Far Eastern Expedition: Return of the Jeep

Vama

2009-04-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Pretty little well in nice Romanian village.

We went to visit a mobastry with dans family, and then visited more relatives both dead and alive.

There is a very angry dog barking at me.....wibble.
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Bridge of death

2009-04-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

A wonky Indiana Jones style bride to a cemetery of the two world wars in which soldiers of all nationalities and religions are burried together indiscriminately. Very cool. There was an old man looking after the site with a tiny church who started telling us old war stories.

We went back to Mihai's farm and figured we'd hit the road to Bucerest.

We arrived at casa Nicolau at 2am in time for victory cigars!

We win!
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Welcome to Romania!

2009-04-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

New feexy technique - cross the border on a Sunday, on a religious holiday and 9pm...... Makes for super smooth border crossings!

Heading to some rellies in Vama.
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Happy Easter!!

2009-04-19T02:19:00.000-07:00

Today is the orthodox Easter Sunday, so it will be intersting to see whether it will b super quick and easy at the border or a complete horror show.

Kiev was pretty cool tho it was raining a lot so we couldn't explore it too extensively.

Also didn't have as much comic genius as kharkov. For example, the nightclub/ restaurant / garden / toilet we went to had items on the menu like.....

A fat with a garlic

Mushrooms pickelled with a bow

Salad is a goat in a vegetable patch

Pizza is the combined "team"

An open sandwich with a hen

Garnish is difficult

Peasant meat
And many, many more!

Should be arriving in romanian sometime tonight and staying with some of dans family :)
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Traffic woes

2009-04-18T02:55:00.000-07:00

Its vehicles like these that seriously infringe on our tight driving schedules.
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Our first shell garage!!

2009-04-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

We must be near civilization if there's a shell garage! Yay!!

Shame the guy was incompetant.

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Bad ass jeep

2009-04-17T23:47:00.000-07:00

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Disater day

2009-04-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

After the hiccup with the drive belt we where already running behind schedule.

Then we accidentally got stuck for an hour in a silly town with a name I can't even attempt to spell or say.

Eventually we got onto a road in the right direction at about 3.30. Then ofcourse, the cops pulled us over. I stayed in the car and Dan went to have a chat with the guy. From a distance, it looked like they were having a jolly chat and even like the guy was gonna help us out at the border cos he was on the phone to someone, so I didn't bother to get out and use my magical cop-bribe dodging skills. Alas I was wrong, they wanted to take away his liscence and give up a "driving bank" for his "traffic rape", meaning a driving ban for his traffic violation.

So after an hour of that rubbish we got going again, got lost, again, and finally got to the border at 7, thankfully it was open 24 hours
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Belt disaster

2009-04-17T02:32:00.000-07:00

Spoke to soon as always.....

On the road of the city the car started making odd noises and so we pulled over to have a look....

Long story short, the drive belt had slipped off and after some fiddling we knew we had no chance of fixing it ourselves.

We drove back into town to find a mechanic before anything worse happened.

With normal feexy luck we found an awesome mechanic, although a wee bit expensive but we came away with a shiny no belt (installed in under 60 seconds), some email addresses, an awesome Easter cake and the nicest tea ever!!!

Feex, deux points!
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Leaving voromes

2009-04-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

Lots of cool planes and tanks on the road out. Pretty wonderful navigation work going on here, out onto the high way in record time! Border crossing about 300 kms away!
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View from hotel

2009-04-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Voronez is definately a very cool city. They share our love of pirates and imaginative cocktails.

A feexy first the other day. A local Russian saw the jeep, looked up the website and posted a wee comment!!! (see saratov post)

Today we head to the Ukrainian border. In theory this should be easier than the others.....

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Camelot

2009-04-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

This is the second city in Russia we've been in and the second time we've seen a bar called Camelot...... Never would have thought the Russians to have so much love for the round table
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Pretty church on the way to Voromez

2009-04-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

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Day 7

2009-04-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

525 km to do today to get to Vorimez. Hopefully the roads will be ok, and the russians not to mean.

