On September 27th, we are finally ready to leave for our big journey to Asia on our motorbike, after six weeks of waiting for our Indian visa. The visa for Pakistan and Iran are already in our passport.
Ready for Take-Off
We rest out for one day in Van, famous for its lake. We needed the rest after five full days and almost five thousand kilometres of driving and our bodies are aching from it. We also do some work on the motorbike and visit the area around Van.
Van Lake
Van Castle
On October third, we wake up early to leave for the Iranian border and as we are about to leave, a employee of the hotel informs us he knows somebody in Salmas, a small city not too far from the border. He says these people would be happy to welcome us in their home. We think this is a great opportunity to meet a local family and we gladly take the invitation.
Due to the troubles we had on the road in Turkey and the long border crossing we arrive quite late in Salmas, just before sunset. We go inside a small tea shop and ask the owner to ring the number of Mr. Nagi, given us in Van. He is happy to help us and offers us some tea while waiting. Not long after there is a man standing in front of us without saying a word. When we ask him if there is something we can do for him, he explains he is Mr. Nagi. We say goodbye to everyone in the tea shop and follow him to his house.
The road to Tehran goes smoothly but not far from the capital, it appears that the highway is closed and everybody has to leave the highway to make a detour. We ask the people blocking the road if it would be possible to let us through because we don't have a clue how to drive otherwise. To our surprise, they allow us on the highway and there we are, alone on a huge highway with no other car in sight accept for some construction vehicles. We quickly stop to take a picture and continue our way to Tehran.
Leaving Tehran is easier said then done. The city is huge and way overcrowded. One of the family members offers us to guide us out of the city with his car. When we drive over a speed bump, Kevin suddenly looses control over the bike and starts slipping. Probably this was caused by an oil spot. Luckily Kevin can keep the bike straight and after a few seconds he gains back control over the bike.
We go to pick up the Transalp early in the morning but apparently the parking doesn't open until eight o'clock. Therefore we have to wait an hour, a waste of time so after half an hour we start pounding on the door and the guard opens the door for us. We leave at eight thirty and we are quite nervous because now we are starting our journey through the desert of Baluchistan. This desert has a very bad safety reputation although the Iranian part doesn't face to many problems any more. It's the part in Pakistan where we must be really worried about.
We leave early in the morning for our last day driving in Iran. It's again a long drive through the desert but fortunately without sandstorms this time. We will spend two nights in Zahedan, close to the border with Pakistan, to rest and to prepare for our drive through Pakistan. People advised not to stay over with locals but to stay in a hotel. We got a telephone number from a cheap hotel, from our friends in Tehran so we don't have to look for a hotel this time.
In the early hours we leave for Taftan. After a few hours we were stopped at an army checkpoint and we are told we cant continue without escort, for alleged security reasons. The unarmed policeman stopped a car, got in and drives in front of us to the border. A few kilometres before the border he suddenly stops and tells us to wait. We have to wait a long time for another escort. This new escort is also helping us to finish the paperwork on the Iranian side in order. However, this changed nothing to the fact that this has been the worst border crossing so far.
Our overall impression of Iran was very positive. However, from the country itself, we havent seen that much. We couldnt really relax with Pakistan in mind. The population was a nice experience for us. These people are really the most friendly, most warm and most hospitable people we ever come across. We were welcomed everywhere and people were always smiling when they saw us. They offered us tea from their car, brandishing their thermos. Everyone waved at us, filmed us and took pictures. We are definitely famous now on the Iranian Youtube, haha.
In Pakistan, you will always get a police escort, but we had already read on forums that its usually not very comforting. This is also the case with us: Two old blokes on a bike. On 50 km/h through the hot desert, we already know we wont reach our goal for today, Dalbandin. Eventually we spend the night at the police station in Nok Kundi. This is all in all not too bad. The policemen are very friendly and welcoming. A bit glad though we took our comfortable air mattress.
The day seems to start well. The escort stands ready at our door around six-thirty and we can leave immediately. They drive like maniacs and we have trouble keeping up. Driving away is not an option anyway because we are in Punjab now. The police here are no joke, which you can see on their face. We are running out of money so we tell them we have to withdraw some money. But they tell us we have to wait for it and that our next escort would take care of that. Here is it that the trouble started. The ATMs accept only VISA cards, no Master Card.
Leaving Quetta initially goes quite smoothly. The escort is driving fast and there and no change of escorts so far. This changes now we are approaching the mountains. Again we have to wait and again we get an escort on a scooter. It takes about half an hour before we get to the next change of escort where we have to wait again. Now weve had it and we decide together not to wait for the escorts anymore. We drive fast, apologising to the escorts as they try to stop us, but we dont stop anymore at the following checkpoints. Often we are chased by police cars with sirens blaring.
At half past ten we stand ready when the border opens. Exiting Pakistan initially seems a bit difficult, because there are no clear signs where to go for the Carnet. But for the first time, everything is centred in one building and the people working there are quite helpful. All in all, exiting Pakistan goes smoothly and an hour later we are out.
There is not much we can tell you about Pakistan. It is not a country to go to and enjoy a nice holiday, due to the security situation in the country. Traveling North might be nice where you can find the Himalayas, and its considered to be safe. Last year, however, an Al-Qaeda militia slaughtered an entire group of tourists and their guide. Since then, the situation in this part is also quite precarious.
However, traveling seems safe enough, mainly because of the armed escorts who are constantly traveling with you. We didnt feel unsafe at any time.
Finally we are in India and what follows is a trip of 800 kilometres over three days.
Finally in India
The bad roads, the traffic, the constant honking, the smell, the dust and the constant quest for meat make it a true hell. We cant wait to leave India as soon as possible.
A Huge Hole in the Road
When we wake up we have about 250 kilometres to go to Banbassa, the Nepalese border town. At the pace of India, this means about a five hours drive. Just before the border we have to cross a dam where the cars in each direction have to cross in turn. No one says anything to us, but they probably think we can get through with the Transalp. This isnt the case with our wide panniers and mid bridge, the oncoming traffic begins to arrive. The first carriages are no problem, but with the first car we get stuck between the car and the railing because of which our mirror brakes.
