Russia

Photos

17.06

Welcome to Russia.

Thinking about yesterday. My German camping neighbors were a bit strange. The two did not get out of their caravan. I only saw the man when he went out and lent me the shower. I never saw his wife. Anyway.

After a cup of instant coffee, I burn my fingers on the hot gas cooker and then I start off to the russian border, at which I arrive shortly after noon.

Before my departure, I talked to Peter, someone from the motorcycle group and asked for some information. He left for Uzbekistan only a few weeks ago. He told me, it took him 3 1/2h to cross the border. At the border there are about 15 to 20 cars ahead of me, and it’s hot. I just hope I can do it faster.

The departure from Ukraine is fast. I think the border official wanted to see cash. The way he approached me from the side, whispering to me. Money, Monet, something. Well, unfortunately I did not understand a word. 🙂 He gives up after a few tries.

The passport control in Russia was relatively fast. Two Russian motorcyclists take me with them. I thought that I could do everything in less than 2 hours. Well, then I went to customs.

I also knew from Peter, that you have to fill out custom documents for vehicles. One of the people standing around leads me to the forms laid out. 1 form for the personal data, and 1 for the vehicle data, in duplicate.

I look at the papers and turn them over, all in Cyrillic. A loud “hallelujah” escapes me (like “my goodness!”) People around started to laugh. Foreigners who do not speak the prevailing language are always a welcome entertainment for everyone to survive the long waiting.

Someone tells me to knock on the office and ask for forms in English.

I have already filled in a lot of forms at many different borders.

When I was done – at least I thought I was done, one of the officers checked to see if everything was filled. Man, was he picky. Instead of 652ccm, I wrote only 650ccm. For the passport number I did not separate the series and the number, and a few other things. I was striking things and scribbling. The official implies: No, no, that’s not how it works, how does that look? He brings me new empty forms. Again, but properly please.

Then I wait.

An older Dutch couple shows up next to me, which does not speak Russian. In Holland, the vehicles are not tied to one person. Those poor fellows.

The Russian border officials could not accept that for a long time. They were discussing for ages. Nobody understood the other person. A great show for the waiting people. Now and then someone tries to intervene and help.

For me, it ended up being about 3 1/2 hours when I received the customs papers and I was allowed to go.

Ther was no currency exchange office at the border. So I went to the next villages to the ATM, where I really got the desired amount without any problems.

At the gas station, I got defrauded of 40 rubles, by that bastard behind the cashier.

Refueling is such a thing here. Usually, people go to the cash desk, say what amount they want to refuel, pay and then the pump is unlocked. Or so, or not. I don’t know. I still have not figured out how it works.

Of course, I always want to fill up, to get as far as possible without stoping. Because of the language barrier, it’s always an adventure. Either I get the pump unlocked before I pay, or one of the staff refuels, or I’m accompanied by a servant.

After 11h on the road I stop in Kursk at the first hotel, which I picked out.

When I asked for the price I did not understand the receptionist properly. When I see the correct amount on the credit card terminal, my face froze. I spend more than a daily budget just for the night.

It was very classy, so, when going out, I put on fresh socks, a pair of long pants and the “nice” shoes, instead of shorts and flip flops.

At least breakfast was included.

18.06

Still boring roads. Hardly worth to mention.

My GPS device has a loose circuit connection and reboots again constantly. Must try to solve this somehow.

In Russia you can pay a lot with credit card, gas, accommodation, shops – everywhere. It’s “hard” to get rid of the cash.

At one of the gas stations, I pay with the credit card and sign the recipe. I do not know, sometimes you have to, sometimes not. What should I do?

The lady looks at what I’ve written on it, and discusses it with her colleague. Maybe she thought, I wanted to give her my phone number. 🙂

How do I communicate? Usually, people talk to me in their native language, and I speak German with them. That means, with hands and feet. 🙂 Till now, I got everything, what I wanted. Sometimes people ask me where I am from, where I am going. Some people show me how things work, or talk to staff.

Sometimes it’s kind of funny how the other person seems nervous, or kinda helpless, when they realize that communication through language does not work.

Take it easy, we figure it out.:-)

If necessary, I use translation programs on the mobile phone from Google and Microsoft. With available internet connection, these programs even offer some kind of simultaneous translation by voice.

I have a Russian phrasebook and I will try to learn a few words. Russian is widely used in the ‘stan countries.

Why am I rushing at the moment? My goal is to reach Uzbekistan. At the moment I drive 400, 450 to 500km per day. That’s about 7 to 8 hours. At the moment, with the heat it’s pretty exhausting. I take around 3l to 4l of fluids to me.

From Uzbekistan on, I will go slower again. Depending on how it works out, 250 to a maximum of 350 km per day and again a rhythm of 2 to 4 days driving, then 1 day break

19.06

I move on to Volgograd.

There is a lot of time for thinking, when you sit on the bike all day long. After all the countries that I visited and the many border crossings, I have to say: We are doing really well in the EU, borderless, often with the same currency, telephone and internet at no extra cost, always connected with home. Everything is so easy.

On the other hand, where are the adventures, experiences and challenges, when you do not have to make an effort?

When I think of how I traveled through Australia in 2004. You had to pay for internet, every minute was precious. Once a week I called home using an international calling card with cheap rates.

Today is free WiFi standard wherever you go. So, no reason not to call your Mom. 🙂

2004 my GPS device has just shown the coordinates and the direction, otherwise I drove with physical map.

Today: every corner of this world is mapped and available via offline maps from OpenStreetMap or Google on your GPS device or mobile phone.

I remember, when I was in Australia, I was traveling with my dad. We stopped at a farm because we got lost. We were told: Drive along that fence for the next 15 km, then turn right.

Today I know exactly where to go, getting lost is impossible.

“The Motherland Calls” statue may slips of the pedestal one day.

20.06

The whole area I drove along in Russia was pretty flat, hardly any forests, mostly low vegetation, many fields, but green. Til Volgograd, there was still a lot of traffic.

Going to Astrakhan along the Volga, desert-like steppe landscape – hardly any traffic.

Today it was the first time were I had this feeling to be away from the so-called “civilization”. From time to time small villages off the main road, petrol stations, service areas.

I don’t know, if I will figure out how refueling works.

Tomorrow Kazakhstan.