ADVICE: london to delhi feb end 2009

Hi all,
i am arun from london going london to delhi on my r1150gs adv 05 in feb end 2009.

i want to ask few thing from ppl who did this route b4 or any help from anybody welcome.

1,i want to meet or chat who did this route b4.

2,looking for a road route map London to Delhi or Turkey,Iran and Pakistan.

3,i am still on indian passport any advice how ezly i can get visa for turkey,Iran and Pakistan like any agent or anybody who can help.

4,looking for a used 1150 gs adv 41lt tank.rent or buy anything.

5,i am going on winter any idea how bad is going on winter any advice please.

6,i want to make my basic tool kit for 1150 adv.for this route please advice.

7,if any thing i forget for this trip and you want to advice me please help me.

--
Arun Nangla
Mobile +44 (0) 7928 106107
e-mail arunnangla@hotmail.com
http://www.lightstalkers.org/arun_nangla

Hi,

I can't help you on all your questions but I have a few thoughts for you about your Visas, specifically for Pakistan & Iran.

Will you be visiting these countries to see what they have or do you just intend to ride through them. If you just ride, you'll need a transit Visa. These are normally for 7 days only which can make getting across them quite tight time-wise so make sure you are carefull in your planning. If not, you'll need to apply for a 'Tourist' Visa if I remember correctly. You can only arrange for your Iranian Visa online and this web-site was quite helpful. http://iranianvisa.com/ The Pakistan one you should be able to arrange in the UK from the Embassy. When I arranged for mine, I was given 7 days from the time of entry into the country with a life of 6 months to use it, which is quite helpful.

Check out what the situation is for getting petrol in Iran as a friend of mine encountered petrol rationing when he was there last year and had to get some coupons from sympathetic Iranians to continue travelling.

Having said this, I'm not sure how your nationality may affect the process.

With regards to the time of year you suggest I would be wary and do some serious Google searches as it can get very cold where you are going.

I hope this helps a bit.

Regards,

Mike

arunnangla said:

Hi all,
i am arun from london going london to delhi on my r1150gs adv 05 in feb end 2009.

i want to ask few thing from ppl who did this route b4 or any help from anybody welcome.

1,i want to meet or chat who did this route b4.

2,looking for a road route map London to Delhi or Turkey,Iran and Pakistan.

3,i am still on indian passport any advice how ezly i can get visa for turkey,Iran and Pakistan like any agent or anybody who can help.

4,looking for a used 1150 gs adv 41lt tank.rent or buy anything.

5,i am going on winter any idea how bad is going on winter any advice please.

6,i want to make my basic tool kit for 1150 adv.for this route please advice.

7,if any thing i forget for this trip and you want to advice me please help me.

--
Arun Nangla
Mobile +44 (0) 7928 106107
e-mail arunnangla@hotmail.com
http://www.lightstalkers.org/arun_nangla

Click to expand...

1. I am based in Ireland just ask away any questions
or if coming to Ireland can meet up.

2. Yes I done that route last year Sept07 - April08

3. Not sure how easy with Indian passport, but here in Ireland
very easy to get visa's. First of write to each Embassy telling
them of your planned trip and see what feed back you get or
apply for an Irish passport

4. You wont need a large tank standard one will be OK

5. It will be bloody freezin in Turkey/north Iran that time of year
roads start to be snow covered as early as Nov.

6. Get to know your moto before you go, how to fix it, buy a manual
bring spares bearings, cables, levers, tyres and the like.

7. Will pm you my phone number at weekend if you want to chat





Regards
joe

Hi Arun,
I totally agree with what the guys have been saying. I'm going to underline that you are a glutton for punishment with the time of year you are planning. I rode 3" sheet ice in the mountains in Turkey in February. It was so cold that the ice was forming on both the inside and outside of my visor as I rode through snow. I didn't have any heated clothing, nor heated grips, and I froze inside 7 layers of clothes. Bloody funny trying to climb on and off my GS with all that lot on and ice underfoot. I think the entertainment managed to warm up a few locals at least!
Then again, without being flippant, global warming and all that. Hopefully you'll get a warm winter.
E. Europe can be freezing at that time of year - in fact you'll probably be chilly right through until central Iran. You might be better off scooting through Greece and follow the coast as much as you can.
In spite of all those gloomy thoughts, wow what a ride. A wonderful experience. I wish you every success.
Cheers,
Sam

hi mike,
thanks for your reply and help for my tripe.
i contact that person for Iran visa he said ok.he don't have probs to give Iran visa in 7 to 10 day on my indian passport. thanks again mike.

now i am looking for a some one who now about Pakistani visa or i contact directly to embassy ppl.

hope you don't mind if i contact you again if i need any help.

ciao
aru

Hi joe,
thanks joe for your sweet reply.i know its deficult with indian passport this kind of trip.
but i have to what more 2 year to make my uk passport.anyway.