After an hour we stop to eat and buy a map, because the GPS shows only one road in this remote area in western Nepal but we wish to explore more of Nepal than the average tourist. We drive into the mountains, but it takes longer than expected. When it gets dark we look for a place to sleep in the village of Budar. There are guest houses in the village but they are really basic; we doubt about what to do when a restaurant owner approaches us and asks us to stay with him. Out of courtesy, we take dinner in his restaurant and get the company of two little girls.
Today we leave early again. Its about 450km drive to Pokhara but the road appears to be good so it seems doable. The first part goes smoothly with good, straight roads. The second part goes through the mountains and is just turn after turn which makes it impossible to make any speed, although there were some nice views.
A Waterfall Along the Road
Jomsom Road is the main road through the Annapurna National Park. We are told its fairly manageable by motorbike. After a nice breakfast, we leave for the National Park. The entrance to the Park is located in Beni, about 80km from Pokhara. Here, we refill the bike and have lunch because we were told that everything in the Park is more expensive. Short after entering the park we notice the road is not much better than the impossible road but the vistas are again beautiful and make it worthwhile. Occasionally we do see snow peaks up to 7 km high and we also see a large waterfall.
This movie is a brief summary of our trip to Nepal.
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
We arrive very late in Kathmandu and we dont immediately find a place to sleep. Eventually we find something in the slums of Kathmandu. We browse in our travel apps and we leave the next morning to the tourist area, Thamel. We find a quiet, small hotel in the crowded city of Kathmandu. Its quieter than anywhere else we have been in Nepal. In the morning theres no honking, no barking dogs and no shouting...fantastic! The hotel has a beautiful garden which we share with four other cottages. The garden is also full of lights of which in the meantime we know the meaning.
Around noon we leave for the Friendship Bridge. The highway to Tibet was built in the 60s by the Chinese to promote trade. The Highway has clearly missed his target. Seen by the state of the road there will never be a lot of trade here. Chinese merchandise is still being shipped to Kolkata and then transported to Nepal. This we already red, and now we understand why. Once again we enjoyed a very nice drive through the mountains with views over the Himalaya.
It's noon when we arrive in the village of Sauraha, located just outside Chitwan National Park. The entrance fee for this park is quite high, especially when you know you will also have to pay for a guide and transportation. This all happens in group, something which we are not very fond of. Instead, we plan a route following the edge of the park. Here we encounter already some wildlife: a crocodile on the other side of the river that was waiting for a prey, wild deers and wild boars at ten meters distance (a bit scary), a snake skin and a pair of otters.
This is a summary of our trip through Nepal...
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
"You come to Nepal for the mountains, but you come back to the people"
quoted from the Lonely Planet
We decide to follow a small road to Lumbini. The ride takes us through small, beautiful villages. Here we see the local life outside the mountain areas. The road is slow and therefore we arrive in Lumbini in the evening time. Here we encounter some Belgians who are interested in our story and we have a nice chat with them. Then we start looking for a hotel and get something to eat.
Back in India, back in the dust, the honking and the bad roads sigh.
A Monkey in a Tree on the Side of the Road
After Agra the roads seem to be much better, 2x2 lanes separated with a median. Around Jaipur, a major city, there is an expressway. Unfortunately, motorbikes are not allowed on it. Therefore we have to cross the busy city centre. Here, we have our first collision with another motorcycle. The driver had to swerve to avoid a car and thereby crashes into our pannier and falls over. On forums, we red it is better to drive off after an accident, as the tourist is always wrong and we cant be insured.
After an early start in Udaipur, we have to drive until late after midnight to find a place to sleep. The search for a hotel is this time even more difficult than ever before. Not that we dont see any hotel, but apparently a "hotel" in India is often a restaurant. It took a while but now we understand we have to look for a guesthouse or a lodge. Finally we find a nice hotel with rooms not to close to the highway. Therefore we can enjoy a good night sleep without constant honking on the background.
After a good hour driving we arrive in Arambol. Truly a beautiful beach, surrounded by palm trees and no garbage in sight! There was a cow, so we cant forget we are still in India.
A Cow on the Beach? Only in India!
We have paid a deposit for our trip through Myanmar! So far, so good!
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
After our first bungalow on the beach, we don't want to settle for less. We search on different beaches to find a seaside bungalow. Unfortunately, most of the beaches have seaside beach shags and the hotels are located behind them.
Eventually we ended up in Agonda. During our quest here we are approached by a Belgian man. Later, it turned out he (Lucas) and his wife (May) have driven around the world on their bicycle. This was a few years ago but today they are still avid travellers.
Along with Luke and Maria, we make a tour through the last part of Goa, towards Om Beach. The road is quiet and we are again treated with beautiful views.
Nice Views over the Arabic Sea
Arrived at Om Beach, we start looking for a hut on the beach. Again not to be found, but we find a bungalow a few steps away from the beach. Pure relaxing here again: swimming, hiking and lazing.
During our last day at Om Beach, we learn that the falls are generated by a large dam. At dry season there is not enough water to provide the falls. They only open the dam on Sunday, so local tourists can enjoy the waterfall on their day off. We have heard many good things about Hampi, a city 300km inland so decide to go here.
The road to Hampi goes very smoothly and offers some nice views.
We dont think too much of Ooty itself but its the road leading to it that makes visiting the area worthwhile. The terraced tea plantations are definitely worth to see.
Terraced Tea Plantations
In Ooty, which is a highly elevated town, we feel cold again after a long time of warm temperatures. We find a nice spot on the lake, an abandoned guesthouse with a garden, where we want to set up our tent.
After leaving Hampi, we slowly head back to the coast but there are still a few places that we want to see. The first place on our list is Mysore. The road to it is again a typical Indian road, full of holes. There is a long queue due to traffic works and there is also a lot of wind.
A Common Sight on Indian Roads
We arrive at Sultan Bathery late in the evening but its really difficult to find a place to sleep here. Many times we hear that the hotel is full or we get a hotel which is way too overpriced. Finally we find a nice place to sleep and the owner explains us that he doesnt have a permit to take in foreigners. That was the reason so many hotels were full, the hotels were only allowed to take in Indians and they couldnt or didnt want to explain this to us.
The highway is getting busier as we come closer to the coast. We are getting a bit fed up with all this traffic so we decide to follow the smaller roads on the way to Cherai Beach. This proves to be a good decision: the road is in a good condition and reasonably quiet so we can enjoy our trip. Theres a river crossing by ferry on our route which is fortunately a little better organized than in Nepal (see The Impossible Road).
