Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

There's a lad in the UK that rode an Oz postie motorbike from Oz to UK...good book to read...can't see the title it's on my Kindle that has a flat battery :)

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

There are some really good books about people doing that kind of trek aren't there, I love them, specially how they cope going across the wilder bits of Asia.

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

Yes that young lad went through some really troubled countries to get back to the UK. He gave a talk at my old UK M/C club after I had got here...damn :(

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

I travelled to Auckland from Europe via the Panama canal in 2004 and back again in 2005. The people I used were http://www.strandtravelltd.co.uk/

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

That looks absolutely fantastic.

Tilbury (UK) Dunkirk (France) Le Havre (France) New York (USA) Savannah, Georgia (USA) Kingston (Jamaica) Cartagena (Colombia) Panama Canal (Panama) Papeete (Tahiti) Nouméa (New Caledonia) Sydney (Australia) Melbourne (Australia)

Going straight on my bucket list.

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

He's in his late 70's

He's in his late 70's

He's in his late 70's

I looked in to this option but from his back garden it would bring him out in the middle
of the Southern Ocean

http://www.freemaptools.com/tunnel-t...-the-earth.htm

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

Spent today salmon fishing with a young 89 year old ! after 5 hours I was too tired and left him there to carry on!
Late 70's.....jog back!;)

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

Did any of the sea going options help at all Col ?

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

Dont know yet, he's away on his jollies until the end of the month so I cant contact him.
The sea routes look like the only real options but I dont know if I want him stuck on a container
ship for for weeks on end and its pretty expensive, it'd be around 16 to 20 thousand pounds just for the journey !!

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

I do remember a TV prog where Micheal Palin was passenger on a freighter and he did point out that you need to take plenty of books!

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

Just a thought but could you look at a repositioning cruise where the ship comes from the UK to NZ not stopping much as its just repositioning. Go one way, then he can holiday and cruise home again.
Certainly cheaper than the freight option.

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

It looked like the sort of travel older folks enjoy - and he wouldn't be alone. It didn't look anywhere as near as rough as I expected.

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

I met a couple of travellers in Malaysia who were from Denmark. They had travelled over land to Malaysia and planned to boat it to Aceh then into Darwin and down through OZ to Melbourne with the view to freighting it Argentina, whether they made it or not ill never know.

If money is no object then you could have a lot of fun, although saying that things can be done on a shoestring if your willing to rough it a little

Might not be your old mans cup of tea though.

Id love to have a go though

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

Thanks to all for the help, things dont look very good for getting him down here but I've got some options to look into

Re: Alternatives to flying ??
 

:fingerscrossed: Col.

I like the idea of the repositioning cruise thing. May be more cost effective.