Many
people asked me, “arent u afraid of doing a solo ride?” My answer was...
“Imagine if u are going to sit for an important, really important examination.
If u are well prepared for the exam.....if u hv done yr revision well.....if u
hv memorized the important facts.....even though u hv no idea how difficult @
simple @ moderate the questions will be, and u hv no idea what kind of question
that will be asked, u will enter the examination hall with lots of
confidence.....knowing that u already stored the facts and information
somewhere inside yr brain, waiting for the correct time and place to trash it
all out. But if u are not well prepared, if u havent done yr reading and
memorizing, u will start to sweat heavily and keep on visiting the toilet due
to the high level of anxiety and the lack of confidence.”
So same
goes here....I’m not saying that I am not afraid to ride solo. Of course the
fear is there, but it was under control because I know what I’m doing.....and
should things didnt go as planned, I already hv a Plan B, or even Plan C on
what to do. Why? Bcos I hv done my research and preparation well. The key to
this matter is - do not be lazy. Do your
homework. The infos is just beyond your fingertips. Never expect ppl to spoon feed u with all the infos. If you think
that u don’t hv the time to read or u dont hv the effort to do research, then,
just go with a two wheels tour, which is expensive of course.....but worry free
as everything will be taken care for u. All u need to do is to ride the bike
when the time comes, under the guidance of an expert guide. It is actually your
choice – do it the hard way.....or do it the easy way.....Its as simple as
that.
So, how
important is preparation? Does it really essential? Ever heard of a quote,
“FAIL TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL?” Well, I am the type who really hold to this
quote in everything that I do in life. I am on organized person and I will make
sure that everything that can be control, will be controlled properly, as to
minimize the risk and trouble when the ride has actually taken place. Besides,
we never know whats going to happen when we are on the road (things which we
cant control), so to me, its important to make sure that we did the best for
the things that we can control. We are not talking about a santai ride to
Hadyai or Krabi, but we are talking about a solo ride to the STANS COUNTRIES
which differed in language, alphabet, culture, food, climate, temperature, road
condition, geography etc, compared to our own country. These countries are
unknown to many of us before, and its not too much to say that my solo ride and
my choice of countries hv opened the eyes of many Malaysian bikers out there of
where these countries are located and what kind of ‘paradise’ it has to offer.
I hv involved in independent travelling since the past 12 years, but never had I make a big preparation as how I prepared for my Central Asia ride. The closest perhaps is the preparation which I did for my solo Eastern Europe backpacking trip, involving 10 countries in 2010. It took me 6 months of intensive research to plan and do everything from A to Z for this ride. When I said intensive, it meant that minus my lecturing time, meal, pray and sleeping time, I will be in front of my lappy – googling, searching, reading, emailing etc for about 16 hours per day. Enough to say how maniac I am on internet, isnt it? LOL...
My
preparation list can be divided into several categories:
ROUTE AND ITINERARY
Doesn’t
matter what type of transportation u choose when travelling, no other preparation
can be done if u r unsure of where to go, when to go, what to see and how to get
there. Everything should start from this very important info which will lead to
yr future preparation & arrangements. I did my research and posted in
several travel forums to ask for infos on best places to go and which scenic
road to take. After gathering enough infos, I made up my mind, plotted my route
and drafted my itinerary. Believe me, when on the road, no itinerary is really
final. I make lots of changes here and there before I finally come out with a ‘TENTATIVE
ITINERARY’. Still, when on the go, I hv to make ammendments and adjustments when I failed to
keep track with the itinerary due to the bad road condition and miscalculation
of riding time.
CARGO
This is
the most important thing in my check list as this will cost the most out of my budget. Since my riding duration is only
about 1 month, I hv to start riding from the most convenient starting point.
For that, I hv to check which airlines fly to my origin destination, and I need
to know if the airlines provide cargo services. Once I hv the infos, I started
to make calls (lots of them) to check on the freight charges and the procedure
to fly my bike there. I also hv to check if I need to hire an agent to help
with the bike’s clearance at the customs and to help with sending the bike for
shipment once I am done with my ride.
VISA
Out of 5
countries that I am visiting, only one (Kyrgyzstan) does not require a
Malaysian passport holder to get a visa beforehand. I hv to call the respective
embassies to ask them about the visa requirement and fees. I hv to travel few
times from Ipoh to KL to get all 4 visas sorted out. The most difficult to get
is Uzbekistan visa. I only get it 3 days prior to my ride and if its not for
the help from MFA, Malaysian Embassy in Tashkent and Palani from Uzbek Airways,
I doubt if I am getting the visa after all. Many thanks to those who hv helped
me. As for permit to enter specific region in the Pamir, I first asked the Msian
Embassy in Tashkent to help me, but unfortunately they cant due to some
restrictions.....I managed to get it myself at Tajik Embassy in Almaty though.
