Sold All My Stuff. Taking a 9,000km Train Journey Across Asia.

[Nosferatu]

nice, hope to do something similar soon -- always wanted to backpack around. Just too busy working on my FLV's.. I'll get there.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

I'm really starting to panic trying to figure out all these damn visas.

 

[splok]

I'm really starting to panic trying to figure out all these damn visas.

Ya, they can really be a pain in the a$$. I love being in new places, but I hate the planning and bureaucracy involved in getting there. There are lots of places where it's easy enough to just pop in for a visit, but Russia and China aren't those places.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Ya, they can really be a pain in the a$$. I love being in new places, but I hate the planning and bureaucracy involved in getting there. There are lots of places where it's easy enough to just pop in for a visit, but Russia and China aren't those places.

If I can actually pull it off, it'll be the first and last time I visit those 4 countries (with the exception of China... it's kind of a hub haha)

Thinking of hiring some firm to get me all the visas. Lord knows what this'll cost.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

The 4 visas total $800, and that's if I do it on my own. Insanity.

 

[exige]

I think you should make a blog (like a normal blog, not a thread here). Then, when you have updates you can post here the link to the blog in this thread.

You might find a much broader readership in your adventure than just us paper jockeys.

This. There's a guy from Europe on another board (first-person-view drone flying) that I frequent that is doing this, coming to and trekking across the backwoods of America from D.C. to Cali. He's got a whole site about the adventure setup and everything. I have to imagine going through all those countries it might be harder to coordinate blog and photo posts along the way, but they must have WiFi right?

 

[DeletedUser394]

Well I F*cking give up. Spilled a tiny bit of water on my laptop as I was running out the door to print my visa applications. The laptop is dedestroyed. I dnot have enough time to have them processed. I just give up. Sitting here crying like a loser. I quit.

 

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[Era]

Well I F*cking give up. Spilled a tiny bit of water on my laptop as I was running out the door to print my visa applications. The laptop is dedestroyed. I dnot have enough time to have them processed. I just give up. Sitting here crying like a loser. I quit.

Seriously? No way. Be a problem solver. Find a solution. Fix it and move on! Don't dwell on it!

 

[DeletedUser394]

No I'm tired of fighting.

 

[Mrs. BRKb]

The goal is to keep it under 5k. Probably 3 weeks to a month total, hard to say. May call it quits once I get to Minsk, depends how I'm feeling.

Already spent about 2k (1.25k for the train/hostel accommodation, 750 for the flights to beijing) Going to spend another 500 just on stupid visas to get into the countries. Then I'll need a flight home eventually from somewhere haha.

That's not including Ireland/UK, Western Europe, and Scandinavia though.

Travel Bartering -

Getting Tea with Shantanu Starick – A Global Trader, Photographer, and Doer

 

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[Darius]

Well I F*cking give up. Spilled a tiny bit of water on my laptop as I was running out the door to print my visa applications. The laptop is dedestroyed. I dnot have enough time to have them processed. I just give up. Sitting here crying like a loser. I quit.

I see.... Here I thought you fixed problems, but it seems you just cry about them. If this is what you do then you don't need to go anyway.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Sorry peeps, haven't slept in around 48 hours, you just witnessed my sleep deprived breakdown.

Anyway, time for round 2. Calling Beijing and getting my F*cking visas.

 

[Vigilante]

Sorry peeps, haven't slept in around 48 hours, you just witnessed my sleep deprived breakdown.

Anyway, time for round 2. Calling Beijing and getting my F*cking visas.

You know I support you. So take this the right way when I tell you to resume filtering. Don't post F*cking drama here. Just make the shit happen. Nobody has time nor interest in reading drama posts.

End of sermon.

 

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[FastLearner]

No I'm tired of fighting.

Negativity attracts more negativity.

Turn that shit around and get 'er done. It's probably a minor obstacle to your goal, this happens. Get through it. Get another laptop if you have to, shitty but you'll need a laptop during your travels for communication.

 

[Era]

No I'm tired of fighting

Just figure out what went wrong, then figure out what your next step is and try again. Even if it doesn't work out right away you'll learn some valuable lessons. Remember why you're doing all of this in the first place.

 

[Rawr]

I hope you have a place in Moscow...its EXPENSIVE

I am jealous, trans siberia would be unreal definitely would check out progress on a blog

 

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[stefan]

No I'm tired of fighting.

We as entrepreneurs will fight until we make it work. You made this inspirational and ballsy thread and you can't just back out of it now over a water-damaged laptop. Buy an Acer C7 Chromebook for exactly $200 if you can't fix your damaged one. Imagine what you'll gain from just figuring this simple stuff out and making the trip.

