I recently decided to make plans for an ambitious walking trip across parts of Europe and Asia since I will have an opportunity to take several months off sometime starting Spring 2015. I have never left the states, but have wanted to go traveling internationally for a long time. Although my planned route is rather lengthy for someone unaccustomed to international travel (see below) I feel as though for something like this one ought to go big or go home.
ROUTE KEY: --- is by foot, === is by bus or train, +++ is by boat or plane
ROUTE: Minneapolis +++ Glasgow --- Inverness === London --- Harwich +++ Hoek van Holland --- Amsterdam +++ Florence --- Rome --- Ancona +++ Patras --- Athens +++ Istanbul +++ Alexandria --- Cairo +++ Dubai +++ Mumbai === Kolkata +++ Bangkok --- Singapore +++ Hong Kong +++ Osaka --- Hiroshima === Tokyo +++ Seattle
LENGTH: 4 1/2 months, although the time restriction is fairly loose since I intend to walk for large portions of it. This is an estimate based on a walking pace of 20 miles/30 km a day plus calculated times for buses, trains, boats, and planes.
BUDGET: I have a fair amount of disposable income, but would like to keep the total amount under $6000 for expenses incurred during the trip if at all possible. Since vehicle-based travel costs alone look to be around $3000, I am not sure how viable this budget is unless I took measures to avoid hotels at every possibility (thinking of sticking to hostels, couches, and bivouac). I may also cut out the middle portion of the route going through the Middle East to save some money (Dubai is expensive) but would prefer to keep them if I can swing it.
TIMEFRAME: I had originally intended to leave March 1st, although from what I can tell walking from Glasgow to Inverness at that time of year may be too cold to allow for camping along the route. I would rather not leave later than April 1st however since I am worried that I will be hitting peak heat by the time summer comes around to the regions I will be traveling through. Any input on that front would be helpful.
Also any pointers for first-time travelers would be good. I've researched a bit from lonelyplanet and various travel blogs so I have some idea as to what I need to bring and all the documentation I should need, but certain things (legal aspects of camping in the countryside for various countries, travel restrictions, etc.) I am not as familiar with.