The Ferry
After our attempts in Ooty and Cherai we decide to try again to camp somewhere. We continue to follow the beach road looking for a small beach where we can set up our tent. We try a dirt road and suddenly we are in the middle of a small fishermens village. The people come to greet us and a young man who speaks English shows us a place where we can put up our tent. Its an ideal spot: shade from the trees, sea view, ten steps from the beach, a fresh water tap and a shop within walking distance. It seems like we have truly arrived in paradise!
After our departure from our little paradise, we first want to go to Alappuzha. We read that there are many houseboats in the rivers behind the city. Therefore it's called the 'Venice of India' and someone in Vadackal told us we have to go and see it. Alappuzha is quiet a long way around and in the end it is not really worth it, though some of the houseboats really look nice. Certainly, it would be great to spend a night on one of the houseboats but unfortunately, it was a bit over our budget with prices starting from 5000 rupees a night.
After Kovalam we move to the most southern tip of India, Kanyakumari. This is the only place in India where you can see both sunrise and sunset. Unfortunately, we are unlucky and it has been clouded during the days that we are here. Here in the sea they have scattered Gandhis ashes and some of it is now kept in the Gandhi Memorial Museum. Kanyakumari also houses the Indian Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty
After reaching the southernmost point in India, we are gradually going back north following the east coast. Along the way, we stop in some temple towns, and they are really impressive to see. In Madurai, we give an Indian guy some rupees to watch the bike and we are fortunate that the owner of a souvenir shop invites us to his rooftop. As a result, we can look over the wall that is built around the temple, an ideal spot for a bar. The man says he previously had one but people just threw their glasses down, making it too dangerous.
We reach Auroville in the evening. It's a town where many foreigners live and its known for its spirituality. It turns out to be the strangest place that we have seen in India so far. We drive through a forest, see a house here and there and a large golden golf ball kind of thing in the centre.
The Golden Golf Ball
In the morning we enjoy our last self-made delicious breakfast and then we are ready to drive to Mamallapuram. At first we want to skip this town because of the short distance from Auroville, where we wasted quite some time. We are glad we didnt choose a long day drive because Mamallapuram is worth visiting. We find a nice room with a fisherman, located on the beach and with a balcony offering sea view.
Beachfront Guesthouses
During two days, we follow the coastline towards Kolkata. By the end of the second day we decide we fancy a view other than the sea. A local recommended the Aracu Valley so we listen to his advice and go take a look. We arrive in the dark in the valley and quickly we find a nice resort with bungalows resembling African huts. The interior was designed to follow the round shape. Hard to explain but you have to see it for yourself :)
Our African Hut
After spending two days in the mountains we are back at the coast. We read in our travel app that, for Orissa, most tourists are attracted to Puri so we decide to take a look there. The town isnt really pleasant, although there is a nice beach. There are also some nicer hotels to be found here which was perfect because Kitty wanted to treat Kevin to a nicer room than we are used to. After all it was Kevin's birthday. We check a few hotels but they are not much different than our usual stay, just more expensive. Eventually someone offers o show us a hotel which turns out to be a new one.
The last stretch to Kolkata takes us through a decent highway. Yet its already dark when we arrive in the busy city. The search for a hotel is even more difficult this time. The few hotels we do find are either fully booked or are star-hotels. After hours of searching, we are so tired that we almost decide to sleep in a star-hotel. But suddenly we seem to be where all the hotels are and almost every building in the street is a hotel! At one o'clock in the morning we are finally in bed and we are being welcomed by a family of mice.
This video summarises our trip through West-India
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
After leaving Kolkata we end up driving past endless rice fields. Someone told us that there is only one grain on each plant, and we want to check it out ourselves. During a break we pull out a rice plant to see if we can find a grain of rice, but it appears empty. In the evening we arrive in Baharampur. We decide to stop here because in Eastern India its not easy to find a place to sleep outside the larger cities. We spend the night in a really nice hotel this time, it was mainly the included breakfast and the parking space for motorbikes that persuaded us.
Today is our third attempt to reach Sikkim, but this time we are allowed to enter Sikkim and we also have a nice chat with the border guards. In Sikkim, people are more Asian, and are therefore friendlier and more helpful than the people in the rest of India. Many people wave at us from their houses and when they see we are confused about the road, they help us without having to ask for it.
After leaving Sikkim we drive towards Assam. This state is bordering Bhutan and we are wondering if we can get a glimpse of this magical country. We take a local road to Bhutan and as the border post comes closer, theres no sign of any Indian border guards. We decide to enter Bhutan, surprising the border guards who have probably never seen a white person before, so they don't stop us right away. After a minute standing there flabbergasted, they begin to whistle us back. We turn around and drive out of Bhutan.
Upon entering Assam, it soon becomes clear that this is a beautiful state, with lots of green and lovely villages. The people are also really friendly here. During a break, children from the local school invite us into their school which we accept with great pleasure. We have a nice chat with the director and with a teacher. Its a boarding school connected to the Don Bosco College. Especially for us, they sing a few songs, with a matching dance.
Don Bosco Bording School
From Shamir's house we leave for the state of Meghalaya, also called the 'Scotland of the East'. Its really a nice ride, with very beautiful and green nature.
We leave at noon towards Guwahati. Here we have an appointment with the Myanmar group and also with Shamir and Avi.
When leaving the hotel in Shillong, we see its a bit drizzling. This would be the first time during our trip that we have to drive in the rain. Luckily it stopped after an hour or so and during our first stop we notice that the bike is barely wet.
At 9am we meet up with Christian and Francessca and we immediately depart towards Moreh, the border town with Myanmar.
Ready to Leave for Moreh
This is a summary of our trip through the northeastern states of India.
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
When we wake up, its still unclear whether or not the border will open today. Christian, Francessca and we decide to go to the border at 10am. Also at the immigration office they cant confirm that the border will be open today. Theres nothing left to do but to wait... We find it strange that we are the only one at the immigration office. After half an hour of waiting we finally hear that the border is open. We want to give our passports to receive our out-stamp. The officer asks us for our permission to go to Myanmar.
We stayed in India for more than three months, time enough to go all the way around. On the other hand, there are still many things that we havent seen which should be worth visiting. The problem with India is that it is so vast and the distances between places are so long and exhausting, but one thing is certain: India has some beautiful places to offer.