SUPPORT LETTERS
Since I
am doing a solo ride, and since I am born a woman, safety is my top priority. For this, I engaged a bond with the
highest officer in charge of the Central Asia countries at the MFA, and with
the Malaysian Embassy in Tashkent, and I acknowledged them about my itinerary
and my route. I also get advises from them on the do’s and dont’s and the MFA
supplied me with support letters for me to show to the respective embassies in
order to get their support letters. This is not an easy task. Lots of calls and
visits hv to be made and I finally hv to make do with support letters fr
Afghan, Kyrgyz and Kazakh embassies only. As for Uzbek, I get a support letter
fr our embassy in Tashkent. None from Tajik embassy though as they said that
they never practised this. It was proven that during my ride, the support
letters hv helped me in many situations and I am so glad that I took the
trouble to get them. I also reported to the Malaysian Embassy in Tashkent upon my
arrival, and I let them know about my riding progress and my where about during
my ride. This is very important for them to track me should I go missing by any
chance.
FLIGHT TICKET
I must
say that I am an expert when it comes to finding cheap flights. I master
this skill by doing lots of reading and trying out purchasing the ticket myself
during my previous backpacking trips. As for this ride, I purchased the ticket
few months in advance after comparing prices via several different online agents.
MAPS, GUIDE BOOK & GPS
I bought
a non-laminated Central Asia map (later I laminate it myself) and Central Asia
Lonely Planet book at Kino book shop. I also printed out maps from the
internet. As for the digital map, I hv it installed in my GPS from the place
which I bought the device.
OTHER DEVICES
I bought a multi-functional watch which reads not just the time, but temperature, baromatic pressure, altitude, weather forecast and compass. I also bought a plastic inner which to be wore inside my sleeping bag and acted as sauna to add and preserve heat. As for cameras, I bought a Hero 3 Silver Gopro camera, and I used another two which are Canon digital and the camera from my Samsung Note II mobile phone.
LANGUAGE AND ALPHABET
Planning
to go to countries where English is not spoken and the alphabet is not the
Roman type that we are used to, making it very essential for one to master the
basic phrases and to learn the alphabet. I get my Russian friend to suggest me
the best and easiest way to learn and it took me about 1 week to memorize the
funny alphabet.
CAMPING GEARS
I get my
stuff from an outdoor shop in KL. I brought along a
single occupant light weight tent, a sleeping mat, Deuter sleeping bag, a solar
lamp, a small portable stove, simple cutleries, small pots, a mini thermos,
cooking wax (which I used most as I cant find gas canister in the respective
countries which can fit my stove) and a small packet of sulphur. I brought two
elastic strings with hooks to strap my camping gears (which I stored in a
waterproof sack) on the pillion seat. I also brought some canned food, instant
noodles and instant beverages from Malaysia.
PROPER ATTIRE
Riding
on an altitude above 3500m is not something which we can take for granted. As
weather can change dramatically, it is very important to make sure that I am
kept dry and warm at all times. My sifu, Hadi Hussein is very concerned about
this. He helped to buy a four seasons riding jacket and gloves for me. He also
lent me his chest wind protector and a winter buff. As for my riding pants, I
wore the one that I got from Givi. I also brought along another pair of Givi
gloves as spare. I wore my used Daytona Goretex riding boots and brought along
3 pieces of T-shirt from dry-fit material. Long wool socks is also very
important to keep my feet warm especially when in the mountains.
MEDICINES & VACCINATIONS
Speaking
about medicines, as my ride will undergo 13 mountain passes ranging from 2200m
– 4655m, I must be prepared with AMS tablet as AMS is very common to happen on
high altitudes. I also brought with me fever & flu tablets, oral
rehydration salts, a small bottle of ‘minyak cap kapak’, and heat & cold
rashes cream. 2 weeks prior to departure, I took a flu and Hep A & B combi
vaccines.
SPONSORSHIP PAPER WORK
As I am
new to this, preparing sponsorship paper work is something which I find quite
difficult and challenging. Being a perfectionist, I want my paper work to be
the best and convincing. I asked for help and samples from some senior friends,
but unfortunately they are not willing to share theirs. Never mind. God gv me
brain, so, I figured it out myself. By
checking the net, I finally came out with my paper work and I send it to about
25 companies and ministries. I followed up regularly and in the end, only 3 agreed to sponsor me. They are
Givi (riding gears), Yamaha Hong Leong (spare parts for my bike) and Yayasan
Perak (some cash money). The rest either didn't bother to reply or replied with apologies for not being able to contribute. I understand that apart from financial issues, people are sceptical and not
confident with my ability, as I am not only a newbie, but also a woman. I
wished to proof them wrong. I also get sponsorship for my offcial T-Shirt from a biker friend, Nuri, and my mechanic refused to accept the payment for his work on the bike. I want to thank all my sponsors for all the support and for believing in me.
INSURANCE
 |
| Sponsored items from Givi.....thanks :) |
 |
| Some of the spare parts sponsored by Yamaha Hong Leong.....thanks :) |
INSURANCE
The most
reliable for me for such a trip is Chartis. I got myself covered for all the
countries that I’m riding to, and for the duration that I will be away.
