Please Help with final planning of a round the world trip 6 to 8 weeks at a time

[SEETHEWORLD349]

but, having driven a lot of the roads you want to take over the last 40 years, I would:

-- Not bother with a winch

-- Not bother with front locker. (But I would have a rear locker or limited slip.)

-- Not bother with a chain saw.

-- Would try to achieve a fuel range of about 500 miles, but this is much less of an issue than it used to be.

-- Would go with a roof tent. (I like the idea of those with a plastic cover, but have not used them myself.)

-- Would arrange the back of my vehicle so that I could, if needed, sleep in it.

-- I would make sure that I had four sand ladders (I, too, have the Max Trax.) and a long, over sized two strap.

-- Leave the driving lights at home; you won't be driving at night in the third world and you can't use them on the road in the first world.

Make sure that you carry serious cold weather gear, including base layers, gloves, sleeping bags, etc. It is hard to understand how cold it gets on the Altiplano or the Sahara. I know from painful experience the agony of running into that cold when one is coming from the tropics.

You are describing an overland trip but kitting for a 4x4 trip. For what you are describing, I think you would be MUCH happier with a Tiger, Sportsmobile (small), XPCamper, Earthroamer, or similar. I have done a lot of what you describe (http://www.pbase.com/diplostrat) and would suggest that you look at these folks, who have hit 50 countries and are still counting. (http://www.travelin-tortuga.com/Travelin-Tortuga/index.html)

Interesting to note that the Boltons have just suspended their trip and are shipping back to Oz; truck too badly broken to continue.

In the end, there are lots of ways to do this. Have a great trip.

wow Thank you because of people like you is that this site is so amazing

yeah I agree with you about setting up for a 4x4 trip and it is mostly because I know my self and I can never stop from going down this road or trail to see where it takes us, Im not planning on staying on the panamerican unless its absolutely necessary so having the extra ability to get my self out of trouble will come in handy for sure
another set of Maxtrax will do
yes front locker is overkill but I am rebuilding both diffs so its kinda of a im saving $ doing it now situation
I also agree with you about the lights but I rather have them and not need them then you know the rest I got somewhat lost in Moab last year and I hated the wranglers lights I sure it would have been a lot safer to have a good set of lights to get out in the dark
great advice on the cold weather gear will look into it
and lastly yes I would be much happier with a earthroamer or similar but an 80 series is what I have and it would be just too much $ to switch cars now
once again thank you for your input :smiley_drive:

 

[SEETHEWORLD349]

A note about traveling with children: Outside USA, the kids will help you meet and interact with the local folks. People everywhere are family oriented and will be curious about, and welcoming of the children. Back in USA, you may face criticism and judgmental comments from relatives, and especially from people who don't know you well, about the possibility that you're putting the kids at risk. Here's a thread that covers that subject

http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-in-a-Veggie-Powered-F250?p=969713#post969713

Oh dang, the www.discovershareinspire.com website seems to have a password requirement. You get a flavor of the criticism by reading ExPo members' comments about taking the family into Mexico, where there's plenty of drug-related violence in the news. The people making the criticism generally have not visited Mexico themselves, just read about the situation.

Thanks for the input but the kids will not be coming with us, at least not yet
maybe the second time around for now we take them out in the RV as much as possible to get them use to being on the road and hope the travel bug hits them young we just came back from a 31 day trip to Disney's Fort Wilderness

 

[SEETHEWORLD349]

