Financing your expedition

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Ryder

Ryder

Having a senior moment
Posts
6,616
Location
West Bedforshire
OK I think perhaps this is a dumbass question but what the hell.

How do folks finance their expeditions? I know that saving ****loads of money is a good idea to start with, but from the point of view of someone who knows nothing about such things I am interested to know whether there are other areas that finance comes from.

How many folks sell their homes to finance longer trips? How on earth do you manage such adventures as Cassie does with the extra considerations of children and so on.

Hope you don't think I am being too nosy... but I am kinda interested.
 
Not done any major expeditions but on the two I have done I save up a bit and hope while I am out there some cheques get paid in back at home :)
 
Not got a house to sell so just saving really hard and selling everything we own.

If you are carrying out an expedition (one with a scientific purpose otherwise it is not an expedition, it is an overland trip) then you can get funding from various sources, most notably the RGS. If you can prove that your applied skill and research is needed in a part of the world then they can usually help. It does however have to be somewhat unique as most things have all ready been done/seen by someone somewhere.

As a Geologist and the doris being a benthic Taxonimist/Biologist we will hopefully be able to apply ours skills in Tajikistan, Mongolia and NE Siberia. We can see opertunities here, we just need to find out who is doing what and where.

Other ways are through media sales (fickle) and sponsorship (mostly just subsidised). But both return small amounts in the grand scheme of things, so arguably 80-100% of most people's expenses are from themselves. If you can squeeze more than this out of anyone your doing well!

G
 
we got a loan for ours and also used our credit cards where we could and we are now paying it all of at around £1000 a month! My advice would be to save as much as you can and only use credit cards for emergencys or like when we ran out of money to get us through europe and back home.
 
big ad said:
we got a loan for ours and also used our credit cards where we could and we are now paying it all of at around £1000 a month! My advice would be to save as much as you can and only use credit cards for emergencys or like when we ran out of money to get us through europe and back home.
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Ouch. that is one way to do it, but would not personally get into debt just to go travelling. I think I would be mighty depressed upon return!

Did you find a job then Ad? I take it settling back in is difficult? Did you get anything out of media sales after your trip?

G
 
Griff... excuse the ignorance but what is a benthic Taxonimist.... is it anything like an ethnic terrorist?

LOL

The question is genuine though
 
has anyone done a London- Capetown overland trip and if so what could be the major costs involved here? How do i go about planning a major trip like this? permits etc?
 
Desert Driver said:
has anyone done a London- Capetown overland trip and if so what could be the major costs involved here? How do i go about planning a major trip like this? permits etc?
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DD - thousands of people have traversed this route via both east and west coasts (right down the centre was possible but that was some time ago now :) )

I suggest you buy a copy of this: Africa Overland: 4x4 • Motorbike • Bicycle • Truck - Bradt Travel Guides and do hours of reading.

British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Home is a good place for quick country info, try to read between the lines in places though. The west coast route has kind of become a no go area at present due to several kidnappings of westerners in the past few months in Mali/Mauri. Hopefully this will quieten down in time.

Once you have your route, you can take things from there. Think of it like a picture. Take a big shot. then from there you can zoom in on things, zoom out, zoom in to something else etc etc.

Your costs will be highly variable depending on a number of factors, for a typical 4x4 and camping in order of highest to lowest will be:


fuel/lubes/service items
shipping
Carnet
Visa's/insurance
Food/drink
camping fees

I think... shipping cost is mainly a container back from S.Africa.

The book should answer all your questions.

G
 
thanks griffdowg I will go out and buy it today, life is passing by and the sooner i realise this dream of mine the better, otherwise i will be too old to enjoy it
 
Jeez... one smart cookie then!

Well you know if you want anything relating to remote telemetry just shout! Our units were used to monitor the migration patterns of sea life off the cpast of Norfolk during an investigation into the viability of wind farms... so they have many uses apart from vehicles.

(SPAM OVER... GO ON THEN SHOUT IT!) LOL ;)
 
If I hear of any tagging projects I will let you know. Its mainly sea sediment grabs and fish trawl surveys they carry out. I think I will be intouch closer to our trip as im hoping Gecko maps need some help GPSing some of the remote areas of the High Pamirs in Tajikistan. Alternatively, it would just be nice to track our route.

G
 
Griffdowg said:
If I hear of any tagging projects I will let you know. Its mainly sea sediment grabs and fish trawl surveys they carry out. I think I will be intouch closer to our trip as im hoping Gecko maps need some help GPSing some of the remote areas of the High Pamirs in Tajikistan. Alternatively, it would just be nice to track our route.

G
Click to expand...


We would be absolutely delighted to be involved... can even give you a web page to show your friends and family... similar to what Rusty Rhinos used last time around and are planning to use again!
 
Griffdowg said:
Ouch. that is one way to do it, but would not personally get into debt just to go travelling. I think I would be mighty depressed upon return!

Did you find a job then Ad? I take it settling back in is difficult? Did you get anything out of media sales after your trip?

G
Click to expand...


hi fella

the cost also covers the cost of getting the landy ready, which was about £5,000 in the end. I have got a job now i am but but i hate it and the pay is realy sh1t, but at the end of the day a job is a job and being in debt is not to bad considering that most people will never do what we have done, plus neither one of us are getting any younger. I hope to be getting married next year and starting a family so it was a case of now or never.

HAPPY DAYS :)
 
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