrique équatoriale.
Op, as others have suggested you definitely should make a blog etc. of this trip.
I would love to hear this whole story in proper chronological sequence.
I'm especially interested in how you planned the logistics for eg. How did you know where you would be able to buy fuel, food, water?
