Russia and again Russia
Hello there,
Greetings from Pskov, Russia. I should have sent an update sooner, but I have had some troubled times. First of all: Why the hell did I want to do this trip??? It's just crazy camping out in the forest with billions and billions of mosquitoes and other biting insects. So setting up the tent is a race against time and once in the tent you stay there. Anyway, travelling alone in a country where you do not speak the language is lonely. I had some doubts the last days. It's not easy. But I hope I am over it. We'll see. For now the target is still Vladivostok, but the majority of the Russians I met just laughed and had their doubts about succes.
Poland was nice, but the real shock was the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad: a real culture shock. Silly border procedures and regulations and five people to hand your papers to before you can pass. Crazy. Kaliningrad is a busy town with bad, bad, bad roads. My God. It probably still are the same roads the Germans ruined when driving over them with their tanks. It is dusty and dirty and the time for a face lift has been at hand for a many number of years. But nobody seems to care or notice. Road regulations in Russia probably exist somewhere on paper, but not in practice. How pedestrians can survive here is a mystery to me. Red lights are usually noticed and obeyed. But when overtaking, anything goes. As I said ... crazy. But you get used to it I guess. Anyway, it was to much of a shock to me and I just had a quick look around and headed for Lithouania. At the police checkpoint exiting the city I was an easy prey for the corrupt cops. A lot of Russian police officers talking, taking me upstairs to the office then back down again. My motorcycle was not equiped with the required "B" sign for Belgium. In hindsight, I think it is probably not required for motorcycles, but they refused to give me my drivers license back until I payed 500 rubles. I gave in just to get the hell out of there. Made it through Lithuainia, Latvia and Estonia OK. Crossing the border Estonian-Russian border took me 5 hours. Waiting and waiting in line. It went a lot easier then in Kaliningrad, only 3 people to see. They did make me empty my sidecar when they noticed my esotherical books and vitamin containers. Once they were happy that it was nothing illegal, they let me go on my way. It was about time. I could have strangled somebody. So now onto St-Peterburg. I'm going to look for a place for the night, maybe even a gastinitsa, because I need a shower BADLY.
Bye for now.
Greetings from Pskov, Russia. I should have sent an update sooner, but I have had some troubled times. First of all: Why the hell did I want to do this trip??? It's just crazy camping out in the forest with billions and billions of mosquitoes and other biting insects. So setting up the tent is a race against time and once in the tent you stay there. Anyway, travelling alone in a country where you do not speak the language is lonely. I had some doubts the last days. It's not easy. But I hope I am over it. We'll see. For now the target is still Vladivostok, but the majority of the Russians I met just laughed and had their doubts about succes.
Poland was nice, but the real shock was the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad: a real culture shock. Silly border procedures and regulations and five people to hand your papers to before you can pass. Crazy. Kaliningrad is a busy town with bad, bad, bad roads. My God. It probably still are the same roads the Germans ruined when driving over them with their tanks. It is dusty and dirty and the time for a face lift has been at hand for a many number of years. But nobody seems to care or notice. Road regulations in Russia probably exist somewhere on paper, but not in practice. How pedestrians can survive here is a mystery to me. Red lights are usually noticed and obeyed. But when overtaking, anything goes. As I said ... crazy. But you get used to it I guess. Anyway, it was to much of a shock to me and I just had a quick look around and headed for Lithouania. At the police checkpoint exiting the city I was an easy prey for the corrupt cops. A lot of Russian police officers talking, taking me upstairs to the office then back down again. My motorcycle was not equiped with the required "B" sign for Belgium. In hindsight, I think it is probably not required for motorcycles, but they refused to give me my drivers license back until I payed 500 rubles. I gave in just to get the hell out of there. Made it through Lithuainia, Latvia and Estonia OK. Crossing the border Estonian-Russian border took me 5 hours. Waiting and waiting in line. It went a lot easier then in Kaliningrad, only 3 people to see. They did make me empty my sidecar when they noticed my esotherical books and vitamin containers. Once they were happy that it was nothing illegal, they let me go on my way. It was about time. I could have strangled somebody. So now onto St-Peterburg. I'm going to look for a place for the night, maybe even a gastinitsa, because I need a shower BADLY.
Bye for now.
posted by Anonymous | 5:26 pm
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