On the blog...
Here on the blog you’ll find (at least some of) our stories from the road, plus itineraries and plenty of first-hand advice that we like to think is useful.
Obvious exceptions like Turkmenistan or Bhutan aside, we travel on our own, sorting out the details as we go. Which works most of the time. Story, guide, or trip-report-hybrid, I write about what really happens to us as a direct result of this kind of independent travel. What we do, the people we meet, and everything else that rolls up together to make a great trip (…or not. But mostly great).
Since we travel by road (or rail, or sea) most of the time, there’s a lot of exactly that here – getting around on local transport in one form or another. And for some of our best self-driving adventures, I’ve laid out our itineraries and how to plan a similar road trip for yourself.
This type of travel inevitably involves more than a few border-crossings. So you’ll find plenty of posts explaining the ins-and-outs of some of the more complicated borders we’ve come across.
If you’re irresistibly drawn to the endless adventures and challenges that come with overland travel, then have a look below. Happy travels:)
Planning a tour in Turkmenistan: our 9 day itinerary
This post is the itinerary for our nine day tour in Turkmenistan. It’s about how we arrived at this plan, what we loved about it, and things we’d change in retrospect. Feel free to copy our itinerary directly, or borrow a few of the days you like best and use it as a base to kick off your own plans.
How to cross the Sonauli border between India and Nepal
Here’s what you need to know to travel by road between India and Nepal, across the Sonauli (Sunauli) border.
How to cross the Wagah Border between Pakistan and India
Here’s what you need to know to travel by land from Pakistan to India and vice versa.
How to cross the Petrapole/Benapole border between India and Bangladesh
Here’s what you need to know to travel by road from India to Bangladesh and vice versa.
Central Asia travel guide: our itinerary for a month in the ‘stans
This is a guide to inspire and help you plan an independent trip in Central Asia. It follows our route with information about border crossings, trains, and things to do along the way.
Taking the ferry from South Korea (Busan) to Japan (Fukuoka)
I highly recommend the overnight ferry, if you’re travelling from South Korea to Japan (or vice-versa). A smooth trip, a comfortable night’s sleep, and a bathhouse onboard. And if you aren’t that tired, there’s always karaoke.
Crossing the border from Cameroon (Kye-Ossi) to Gabon (Bitam)
Here’s what you can expect when you travel by road – on public transport, no less – between Cameroon and Gabon. Hint: bring a LOT of passport copies, and watch out for the ‘Man with glasses’.
Riding the Tazara train: cross-border from Zambia to Tanzania
This post is about our experience aboard the Tazara train, traveling from Zambia (New Kapiri Mposhi) to Tanzania (Dar es Salaam). It’s a guide to whatever you need to know to take the same journey, and what awaits you along the way. And – if you’re in the neighbourhood, then you should definitely take this journey.
Travel in Turkmenistan: from a city of marble to the Gates of Hell
Everyone knows it’s not easy to get into Turkmenistan. Ok, a lot of people probably haven’t heard of Turkmenistan. But once you do, you mainly hear how hard it is to visit. Starting our pre-travel research, I read: ‘The country is known for its autocratic government and large gas reserves’. Sounds fascinating, right? Well, having got the visa, we can say that yes, it definitely is.