Great road trips

The Pamir Highway is one of those epic road trips. The "real" Pamir Highway is the section of the M41 that goes from Khorog (in Tajikistan) to Osh (in Kyrgyzstan) through Murgab. It is 730 km of high-altitude road in everchanging condition passing soaring mountain peaks, blue alpine lakes and nomadic settlements. The journey can be done in two days by jeep, but the there are lots of great detours (Bulunkul, Rang-Kul, Kara-Kul,...) and the scenery is just too pretty to rush through. These days, the southern route, which goes through the Wakhan Valley along the border to Afghanistan and joins the M41 near Bulunkul, has become a popular alternative with a handful of historical sights (like fortresses and petroglyphs) to break up the journey, close-up views of rural Afghanistan, and peeks of the impressive Hindu Kush.

The Causeway Coastal Route winds along the northern coast of Ireland and passes through what is regarded as Ireland's prettiest stretch of coast. Green hills dotted with white sheeps are roughly cut off by the Atlantic Ocean leaving amazing cliffs and odd geological features, like the Giant's Causeway. Cute Irish villages lie hidden in bends and glens (valleys) while ruins of old castles are perched on outcrops with views to Scotland. There is an abundance of side trips and photo stops to do, which will prolong any journey through this beautiful part of Ireland. The route is partly along the A2 road and includes the Antrim Coast Road (Larne to Cushendal), which is considered particularly scenic.

Highway 50 through Nevada starts near Garrison on the Utah-Nevada border and finishes just past Carson City entering California. Traditionally known as the loneliest road in America, it makes up for the lack of cars by the amazing landscape it passes through. Just over the Utah border, the highway begins its path along the floor of huge valleys, natural wind tunnels creating sand and dust storms. From the valleys, the road snakes up into giant, mountain passes some reaching over 2,280 m (7,500 ft.) high and will have snow on them even in the spring month of March. The road continues like this for the majority of its time in Nevada, crossing long, endless valleys and climbing up into snow blanketed passes. Only a few small towns welcome the weary driver after precariously rolling down the snow-covered road from the summits.

Traditionally known as the Lincoln Highway, Interstate 80 runs the length of the USA from San Francisco, California to New York City. Leaving California, the highway snakes its way through the Sierra Nevada and over Donner Pass, a section of road not to be tackled without four wheel drive or snow tires (or balls of steel for that matter). Contending with the weather and the fully loaded, semitrailer trucks is something you need to prepare for before venturing out onto the I-80. Once out of Nevada and through the Rockies (I-80 takes a less precarious route through than the I-70), the road is a pretty much a straight line all the way to New York City crossing through the bread basket and less appealing states of Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio, where corn and cows are copious. It's not until the bright lights of New York City gleam in the distance that the I-80 and just under 4,228 km (3,000 mi.) are accomplished.

Heaven's Gate is the highest road pass in Vietnam (1949 m) and the easiest starting point for the trek to the top of Fan Si Pan, the highest mountain (3143 m) in Indochina. The road from Heaven's Gate down to Sapa passes Silver Waterfall and winds quite a lot. On the other side, the road down is less winding and is very suitable for some serious downhill riding, either on mountain bike or better (and safer) on motorcycle. Turn off the engine and roll the 26 km down to the intersection of Binh Lu. Further exploration continue to Binh Lu, where there is a chance to meet some of the beautiful people from the Lu minority.