Float like a Butterfly, all the way from to London to Xinjiang

Calling out to all you London readers of Shanghaiist! If the Trans-Siberian seems a little too Express, your carbon footprint keeps you awake at night, or you're just ready for a new adventure, then a new company is offering the unique chance to go from London to China by bus.

Originally going by the oddly controversial name of "Buddha Bus", the company has been re-incarnated as "ButterflyBus" and plans its first departure on September 6th.

The first departure tickets from London have already been sold, with the intrepid early adopters scheduled to wind a silken thread through Belgium, Holland and Germany into Central and Eastern Europe (Poland, the Ukraine) before hitting the clean freeways of Russia and Kazhakstan. Arriving in Urumqi 16 days and 8000Km later, the Butterfly is then ready to take its first return passengers on October 4th.

Clearly this isn't a route for the easily bored or faint of heart; tented accomodation is provided in a few stops, but passengers will need around 400 pounds sterling for food and accomodation, 6 passport photos, a fully stocked iPod and some travel sweets.

Altogether now!

"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...."

Return tickets cost 1295 GBP, Singles are 795 GBP in either direction.

Photo by Michaeldmanning