Traffic
The first day in Myanmar we have a short drive ahead of us to Kale. This is a very pleasant ride: the scenery is amazing and the people are incredibly friendly. We drive together with Ben and Christian.
The Bikers in Convoy
We have already seen many golden temples, but when crossing the bridge of Mandalay they are everywhere we look. We understand why Myanmar is called the land of the golden temples. We go to a football field in the city centre where we will camp for two nights. There is a toilet, but no water...do we need to say more? There are some curious villagers watching us and we start a conversation with them.
The Football Field
In the morning we leave for Bagan. This is a historic city, where more than 2,200 temples and pagodas remain, dating from the 11th until the 13th century. The road takes us to the main highway, and its in a surprisingly good condition without almost any traffic. The highway is quite boring and theres no shade so we are happy to leave the highway, back on the small roads. We pass a group of begging children, who are yelling and pulling our luggage. The worst part is that they are standing on a sandy road, so it takes some time to shake them off.
Before we leave for Inle Lake, Kevin checks the spokes of our rear tire. He notes that there are at least three spokes broken. We have to look for new spokes because we dont carry any spare ones with us. We try to catch up the French truck but we get another flat tyre. This time its caused by a broken spoke, which went right through the tube. It seems were lucky again to have a puncture where there is a mechanic close by.
The next destination is the capital of Myanmar, Naypyidaw. We leave shortly after the French truck and overtake them after a short time. We descend the mountains and go back to the main highway. After months, we can finally speed up to 120km / h. We arrive as first in Naypyidaw, where we are welcomed by the staff of a chic hotel with a drink. We set up our tent in the small garden in front of the hotel. Then we go to the room booked by the tour guide, to take a shower before everyone else arrives. Naypyidaw is the capital city since 2005 and looks very artificial.
The alarm goes off way too early, but we manage to leave at 6am. No one of the overlanders is yet awake and the streets are still very calm. At a certain point, we have to leave the main road due to road works and drive through a local village by way of diversion. This we find very nice for we had missed such villages during this trip. We have about 20km bad road and after that we go into the mountains. The path through the mountains is very narrow, thats why one day the traffic must drive up to the border and the other day away from the border.
Enjoy the video of our journey through Myanmar...
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
When we started with this trip, we never expected to drive through Myanmar. Apparently, it all depends on who you meet along the way and that it coincidentally fits into your schedule... We were very lucky.
The next morning we get up early to have breakfast with Kevins parents. The buffet is amazing. It must be a funny sight to see us eating so enthusiastic, but we really have been missing out on Western food for a long time now.
Breakfast
In the morning we leave around 7.30am for Khao Lak. Kevins uncle and aunt are there on vacation and we dont mind to drive around a bit so we can meet them (normally we would have gone straight to north Thailand). After a few kilometres we notice something is wrong with the bike, he doesnt go faster than 60km/h. Unfortunately, its Sunday and all the mechanics seem to be closed, so we decide to drive further. We cover about 300km this way until we finally find a mechanic. In the meanwhile Kevin thinks the problem can be caused by the spark plugs, so we will try to replace them.
Around noon we leave Khao Lak. On the way we drive a bit through the Khao Sok National Park which looks amazing. We go to Koh Phangan which is an island so we have to take a ferry to reach it.
On the Ferry to Koh Phangan
In the morning we say goodbye to Max and Alina. We leave with a good spirit on our 'island expedition: walking from beach to beach and eventually arrive back in Than Sadet, after a hike of 70km. We each take a small rucksack with our bare necessities: no tent because almost every beach on Koh Phangan has bungalows and just a few extra clothes because we can wash them almost every day. The first day we encounter some problems: the trails shown on our map are not always marked properly or dont exist anymore. One path isn't possible anymore because of the construction of an airport.
Today we go to Koh Tao. Here we want to do the same as we did in Koh Phangan. This is a smaller island and will therefore take less time to walk around. After 1.5 hours on the boat we arrive and immediately begin our trip.
Arriving in Koh Tao
After the islands we first go to northern Thailand. Along the way, we want to see one of the famous floating markets. We arrive with the ferry in Surat Thani and stop at a big supermarket to buy some things. After that its already a bit later so we start looking for a hotel not long after. We find a hotel without any English writing on their signs. The owner makes us a meal and lets us know its on the house, as well as the drinks. What a hospitality after the many unfriendly hotel personnel on the islands.
When we arrive in Ayutthaya, we already see some of the old temples along the way. Well wait until tomorrow to explore them because its late in the afternoon by now. In the ancient capital its easy to find cheap guesthouses, because they offer many rooms with a shared bathroom. In the evening we go to a small night market and wander along the many shops.
Four-In-A-Row
By nightfall we arrive at Sukothai. This is another ancient temple city and a former capital of Thailand. We start looking for a camping spot, recommended by other travellers. We find it to be a strange place to put up our tent but then we see a Thai family with two tents on a lawn near a few temples. We ask to put our tent next to theirs, and thats no problem. Moments later a couple of big trucks and pickups drive up the lawn and start putting up more tents. We turn out to be ended up with a group of funfair worker.
We are heading to Chiang Mai and along the way we see many signs to waterfalls. We think it would be awesome to camp next to a waterfall. Apparently, the waterfalls are all situated in a national park wherefore you need to pay 5 euro per person entrance fee. We almost give up but then we see a waterfall on the map, which might not be situated in a national park. In the dark we arrive at the Maekampong Waterfall. We put up our tent under a kiosk and cook a meal. On the way here, we already felt that its a lot cooler here, so nice.
In the meanwhile, we have been travelling for over 30 000km!!!
Perfect reason to celebrate. So we buy the ingredients to make our favourite cocktail and look for a nice spot for our subdued party. But of course its Mickey that has brought us so far, so we cant forget about him. We thank him with a carwash and a kiss from Kitty. All these kilometres in sometimes difficult circumstances, must have been hard for our old boy. We hope he keeps up the good work because we still have a long way to go and it wouldnt be the same without him.
After breakfast we go to Chiang Mai. Along the way we are the target of several children celebrating an early Songkran. Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year from the time when Thailand was called Siam. Although Thailand celebrates New Year on January 1 since 1940, they keep celebrating Songkran as well. Modern Songkran is also called "the waterfestival" because everyone is throwing water at each other. Along the way families with buckets of water, garden hoses and water pistols are ready to throw water at anyone who dares to pass by.
