Organisation
To keep the project a bit organized we created the "big book". It is a notebook in the cloud (yes, we are regularly in the clouds) so we both can work on. It was created with OneNote, one of the most underrated Microsoft Office components. The possibilities to create chapters and move, to search and to make labels are perfect for our purposes.
Although we got a big pile of equipment user's manuals with the car, we systematically collected manuals from the Internet, which are sometimes more extensive. We also collected other, more general technical information ( "How does the battery voltage depend on the battery charge level?", "How do you get the car back to 2WD ?", "What is the tyre type numbering system?", etc. as well as vendor information. Also it is full with photos of parts that became visible after partial disassembly.
Below are some of the issues that kept us busy. We logged our preparations in this blog (Dutch).
Although we got a big pile of equipment user's manuals with the car, we systematically collected manuals from the Internet, which are sometimes more extensive. We also collected other, more general technical information ( "How does the battery voltage depend on the battery charge level?", "How do you get the car back to 2WD ?", "What is the tyre type numbering system?", etc. as well as vendor information. Also it is full with photos of parts that became visible after partial disassembly.
Below are some of the issues that kept us busy. We logged our preparations in this blog (Dutch).
Visas and passports
For the first part of the trip we both had two passports. Possibilities for having more than one passport differ strongly per country. In the Netherlands it used to be possible for business purposes only, now also for individuals if you have a valid reason. We have understood that the assessment of this varies by town. Having more than one passport is helpful in the following situations:
In 2013 before we embarked on our first trip we have been in touch with various visa services, but in the Netherlands you almost always end up at CIBT. This is an American company with a branch office in the Netherlands. For our kind of travel it benefits little: they do only the standard cases (flight, hotel reservation, ...) and are hardly willing to speak with you if you something else. We also had brief contact with Visa Center Netherlands. They look more flexible.
Under the tab "Countries", the requirements and experiences per country have been described. Furthermore we created the site https://www.4ever2wherever.com with information about documents and procedures for entry of persons and vehicles in a country.
- If you need to apply for two visa simultaneously;
- if a country requires that you apply for the visa in your home country or allows for a longer stay if you apply in your home country;
- if stamps of one country cause problems in a country you visit later, although your Carnet de Passages or stamps from a neighboring country still may show the real route. We have understood that this works if you travel through Israel to Sudan. However, countries like Israel and Nagorno Karabach that are aware that their stamps cause problems will stamp a separate sheet of paper instead.
In 2013 before we embarked on our first trip we have been in touch with various visa services, but in the Netherlands you almost always end up at CIBT. This is an American company with a branch office in the Netherlands. For our kind of travel it benefits little: they do only the standard cases (flight, hotel reservation, ...) and are hardly willing to speak with you if you something else. We also had brief contact with Visa Center Netherlands. They look more flexible.
Under the tab "Countries", the requirements and experiences per country have been described. Furthermore we created the site https://www.4ever2wherever.com with information about documents and procedures for entry of persons and vehicles in a country.
Documents
After valuable equipment and important car papers were stolen in Chile while the car was parked we made it a habit not to leave any valuables or papers in the front part of the car. Thieves are trained to open and search standard cars very quickly. The living part of our car is more difficult to open an less familiar for intruders. The living part was left untouched in Chile.
Insurance
Travel
The options we had for a travel insurance were very much determined by options and conditions as they apply for the Netherlands. Our selection process has been described here (in Dutch).
Third Party Liability
We got our Third Party Liability Insurance from the parties in the list here. We looked for reliable companies covering as many countries as possible rather than the cheapest solution. Here you find more insurance information.
The options we had for a travel insurance were very much determined by options and conditions as they apply for the Netherlands. Our selection process has been described here (in Dutch).
Third Party Liability
We got our Third Party Liability Insurance from the parties in the list here. We looked for reliable companies covering as many countries as possible rather than the cheapest solution. Here you find more insurance information.
