Blog 10 Russia

Blog 10 - Russia

Aug 15th

We reluctantly leave our lovely riverside camp, to queue overnight at the border, amidst all the comings and goings! A very cold, noisy, night ensures we don’t get much sleep. The usual bedlam with all the pushing, shoving and queue jumping, and we are 5th in line for opening at 8am. Well, 6 hours later we leave Mongolia, 3 hrs later we enter Russia! 9 hrs! Enough said! However, we have been able to leave Mongolia, with not too many hassles!

Having sufficient water is always an issue, and we never know where we might find it next. We stop at a gorgeous well, where locals queue to get theirs, and a friendly Russian tries to converse. He brings us a cup of tea, then returns with milk, then a big jar of raspberries!! Of course, he invites us into his log home – to drink vodka - 9am!

Russian Watering hole

Siberian Watering hole

The homes are old, small, log cabins, with brightly decorated window and door frames – mainly in shades of blue. Usually a little vegie garden. Not sure if there is water, but a coal/woodburning stove, and quite normal inside. The villages are rather scruffy, small, with tiny homes, and seldom a cafe. Russians do not dine out much!

Typical Russian homes.

We enjoy the glorious colours of autumn- just exquisite as the lower sun illuminates every coloured leaf. Contrasting with this beauty, are many decaying remains of Gulag camps, where millions perished during the Stalin era. Lyn & Kym, Bill & Gaye drove the infamous Road of Bones, from Tynda to Magadan in 2007 – 2000kms of rough, rugged driving. 3000 froze to death on a ship trapped in ice, and several million perished in the work camps.

The Russian Churches fascinate us, and we enter one, and are amazed – no seats – standing room only!

Our 100th different campsite, and there is ice on the trucks! Our coldest night so far, but more surprises are in store...

Last night while we were sleeping!!!

Snow flakes fall on us as we make our campfire! Quite cold, but we always eat outside, together, unless raining,(seldom), and even then, sometimes! We are fascinated by these amazing little perfectly shaped flakes that settle on us, each one different. We drive thru several brief snowstorms, and the roadsides are quickly blanketed in white. We cross 54deg north – our most northerly point, and temp is minus 4deg.

We drive 3000kms across Siberia into Far East Russia, through grasslands, then rather monotonous tundra style landscape. I was unaware that Russia is now 4 divisions – west to east – Russia, The Urals,Siberia, Far East Russia.

Hay there

The highway for half the distance is excellent, with traffic police everywhere, but about 1000kms is shocking. And of course...

Under Arrest??

The police invariably pull us over! Mostly out of curiosity, but officiously check our papers anyway,and when we have infringed the traffic rules, it is all in “the too hard basket” and we are waved off. (Fortunately!) These guys passed us several times, then curiosity got the better of them, and they pulled us over. We have found most very friendly, and toot and wave as they pass.

We have arrived in Vladivostok, to spend days washing, cleaning trucks, getting quotes to ship to USA. No fun!

After 23,000kms of the most amazing experiences , this part of our incredible venture is almost over. We have visited people and places most tourists could never see, and truly appreciate this incredible opportunity. Our trucks, now in their containers and will sail shortly, as we return home to our families and friends.... then to LA on 1st Nov to release our vehicles... and continue!