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[FengYun]

Don't take Trans-Sib-Railway ever: it's fucking boring. Russia is very good, but spending one week in a train without getting off like what many people do... doesn't make any sense. And even if you make stops for a few days in Siberian cities - well, not much to do there in winter unless to see nature or something.

Go to China without bike: you can rent it there in many cities or even buy it, if you want. China is like another planet and there are many natural wonders (mountains, caves, deserts, grasslands, whatsoever) and historical places to see: it is a huge country of civilization with 4000 years of history after all. It should be also rather cheap, if you stay there for more than two weeks because of the price of housing, food and transportation there. You can also go to Mongolia, Vietnam, Japan or even Russia's Far East from there. Guangzhou, Guilin, Kunming, Lhasa, Chengdu, Xi'an, Shanghai, Beijing - this is what you should visit and every city in this list is unique and leaves different impression. Maybe Urumqi, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well. I just don't have enough words to describe how much China is better than all the rest routes that you have on your map. It's up to you to decide though.

[Baijiu]

I also suggest China, but I'm kinda apprehensive about suggesting it... The traffic there is awful, and it'd be dangerous to travel around there by bike. But hey, you went to Vietnam and lived and they're about equal on the omg-traffic level.

[insolor]

You can visit Russia even in winter. You just need shuba&varezhki and tamed bear
It's joke, only shuba and varezhki

[Meph]

FengYun: Sorry to say this, but your suggestions is super-subjective. Have you been to all the countries I have as possible targets? Because if not, then saying "china is awesome" is a bit unfair. China is really crappy in some regards, western-china and tibet is mostly offlimits to me as an individual traveller, their visas only last 30days (a joke considering how large the country is), there is a large language barrier in the countryside, because people speak no english, its freezing cold in the north, just like Russia... the mentioned traffic, the air polution, goverment controls and so on...

Your advise of going without a bike: Again, what? Rent or buy a bike in china, that makes no sense if I do have a well-build touring bicycle already. Renting especially makes no sense, because I'd have to do a round-trip back to where I rented it from, dont know if they take it back after a couple of thousand kilometers on it.

Yes, they do have a lot of interesting sights, the country is somewhat on the cheaper side, and yes the food is awesome, but it is in no way better or worse then any other country in the world.

Insolor: I think I'm good with the clothing I got

[Linkeron]

I like the northern yellows and western pink areas. If not that, then green sounds like a lot of fun.

Definitely take the bike.

[Meph]

Tiny update: While checking flights I found one to Malta for 28€ (+tax), so I am going there first, just a week. Still working on the bigger tour.

[FengYun]

Looking at your map, I guess, you haven't been to all the countries that I have been either and looks like you have never been to China, so I don't see why it made you reply in such a way. If you don't want to listen to advices from people like me, who are subjective, like people always are, then I am afraid I misunderstood the goal of creating this thread on the forum. I apologize, if my advice seemed nonsense to you. Did not want to disappoint you. Do what you want to do.

[Meph]

I didnt want to upset you, but let me show you what I meant with an example:

1. I live in Bulgaria, Bulgaria is awesome, it has nice sights, the cities are interesting, go to Bulgaria.
2. Bulgaria has 6h of daylight in winter, an average temperature of -5° celsius, and you can do about 50km a day on average on a bicycle because half of the roads are potholed or gravel.

First one is yours, you say the China is nice, interesting and I should go there. It offers no relevant travel infos. For me personally, I dont care if a country is nice or not. Doesnt matter, since I will go to every single one, be it awesome China or super-crappy Somalia, Northkorea or Libya.

Sorry if I didnt make myself clear, or if I somehow insulted you in any way.

[peregarrett]

Well, I join the herd of Russians here =)
As for Russia, I suggest you to travel not from west to east, but from north to south of european part instead. Say, from Finnland to St.Petersburg, then to Moscow, historical sites around (so-called "Gold Ring") and then move towards Caspian or Black Sea.
I think there's not much to do at Siberia (in case you aren't Bear Grills), mostly industrial cities. Just to get an impression, you can visit Irkutsk and Baykal lake, not by train, but by plane. Traveling from european part to far east by train is a sort of hardcore.
And after Irkutsk you can do next jump to Vladivostok and proceed to Japan after then.

Can't tell you much about bike travel since I never made trips more than a day long, but I read about tourists that do such trips. In a warm periods, of course.

As for climate, average temperature doesn't says much, since it's about -30C at winter and +30C at summer giving 0C in avarage, and it changes greatly from noth-east to south-west. But from May till September is mostly safe to be tourist. But do not underestimate the distances, that's the most common thing we have here - The Distances. 

[Tierre]

Yeah. Usual problem of everyone who tried to conquer Russia. After a few months of fighting -
"is it over yet?"
"No sir. we barely leaved borderlands"
"WHAT? But we almost have no more food and supplies... damn those russians. It was so much easier in Europe"
So yeah - distances are a bit freakish, but you traveled through all the Africa in one ride - you should pretty much understand those distances:) Of course population density may be a little bit lower... to put it mildly...

[Fairin]

*checks out the new library system, ah . a dwarven dictionary!. *thumbs through* Wanderlust: *picture of Meph*

so the question is. rest of Africa. or rest of asia.? skip it. go for the HFS and visit the circus! *chuckle*

since your in north africa (well close enough) why not bike down to capetown then fly back ? =P

and yeah.. russia in summer maybe me an my brother will make a trip up there sometime (deffinately going to visit germany where he was born and whatnot)

. i wanna see this bear that teaches you bad english Dartungar. =) we can get our own there right?

[ElenaRoan]

just going off your descriptions I'd go with the blue. I'm not much of a bike rider though.

Enjoy, I'd like to be a bit more nomadic myself but I'm near chained to this area by my job *sigh*

[sayke]

the west african coast is your best bet right now, weather-wise, but security can be an issue in nigeria and some other places. i don't recommend the gulf, unless you speak arabic, although oman has a bit for everybody.

[Meph]

If I do Russia it will be by train. I like trains and dont mind 15 days of train riding.

I am currently looking into getting a visa for Aaerbaidschan, maybe fly to Baku, then cycle back through Aserbaidschan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey/Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia, Bulgaria and Romania... OR fly to Capetown. Its a hard decision, because one way or another, I have to leave my girlfriend in Germany, and its a big difference if I go 2-3 months into winter/eastern-europe, or if I do 12-18 months in Africa.

In 10 days I'll fly to Malta for a week, ticking that tiny island state of my list. Still have to do preparations for that.

[Tierre]

18 months trip.... How do you earb money if you travel that much O_O