Thirty-five thousand miles, twenty-nine countries, one Toyota Hilux. From London, east across Europe and Central Asia, into Russia and Mongolia, across to the Americas. What follows is the route, country by country.
GMT-centred equirectangular · land geometry from Natural Earth 1:110m (public domain). Pacific shipping leg wraps off the right edge (Japan → Vancouver) and re-enters at the left; the Atlantic dashed arc closes the loop from Boston back to Southampton. Phase 3: interactive map driven by the waypoint table above.
Setting off from Bicester in Oxfordshire with my Hilux, all of my stuff packed away in plastic boxes in the bed below a hard top with a lock, ready to go off and visit the world.
“Ready to go off and visit the world.”
By early afternoon, I was already in France; however, we weren't staying there for long, heading straight for the Belgian border. Quick stop at a gas station.
“By early afternoon, we were already in France.”
Again, Belgium was only a flying visit; stayed one night, but really weren't in a hurry to see what I wanted to. Wanted to get to the meat and cheese of it.
“Wanted to get to the meat and cheese of it.”
Flew through Luxembourg, stopping only for lunch, and to spend a little time looking around.
“Stopping only for lunch.”
Drove down to Munich, specifically, Graggenau and Marienplatz. Then down to the Black Forest to hang out for a couple of days.
“Down to the Black Forest to hang out for a couple of days.”
Spent some time in Salzburg, which is a stunning city right by the river on a hill, before heading south via the Alps over into Slovenia.
“A stunning city right by the river on a hill.”
Managed to pick myself up a couple of parking tickets here and ultimately got clamped, which was a little annoying.
“Ultimately got clamped, which was a little annoying.”
Over into Bratislava and its old winding streets. I have to be honest, this country remains a highlight for me and a little hidden gem inside Europe.
“A little hidden gem inside Europe.”
I've got to be honest, Croatia along the coast is one of my favorite parts. It's almost more Roman than Italy, with the old Roman forts and the amphitheatres that can be visited so easily.
“Almost more Roman than Italy.”
Twenty years on from the siege and the bullet-marks were still on the buildings; the coffee, by contrast, was the best of the trip so far. This city has an incredible blend of East meets West, with not only Roman Catholic architecture but that of the Ottoman invaders.
“Twenty years on from the siege and the bullet-marks were still on the buildings; the coffee, by contrast, was the best of the trip so far.”
The hills and the city of Kotor are absolutely stunning; it's a must see. Although, beware, do not set off on the steps without a good bit of water and some snacks with you. It's a heck of a long way to the top. This is where they filmed King's Landing for Game of Thrones. It's an absolutely stunning area.
“It's a heck of a long way to the top.”
Albania was a fairly quick drive by for us, just a few days. We spent a couple of days in the countryside and a couple of days in the city, but it wasn't the place that had moved to the top of the list for the European vacation if you're planning one.
“A fairly quick drive by — just a few days.”
A capital in the middle of an identity crisis, half neoclassical statues, half communist concrete, all under a sky of unbroken blue. It had these amazing, massive buildings.
“A capital in the middle of an identity crisis — half neoclassical statues, half communist concrete, all under a sky of unbroken blue.”
Roman ruins under Ottoman houses under Soviet apartment blocks. A country built in archaeological layers and sold cheaply to the curious. This was the first time I tried couch surfing, and I ended up staying in some guy's apartment inside this old Soviet block
“Roman ruins under Ottoman houses under Soviet apartment blocks. A country built in archaeological layers and sold cheaply to the curious.”
From the Bosphorus to the moonscape valleys of Cappadocia and onward across the Anatolian plateau — three weeks in Türkiye and not a wasted day among them.Some of the highlights were; Staying in a farm just south of Istanbul and helping a British couple build a wall; Heading down to Began to watch the balloons fly and into the underground tunnel systems, seeing some of the old Roman architecture, and then heading up and across the bulk of the country as I move further and further east.
“Three weeks in Türkiye and not a wasted day among them.”
Georgia is a fantastically stunning country. Tbilisi, the capital, is also incredibly steeped in history and culture. One of my favourite dishes of the whole journey was had for breakfast here. It was like a freshly baked bread with an egg and cheese in the middle. I don't know the name of it, but I'll never forget it.
“Like a freshly baked bread with an egg and cheese in the middle. I don't know the name of it, but I'll never forget it.”