Our two meetings yesterday with the police have given us mixed views about them. One got incredibly angry that we took a wrong turn and ended up back at the same intersection, and the other just kept laughing......
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Day 6 The Hotel Slovakia, Saratov

2009-04-15T21:45:00.000-07:00

From their website.....

""Slovakia" is successfully included into the historical centre of Saratov and it is the starting point of the excursional itineraries of the city, which is more than 400 years old. The nearness of Volga, remarcable embankment and monuments of architecture give the hotel especial colour and peculiarity. "Slovakia" is of the service to the tourists of all the cities of Russia and foreign guests and official delegations. At the service of guests: aircash, parking area, exchange, hairdressing saloon and beauty parlour, sauna, cloak-room, long-distance call connection, xerox. The management of the hotel renders the assistance in the service of conferences in the conference-hall of the hotel.

CAFE, BARS, RESTAURANTSThe restaurants and bars of the hotel "Slovakia" can satisfy the tastes of different clients. You can have a good meal, to order the delicious dishes, to enjoy good music and to dance. The restaurant can serve 400 persons at the same time.

Night restaurant. The distinctive feature of this stylish place is eliteness in everythin, irrprachable design, modern bar, cosy hall for 30 places and separate cabins for talks and business appointments. And not by chance our restaurant is recognized to be the best in the region. There are many dishes of european and russian kitchen are in the menu of restaurant. In the evenings in the night restaurant you can see the dansing - programm and strip-tease -show.

Summer cafe is situated in the enbankment of Volga river.

Purchasing on the floor. Tea, coffee, other different drinks and confectionery are always on sail on the floors and you will be served by floor - maid."
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Day 6 - The Russians

2009-04-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

Headed for the Russian border slightly pensive.

At first it seemed like it would be the easiest border yet was a nice Man who spoke English was telling us what to do and where to go and generally being very useful. However there was the usual drama of the carnet - they couldn't understand why we're had left kazahkstan in August yet where still there etc etc. But after some persuading they stamped the thing and we were off to deal with the less friendly Russians. Thankfully there was an obsessive compulsive nurse with a secret love of french who enabled us to communicate with the customs guys. With the time difference between borders we didn't loose too much time and we were in our first Russian city, saratov, by 7pm.

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Day 5 Aktobe to Oral

2009-04-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Went to the mechanic to fix the car. Fairly successful as it only cost 15 dollars and a trek bar for them to soulder the muffler back into place.

The road was amazing compared to yesterday and we get to Oral before dark. Once again found a dodgey hotel and went out to explore!
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Road to hell via road of hell.

2009-04-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

Day 4 continued.....

Definately spoke to soon when we said the road didn't look too bad. We've seen some shit roads before but this was beyond comparison. About 300km of evil. It looked like there had a war there, a war with dinosaurs and aliens.

Our co piloting system could only take us so far when we were up against giant craters, thick mud, kazakh trucks and snow.

In one attempt to go a bit faster we went off pieste and accidentally got trapped in the mud. As it was technically my fault as I suggested going through the seemingly small puddle, I got out and tried all sorts of mud removal techniques to get us out. Its top horrible to recount all that happened, but after loosing my beautiful warm booties, and getting covered in mud, and with the help of a passing truck with a large shovel we got away.

It took forever to finish the road of death but once we were off it, it was fairly smooth sailing. We arrived in akotbe at stupid o'clock with a car covered in mud, another broken wingstep, a broken window, a muffler in the totally wrong position and very very tired.

Not to self never use the m32. Ever.

IL
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The road to Aqtobe

2009-04-13T05:35:00.000-07:00

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On the shores of the Aral sea

2009-04-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

Day 3 kyzylorda to Aral.

0 civilizstion, 0 melons, 0 toilets, 1 kazahk desert nugget.

The number of camals seem in be increasing inversely proportional to the number of people. Each "village" seems to have a camel to people ratio of about 4:1, not including the ominous red lady that wanders between each town.

