Australia to Switzerland 2008/9

After nearly 2 years planning our big trip, its nearly time to go. Still getting last minute jobs done, like organizing insurance, renting the house and selling the kids etc.After nearly 2 years planning our big trip, its nearly time to go. Still getting last minute jobs done, like organizing insurance, renting the house and selling the kids etc.

Another few weeks have past and the tension is getting bigger. The calender is full with parties and fair wells, saying goodbye's and one last bier with friends.
The house is chaos, packing up, sorting and storing, we got 2 more weeks and then we will be homeless, taking advantage of every invite to stay at friends for a night or two until we drive of. Tomorrow all our furniture goes in to storage so we have a empty house a bit more room to spread our gear and sort things out.

We are less then a week away from starting our journey, officially homeless and only a few days away from unemployed. All the planning and organising is done and were ready to go.We are less then a week away from starting our journey, officially homeless and only a few days away from unemployed. All the planning and organising is done and were ready to go.

Sunday BBQ with friends at Wendys.

Today was the first day of our journey, we had it all plant, jump on the bike and hit the open road!
Well thats not how it worked out. We got a invite from Rod and Flick to join them on there Catamaran for a overnight stay and sail around Pittwater, we figured thats a great way to start the journey, our son Dominic joint us as well and we had a fantastic time, we now trying to figure out how to fit the bike on the boat so we can have the best of both world's ;)
So tomorrow we try again and this time we wont get distracted ( unless we get a really gooood offer)

Already been on the Road for a week. Had a fantastic time staying with old friends, along the NSW Coast, great hospitality from all. Thank you again Wendy and Graham in Dural, John and Trish in Newastle, Ken and Jan in Taree, Jennifer and Shane in South West Rocks and Mark and BJ in Mullumbimby, We had a great time with all of you and we will miss you heaps...

Enjoying a few days at Brunswick Beach before heading of to Brisbane tomorrow, and then off to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast for Christmas with the Kids.

After leaving South West Rocks, we headed inland towards Mullumbimby the home of Mark, BJ, Billie and Nelson. We spent 3 glorious days there. Thanks Mark and BJ for sharing your beautiful house we had a great time, will never get my white tshirt clean again after a yummy meal at the Bollywood Restaurant in Byron Bay......
Off to Brisbane to see Simone and Greig, thanks for having us you guys are great, we wish you all the best for the future. We did have a swim in your Pool after sightseeing in the City...

Christmas day was spent with a early swim on Coolum Beach. Dom Rafaele & Nick joint us for lunch and a few more swims be for heading of to Budrim to visit Peter and Sue for a delicious supper and a few x-mas cheers.

Christmas

Got the bike organized to go to Kuala Lumpur. Beau from Hellmann in Darwin has been a great help,no problem at all. We organized a Dangerous good certificate and a inspection of the bike and within 2 days the bike is ready to leave for KL.
No crate, no dramas, no worries.

Monday the 12/1/09
Today we pick up the bike from Kl airport. we arrive at Cargo terminal at midday, we leave at about 4.30pm.
First you go to office no 1 to get a pass to get in the gate, now to office no2 for a stamp and a piece of paper, then its of to office no3 and another stamp and then back to office 2 for some more paper and more stamps, by now its 1pm and everything shuts for 1 hour. We start again at 2pm and go to office no 2 to to get another stamp

From the Malaysian boarder we Head north towards Hat Yai we have been told that the very southern part of Thailand is not to save to travel in so we just keep going. The scenery has changed the moment we came across the boarder, it's very busy and the pollution is quiet bad. From hat Yai we head we ride towards Phattalung and then west to Trang and finally Krabi. We end up in AoNung a beach suburb of Krabi, we find a hotel and set of to check out town. The place is overrun by tourist, there is shop after shop after restaurant's and so on.

We arrive on the Thai - Cambodian border mid morning, at Hat Lek, the place is busing with people crossing into Cambodia and strait back for a new visa into Thailand.
We get stamped out at Emigration, go over to Customs with the paperwork for the bike, fill out some form and get another stamp and we are done, no worries.

After 4 days we leave Phnom Penh behind us, the road north towards Siem Riep starts of very busy but eases of after about 30km and the road conditions improve dramaticaly we are able to travel at up to 100kmh. We arrive in Siem Riep around lunchtime and decide to go and check out some of the Temples in the afternoon.

Angkor Wat

From Siam Reap we head back towards Kompong Cham and along the Mekong to Kratie for a night,then up to Stung Treng and on to Veun Khan the Laos border.

Border crossing

On the way back to the main Road, from the Elephant Festival, there was a huge line of Cars, Trucks and Buses, wanting to cross the Mekong by Ferry. Lucky again to be on the Bike, straight to the front. In no time we arrived in Luang Prabang.

Crossing the Mekong on car ferry

From Ciang Khong on the Lao border we travel west trough the Golden Triangle to Chiang Sean, then Mae Chan and end up in Tha Ton at the Nature Garden Bungalows

On the Mountain across the river tower several temples high above the village. There are 9 levels to the mountain each with a different Temple and accommodation for monk students. The very top one of the temples is the biggest and newest still finishing touches are being applied, it's amazing!!!

We had to go back up to the Border to get our Visa renewed. Visa's for Thailand only last 14 days now, which is a pain...
But a chance for us to see Chiang Rai, the Golden Triangle and of course the Opium Museum, which was very interesting.

We arrived in Nepal at around 8.30pm after our plane was delayed from Bangkok for nearly 4hr. The Airport is deserted with only a few staff waiting.
Immigration and customs are straight forward and we are trough in no time at all. as we step out of the Airport the chill of the air and the rain hits us, its only about 10C, nice change from the heat in Bangkok. A mini van takes us to our hotel near Thamal ( city centre). This time of the night there is no traffic or people on the road, so its a easy journey everything is quiet and calm.

As we crossed the Border, there were hundreds of trucks lined up on the Border, good for us put no so good for them. The Border into Nepal was only open for Tourists, I hope they don't have to wait to long.

Trucks lining up at the border

The next day we were on our own exploring the city.
In the evening Kenwal came to the Hotel with a few of his friends who wanted to see the Bike.

Indian Test Driving Team