Part 1: Mae Hong Son Loop
We leave Chiang Mai at noon. We hear about the Mae Hong Son Loop, which is recommended by bikers. The loop starts in Chiang Mai and makes a circle through the mountains to end up back where it started. We decide to follow half of this loop on our way to Laos. The road offers occasionally a beautiful view and we also stop at a waterfall.
After a slow border crossing in Thailand we are finally driving in Laos. The first thing we notice is that Laos is much less developed than Thailand. Many villages consist only of wooden huts, there is little traffic and no supermarkets. The road is in a good condition, though. We had heard this wouldnt be the case, but we do see that the smaller roads are in worse shape. Along with the pristine jungle its a nice setting to ride in. We stop in Vieng Phoukha to spend the night. We quickly find a bungalow on the river bank, for only 4 euro.
The border crossing seems to go smoothly, thanks to a man who shows us around. At customs, we encounter a problem: apparently our motorbike was only allowed in Thailand for one month. We didnt know this although it was clearly mentioned on the sheet that the Customs Office in Mae Sot had given us. A little silly, but we had never looked at this sheet before. Customs asks us a 240 euro fine. We want to try to reduce the fine and we go to their headquarters, back in Chiang Khong. They are friendly and after a few minutes they come up with a proposal to reduce the fine to half.
At dusk we arrive at Luang Prabang and we find a hotel in a pleasant street close to the centre. Luang Prabang is a World Heritage Site due to its colonial past. This past is very visible in the architecture. There are also many temples and a lively night market, mainly for souvenirs.
Luang Prabang
Our next destination is Vang Vieng. The way there is the nicest part of Laos so far.
Along the Way
We leave Vang Vieng after eating a delicious baguette for the first time in 7 months, the French have really left their traces here. The next destination is the Bolaven Plateau. Pakse is the second biggest city in Laos and is often used as a base to explore this area. We read on our travel-app however, that its an expensive city and that there is really nothing to do there. The app talks about a small village, Tad Lo, named after the waterfall there, located just on the edge of the plateau.
After leaving Tad Lo it doesnt take long before we are driving on the Bolaven plateau. Actually, we dont even realize we are here, until we see it on the GPS. It soon becomes clear that we dont want to stay here, but there are a couple of waterfalls that should be worthwhile a visit.
The first one is Tad Yuang, a very high waterfall in a nice surrounding.
In the morning we walk towards the ferry. A longtailboat takes us to the island of Don Det. We dock in the city centre and decide to follow the riverbank. A little outside the village, we find a nice riverfront bungalow, overlooking the Mekong. We have riverview from our balcony and views over the rice fields from our window. The balcony also has two hammocks instead of the usual one. Chilling guaranteed.
Theres not really much to do on the island besides relaxing. We walk around the island, but it takes just a few hours.
In the morning we leave to the border with Cambodia. The border post seems closed at first sight, maybe it isnt open because its Sunday? We come closer and see somebody sitting in the immigration office. He doesnt want to stamp our passports because hes not sure if Cambodia will allow us in with a big bike. He says we have to check first at Cambodian side. We had never heard of Cambodia making problems of big bikes, besides we know Christian is driving around there with his Africa Twin.
Laos can actually be described in one word, echoing what many other travellers have to say about this country: LAID BACK. Although in Asia we never experienced rush and stress, Laos does seem to be the top of the list. While we were driving through the villages, we saw people at home, resting in their hammocks, eating together or just chatting.
Sticky Rice in Traditional Bamboo Basket
This is a summary from our trip through Thailand and Laos...
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
We first drive to Kratie, which is a famous tourist destination. Once there, we dont like it very much, except for the boulevard on the Mekong. We continue to Sen Monorom, the capital of the province Monorom. We arrive there in the dark. Just in time for the violent storm, we find a room.
Along the Way
We drive to Boeng Kak, the backpackers area in Phnom Penh, according to Lonely Planet. When we arrive there we discover our Lonely Planet is not really up-to-date anymore. The backpackers area had moved to another part of the city. Were here for the paperwork so we just want a cheap room. We find a great room with air conditioning, a fridge, a large flatscreen-tv with movie channels and a balcony overlooking a mosque. Best part of this mosque is that its not finished yet, so no prayers in the early morning.
Welcome to Kep
We leave towards Kep, which is the smallest province of Cambodia, just a 16 km long strip along the coastline. What a pleasant surprise when we arrive: we drive on a road along the shoreline and we end up at a small, pearly white sand beach, Kep beach. The town feels a little European with its lovely promenade, colonial houses and many statues.
On the road to Phnom Penh we meet Jens and Helen from the Myanmar group. We take a break together and have a nice chat. Back in Phnom Penh we go to the same hotel as before and we have a good reason for that: there is a computer in the lobby, free to use. Weve been thinking about rewriting our website in English for quite some time now, hoping to reach more fellow overlanders. Due to the many hours of work, the price in an internet shop would be quite high, so we decide this is the time to do it. We have been typing for a few days and we are glad with the result.
The Angkor Wat Archeological Park is a World Heritage Site. These ancient temples date from the Khmer era and were built between the ninth and fifteenth century. It is the largest temple complex in the world and is spread out over an area of more than 400 km². The site is surrounded by forest and is located in the north of Cambodia, close to the city Siem Reap.
Mickey at Angkor Wat
According to many travel-apps, Battambang is a must-see in Cambodia. They must be talking about the province because in the city itself is not much to do or see. Its okay but not really special. We walk around a bit and see some colonial buildings, the oldest bridge of the province, aerobic lessons in the park (funny to see) and a Naga (statue of a five-headed snake). The Naga was built as a symbol for peace. It was constructed with parts of weapons which were collected in the area of Battambang.
When we arrive at the border we see many army trucks waiting for more Cambodians who fled Thailand. They are blocking our way but we can squeeze in between and once weve passed them, we are out of Cambodia in no time. At the Thai side of the border, immigration goes smoothly but customs takes some time. The bike is only allowed in Thailand for one month, for which we already got a fine the last time here. We are now trying to extend this to two months. Customs at the border say they cant help us. We insist but no response We try to arrange this in the custom house in the city.