BTW I realize that getting a travel visa is frustrating but it's doable, just don't give up over a few frustrating nights.

 

[mayana]

I just WISH I could do something like this!!

I am currently selling all of our things for an international move, but I'm taking my family with me We won't be taking a train across Asia and sleeping in hostels, which actually sounds like an amazing adventure. I was able to travel a little by myself and stay in hostels in the U.K several years ago, and it was a blast.

Go for it - you will NEVER regret having done it, I can promise you.

 

[DeletedUser394]

My travel plans have changed for the time being. I attempted to hire a firm that specializes in visa applications and they were honest and straightforward with me in saying that it would not be possible to get all visas required even if we expedite the process.

So the plan has changed and it now looks like this: I'm going to Chernobyl/Kiev (Ukraine), the breakaway Republic of Transnistria (real place!), Albania, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Kosovo.

Basically treking from the east of Europe, to the south and the Mediterranean sea.

As before, I've got a one way ticket to Kiev, and no set end point.

All of those beautiful countries actually like tourists and are visa free.

I'll look at doing the trek across asia in the near future.

 

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[theag]

Already spent about 2k (1.25k for the train/hostel accommodation, 750 for the flights to beijing)

What about this?

 

[Vick]

We could switch places since I'm in Scottsdale, Arizona lols It's hardly in the 70's unless it's mid-Autumn. I'm originally from California though.

lol, if only that were possible

 

[DeletedUser19]

I hope that you are not going in the town of Chernobyl.

I'm going to Chernobyl/Kiev (Ukraine), the breakaway Republic of Transnistria (real place!), Albania, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Kosovo.

If I were you, and money wasn't the determining factor, I'd take a more central European route: Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece. Or Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria/Macedonia and Greece. But that would probably be a little more expensive trip and I don't know about visas.

The route you have chosen is cheaper. If you want to stick with the current plan, that's ok, you will have a good time anyway. Adventure. But if possible, instead of Kosovo and Albania, go to Serbia, Croatia, Greece.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

I hope that you are not going in the town of Chernobyl.



If I were you, and money wasn't the determining factor, I'd take a more central European route: Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece. Or Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria/Macedonia and Greece. But that would probably be a little more expensive trip and I don't know about visas.

The route you have chosen is cheaper. If you want to stick with the current plan, that's ok, you will have a good time anyway. Adventure. But if possible, instead of Kosovo and Albania, go to Serbia, Croatia, Greece.

Not Chernobyl, but Pripyat. More or less the same. It's safe. Definitely going into the abandoned town.

Perhaps the part where I'm visiting every country on earth was missed. I'm doing eastern europe on this route, no interest in Central Europe until a future trip.

 

[DeletedUser394]

What about this?

Because I've booked so many plane tickets for future trips, the company refunded me (even though it's a 100% non refundable ticket lol). They have a customer for life now. I didn't even have to ask, they just gave it back.

As for hostel/transport fees, that was easy to recoup. Only a $50 penalty for everything.

 

[theag]

Chernobyl. It's safe.

[video=youtube;Pp9xuquibQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp9xuquibQc[/video]

 

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[Alex Rend]

Well I F*cking give up. Spilled a tiny bit of water on my laptop as I was running out the door to print my visa applications. The laptop is dedestroyed. I dnot have enough time to have them processed. I just give up. Sitting here crying like a loser. I quit.

"So now it became more interesting than it was before" - I hope you will have that kind of mindset in your head! I'm glad that you were up for your next round. It will be one of your biggest adventures and memories for your whole life, man! Keep us updated and a lot of luck for you

 

[Deleted14762]

If you're planning on visiting Bosnia tell me

 

[Brentnal]

You gonna come to Holland to somethime?

 

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[DeletedUser394]

You gonna come to Holland to somethime?

If Amsterdam is part of Holland, then yes.

 

[libertad1312]

Sounds like a great trip. Have fun!
And don't let these annoying visa applications drag you down. For the china visa it helps to get a outgoing flight reservation (just talk a bit with the nearest travel agency, they can do it for free) and a hostel reservation for the first night. Then you can get it yourself for under 100$. Even easier if you fly through Hong Honk. Their embassy is known to be the easiest one for chinese visa...
Let me know if you need any advice. I have done the same some time ago just vice versa. Sold everything, hitchiked from central europe to russia, took the transib to bejing and since then I am still around in (southeasi)asia.
For the transib I recommend the super cheap but still comfortable third class tickets. You can even book them online if you translate the russian railway website with the help of google or a friend. But shouldn't be a big deal, since the main season is over anyway.