We arrived at aral in good time and located a place to stay. Then we went on a 60km detour to the ship grave yard of the aral sea. The road there was bloody awful but we go there ok. We found the creepiest place I think we.d both ever seen. Parts of the old ships have been stolen to make this bizarre shanty town run by camels. There was a more substanial community behind the make shift homes but we only saw one kid one a bike. This mini village was guarded by a metre trench dug at the entrace which we very narrowly avoiding driving into. Very very strange place.

Day 4 Aral to Aqtobe

Woke up and its was snowing. The day we want to attempt the worlds worst stretch of road. Perfect.

So far the road isn't to bad and its thankfully climbed up to 2 degrees so shouldn't die of hypothermia just yet.
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Day 2

2009-04-11T01:59:00.000-07:00

Headed off from shimkent bright but not all that early. Still can't find the melons?

Got to Turkistan where we stopped to visit this awesome mausoleums guarded by a dangerous plantation of cabbage.

Driving on to kyzylorda we decided to take a detour to Sauran, a place which the continually inaccurate lonely planet guide recommended. (we have now learnt our lesson and are burning the book). Instead of the delightful hill and village we were supposed to see, we found only a lady walking in a red suit and what can only be described as an obstacle course for a dirt bike!

So we got back on the highway, and I (Lauren) saw in the road something which looked like a nice bit of harmless drift wood. However after driving over it and the right step wing flying off into the distance, I realised I was wrong.

Dan attempted to fetch the ominous bit of wood but discovered it was infact some indestructable nuclear war head with the weight about the same as a baby elephant.

We got the step back and seeing that we couldn't reattach it seecurely, we wrapped it up lovingly like a baby and put it in the boot.

We are now on the way to kyzylorda, (Dan will b driving the rest of the way I expect!)

Feex out

Lauren and Dan
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Coming to Cimkent!

2009-04-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

Staying at what can only be discribed as a combination of a brothel and a kids activity club, hotel X is actually surprizingly well decked out. With a toilet AND a shower!

Tomorrow we head to Aral'sk! Big day, about 700km.....

Lauren and Dan
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FEEx Cavalry Division, en route

2009-04-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

REAL TIME UPDATE / 1735 GMT / AMSTERDAM, NL
DVN EN ROUTE TO ALMATY. CAR SERVICED / OIL / OIL FILTER CHANGE AND READY TO ROLL.

The Jeep is alive!

2009-04-08T01:15:00.000-07:00

REAL TIME UPDATE / 1310 GMT / ALMATY, KZ
Through what can only be described as a miracle, the Jeep started without any assistance, after sitting in -20 degrees and humidity for 9 months, and is now being driven back to the hotel Zhetysu -- FEEx HQ in Central Asia. Unbelievable.

Lauren going to see the FEEx-mobile

2009-04-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

REAL TIME UPDATE / 1625 GMT / ALMATY, KZ
Lauren en route to see the Jeep & try to start it.

FEEx 1st Airborne, touched down

2009-04-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

REAL TIME UPDATE / 1219 GMT / ALMATY, KZ
LAT 43° 21' 0" N / LON 77° 2' 0" E
LAUREN LANDED ALMATY / CLEARED CUSTOMS / REPORTS 1ST INJURY: SUITCASE TO HEAD

FEEx 1st Airborne Division, en route

2009-04-07T04:16:00.000-07:00

REAL TIME UPDATE: 0545 GMT 07 APR
Officer LAUREN CARTER, HM Air Force, en route to Almaty ex Heathrow.

Operation: Reverse Dolphin

2009-04-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Plan: Drive from Almaty (lat. 43° 15' 0" N / lon. 76° 57' 0" E) to as far as we can get in Europe.
Dates: 10/04/09 --
Route: (provisional) Almaty - Shimkent - Turkistan - Kyzylorda - Aral'sk - Aqtobe - Ural'sk - Saratov - Stalingrad - Dnepopetrovsk - Mariupol - Odessa - Galati- Bucharest - (Amsterdam).
Protagonists: LAMC, DVN Jr., Jeep Cherokee