We didnt expect too much of Cambodia, but we were pleasantly surprised. There is a nice atmosphere throughout the country. Also, the people were very friendly, even more than in Thailand, the Land of the Smile. The staffs in the hotels were generally spoken very helpful and interested in our story. People along the way were constantly greeting us with a smile.
This is summary from our trip through Cambodia and our last days in Laos...
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
Our visa for Cambodia almost expires, so we have to go back to Thailand. We still have a few days left so we decide to take a small road to a minor border crossing. We pass by Paillin which is located on the edge of the Cardamom Mountains. We have some nice views along the way and its still early, we decide to drive further to the main border crossing at Poipet. Along the way we see many army trucks loaded with people. We are wondering what is going on
We arrive in Damnoensaduak late in the evening, after a long day drive. This is our second attempt to see a floating market. We have been in Amphawa a few months ago, another floating market in the same area but we were quite disappointed. This time we are luckier. The market stands are located next to the river and lots of them can only be seen from a boat. Also the rest of the market is quite cosy and there are a lot of food stands. The market is only opened in the morning, so in the afternoon we continue our voyage to Khao Lak.
Within two weeks, our mothers are coming to Khao Lak, so we rented a house there. First we will pass by the house to check up on things, where after we will go to Phuket.
We encounter a lot of rain under the way. We hear there is a typhoon hanging over the Andaman Islands which influences the weather on the western Thai coast.
Its about an hour's drive to reach Phuket. We decide to go to Patong Beach because its quite centrally located in Phuket and because there is much to do. Once arrived, we dont know where to look first, so we decide to get something to drink. Meanwhile, we check on booking.com if there are any bargains to be made because its low season and there are quite a few hotels without any customers for the moment. We see a room with everything we want, for the craziest price we've seen on this trip. Its only 6.5 euro for one night. We go and take a look at the room and we take it immediately.
This week our moms are visiting us. We have a good time together. We go to Khao Sok National Park with a few scooters. We enjoy the Thai kitchen and each others company.
We rented this House for One Week
View over Khao Sok National Park
We leave for the province of Krabi. We drive through the province, and we are right in between huge limestone rock formations. Really beautiful scenery in this province. It gets even better once we get to the coastline: the combination of the clear blue ocean and the sea which is full of these rock formations that form tiny islands making it picture perfect.
Ao Nang Beach
In the morning we leave for Railay and we go to the pier on foot, Mickey stays behind in our hotel. When we arrive at the pier, we see that the ticket office is closed. A tuk tuk driver tells us that the sea here is too wild at the moment and that there are only boats leaving from the pier at Ao Nammao. He drives us to the pier and a little later were in a longtailboat towards Railay. Here too, the sea seems to be pretty wild because we jump in the air a few times. On Railay our search for a hotel begins.
The ferry that should take us to Koh Phi Phi cant dock at Railay East. We must first take a longtailboat to deeper waters where we have to transfer to the ferry. On the way to Phi Phi, there are a lot of waves which causes the ferry to toss back and forth. Safely arrived in Phi Phi, we walk through the narrow streets of the main town, looking for a guest house. We quickly find a room where we spend the whole afternoon as the weather is bad.
In the early afternoon we are back in Ao Nang. We stay for two nights and continue writing on our English blog. Meanwhile, we also think about our next destination. We decide to go to Koh Lanta and on the internet, Kevin finds the beach-to-be. We depart from Ao Nang around noon and two hours and two ferry trips later, we arrive at Khlong Khong Beach. Most resorts are closed or appear abandoned so we walk along the shoreline, looking for a beachfront bungalow. At the first resort that is opened, we see three luxury bungalows on the beach.
Hat Yai is the biggest city in southern Thailand. Actually, not many tourists come to this city, but we are here for two reasons: the McDonalds (they have a Double Big Mac in Thailand) and a cinema. We arrive in the late afternoon, because we had to seek shelter for the rain a few times. We already found a hotel on the internet and this appears to be okay. We go to the big shopping mall, Central Festival, where both McDonalds and the cinema are located. The Double Big Mac appears to be a disappointment, a Thai curry would have been better.
On the way to the border, we find ourselves driving through the real Muslim area of Thailand, we see hardly any women without headscarves. The Muslims are all dressed at their best, because today is the Eid Al-Fitr (end of Ramadan). Its because of this holiday that we cant cross this border today. We can leave Thailand but the ferry that has to bring Mickey across the river doesnt sail today, so we drive to the next border crossing. The border crossing in Rantau Panjang goes very smoothly.
We have been in Thailand twice for the period of two months. We understand why it has become such a tourist destination, its really the-place-to-be to have a hassle-free holiday. In the north, we especially enjoyed our motorcycle rides through the mountains, offering stunning views. In Southern Thailand we enjoyed the exotic islands: palm trees, white sand beaches and crystal clear water. Thailand has a different era than us. We were here in the year 2557 (2014).
In Malaysia, our bad luck continues: we cant find any ATM that works with a foreign card and we really need refuelling (which by the way is really cheap here, 0.60 euro / l). At Shell we can pay with our MasterCard, but we cant get any money on top. Shortly after, we have to hide for the rain again. At dark we arrive in Kuala Besut, which lies on the east coast of Malaysia and from here we want to take a boat to the Perhentian Islands, the next day. A man on a scooter asks us if we already have a ticket for the boat and brings us to a travel agency.
In the morning we decide that we dont want to go to the Perhentian Islands. We dont trust to leave Mickey behind, so we decide to continue our journey following the east coast. Theres not much to do in this part of Malaysia but it's been a while since we were just cruising with our motorbike, so we really are looking forward to it. We follow the road that is closest to the ocean and occasionally we really are driving just next to it.
Driving Along the East Coast
Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries in the world and although it wasnt in our planning, it seems like a good idea to visit it now that we're so close. We are looking for information on visa and entering with our own vehicle. For Belgian citizens a visa is not required and we can stay for 90 days. On the other hand, bringing the motorbike into Singapore seems less easy. First of all, the motorbike has to be insured so we go to a bank in Johor Bahru to inform about this. There they say that we must wait for permission from the head office for three to four days.
We get off the bus and queue at immigration to enter Malaysia. It really nice how easy it is for us to go in and out of Malaysia so smoothly without any paperwork in advance.