Hi,
we have been traveling for the last 4 years using a similar approach. We travel in winter for 4-5 months and then put the truck in storage until the next winter. With careful research it can be done. My advice is not to worry too much about your car. We have been travelling through Southern and Eastern Africa with a stock Ford Transit 4x4 (we even had the stock tires) for a total of 9 months and 35,000 km and had 2 flat tires, replaced 2 shocks and had to fix 1 abs-sensor. North and South America is even easier. Even with a stock LC you should not have a problem. West and Central African countries are often a visa nightmare and some are not safe (war or civil unrest). Syria, Egypt (Sinai) and Lybia are closed for international road traffic at the moment.
From what you wrote in your blog I suggest though that you do a lot more research into the political situation in the countries you want to travel to and where you can store your vehicle.
In Southern Africa (the South African Customs Union) you can leave your car for 12 months with a Carnet de Passage, after 12 months you have to leave the Customs Union and renew your Carnet. In Namibia ad South Africa there are a lot of places offering full service storage for Overlanders, in Tansania I know 2 places.
In Canada and USA you can temporarily import your car (and leave it there when you go home) legally for several months (you have to research the details) and in reality for years because it is not registered in your Passport. Since you do not have a RV you can leave your car in Mexico for only 180 days (as a RV 10 years). Bonded storage is quite easy and common in Costa Rica and Panama. In South America things are a little more difficult. Urugay is popular, it allows you to leave a car for 12 months. Peru supposedly has fairly flexible bonded storage rules but I have not researched it in detail because given the speed of our travel we wil not be there any time soon and rules may have changed by then. Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay are sometimes mentioned as places for storage but I do not know the details.
Given the size of your car I suggest a RT with the option to sleep inside if the weather is too bad or you are worried about security. We used this setup for years in Africa before we got our rather comfortable Camper (with old age you like your creature comforts).
Regards Stefan

Thank you Stefan
do you have a blog or website? a link would be cool

lots of good info Thanks

 

[SEETHEWORLD349]

I would not try long overland trips with a child much below age five, simply because they are likely to be bored, but both of our kids spent a LOT of time in the bush. To be fair, now that they are grown, neither would consider an overland trip, but, by all means, take the kids. My daughter was born in Panama and my son in Liberia and both grew up in a half dozen countries.

All of the usual rules of traveling with kids apply - allow them to bring favorite toys, go slowly and allow for breaks, do things that THEY want to do. Consider, even, bringing a friend(s).

I agree they are to young for such a long trip
thanks for your input

 

[SEETHEWORLD349]

x2 on what uk4x4 and diplostrat said.

use the search on the hubb
4x4 community.sa
hubb
wiki overland

africa overland stellenbosch za stores and helps ship vehicles

think carnet and visa's will be a challenge
you will need reservations in the game parks in southern africa,probably a year prior.
last time i looked ngoro crater was about 240.00 a day for self drive.
congratulations on your ambition.
good luck
kp

great info thank you will look into all of this
any idea how to get this permits?
I guess this is something ill do when the vehicle is in south america

 

[DiploStrat]

yeah I agree with you about setting up for a 4x4 trip and it is mostly because I know my self and I can never stop from going down this road or trail to see where it takes us, Im not planning on staying on the panamerican unless its absolutely necessary so having the extra ability to get my self out of trouble will come in handy for sure

I don't think you are quite understanding us.

-- The weight of the winch, chainsaw, lights, etc., overloads your truck on the roads you can drive.

-- Many of the countries you propose to visit are not the United States. In much of the world you don't just go down a trail to see where it takes you. At least not without a local guide, and never after dark. (You don't want to be on the Panamericana after dark - hard to forget the sight of a bus, five rows into a cement truck.) You think stumbling across the local meth lab is dangerous? There is a reason so many folks park at police stations in South America.

The point is that overlanding focuses on roads that go places, not trails. Granted, many of those roads make the Rubicon look like a motorway, but you get the point. While most overlanders really like the security of having 4x4, in most cases the only time it is used is getting out of a muddy campsite. Driving around the world is not wheeling'. Use the weight for things you need (like food and spare parts) or spare your tires, shocks, springs, and fuel - the things that will kill your trip dead.

In the end, its your money.

Edited to Add: But I would not leave the older kids at home.

