Le site de référence pour faire partager son carnet de voyage, ses photos, ses préparatifs, son budget, et comparer ses points de vues http://www.top-depart.com/ 2008-05-13T13:12:39+01:00 http://www.top-depart.com/ http://www.top-depart.com/sources/images/logo_TD.jpg text/html 2007-03-28T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/france/paris/recits/a-typical-breakfast-in-the-himalaya-14729.html My cycle companion, Glen Saberton, wrote this article and posted it on his blog (www.saberton.com). I thought it would be great to advertise this story as well a share a little more this experience with you... This is ' a typical breakfast in the Himalaya'... Thanks, Glen. text/html 2007-02-13T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/france/paris/recits/back-in-paris--12910.html Retrouvons-nous pour un joyeux appéritif à l'occasion de mon retour en France, le Jeudi 22 février au Zango bar des Halles à partir de 20h ! You are all more than welcome to share a return drink with me in Paris at Zango Bar - les Halles, on Thursday 22nd of Feb. from 20h ! text/html 2007-01-19T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/nepal/kathmandu/recits/from-ali-to-kathmandu-1--11901.html Just to tell you quickly that I have been back in Paris in France since Feb.1st. I am now preparing the last newsletter of this adventure telling our journey from Ali in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal. The GPS Point Log is also being updated and all will soon be available. After 12737 kms' and almost 10 months on the roads, my gratitude is immense and goes to all of you who supported me from your computer or just in your thoughts... Many, many thanks, you're so wonderful ! Barth text/html 2006-12-30T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/chine/tintin-au-tibet/recits/from-kaxgar-to-ali-2--11249.html Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2007 from Ali, in Western Tibet, in the Himalayas ! text/html 2006-12-25T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/chine/tintin-au-tibet/recits/from-kaxgar-to-ali-11098.html A fantastic journey along the highest road in the world, which we took from Kaxgar in XinJiang to Ali in Western Tibet. We went through extreme cold, extreme winds, extreme altitudes and the most wonderful sceneries to arrive in Ali JUST for Christmas day !! (1400km). text/html 2006-11-17T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/chine/karakoram-hwy-karakul-lake-tashkurgan/recits/from-kashgar-back-to-kashgar-9784.html This is about my return journey along the famous Karakorum Highway from Kaxgar in the XinJiang Province, to Khunjerab at the Sino-Pakistanese border, via the Karakul lakes and the city of Tashkorgan (860km - half by bike and return by truck). text/html 2006-11-06T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/chine/kashgar/recits/from-duchambe-to-kaxgar-9384.html Where I tell you about a long haul from the Tajik capital to the capital of the Pamirs, Kharug, which faces Afghanistan. Then, a great wander along the beautiful Whakhan Valley dressed in autumn colours and the superb views on the Pakistanese Hindu Kush. Next a long ascent up to the arid Pamir plateau and to the Pamir Highway, up to the half Kyrghyz-populated Pamir and the village of Murgab and the Karakul lake. And then the descent down to the Alley Valley in Kyrghyzstan. And eventually the passage into the Uygur teritory, in the People's Republic of China and finally my arrival in Kaxgar, XinJian Province (total 1'521km ; bike 1121km - truck Obigarm-Kharug 400km) text/html 2006-10-10T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/tadjikistan/sur-les-routes-du-pamir/recits/from-samarkand-to-duchambe-8416.html Leaving the desert and the marvels of Samarkand behind, I started to venture into the Tajic mountains. Trees are wearing their autumn colours: bright red, orange and yellow's and high summits are covered with snow (342km). text/html 2006-09-29T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/ouzbekistan/sur-les-routes-de-la-soie/recits/from-bukhara-to-samarkand-8003.html One road is direct along a main road, shorter and easier. The other way is longer, not completely stated on the maps and crosses hundreds of km's of desert. Guess which one I chose ? (340km). text/html 2006-09-25T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/ouzbekistan/sur-les-routes-de-la-soie/recits/from-gonbad-e-kavus-to-boukhara-7858.html Where I tell how the western winds drove me to the legendary Tcheraranis, or Turkmen Horses in Iranian Golestan. And then how the clouds lifted me above the Doppeh-Dag mounts and laid me down into the vast plains of Turkmenistan. And then, how the sands tried to stop me in the Turkmen desert on my way North to the Amurdar'Ya river. And how I eventually reached the oasis of Boukhara in Tadjic Uzbekistan (700km by bike - 400km by truck - 100km Bojnurd-Ghoshkan/Iran and 300km Anwer-Mary/Turkmenistan). text/html 2006-09-12T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/iran/sur-les-routes/recits/from-tehran-to-gonbad-e-kavus-7445.html After a safe exit of Tehran, this is about my wander in the Alborz Mountains, the ascent of Mount Damavand (5671m), my return down to the Caspian Sea and my first kilometers in Central Asia (493km by bike Tehran-Polur and MahmudAbad-Gonbad-e-Kavus / 130km by truck from Polur down to MahmudAbad). text/html 2006-09-03T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/iran/sur-les-routes/recits/esfahan-shiraz-yazd-7185.html