John & Mick's BIG AdventureEndless Russia
Day 15 – 389 kms (5305 total)
Left our small hotel about 7:45 in the pouring rain, which made a pleasant change from yesterdays searing heat. Most cafes are shut early so we had to to ride until about 9 before finding somewhere open.
Our first coffee was in a petrol station and the staff were ever so friendly, asking lots of questions and one spoke a little English – which helped. They insisted on giving us a gift of a model scooter from the shop (which was marked at 140Roubles – about $6)
After waving them goodbye, we headed up towards Stavropol, which we skirted and then north east towards Elista. The rain stopped and turned once again into clear skies with temperature in the high 30s. Very tiring.
Traffic became lighter and most Police checkpoints waved us through. One sharp-eyed chappy though, spotted Johns walkie talkie on the side of the tank bag and asked for its documentation.
I tried, in my best Russian 
to explain it was only short range for bike to bike stuff. They took both away to investigate and then I was called into the bosses office for a very difficult & broken conversation in which I said they didn’t work ‘cos of the bike electrics. He suggested we threw them away. Then said no paperwork for them was a 100 Euro fine. I managed to negotiate it down to $50, but it still means our limited budget is rapidly evaporating and we’re only a third of way to Goa yet !
We stopped for lunch at a roadside cafe, where, as the only customers, a friendly chap gabbled to us in Russian, and we managed to get two large pork chops and salad, which was delicious, but then cost us 600 roubles – extortion !!!
We made it to Elista, after skirting another large storm, and were directed to, apparently, the only hotel, but in such a large town, I don’t think it was. There is a massive Oriental influence here, and most people look Chinese. A twang in the accent led to my misunderstanding the cost of the hotel from 300 roubles to one thousand roubles. MORE costs, but after a full day’s ride, we had lost the will to go trawling for other digs. It’s clean, has air con, parking and food, as well as an internet cafe round the corner.
Tomorrow – Astrakhan!
Could not find a anywhere to eat so it was bread and cheese again…
Russia sounds fun mate!! hope you and John are doing ok, great stories. Take care.
Mark & Ineke | 5 June 07 | #Commenting is closed for this article.