 

[sg1]

Hi,
I have a website ( http://www.reisephant.blogspot.de/ ) but it is mostly in German. The African part has the blogs in both English and German. I fully agree with DiploStrat. Leave chainsaw, winch etc at home. What kills a car on long trips with bad roads is weight. You want to be well below your GVW otherwise washboard and potholes destroy your shocks, wheelbearings, bushings etc. a lot faster than with a light car. A good shovel, a STRONG rope, sand ladders and a solid jack with enough lift is all I ever needed to get me out of trouble in over 30 years of driving on all continents (except Antarctica). Leave your LC as close to stock as possible. They are quite common worldwide and spare parts are normaly easy to find-as long as you have original Toyota parts in your truck. Fancy US aftermarket parts will not be available. This is especially true for tires and shocks. These you will have to replace on a long trip. Make sure you use tire sizes and shocks you can find in the 3rd world. I have met more than enough travelers who waited weeks (and paid fortunes) for new tires to be shipped from overseas because they felt they needed cool looking big tires and could not find anything locally fitting on their fancy aftermarket rims. By the way, use steel rims, the local tire repair guys usually have very crude tools ruining mag wheels. And you can get steel rims back in shape with a big hammer (I have done that more than once), try that with mag wheels....I have 225/75R16 LT on stock steel rims and the tire size never prevented me from going where I wanted to go. Usually it was political problems or war and civil unrest.
Regards Stefan

 

[shortbus4x4]

By all means take the older kids. They might not like it now but it will give them a totally different perspective as they grow up and make them realize there is more to life. Make sure the rig is in good mechanical repair. Good tires and a patch kit are probably the most important things to have on your trip. I spent some time as a kid in other countries due to my dads work and it really opened my eyes.

 

[SEETHEWORLD349]

I don't think you are quite understanding us.

-- The weight of the winch, chainsaw, lights, etc., overloads your truck on the roads you can drive.

-- Many of the countries you propose to visit are not the United States. In much of the world you don't just go down a trail to see where it takes you. At least not without a local guide, and never after dark. (You don't want to be on the Panamericana after dark - hard to forget the sight of a bus, five rows into a cement truck.) You think stumbling across the local meth lab is dangerous? There is a reason so many folks park at police stations in South America.

The point is that overlanding focuses on roads that go places, not trails. Granted, many of those roads make the Rubicon look like a motorway, but you get the point. While most overlanders really like the security of having 4x4, in most cases the only time it is used is getting out of a muddy campsite. Driving around the world is not wheeling'. Use the weight for things you need (like food and spare parts) or spare your tires, shocks, springs, and fuel - the things that will kill your trip dead.

In the end, its your money.

Edited to Add: But I would not leave the older kids at home.

ok, I get it now and I believe you are correct, it does make sense
so no chainsaw winch or front bumper

questions that your input would be really helpful are should I look into maybe a rear bumper to bring all the weight lower (all accessories are roof mounted now and secondly would installing the CB radio be a good idea?
Im not sure I want to bring my kids along just yet maybe ill bring them for a leg of the trip during summer to give them a little taste but Im not ready to pull them out of their life yet I want them to truly enjoy, learn and create great memories. we might just do a straight trip around the world the second time around in a bigger vehicle better set up for family/school life.

 

[DiploStrat]

would installing the CB radio be a good idea?

Im not sure I want to bring my kids along just yet maybe ill bring them for a leg of the trip during summer to give them a little taste but Im not ready to pull them out of their life yet I want them to truly enjoy, learn and create great memories.

I don't think CB radios work outside of the US and Canada. In any case, they would be illegal in most of the world anyway.

I actually like big tires and have them on my own truck. But, as Stefan indicated, the world runs on 750x16, tube type tires. You get them changed in places like this:



See the air compressor? Actually, they had a Chinese bicycle pump. Of course, when this happens,

you can always do it yourself, like this:

I got to be rather good, but I needed a bigger hammer.

Try the kids, and your rig, on a domestic trip, say at least two weeks long. That will give you a much better feeling for what you can and can't do and what you do and don't need.

WARNING: Shameless plug follows: Come to Overland EXPO East. Lots of toys to see and several sessions devoted to things like culture shock, how not to get arrested overseas, and specifics of South American and African travel. If you are even considering a round the world trip, it would be money well spent. At least at OEXPO West, there are always overlanders from outside of the US and Canada who attend. A great opportunity to see their rigs and understand what the US looks like to foreigners. It can be an eye opener.