TOOLS & SPARES
I
brought along my basic tool box, with additional electric air pump, an air pressure indicator, clutch and brake levers, a
bulb, bearing, a bottle of engine oil, an oil filter and a chain spray. I didnt
bring too many spares as my ride will only cover 6000+kms, and since I hv made
a thorough checking and changing some parts before the ride. Besides, I must also
be careful on how much weight that I am carrying. I also carry with me a fuel canister to accommodate with the lack of petrol station in the Pamir.
BIKE PREP
This is
the thing which I hv to delay until the very last minute. Why? Bcos of the
Uzbek visa which was at hold until almost to the day that I am leaving. Bike
prep costs me quite some money, so there is no point to work on the bike if I
can’t proceed with my ride due to failure in getting the visa. Once Uzbek
Embassy said that my visa is through, my mechanic Faiesal, had to rush to get
all the things needed and starts working on my bike. Among the work that he did
was:
Ported and polished head
Valve clearance intake 0.10
exhaust 0.16
Clutch: 5 pcs with hard spring
Sproket: 15/44
Ream: Front 2.50 x 17; Rear 3.50 x
17
Tyre: Front 80/90 tubeless Dunlop
TT100; Rear 120/70 tubeless Pirelli MT60
Dunlop TT100 tyre is a tubeless
tyre, but
since the size is smaller than the front ream and it can't be fitted without
using a tube, so my mechanic decided to use swallow trye tube. To prevent leak, he injected slime liquid into both
tyres.
Engine oil: Motul 5100
Accessory: Fixing bottle holder;
a two 6 mm holes to attach a flag holder at the rear box
A minor repair has also been done
to the wiring system.
 |
| Faiesal working on DREAM at his workshop: IRHB Motorsport, 30 Jln Meru Perdana 2, Tmn Meru Perdana, Ipoh. 016-5579904 |
It was
proven that Faiesal had done a great job as my bike didn’t suffer any puncture or
major problem through out the ride. I wished to thank him, and also my sifu,
Hadi for the advises given to me to ensure the bike is in great condition.
OTHER INFOS
CALENDAR MEMENTO
The
first time when I plan for this ride, my objective is not merely to satisfy my
hunger on adventure riding and to appreciate the beauty of mother earth only,
but also to help as much as I can to promote and introduce my country to the people of
Central Asia. So, I came out with the idea of a 2013 & 2014 memento calendar
which hv some beautiful pics of the attractions in Malaysia. I purposely chose
to write the introduction of Malaysia in Russian alphabet and language so that
the people can understand, and hopefully this will attract them to visit my
country. I brought along 250 pieces of these calendars and distributed it to the locals whom I met on the road.
EVACUATION PLAN
Travelling
to the Central Asia countries came with risks such as political unrest and disaster,
namely avalanche, landslides, earth quakes etc. I have to prepare myself with evacuation plan should
unwanted things jeopardize my ride. For this, I hv someone who hv access to
critical situations support to help me should I need to evacuate as soon as
possible.
I
research for infos on how to do border crossings, procedures and payment to
bring my motorbike into the country, latest road condition, mountain passes,
speed limit and fuel price in each country, fuel type, petrol station locator,
money changers, cheap places to stay (in bigger towns), mechanics and
periodical maintenance, and the list goes on and on and on.....
MONEY @ CURRENCY
Last but not least is money. How much money must one take? What kind of currency? Answer for question #1 depends on what kind of traveller you are. Answer for question #2 depends on the country you are going to visit. As for me, since I am a budget traveller, my expenses while on the road is not that much. This is because I stayed at cheap homestays @ guest house or I camped. I also cooked my own meals to save the cost. For this trip, before leaving home, I checked the XE to know what is the latest currency conversion for all 5 countries that I am going to visit. They are Uzbek Som, Kazakh Tenge, Kyrgyz Som, Tajik Somani and Afghan Afghani. I hv made my research and I knew that USD is more acceptable in these countries compared to Euro. Since it is difficult (if not impossible) to find an ATM (except in major cities), I decided to bring all the money that I need for the whole trip.
 |
| Sifu said...."Split yr money into 4 different places, so that if u lost or someone steal yr money, u wont loose them all" |
These
are among the preps that I did before the ride. Preparation has its own
challenges. It keeps my brain working, it keeps me occupied that I never feel that my life is dull.....it taught me to be patient, to work
systematically, to accept what God had decide for me and many other things
which I cant list here. Most importantly, it gv me the strength and confidence
to do this ride alone in the unknown land of the Stans. Apart from the Lonely
Planet book which I read countless of times, I read thoroughly not less than 50
blogs and I picked 7 of them to be my major source. Youtube is also my main
source to check on things.
Some ppl
might think that I am over preparing myself.....but before even saying it, plz
bear in mind that I am a WOMAN, I am riding SOLO, my time is LIMITED and my
days are NUMBERED. Only a well preparation can ensure a smooth and safe journey
for a lone rider as me. I am proud to say that apart from the technical part, I
did every single thing that I mentioned above on my own. Its a one-woman-show.
I dont hv a team to help me to manage things. Its tiring.....its frustrating (at
times).....its challenging.....but to me this is the most exciting part :)
