‘Well, how about we just drive all the way home…?’
The evolution of this trip bears some similarities to the Canada canoe trip, inasmuch as it started with a fairly simple idea – this time to spend a month or so at the end of our year in Aus exploring the far reaches of WA and the Northern Territory, then sell the truck in Darwin and fly home. Simple! Until someone pointed out that northern WA is essentially tropical and at that time of year hit by frequent cyclones and occasionally just … under water. Not to mention unbelievably hot and uncomfortable especially if you plan to sleep in a tent.
oh.
So the logical thing, really, was to ship the truck to China and then drive the rest of the way, taking in Spring in the Gobi, early summer in Central Asia and reaching Europe some time way after this whole Brexit debacle had been sorted. Right?
We both love a road trip, the chance to explore places at our own pace, and living the simple life (there’s a reason that when we got together neither of us would relinquish our camper van…). At home in Scotland we’ll take every opportunity to get away even just for a night and the same has been true of our year in WA. And after 5 months living out of a canoe, the overland life looked pretty cushy!*
Add to that that neither of us has ever visited China, Mongolia or any of the Stans, and the fact that Mike found out pretty early on that all of these places offer epic mountain biking and some pretty amazing fishing opportunities…
8 months, several spreadsheets and a few upgrades later (well done Michael!) and we have something like a plan; the truck is in a container near Fremantle due to set sail next week and we have VISAs for China, Russia and Mongolia – though what on earth we do when we reach Europe is anyone’s guess…
*I’m so ready to eat these words…