Round The World 2006

May 26, 2006

Up early - 0700 and ready to go by 0800.....i rode the bike from the car park (where the drunk car park man wanted a ride) to the front of the hotel and went back to my room to get the rest of my kit.

As i walked out of the hotel, a young guy said something to me in Kazakh....not sure what it was, but it did not sound good.  When i got outside, the bike was capsized and resting on the pannier and handlebar.  Of course, it was the drunk guy.  Nothing i could do...there was no damage....a couple of boys helped me right it and i rode out of town.

The ride to the border with Russia become very green and foresty (not sure if that is a word).  Bit like riding through Thetford.  There were even some bends in the road!!!  Arrived at the Kazakh border at 0940...it was easy....only took me 40 minutes to go to a number of windows, smile and get stuff stamped.  I was asked if i had a gun on me...when i said no, the guard was most surprised!!!

The Russian side was also easy....if it was not for the computers crashing, i would have been clear by 1115....as it was, some very helpful people filled out all the russian forms and i was in Russia by 1140.....less than 2 hours after starting!!!

So, back in Russia...the roads are smooth and i am now obeying EVERY road rule!!!!

Arrived in Rubtsovsk at 1200 and soon found a hotel.....but they did not want me...not sure why.  So, i went to another.  The lady behind the counter....she could have been your (definately mine) Nana...a lovely lady, but not cut out for doing things quickly and efficiently.  I watched as she painfully filed out the same forms twice.....slowly called the poice to register me...slowly looked through every stamp in my passport....slowly show her disgust (like she was passport control) at ALL the stamps.  40 minutes later, she announced that she needed a copy of my visa.  I hunted for one in my paperwork, but could not find it.  So, had to walk to a shop to get a copy.  When i returned, she was not happy that there was no photo on the copy!!!  I pointed out to her that there was no photo on the original!!!  The only easy to get around this was to give her a copy of my passport!!!  I paid (5pounds) and as she tore the receipt from the till it ripped in half.....this would not do....she got out the prit stick and glued it all back together........Finally i was allowed a key to the room.   I smile at it now, but stood in all my gear with the bike illegally parked outside, my patience with her was thin!!

• Posted by mark stowe on 26/05/2006.
• mark stowe's site