I’ve been dreaming of taking a trip around the world since I was a kid, and this past year I finally made it happen. I traveled from Portugal to the Indian border, through 15 countries in 80 days.
My mode of transportation was a 1993 Honda Dominator 250cc, designed in 1988 in Japan. I got it for a total of 2300€. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it behaved throughout the journey. I only had minor issues in Iran and Pakistan – the front collapsed in the desert and I had to replace the chain due to wear and tear. Otherwise, it was smooth sailing.
I was able to plan the trip efficiently and did not need a single visa up to Iran. This was mainly due to the geographical freedom provided by the European Union and the no visa agreements with Turkey, Albania and other countries. I did need some documentation at the borders from there on, such as a Carnet de passage, an international driving license, insurance, passport, and other visa specific stuff.
Most of the time I stayed in the great outdoors, camping in beautiful natural parks or even by the side of the road. But I also stayed in hostels, cheap hotels, hosts, and even police stations. All in all, I spent a total of 2500-3000€, which is a great bargain for a trip of this length.
It was a long and beautiful journey, and I’m so glad I was able to make it. To make sure my motorbike stayed safe, I kept it in my sight as much as possible and avoided leaving it unattended in questionable areas. There was one particular stretch of road that was especially questionable – the highway between Albania and Greece – but luckily I made it through without any problems.
If you’d like to see my journey for yourself, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2X_6eZ9Mw0
My dream of traveling around the world was finally realized this year when I set out on an 80-day journey from Portugal to the Indian border. I purchased a 1993 Honda Dominator 250cc from Japan for 2300€ and was lucky to have a relatively smooth ride throughout the 15 countries I visited.
Thanks to the European Union’s geographical freedoms and the no visa agreements with Turkey and Albania, I was able to plan my trip without having to worry about visas. I did, however, need to get some documentation at the borders from then on such as a Carnet de passage, an international driving license, insurance, passport, and other visa specific stuff.
I mostly camped during my trip, spending about 70% of my time in natural parks or by the side of the road. I also stayed in hostels, cheap hotels, hosts, and even police stations. I spent a total of 2500-3000€, which I think is a great bargain for a trip of this length.
To make sure my motorbike stayed safe, I kept it in my sight as much as possible and avoided leaving it unattended in questionable areas. I was particularly careful when I traveled through the highway between Albania and Greece, as it was known to be a bit sketchy.
Overall, it was a long and beautiful journey that I’m so glad I was able to make. And if you’d like to see it for yourself, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2X_6eZ9Mw0. So if you’re dreaming of taking a trip around the world, don’t hesitate – just do it!