SuzyBlue goes east 2019: the start to my new adventure towards Nepal, 22.-23.4.

wow....hard to believe but it's almost 4 years now that I had started on my trip from Alaska to Chile. Of course I was not only working the last years. 2017 I traveled from Switzerland up to Northcap and back (about 6500km) and last year I was on an adventerous trip from Albania back to Switzerland (about 4500km).... part of it offroad (TET).

Now this year I again have a lot of time for another epic trip. I'll travel from Switzerland to Kathmandu, Nepal. Passing fascinating countries like Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, all the "Stan countries", a little bit of China, Pakistan and the north of India. At the beginning I even planed an "open end" as I have quit my job. But love never comes as planed....that's why I'll be sure back in Switzerland for winter time:-)

All these trips of course still with my good little companion SuzyBlue. She's well prepared again and I was able to do or help with some of the maintenance.  But of course I hope that I'll never have to use tha knowlegde ;-)

I could bring the rear tire to MuzToo (a Swiss motorbike company) which will take it to Osh in Kirgistan with a group of bikers. The perfect solution for me as I didn't want to carry the tire all the way with me.

Next to the maintanance I had a lot of paperwork to do. Plan the route quite exact as I needed Visa's fro 6 countries. All of them I had to apply for in advance. But again some of them would not be possible to apply for more than 3 months before the entry. Quite a tricky task. Therefor I organised a second passport which I can use to apply for the Visa's while I'm on the road already. Took me a bit of arguments to persuade the authorities.
Iran, Turkmenistan, Tadschikistan, China, Pakistan, India..... all these countries need a Visa. Only Nepal is possible to apply for directly at the border.

The Turkmenistan Visa is really highly apprecieted as this Visa is hard to get. Or just with luck.

Right now it looks quite good, just waiting for Pakistan and India Visa. China was not problem as you have to book a guided tour in case you like to cross with your own vehicle - as it will be registered in China and will get Chinese papers and even a plate ;-) The only problem so far might be Iran, as they started to apply a law that was never applied the last  few years since it was "born": no bikes allowed in Iran bigger than 250ccm (a reaction to the sanctions...). But now since the last reactions from a big country (!!!) towards the Iran National guard and even more sanctions they are really strict and reject all the bikers trying to enter Iran for about 1 week now. I still hope that their will be a solution until May 24th.... the day I wanted to enter Iran. If not I still could take a ferry from Aserbeidschan directly to Kasachstan. But what a pity to miss such a great country with such hospitable people.

Until then I'm heading south-east: to Italy and take a ferry from Ancona to Igoumenitsa in Greece. I'm already on the road and everything works fine so far.

 

Ohhh..... I almost forgot.... I'm not traveling alone. Of course I have my little companions with me which always have a good advice or a bit of smalltalk with me:
Putput, Pat the Tiger, Max the frog (they had been part of the team already on the Panamericana) and absolutely new: "Griite" the wild little dancing angel (or whatever she might be) ;-)
Together we are an absolute "dreamteam" having a great time together and able to solve all problems that might occur....

So you're invited to travel with me.... stay curious and be surprised about the upcoming adventures :-)