Leaving my bike in Tehran, I took some days "off" to explore the three unmissable cities of Central & South Iran : Esfahan - Shiraz & Yazd. text/html 2006-08-24T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/iran/sur-les-routes/recits/from-baku-to-tehran-6909.html A road-cruise through the Southern coastal desert of Azerbaidjan followed by a promenade in the subtropical region of the Lower Dizdoni mounts along the Caspian Sea, which continued further in Iran. In Asalem near Talesh (former Hashtpar), I left the humid Caspian shores to climb up to the desertic mounts of Kuhha-ye Tales. A 50km-long & (very) steep descent led me down to the plains of Rasht, where I took a bus direct to Tehran (Baku-Rasht 674km, Rasht-Tehran 323km). text/html 2006-08-16T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/azerbaijan/sur-les-routes/recits/leaving-baku-for-iran-6679.html I have received my Iranian Visa today (16/08!) and I am now planning to leave Baku tomorrow at dawn. After almost 2 weeks in this city, I feel at home and I shall certainly remember my stay there as a comfortable and happy break. text/html 2006-08-04T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/azerbaijan/sur-les-routes/recits/from-tbilisi-to-baku-6433.html A last ride through the immense wineyards of Western Georgia in the wide valleys running along the verdant mounts of the Greater Caucasus, which continued then in Azerbaidjan up to the semi-desertic hills before Baku and my arrival to the Caspian Sea (693km). text/html 2006-07-24T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/georgie/tdibilisi/recits/from-yerevan-to-tbilisi-6167.html An exploration of Central and Southern Armenia from high and snowy mountains to Armenian monasteries, a loop in Nagorno Karabakh and a beautiful ride North up into Georgia again and its capital city Tdibilisi (1100km). text/html 2006-07-08T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/armenie/sur-les-routes/recits/from-bayburt-to-yerevan-5901.html The first Caucasian mountains in Turkey, a short exploration of Eastern Georgia and an unexpected visit to Armenia (800km). text/html 2006-06-23T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/sur-les-routes/recits/from-tokat-to-bayburt-5666.html A fantastic ride along wild valleys, up to high peaks and through steppic plateaux (460km). text/html 2006-06-15T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/sur-les-routes/recits/from-iskilip-to-tokat-5541.html A beautiful haul from green mountains into wide cultivated valleys (300km). text/html 2006-06-09T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/sur-les-routes/recits/from-kandira-to-iskilip-5434.html Waving from the Black Sea coast into the inner mountains and green valleys (600km). text/html 2006-05-30T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/kandira/recits/from-istanbul-to-kandira-5272.html A smooth departure from Istanbul, but once on my bike... it´s been a struggle to reach the Black Sea and then escape from the hills there (150km). text/html 2006-05-25T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/istanbul/recits/before-crossing-the-bosphorus--5182.html A few words to unperfectly summarise the last weeks and share some feelings with you... text/html 2006-05-16T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/istanbul/recits/from-v-305-ze-to-istanbul-5047.html A fınal run to reach the former Byzance (180km). text/html 2006-05-15T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/turquie/vize/recits/from-caiova-to-vize-5018.html A fantastic journey through Southern Romania, Bulgaria and North Turkey (750km). text/html 2006-05-08T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/roumanie/craiova/recits/from-szeged-to-craiova-4874.html A long haul in Romania through the immense plains of the North, the magnificient forests of the Western Carpathians and along the gentle hills parallel to the Great Danube (555 km). text/html 2006-05-01T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/hongrie/szeged/recits/from-budapest-to-szeged-4766.html Heading South, between the Danube and the Tisza through the Alfőld or Great Plains of Hungary (240km). text/html 2006-04-22T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/hongrie/budapest/recits/from-vienna-to-budapest-4645.html A long haul through Lower Austria, Slovaquia and finally Hungary, arrival in Budapest (310km). text/html 2006-04-18T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/autriche/an-der-donau/recits/from-passau-to-vienna-4602.html Holy week along the Danube, where the weather improves... text/html 2006-04-12T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/allemagne/passau/recits/from-munich-to-passau-4526.html First kilometers along the Isar river and the Danube through Bavaria text/html 2006-03-31T07:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/royaume-uni/london/recits/farewell-london-bonjour-paris--4343.html Back to Paris for one week before the trip starts. Let's check if all details are sorted... text/html 2006-03-18T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/royaume-uni/london/recits/more-londoner-than-parisian--4019.html I moved out of my apartment in Paris on the 11/03. Now back in London for the final countdown... text/html 2006-03-17T08:00:00+01:00 http://bartrouer.top-depart.com/france/paris/recits/fiesta-de-depart-farewell-drink-merc-5-avril-4110.html Venez celebrer mon depart en voyage au Zango Bar, 15 rue du Cygne (les Halles) mercredi 5 avril de 19h30 a 21h30.