Kit list

A few comments on the kit needed for this tour.

Firstly good strong boots are essential. I considered wearing more flexible boots as I had problems with changing gears in the concrete lumps I previously wore on Enduro Himalaya. The advice I got was to aim for protection rather than flexibility. In the end I bought a pair of Sidi Crossfire boots which have a hinge at the ankles. And I'm so glad I did. Protection is definitely the key. My feet got a real hammering from tree stumps, ruts, etc. I'm convinced that with lesser (more road oriented) boots I would have had a foot injury Some wore Sidi Adventure which is more road oriented but still protective, but I'm very glad I went with the additional protection. And don't worry about water proofing, as when water gets in at the top (and it will!) it makes no odds (although I also wore SealSkinz socks which did keep my feet dry when the water wasn't so high - but don't get the thermal versions for obvious reasons!)  In the end gear changing wasn't a problem for me.

Good quality body armour is also essential. Mine was poor quality and although I didn't get injured, it's now in poor condition and probably not good for another trip. In the heat I wore the armour on top of a t-shirt as the outer layer, others wore just the armour. (Note a few of us sustained injuries to the unprotected rib/abdomen area under the arms. No armour seems to cover this area and Jules, our trip doctor, wasn't convinced armour there would make much difference to rib injuries.) I also wore decent protective shorts as the hip and thigh area are poorly padded by the body, they worked well.

I wore long socks under knee pads with motocross trousers on top, but still ended up with blisters at the pad corners, but the protection worked well. Vented trousers would have been better and I missed not having a small pocket in the trousers. But motocross trousers were OK - and I liked the variety of colour schemes available!

Light weight gloves, artificial leather palms and cloth back. Good feel, sufficient protection for offroad (may not the high speed tarmac sections) and they dried quickly.

Whatever you wear it will get well worn. Be prepared to trash what you take. Expect rips in trousers and motocross tops from the jungle undergrowth. It's also unlikely that you'll ever thoroughly remove the red dust from your clothes.

A bum bag is very useful for holding your wallet, documents (in a waterproof pouch), small camera, phone, earplugs (I wore these for the faster road sections), etc. It will get wet and dusty.

The helmet is a matter of personal choice. I wore my trademark flouro yellow motocross helmet with goggles. It works well for me wearing glasses so the specs didn't get too dusty and is lightweight. Others wore the dual purpose convertible type with visor; they said that was OK too. I think these are a little heavier.

Camelback or equivalent. Ease of filling important. Mine was 2litres and I never managed to empty it on the road, but I always drank a bottle or can at stops. Mine also had storage capacity for odd and ends. Note: you will likely end up using the backpack and contents as additional cushioning when you fall off.

Waterproofs. We didn't need them. I suspect even if it rained they would be more of a hindrance.

Other things I would recommend. A mosquito net, a thin sleeping bag liner, head torch, flip flops, small quick drying towel, some string to use as a drying/airing line. A small extension double socket with short lead (some of the rooms only had one usable socket) fitted with a two pin plug - but electricity availability is generally good. I carried a small rechargeable power pack in case my camera/phone/blogging device ran out of juice, but never needed it - I have a BlackBerry!

I would not recommend a large DSLR camera, unless you are a masochist like Mr King. Picture opportunities on the trails are few and the views are not as awe inspiring as the Himalayas. A small waterproof camera is ideal. Headcams are a great idea, but although the GoPro series produce good images, they are awkward to operate and don't give good feedback as to whether they're on or off; very frustrating.

Your main suitcase or bag will also get dusty and well 'baggage handled'.

I think that's it. If I think of anything else I'll update this entry. Feel free to add your own views on what's needed.