Road Travel
For the traveller who is keen on motorised transport by road there are three options:
By Car
Some people swear by the joys of having a car abroad, others would not touch it with a ten-foot dipstick. As a rule, if you are not a driving enthusiast when you are at home then it is not a good time to start when you go abroad.
If you are a confirmed motor-addict then you could take a car from Britain. However, this is perhaps not the best idea unless you are driving to Europe. A better plan, particularly if you are in North America or the Antipodes , is to buy a car when you get there. This can be done relatively cheaply and once you have finished your travels you can sell it and recoup some of your money. One of the great advantages of this is that you can arrange technicalities like insurance and tax on a local basis and not worry about the problems of crossing borders and the red-tape that this entails.
By Coach
If you are looking for a cheap way to get from Britain to the continent then a long distance coach is a definite possibility. There are several companies which specialise in this including:
Eurolines
4 Cardiff Road
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 1PD
Tel: (01582) 415841
STA
86 Old Brompton Road
London
SW7 3LQ
Tel: (020) 7581 4132
Overland Companies
A number of companies, such as Encounter Overland, Guerba and Exodus Expeditions, specialise in long-haul overland expeditions. These usually take place in converted Bedford trucks and the most popular routes are through Africa and Asia.
These tours normally take several weeks and visas and injections are organised for you. Food is bought through a kitty system and cooked by one of the employees of the tour company.
Pros
- Experienced staff who know all the best areas to visit and some of the dodges to make life run more smoothly.
- You get the benefits of an organised tour while still retaining the rough edges that distinguish the traveler from the tourist.
- A happy band of travelling companions - hopefully!
Cons
- You will be travelling in cramped conditions with at least a dozen other people. If you fall out with any of them there is nowhere to hide. Some travellers have been known to 'jump truck' halfway through these tours and make their own way.
- It is a relatively expensive way to travel through these countries.
- You have to go where the truck takes you.