Immigration at Johor Bahru
The 700km to Penang is mainly on the highway and goes smoothly. A couple of times we feel some raindrops but never enough to stop driving. In the early evening, we arrive at the toll bridge to Penang. From the bridge we get a nice view of the island.
Penang Bridge
We have been in Malaysia for almost three weeks, with a three-day city trip to Singapore in between. We saw only the east coast and Penang as we were traveling through, due to problems with the Carnet. Our impression of Malaysia is that it isnt a real tourist destination, though undoubtedly some cities are worth a visit as well as some islands and the Cameron Highlands. We think this is due to the high alcohol prices and the few nightspots. On our way back home, we will definitely explore the west coast with Langkawi, Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands and Malacca.
This is summary from our trip through Thailand and Malaysia
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
The owner of our guesthouse in Penang brings us to the airport. We are actually a bit early since we only took our hand luggage. The time at the airport passes quickly, and before we know it we are on the plane.
Our Plane to Indonesia
At 6 am we are ready to leave. Its still very quiet on the road and it's even a bit chilly. Finding the way wont be a problem as we have to follow the Trans-Sumatran Highway for nearly 2,000 kilometres.
The Trans-Sumatran Highway
We leave Jakarta shortly after noon. On blogs of fellow travellers you read you can better avoid the capital because the traffic would be dreadful, but we find that its actually not too bad. Yes, its very busy but so is the rest of West Java. Outside the city, the traffic is really terrible, were not going ahead at all. Occasionally, we get to see a glimpse of the highway and it looks blissfully empty. Unfortunately, two wheelers are not allowed and so we are doomed to defy these busy roads.
In the hotel we were given a different room than last time and we are not satisfied. The bathroom stinks, there is no window, the two twin beds are of a different height, the light switch is in the hallway and all this for the same price. The next morning, we ask for a different room otherwise we're going to look for someplace else. Somebody checks out and we get the room, its much better although the light switch is also in the hallway (how is that possible?). In the evening we are treated to pastries from the staff, martabak, which is a kind of bread with butter and chocolate. Yummy.
We decide to take the road at the southern coast of Java because we hope that it will be less crowded. We are treated with some beautiful nature and enjoy our ride among the many rice fields.
Ricefields on Bali
In the morning, we wake up early and on arrival at the pier we, once again, can straight drive on the ferry. While sailing, we search for a hotel in Bali on our app. We see a cheap hotel with very good reviews which is located in the capital Denpasar. It seems like a good base for further exploration of Bali. From the boat we see several volcanoes, something you dont see every day ...
Volcanos on Java
Our next destination is Lovina, a village on the north coast of Bali, known for its dolphins spotting. The road to Lovina runs through the mountains and we pass the Twin Lake. The last piece goes through a very small road that is not really in a good condition but it is very beautiful.
Twin Lake, Bali
We still have to see several villages in Bali and the first is Amed. We arrive after a few hours and we start looking for a hotel. Although its quite expensive here, we do find a nice sea view bungalow for not too much money. Unfortunately, there is no pool, the hotel is located at the beach but it's not really ideal for swimming due to the volcanic sand. The village is mostly popular for divers. We decide to drive to Candidasa, where we hope to find a white beach. The road from Amed to Candidasa is one of the most beautiful drives on our trip.
We have one more week before we go back to Belgium and decide to go back to our favourite places in Bali. We book another five nights in our first hotel in Lovina. We enjoy doing nothing and talking with other guests. We only leave our hotel to go eat in our restaurant and one evening, we went to see a childrens dance at a local school. On our last night in Lovina, we enjoy a self-made cocktail: we never drank a cocktail at the pool (like you see in the movies).
One year and 46054 km on the road!!!
We go back to Belgium to visit family and friends, and do some necessary paperwork. In the meanwhile, Mickey waits for us at the hotel in Denpasar.
We will return to Indonesia mid-October and will continue our journey then...
Mickey Waiting for Us at the Hotel
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
After two weeks in Belgium it's time to go back to Indonesia. We first fly to Jakarta and want to book a flight at the airport to Bali. We wait until the next day for a cheap flight because the available tickets are ridiculously expensive for such a short distance. We decide to stay one night in Jakarta and look for a hotel around the airport. The only transit hotel at the airport is closed so we have to find something else. We already miss Mickey because all the taxis at the airport charge excessive money.
The Gili Islands consist of three islands (Air, Meno and Trawangan) and have no motorized traffic, you can rent a bicycle or take a carriage and horse. These islands are described as the only tropical islands of Indonesia and are therefore very popular with tourists. We go to Trawangan, the largest island of the three, because it would be more for backpackers. To go to the Gili Islands, you have two options, the so-called 'fast boats' and' slow boats. Given the slow boat takes less than half an hour for a fifth of the price, the choice is easy.
In Lombok we want to find a nice place to stay two nights, so we can do our laundry and prepare our visa for East Timor. If you want to enter East Timor overland, you need an authorization letter to get a VOA at the border. We can apply for this authorization online but we need some documents for this. We decide to go to Kota for this. Arrived in Kota we notice that tourism here is still new, there are many hotels and restaurants, but it lacks a bit of atmosphere. The beach itself is not so nice and there is hardly any shade.
After two days enjoying we want to get to Flores as soon as possible. Between Lombok and Flores lies the island of Sumbawa, where there is nothing to do according to the Travelapp. We get up early and shortly after noon we are on the ferry from Lombok to Sumbawa which takes only two hours. Again, we can drive straight up on the ferry but we have to wait long to leave because the ferry isnt quite full yet.
On the Ferry to Sumbawa
Finally arrived at Labuanbajo, we are looking for a hotel when a tourist on a scooter approaches us. His name is Marcus and is an avid traveller himself. Currently he and his family are travelling around SEA for six months. He hopes one day to make an overland trip to India on his motorbike. He invites us to his house for a cup of coffee. Here we meet his wife Rahel and their four children. After some talking they suggest to stay in one of their rooms. Since there are many mosquitoes we decide to set up our tent in the room.
In the morning we work a bit on our blog and by noon we leave for Ruteng where we have an appointment with Marcus and co. The main road in Flores is in a good condition and where this is not the case, they are working on it. The road is very curvy so it takes some time to get to Ruteng, but the beautiful scenery and the waving people make up for this. A major problem in Flores are the petrol stations, there are only a few and the ones that are there, are full of people waiting in line.