i love to meet you.i am thinking to come Ireland.but if you have any plan to come london please let me know i live in center london i have very very big place for friends only haha.
you can park your bike also.

its gr8 if you give your number.

many thanks again gr8 help from good ppl.
ciao
arun

Hi Sam,
thanks for you very experience reply.means you rode gs on this same route in fab month gr8.please can i ask what route you saying off from Greece and follow the cost line.please if you write proper route line.i am little poor on inter net.

means if i have good warm cloth then little ezy i can go from this same old route.just tell me hows the road condition. you use off road tyre or same normal one.

please can i ask you close by london may be we can meet for drink.or welcome to london anytime.

many thanks in advance

cioa
arun

Please can i ask you Few more thing?

1) Carnet permit,In uk carnet is issued by rac group.if you know any one alse and cheaper than rac please advice.i don't understand one thing in carnet permit.why they ask to deposit money equal to my gs cost.its funny i don't have enough money for my travel.
then how come i give this money to rac.
http://www.rac.co.uk/web/know-how/going-on-a-journey/driving-abroad/carnet-de-passages.htm please advice how i save this money.

2) any advice for good travel insurance and breakdown cover for this trip.somebody told bmw do breakdown service for this kind of trip?

Hi,

No worries. You're welcome.

With respect to point 1, the deposit is to secure the value of the import tax applicable to your bike in any given country. However, I am surprised you have been told it to be the value of your bike, as normally the deposit is linked to the highest import tax required by any of the countries you will travel through. There is a cheaper way to do it though, and that is to take out an insurance with S.L. Davies (arrangable through Paul Davies at the RAC) which costs you 1% of the value of the maxiumim import tax of any one country you go through. i.e. if the import tax for Pakistan was 200% and the value of your bike was £5000, then the applicable import tax would be £10000, but your premium would only be £1000 for one year, of which you get 50% back when the carnet is returned to the RAC. The RAC do make some arrangement charges but you do get some of those back too on the same basis as with the insurers, i.e. stamped carnet to the RAC.

I can't help you with point 2 though.

Regards,

Mike

...Ahem , .... I do have a recommendation for travel insurance and they are STA Travel. I was insured with them for 2 years of my RTW and got excellent cover. I even had to claim for an expensive camera I dropped in a swamp in PERU without any hassle. I also got unlimited medical expenses for my time in the USA which was incredible.

Regards,

Mike

ExploringRTW said:

Hi,

No worries. You're welcome.

There is a cheaper way to do it though, and that is to take out an insurance with S.L. Davies (arrangable through Paul Davies at the RAC) which costs you 1% of the value of the maxiumim import tax of any one country you go through. i.e. if the import tax for Pakistan was 200% and the value of your bike was £5000, then the applicable import tax would be £10000, but your premium would only be £1000 for one year, of which you get 50% back when the carnet is returned to the RAC.

Regards,

Mike

Click to expand...

1% of £10000 = £100, not £1000

Hi Arun,
A couple of thoughts. the warmest way to get to Turkey in Feb is to ride through France, and then down the west coast of Italy. Then cut across to the east coast at Brindisi. Catch the ferry there across to Greece - Igonoumitsa is the port. Then just follow the coast roads towards Athens and then on to Turkey. It's a very pretty route. If you are lucky you'll be able to find free places to stay at campsites that are closed for the winter. You need to ask the watchmen. But be warned, the showers will be COLD! The roads are in good condition. You could do it all on road tyres. It's up to you to decide what you want. If you want to do off roading there are great tracks that head off from either side of the road. Fun!

Errm, Mike, isn't it Paul Gowan at the RAC? Your thoughts on the carnets obviously come from a bloke who has been out and done! Nice!!

And STA - Birgit and I used them for the last 5 years of our travel but you need to watch the small print with them now. They have changed their policies. Mark Manley returned recently from a run through Africa, half of which he'd done with STA insurance - he subseqently discovered that he hadn't been insured! Well, who reads the small print. We all rely too often on the experts to listen to what we are telling them and then to advise accordingly.

Endsleigh still do the policy that STA used to run. The insurance actually comes from a firm called the Gouda insurance company.

Absolutely vital to have good travel insurance. I'd rather go without beer than a good policy. But then again, things to seem to happen to me don't they!

Breakdown cover? I don't know of anyone who does it outside Europe. Carole Nash, for example, will do it until you are heading out of Europe. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has come acrosss suitable breakdown cover for the next stage. However. I think the key is to make sure that your bike is in tip top condition before you set out. Then treat your bike with the respect it deserves. Treat it badly and sooner or later it'll pay you back!

Arun, back to the route. Go to Stanfords bookshop in Covent Garden and chat to the map expert there. He will help you pick out the best maps for your ride across.

