Civilization?!?!
Submitted by Ricky Balboa on Sat, 12/07/2008 - 11:55am.
in
Civilization my arse, I'm in Guryev, Astrakhan, and the bloody internet keeps falling over, so this time I'm writing this in Wordpad!!! and copying and pasting to the blog site! We've been away from civilization for a while ever since leaving Poland and our trolley pack campsite. We first camped in a field and were awoken by a tractor. The following night we camped beside a railway line in the tent for the first time. After that we entered russia and stayed in a motel for 7 quid each (classy). The we stayed in our mosquito ridden car after a late night border crossing, in the end I slept on the roof as the breeze kept the worst of the biting midges, etc. off. Of course we've had fun with dodgy cops, but our first run in was a speeding fine of 40 quid, we were doing 92 km/hr in a 60 zone, fair does but now we know how to work out the speed limit as they don't have circled numerals outside Europe. Since then we done well, a cigar here, badge there. However on reaching Russia things became more hassle with road blocks commonplace. Later we learnt that these check points are thngs to ignore, just smile or wave back, maybe look intensely in the other direction and just drive on through! We have been told this by a pair of scots returning home from pakistan. As to borders we have had fun here to! At Ukraine all was easy, however at Russia we turned up at the wrong point on the border (not realising the tickets to be specific). We got our insurance and then were turned back by customs who said they'd turn a blind eye for 150 Euros (according to him it was 350km to the border post we needed), I told him were to go and we tore out of the border post in a cloud of dust, 30kms later we arrived at the correct border and passed through easily, but not before being told that we had be over charged by 103 dollars for the insurance, apparently the maffia operate that particular border crossing! Classic! Into Kazakhstan was much better, but a late night power cut slowed us down a fair bit so we ended up making friends with the border guards! Beforehand, when we arrived in Astrakhan we got totally lost looking for an unsecured wi-fi connection and were finally retrieved by a BMW Z5 who beckoned us to follow, which we did down the back lanes of Astrakhan at breakneck speeds until arriving at a smart house, where we were invited in and treated to tea and very nice it was too, none of that milky stuff, but lemon and cherry! So I tried a different food (well OK ... just a drink), so I may survive the desert crossing we have to come, apparently our scottish informants took 11 hours of solid driving to cross one section in their beefed up Landrover ad we are doing the same route ... so keep your fingers crossed for us, the car has been legendary up to date. Anyway, enough from me, Ricky B. P.S. Kazakhstan is too bloody hot already ...
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Re: Civilization?!?!
Hi Dan and Ricky - sounds like you're having fun with border guards - do they speak any english or do you have to sign?! Came back today from weekend with Grandma - hour and 40 mins door to door - little Punto went quite fast, and had no trouble with guards on the Surrey Border. House seemed really empty and unsmelly without Charlie - Ben's picking him up from Kennels tomorrow, so back to normal chaos. Midges sound terrible - have you got cream for the bites? Much love - Mum and Ben xxx
Re: Civilization?!?!
Hey Richard, and Dan
Kim here from Solent Mind, just logged in to see how you are getting on. I've been on a/l for a week and wont be around for the next 8 as Im going into hospital next week for a major op.
However, what that does do is leave me plenty of time to catch up with your adventures on the internet and post some messages of encouragement.
I know an email has gone round all staff to encourage them to do the same so hopefully you will get more messages of support. I'll also get a link put up on my own website, for my out of hours job running an entertainment agency so hopefully we can raise more awareness that way.
I'll get a press release sent off on Monday to the Echo as thats the one day I am in work next week before op.
Its a brilliant thing you are doing there guys, thinking of you
Kim