We have to wait at least half an hour for our turn.
At 05u45 we are woken by some noisy hotel guests, but with the long day ahead, it is not that bad. At 07u30 we are ready to leave. Again the road is very curvy, we are treated to some fantastic scenery and the people are super excited to see us. We really enjoy driving through Flores.
Beautiful Flores
At 06u45, we are at the pier in Darmaga, since several people had told us that the ferry would leave here in the morning. Now however, we hear that we quickly need to turn around to Ende because the ferry is there waiting to leave. Arriving at the old pier in Ende we indeed see the ferry but we dont seem to be able to buy the tickets. What is going on here? No one speaks a word of English and we are getting frustrated. Eventually we find a man who explains that the ferry leaves in the afternoon and that the ticket office opens at 10u00. Why did we wake up so early...
This video is a summary from our trip through Indonesia
Part One: Sumatra - Java - Bali
Part Two: Lombok - Sumbawa - Flores - West-Timor
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
We have been in Indonesia for almost three months. We had high expectations before we arrived in the country but the beginning was quite disappointing. The worst part was getting used to the dirty and smelly rooms and that for the same price as our clean rooms in Thailand. Starting from Bali our feeling about Indonesia improved, we have seen remarkable natural scenery and encountered lots of friendly people.
In the morning we drive the last kilometres to the border crossing at Moto'ain. Leaving Indonesia goes very smoothly: at the immigration office, they say that we have to sign out at the army post before getting our passport stamped. At the army post, we only spend a few minutes and we are ready to go. Then we get the stamps in our passports in no time and proceed to the customs office for a stamp in our Carnet. On the East Timorese side things go less smoothly: first there is a little discussion between border agents on where we should park our bike.
The poverty of the East Timorese is obvious as soon as we enter the country. The people have nothing more than a bamboo roof over their heads. There are hardly any shops or restaurants to be found, which is very strange in Asia. The road starts pretty well but soon becomes a path of boulders. Again, it is clear that the dry season lasts too long, the nature is arid and the riverbeds are empty. After a few kilometres a young man, called Fabio, approaches us. He invites us into his home in Dili, the capital of East Timor.
In the morning we want to leave Dili but the road is blocked because there is a mountain bike race going on. We wait since this is the only way to Baucau, our next destination. After an hour of waiting we can finally leave. The road first follows the coastline for a long time. The sea and the beaches offer a nice view but you immediately see that it is not ideal for swimming due to the coral. Then we drive inland where its very dry but is invigorated by the many animals that walk around: cows, goats, pigs and dogs.
Back in Dili we unfortunately receive some bad news from the shipping agent. Apparently there is no more space in any of their containers on the next ship, which is planned for early December. The next boat to Australia sails around mid-December so we would have to wait until New Year to pick up Mickey in Australia. They are also bothered with the situation and advise us another shipping agent. It's getting late now, so we first go check in at a hotel that weve already visited during our first stay in Dili.
Our shipping agent ANL (TOLL) proposes not to put Mickey in a crate but just put him in a container and secure with straps. Without a crate, a minimum of 3 m³ is charged but you avoid the crating costs. She shows us some pictures of other overlanders who shipped this way, since we are not convinced. We see several motorcycles in containers so decide it will do. The shipping agent tells us that we must provide the straps and have to drive to customs at the port of Dili to get a stamp in the Carnet.
We spent two weeks in East-Timor. We had high expectations before we entered the country but were very disappointed when we left. It had been a long dry season so everything was very arid, we can imagine that it would be much nicer if the country would look green again after some rain. The road ran many times through the mountains with beautiful views over the ocean. Very nice were the many bays and small beaches and the beautiful clear blue sea. The beaches and the sea usually werent really pleasant to linger due to the coral in the sea and on the beach, and the many pebble beaches.
This video is a summary from our trip through Timor-Leste
More info on www.wijzijnweg.org
At the airport in Bali, we look for a taxi to take us to our hotel in Denpasar. We are talking to a taxi driver but he charges quite a high price. He blames this to the fact that gasoline prices have risen. We know that gasoline prices are fixed in Indonesia by government subsidies. So we do not believe him and continue to negotiate the price. Afterwards well see that the gasoline price indeed has risen, about 0.60 euros per litre (before 0.40 euros).
Denpasar Airport
When we wake up, we see its the perfect weather for a swim. We walk to the centre and rent snorkel gear. After breakfast we immediately start our snorkelling trip to Gili Meno. We each have a backpack with drinks and some clothes. After about an hour of swimming, we arrive at Gili Meno, we have a rest on the beach and snorkel further along the coastline. The coral is a lot nicer here than at Gili Trawangan and we also see some very big fish. We also walk a bit on the island and notice that its a lot quieter here than on Gili Trawangan.
Arrived in Denpasar we go to our hotel to drop off our luggage and to take a shower. Hereafter we go to the BIMC Hospital, internationally known as a better hospital in Bali. The doctor tells us that the wound isnt looking too bad but gives us an antibiotic injection and new medicines. The next few days we return to the hospital for further care. At the end of the week the doctor decides we dont have to come back and the hospital provides us with all the materials to clean our wounds ourselves.
**For more information about the shipment see Shipping East Timor Australia : Part 2 on our blog,or on www.wijzijnweg.org under the section Travel Info Shipment**
**For more information about the shipment see www.wijzijnweg.org under the section Travel Info - Shipment**
In a few days it's Kevin's birthday and he chooses to celebrate on Gili Trawangan. On arrival in Bali, we rent a scooter and drive towards the island. Here we enjoy the sun, the sea and the beach at our previous bungalow. Balimoon is still here and enjoys our company. On Kevin's birthday, we discover a new spot on Gili: we follow the path to the viewpoint and arrive on the grazing fields with sights over Gili Meno and Gili Air. Its really a beautiful spot.
At sunset we cross the state border with South Australia and spend another night on a rest area. In South Australia they seem less equipped and look less maintained. By the evening of the next day we finally see some other landscape than bush when we are driving between nice hills with beautiful views over several large salt lakes.
In Mildura we find a great camping: we get a site close to the river, there are very clean toilets, theres a nice pool and a camp kitchen with all necessary kitchen appliances. We see ourselves staying here for a while and hope to find a job close by.
Camping by the River