Meeting Up? Sorry mate. I live a long way from London. What would be better for you though would be to start looking at the Horizons Unlimited website. There's almost certainly going to be all the answers you need there.

Mate, every success with your trip. I'm sure you will have a great ride. Stay warm though eh.
Cheers,
Sam
http://www.sam-manicom.com

India trip

Get yourself a heated jacket, with sleeves as this will be worth it's wieght in gold in cold climates, I wore von in Alaska last year and it was briiliant, oly had a tee shirt underneath warm as toast. Better than wearimng many layers
as you can move about with ease and less to carry when it gets warmer.
Dave gs can recommend Grerbing's heated gear.

I totally agree with Dave GS. Heated jackets are brilliant! Well worth the money if you can afford one. I wish I'd spent the money on one when I was travelling. You'll certainly get value for money out of one on the trip you are planning.
The alternative if you are struggling funds wise, is to get yourself several of the fishermans pocket warmers and a stock of the charcoal sticks. Just remember not to put them down the front of your trousers when you are approaching a border crossing! It can get pretty warm down there very quickly!

Berin said:

1% of £10000 = £100, not £1000

Click to expand...

Doh !!

Thanks. I realised this just after I'd switched everything off & went to bed !!

It has made me re-think what the cost was. On reflection I think it was actually 10% of the highest import tax value for your bike in any of the countries you will travel through. Really sorry as it is nearly 2 years ago I had to pay last. A quick check with Paul Gowan will clear it up though.

Yes it is Paul Gowan at the RAC too.

Other than that. Sorry to add these mistakes in the middle of these other issues.

I can recommend Gerbing heated clothing. John (My RTW mate.) and I used it in Alaska, Canada & the States when it was really cold and snow was on the ground in Colorado.

Regards,

Mike

Could make it v.dear though - new 1200GSA value £12000, 200% = £24000, with a 10% premium, 50% refundable means a cost of £1200.

Does anyone know if this is payable for each country?

ExploringRTW said:

It has made me re-think what the cost was. On reflection I think it was actually 10% of the highest import tax value for your bike in any of the countries you will travel through. Really sorry as it is nearly 2 years ago I had to pay last. A quick check with Paul Gowan will clear it up though.

Click to expand...

Hi, Your estimation is about right. I paid around £2000 for the first year on a F650 Dakar as we were to ride through Egypt which had an 800% import tax at the time.

You pay for the policy (and the Carnet) which covers you for a whole year(like a normal insurance policy). You specify at the outset the countries you intend (or may) visit and the Carnet and insurance are prepared in accordance with that. You are then stamped in and out of each country as you go along. (as the carnet has about 30 pages in it.) When you finally return to the UK, you have to get the back page stamped by a UK Customs official and then you return the carnet to the RAC who arrange for your refund.

Regards,

Mike

Hello everybody,
thanks for all for this gr8 helpful post.

My carnet permit is little sort out.I speak with Paul Gowan. His also gr8 person very very helpful.

He said total cost of my carnet around 3125gbp.and after when i return my carnet back to RAC they give back
1650gpb.means 3125-1650=1475gbp.means i have to pay only 1475gbp.hope you guys think this is the right amount i am paying.

thanks Sam for your all gr8 help its really gr8 advice for me.but only one thing i did not understand your map route.
but i am trying my best.May be i need to ask again or any other way you can give this same map details.

thanks Davegs for Grerbing's heated gear advice.but please can you send me a link which is the best one.. or good for my trip.
please not very costly one.

rgds
arun

Hello everybody,
thanks for all for this gr8 helpful post.

My carnet permit is little sort out.I speak with Paul Gowan. His also gr8 person very very helpful.

He said total cost of my carnet around 3125gbp.and after when i return my carnet back to RAC they give back
1650gpb.means 3125-1650=1475gbp.means i have to pay only 1475gbp.hope you guys think this is the right amount i am paying.

thanks Sam for your all gr8 help its really gr8 advice for me.but only one thing i did not understand your map route.
but i am trying my best.May be i need to ask again or any other way you can give this same map details.

thanks Davegs for Grerbing's heated gear advice.but please can you send me a link which is the best one.. or good for my trip.
please not very costly one.

rgds
arun

Hello everybody,
thanks for all for this gr8 helpful post.

My carnet permit is little sort out.I speak with Paul Gowan. His also gr8 person very very helpful.

He said total cost of my carnet around 3125gbp.and after when i return my carnet back to RAC they give back
1650gpb.means 3125-1650=1475gbp.means i have to pay only 1475gbp.hope you guys think this is the right amount i am paying.

thanks Sam for your all gr8 help its really gr8 advice for me.but only one thing i did not understand your map route.
but i am trying my best.May be i need to ask again or any other way you can give this same map details.

thanks Davegs for Grerbing's heated gear advice.but please can you send me a link which is the best one.. or good for my trip.
please not very costly one.

rgds
arun