1

1 1/2 months for the US and Asia?!?! Wow, that's not much time.

If you drive coast-to-coast in the US and don't stop to see anything but just sleep it will take you almost 4 days.
Imagine staying only 2 days in each of the 9 places on your list--18 days, not including minimum 1-2 days to drive to each place. At the absolute minimum you are over 1 month for just those 9 places.

In my opinion, forget about doing an around the world trip this way and just pick one place U.S or Asia; or drop some of the places you want to visit. Maybe consider 1 week on the east coast of the US and just visit NYC & Boston, then fly to San Fran or LA and do 1.5 weeks in CA plus Vegas and Grand Canyon. (Forget about Texas it's huge and boring.)
Then fly to somewhere in SEA such as Bangkok and do overland to Cambodia & Laos for 3 weeks.
Even this timeline is super fast and exhausting.

2

Bohemiana: I think they mean there doing the US part of the trip in a month and half

3

tamaraloong--That's good. That's plenty of time. Although my opinion of Texas stands.

Crazy, but I've met some people doing 1-month ATW trips!

4

Thanks for the info Bohemiana, and yes I meant 1,5 months for the US. I'll be 3 months in australia (I'm staying at my buddy's) and around 5 months along EA and china.

5

On the U.S. leg, unless you are you flying around the U.S. your itinerary is way too spread out for a few weeks' visit (unless you mean the entire 1 1/2 months is devoted to travelling in the U.S. - this isnt clear). Also, the Route 66 myth - there are only a few parts of old route 66 remaining and there are many better driving routes through the American west than that.

Gotta disagree with #1 about Texas - only MOST of it is boring and Austin is one of the birght spots (along with neighboring San Antonio and Big Bend National Park on the far western side of the state). Still, if you are going to Texas just for Austin I'd reconsider.

Another thing to consider - budget. You've got a mix of some of the least expensive places to visit (SE Asia) along with some of the most expensive (New York). What is your budget for the U.S. leg?

On buying the car in the U.S. You'll need a few days to find and buy it, an address to register it and insurance for it. Also, how will you get rid of it at the end of the trip (may take a week to sell it). An option is to donate it to National Public Radio when done (they'll come and pick it up).

I'd recommend basing in an area (say Boston) and renting a car for local travel there. Return the car and fly on to your next area (say L.A.) and repeat the process.

The good thing is travelling in April when prices are down and there may be deals on domestic air carriers within the U.S. Down side - it will still be cold in April with lots of snow in the western mountains.

6

Hi cascadeBob, Yes the 1,5 months is just the US leg as i wrote on my last reply. I did consider renting cars but that is around 1200 $ as long as i could probably one cheap car for aroud 750$. wouldn't mind if have to leave it behind is it did its job. and still save me some money.

I will reconsider about Austin, I was told was pretty nice, however certainly it is a bit off my initial route so might be worth for another trip.

cheers

7

Do some research and see if this is really an option. Remember you will probably have to pay for registration, insurance, excise tax (in some states), and possibly repairs, in addition to the cost of the car.

I can't give specific useful feedback on your U.S. itinerary as it sounds like a generic "let's go to places we've heard of" plan. So I'll just comment generally. You have a lot of driving between locations. Have you plotted this trip on a travel directions site? Do you realize, for example, how much backtracking is involved when going from Chicago to the east coast? Do you know how long Route 66 was, do you know how to get around today's missing portions, and are you ready to drive through large stretches of "nothing?"

8

Hey nrclibn thanks for the comments. I'm aware of all the extra costs of buying a car, but adding all the tickets to cross the country two people can maybe be the same quantity and you don't get to see as many places as with the car. Also I will not do backtracking as we are getting in New York but leaving from LA. I got the ticket like that so I will cross the country.

thanks

9

There have been some good discussions about buying a car in the U.S. over on the USA thread. About 50% say forget it, other 50% say do it, but there is good information on how to register and insure a car in the U.S. Use the search function and search the USA thread.

10

Sentob, perhaps I am being pedantic. But when you write Also I will not do backtracking and you write New York, Boston, Niagara Falls, Chicago, then wanted to go down the east coast you are clearly planning to backtrack. Chicago is on the coastline of Lake Michigan. The east coast is on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. Study a map of the U.S. and you will see that your stated plan is to head westward and inland, then go all the way back out east so you can head south along the coast.

Chicago was one of the original endpoints of Route 66 (the other endpoint was L.A.). So, if you want to really follow the path of Route 66, you could start heading south and west from Chicago. But in that case, you need to forget about visiting any part of the east coast apart from New York, Boston, and points in between.