 

[SEETHEWORLD349]

I don't think CB radios work outside of the US and Canada. In any case, they would be illegal in most of the world anyway.

I actually like big tires and have them on my own truck. But, as Stefan indicated, the world runs on 750x16, tube type tires. You get them changed in places like this:

View attachment 239731

See the air compressor? Actually, they had a Chinese bicycle pump. Of course, when this happens,

you can always do it yourself, like this:

I got to be rather good, but I needed a bigger hammer.

Try the kids, and your rig, on a domestic trip, say at least two weeks long. That will give you a much better feeling for what you can and can't do and what you do and don't need.

WARNING: Shameless plug follows: Come to Overland EXPO East. Lots of toys to see and several sessions devoted to things like culture shock, how not to get arrested overseas, and specifics of South American and African travel. If you are even considering a round the world trip, it would be money well spent. At least at OEXPO West, there are always overlanders from outside of the US and Canada who attend. A great opportunity to see their rigs and understand what the US looks like to foreigners. It can be an eye opener.

Thanks For the invite I had plans to go to AZ but this saves me from a long long drive
Registered Cesar and Lina Fuentes

 

[UK4X4]

CB radios-----"In any case, they would be illegal in most of the world anyway"

Is correct - even in the UK ....

275 85 R16 is as big as you can get easily in most places, over that and costs and availability gets scary.

Ngoro and serengeti don't usually need reservations as far as I know, and certainly should not be missed

Uganda- gorrilas can usually be arranged from Jinja, Kampala, Nairobi theres only 5 people per day allowed in most of the gorrilla treking areas so you need a a week or so to get it organised
Red Chilli Hideway Kampala
Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort
heres a link to a guide for east africa...I stayed at probably 60% of these places during a 8 week trip to kenya - Tanzania and uganda

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...=y#v=onepage&q=jinja Overland camping&f=false

Qatar for football. has Fifa worked out that they got scammed yet ? 50oC and 90 percent humidity ,,,,in the summer, not exactly football weather, or even spectating

 

[DiploStrat]

Courtesy of Jonathan Hanson, for the kidders: http://www.overlanding4kids.com

 

[ZEVRO]

Hey Seeth,
It sounds like you want to explore the back country. You have your truck set up just fine. You may never use your winch, but man when you need it you will be kicking your self. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. My wife and I built an FJ60 but found it was too small for our needs so we are building a 1998 Ram 2500 with a Cummins 12 Valve engine. For your cooking needs I would go with a Coleman Dual fuel Stove. Same goes for laterns as well. You can burn the same gas as your using in your truck. The stove burns nice and clean. Make sure you carry plenty of spares for the truck. Better yet put together your spare kits in shipping boxes and have someone mail them to you when you need them. You may want to think about fabricating some stainless storage boxes that can be mounted under the truck or behind the bumpers. Vacuum pack your spares and put them there. Anyway that`s my 2 cts worth. Best of luck

 

[optimusprime]

CB radios-----"In any case, they would be illegal in most of the world anyway"

Is correct - even in the UK ....

275 85 R16 is as big as you can get easily in most places, over that and costs and availability gets scary.

Ngoro and serengeti don't usually need reservations as far as I know, and certainly should not be missed

Uganda- gorrilas can usually be arranged from Jinja, Kampala, Nairobi theres only 5 people per day allowed in most of the gorrilla treking areas so you need a a week or so to get it organised
Red Chilli Hideway Kampala
Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort
heres a link to a guide for east africa...I stayed at probably 60% of these places during a 8 week trip to kenya - Tanzania and uganda

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...=y#v=onepage&q=jinja Overland camping&f=false

Qatar for football. has Fifa worked out that they got scammed yet ? 50oC and 90 percent humidity ,,,,in the summer, not exactly football weather, or even spectating

Nope,cb radios are legal in the uk.