Tuesday, 31 July 2007
31 July
In Lubansk (far Eastern Ukraine). 37oC heat. Melting tarmac and the car suffering from overheating in the towns. We hit the Russian border tomorrow morning at 8am.
Monday, 30 July 2007
More than one quarter of the way there...
...that's what it says on our milometer. We're in Kharkiv, Eastern Ukraine. After really busting a gut across Ukraine, we're now going to have to wait a couple of days to cross into Russia as our visas don't start until August 1st - Wednesday. We've covered 2400 miles and so far our trusty old jeep hasn't missed a beat.
Since crossing into Ukraine we've really been feeling the change in cultures. To be honest, we felt a bit out of our depth - not having a word of the language or even a letter of the alphabet. Our first day in Ukraine, after making the three hour border crossing from Slovakia - we drove about 300 miles from Uzgohrod - the poverty of which was utterly shocking, it came up on us so quickly - past Lvov and ended up being so tired and frazzled that we just pulled off the road to sleep in a field. We tried to ask a farmer if we could sleep on his land, but for some reason he wasn't having it and we were forced to drive on and park behind a hedge, crossing our fingers that no one would see us. Apparently it's not illegal to camp wild in Ukraine, but you never know when some canny farmer might come along with a slavering dog - or so my over-active imagination told me. We were just finishing our excellent meal of Army ration pack boil in the bag lancashire hotpot followed by fruit dumplings, when an old farmer on his bike peddled silently passed without saying a word. That was it: I was convinced he was going to bring a couple of the village hard-men to either evict us or turn us over. In the end, no such thing happened, but I didn't sleep a wink and got up the next day a complete nervous wreck.
It's become weird how being in the car, and being moving feels the most natural place to be. We barely paused for breath in Kiev yesterday, something we now really regret; it's a beautiful city, perfectly preserved. The really stressful times are at night, trying to find somewhere to stay. And also trying to find food. But being on the road, moving is fine.
Yesterday we saw some really ugly car crashes. Mangled metal and bloody bodies on the highway. And then, in state of mild shock, we were being passed by kamikazee truck drivers, just a mile later. We had to pull over for a break.
Since crossing into Ukraine we've really been feeling the change in cultures. To be honest, we felt a bit out of our depth - not having a word of the language or even a letter of the alphabet. Our first day in Ukraine, after making the three hour border crossing from Slovakia - we drove about 300 miles from Uzgohrod - the poverty of which was utterly shocking, it came up on us so quickly - past Lvov and ended up being so tired and frazzled that we just pulled off the road to sleep in a field. We tried to ask a farmer if we could sleep on his land, but for some reason he wasn't having it and we were forced to drive on and park behind a hedge, crossing our fingers that no one would see us. Apparently it's not illegal to camp wild in Ukraine, but you never know when some canny farmer might come along with a slavering dog - or so my over-active imagination told me. We were just finishing our excellent meal of Army ration pack boil in the bag lancashire hotpot followed by fruit dumplings, when an old farmer on his bike peddled silently passed without saying a word. That was it: I was convinced he was going to bring a couple of the village hard-men to either evict us or turn us over. In the end, no such thing happened, but I didn't sleep a wink and got up the next day a complete nervous wreck.
It's become weird how being in the car, and being moving feels the most natural place to be. We barely paused for breath in Kiev yesterday, something we now really regret; it's a beautiful city, perfectly preserved. The really stressful times are at night, trying to find somewhere to stay. And also trying to find food. But being on the road, moving is fine.
Yesterday we saw some really ugly car crashes. Mangled metal and bloody bodies on the highway. And then, in state of mild shock, we were being passed by kamikazee truck drivers, just a mile later. We had to pull over for a break.
Friday, 27 July 2007
27 July
Made border crossing into Ukraine this morning after 3 hour wait. Guards tried to steal our cameras. Roads around town are shocking. 800 km to Kiev.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
26 July
Currently in Hungry east of Budapest, N 47 Deg 42.3 Mins by E 020 Deg 10.6 Mins. The mighty one is runing well after 1385 miles. we should be in Ukraine by sundown.
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
Same clothes, different day
Same clothes, different day
We're in Prague at the moment. Driving across Germany is never very exciting at the best of times so here are the potted highlights:
Autobahn's do have speed limits - Ali thinks he got a speeding ticket the day before yesterday somewhere outside Duisburg (where there was a distinct lack of pink pomphlets!). We'll see what turns up in the post when we get home...