Azerbaijan is a crazy country. They have the eternal flame. Unfortunately, I missed out on my visa that I was really trying to get to go to Turkmenistan, so instead I had to use this baby gates of hell as a runner up. Turkmenistan, you're still on my list, and I'll make it there one day. I waited for 5 days at the port, praying for the visa to come through, but it never did arrive, so instead I caught a ferry across to Kazakhstan, Aktau. The ferry was this crazy ferry that even took freighter trains. The track literally rolled them straight on there. I was the only guy that wasn't one of the lorry drivers on the ship for a 7-day crossing.
“Turkmenistan, you're still on my list, and I'll make it there one day.”
Off the ferry into a steppe the colour of cardboard and a wind that had travelled a thousand miles to find you, with nothing in between. There was nothing but oil fields and Soviet architecture.
“A wind that had travelled a thousand miles to find you, with nothing in between.”
Uzbekistan is the most fantastic country, but what I didn't know about it before I arrived is that there's a dictator there that's pegged the currency, and so you're not able to get any diesel or gas in the country. All the cars run on this liquid petroleum gas. There's also hyperinflation. The first time I went to change money at the bank, they refused it, and I ended up getting my money exchanged from a woman selling cheese in a marketplace. I gave her a $100 bill, and she gave me a shopping bag full of notes.
“I gave her a $100 bill, and she gave me a shopping bag full of notes.”
The second-highest international highway in the world, four days at altitude in a truck engineered for it, and the most extraordinary landscape of the entire trip. To this day, Tajikistan remains one of the best countries I've ever been to. The only thing that comes close is the South Island of New Zealand for stunning natural beauty. The people there were also incredibly friendly. One night I ended up getting pulled into this wedding. It was an Islamic wedding, but all the guys were drinking vodka because of this strange blend of Russian and Islamic culture. They were just passing it around under the table.
“To this day, Tajikistan remains one of the best countries I've ever been to.”
Heading into Afghanistan is not necessarily the easiest thing, but there's this one embassy in Tajikistan which is famous, or was famous, for giving away visas to travelers who just wanted to visit. I was lucky enough to spend some time in the Wakhan Valley. I saw a caravan that looked like it was out of the early 14th century. This horse at the front, six camels behind, just towing this man's possessions.
“A caravan that looked like it was out of the early 14th century.”
Kyrgyzstan is a fantastic country. I stayed in a lot of homestays. It was like this one guy from the government had just gone out and given everybody these signs. It was about $10 a night for a bed and a breakfast.
“About $10 a night for a bed and a breakfast.”
The Trans-Siberian Highway went on and on and on. There were days where I drove 1,400 miles and saw nothing but gas stations and trees. Lake Baikal was a definite high point. The road was cold and icy, and it was just me and the truckers. Finally I got to Vladivostok, which was where I could catch the ferry to South Korea, but not before popping into Mongolia
“Days where I drove 1,400 miles and saw nothing but gas stations and trees.”
Mongolia was such an awesome place. I spent about three weeks here, mainly in and around Ulaanbaatar, getting my Russian visa sorted. I couldn't do the Russian drive in one go because I was on a five-day transit visa, and you could only travel up to 5,000 km on this visa. I had to break the Trans-Siberian highway into two tranches, and Mongolia was the reward.
“Mongolia was the reward.”
I love Korea. It's such a friendly culture, vibrant place, packed in, so much going on. I started out in Busan in the south and headed up to Seoul.
“Such a friendly culture, vibrant place, packed in, so much going on.”
I'll stop in Asia for the truck before being loaded onto the boat that would finally take it to North America. If I was to do this again, I would actually just start in Japan, buy a Toyota Highlander rather than Hilux, and drive it back the other way, selling it when I got to the UK.
“If I was to do this again, I would actually just start in Japan.”
I love Vancouver so much. There was time to pop to Vancouver Island for a few days before heading back on to the mainland and starting to head south.
“Time to pop to Vancouver Island for a few days.”
America could be its own world in its own right. It has everything from deserts to mountains to the coast. We took the 101 down the West Coast all the way and actually ended up accidentally driving into Mexico for the night. We turned around and headed back up into Colorado via Four Corners, the place where four states perfectly meet. Then on to Fort Worth to see some friends before heading up towards Boston to drop off the car on a ship and have it shipped back to Southampton in the UK.
“America could be its own world in its own right.”
This one was a total mistake. I was in San Diego, and my friend was like, "Hey, let's go to Tijuana for the night." You can park in a car park and then walk across and catch a train. I drove past the sign that said "Last exit in the USA" on the freeway, and next thing I know I was driving straight into Tijuana. I managed to find a safe place to keep the car for the night. The next day, I accidentally drove up the diplomatic line to get back into the United States. The CBP officer was not impressed.
“The CBP officer was not impressed.”
