What is RTEX 97?

RTEX 97 (Road Trip EXpo 97) is my plan to take at least 6 months off work in 2007 to take an extended Urban Exploration road trip in Europe and North America, with the possibility of travel in Australia and parts of Asia as well. The plan is flexible however, and I hope that other Urban Explorers will join me for all or some of the trip.

RTEX 97 started as a dream, a wish. Right now, it is still pretty much still that, a dream. But I am getting things together, pooling my resources, researching information and planning. If things work out, in June or July 2007 I would take six months off work to travel around Europe, maybe part of Africa and parts of Asia (such as Turkey and Russia) and then on to the USA and Canada, finally finishing in Australia. With OPEX planning I may attend OPEX before going to Europe. I can get only 6 months off work I'd look to spend 5 months in Europe, a month in USA / Canada.

There is a lot to take into consideration for a trip like this. Having never done a road trip like this, I am planning to make it simple, but a little ambitious. The simple stage of the project is what I can manage now, on my own finances.

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The simple stage of the project.

This relied heavily on selling the first of my two campervans to finance the project. I was able to sell it for a mild profit, and that money now forms the seed amount of money for the trip. I am hoping to save a total of about $23-$24,000 for the trip. With that I could buy a respectable van to live in for six months, and will be able to travel around at least Europe. I will be able to explore the Urban Exploration sites that I want to do. Much of that will also be spent on air fares, and the cost of visiting Chernobyl.

Here are the main factors of the simple part of the project.

Choosing a vehicle There is a lot to consider when choosing a vehicle It needs to be able to perform many tasks, and be reliable enough for the trip. Here are some details I have taken in to consideration when choosing a vehicle.

I am also looking for a traveling companions for the trip.

Places I'd like to see Some of the places I'd like to see in Europe and later, Asia and North America.

Life on board will be rewarding, but have a number of challenges.

Costs - some estimated costs of living. Probably cheaper than you think.

Grass roots support Information and advice from people I meet and on the Internet will help a lot.

FAQ - some probable question for people contemplating joining the trip.

It would also be great to make some documentaries or write a book about the trip.

Finally, I welcome advice, tips, hints and suggestions from people that would help make this dream a reality.

My contact address can be found here.

There is now a Forum to discuss this trip