We towed a broken down VW golf up a steep hill (German engineering? - you can keep it!) for a nice young couple on their holidays.
The exhaust is cracked and is leaking fumes into the cab. It's ok on the motorway where we can happily sit at our excellent top speed of 50mph and keep the windows fully open.
The viscous fan (don't ask) is causing a few overheating problems around town, but it's nothing she can't handle.
We're miles behind the official rally. We saw a couple in a layby in Germany at 2am on Sunday morning but since then nothing. We arrived in Prague a day late,
so our chances of catching up are ebbing away.
Richard forgot the logbook document for the car so we'll be stuck at the Ukraine border. We're waiting for a new copy to turn up in the UK and then hope we can get it emailed over and we'll forge a copy in Kinkos in Vienna or Budapest. Still plenty of time before we have to get to the Russian border.
Finally, the lights keep flicking on and off, so we think avoiding driving at night might be best.
Until next time
Over and out. R and A
We're in Prague at the moment. Driving across Germany is never very exciting at the best of times so here are the potted highlights:
Autobahn's do have speed limits - Ali thinks he got a speeding ticket the day before yesterday somewhere outside Duisburg (where there was a distinct lack of pink pomphlets!). We'll see what turns up in the post when we get home...
We towed a broken down VW golf up a steep hill (German engineering? - you can keep it!) for a nice young couple on their holidays.
The exhaust is cracked and is leaking fumes into the cab. It's ok on the motorway where we can happily sit at our excellent top speed of 50mph and keep the windows fully open.
The viscous fan (don't ask) is causing a few overheating problems around town, but it's nothing she can't handle.
We're miles behind the official rally. We saw a couple in a layby in Germany at 2am on Sunday morning but since then nothing. We arrived in Prague a day late,
so our chances of catching up are ebbing away.
Richard forgot the logbook document for the car so we'll be stuck at the Ukraine border. We're waiting for a new copy to turn up in the UK and then hope we can get it emailed over and we'll forge a copy in Kinkos in Vienna or Budapest. Still plenty of time before we have to get to the Russian border.
Finally, the lights keep flicking on and off, so we think avoiding driving at night might be best.
Until next time
Over and out. R and A
Friday, 20 July 2007
1 days to go...
...no entry yesterday but the last two days of preparations have been insanely busy. Yesterday Fenny Bridges Garage came through for us in a big way. They fixed the bust rear differential and made all the other small modifications we needed. They also pointed us in the direction of Penfolds Breakers yard, the finest scrap car yard in Devon. Ali and Simon (who's been helping out in Richard's absence) trawled around a bunch of other scrap yards only to find them rude, ignorant and really uncharitable. Thankfully, they then found Penfolds, who, as luck would have it, had a long-wheel base SJ lying around waiting to be stripped for parts. So now we have a spare radiator, alternator, carburetor, leaf springs, half-shafts, full set of off road tyres and a bunch of other small things that should make our trip a little less uncertain in the mechanics department.
We also had our picture taken for the local papers yesterday. And today we found that the Sidmouth Herald had given us the front page, bless them.
Today we finally loaded everything into the Jeep and filled our rucksacks. Almost everything fits, which is a complete surprise. Tonight we go to bed, tired but satisfied that two days of hard work mean we can head off tomorrow completely prepared...
...after we have picked up Ali's sleeping bag from the ParcelForce depot ("Sorry, we couldn't deliver it because of the heightened security around the new Harry Potter book." What!?) and picked up our anti-malaria drugs...
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
3 days to go
...and after putting our vehicle in for a much delayed full service, we find that the rear differential is knackered and needs to be replaced. Cue much stress and nashing of teeth as Ali and his trusty helper Simon (Richard is still at work, the lazy arse) race around trying to find an old scrap SJ that we can pillage for parts.
Ali called to tell me all of this last night, as I was packing to leave. Thankfully we think we've found a vehicle that we can strip. It's just a matter of trying to get it all cheap enough so that we don't blow the budget before we go. And hoping that our garage (Fenny Bridges motors) will be able to fit it in time for us to catch the 7 o'clock ferry from Dover that we're booked onto.
Ali called to tell me all of this last night, as I was packing to leave. Thankfully we think we've found a vehicle that we can strip. It's just a matter of trying to get it all cheap enough so that we don't blow the budget before we go. And hoping that our garage (Fenny Bridges motors) will be able to fit it in time for us to catch the 7 o'clock ferry from Dover that we're booked onto.
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