zegeTocht

I hope I will see him back in NL

2009-08-12T06:31:00.001+02:00

1: You take a motorcycle of 225 kilo (ex. fuel) and some wood and a lot of hope!

2: Of course you have the best agent in all Kathmandu. While chatting with him for a while he told me his last big shipment was a Toyota Land Cruiser. That gives a lot of faith except it was in 1993. You also have a hammer and nails. I really hope this is going to work.

3: I forgotten to say there where in total about 15 people busy getting the job done. And from time to time the customs people came to see how we where progressing.

4: You close it. Strap it and lift it up on the scale by hand. Have not seen a forklift truck in the hole airport.

The scale says 366 kilo. Holy what have I been taking around the world. Next time I have to go light weight!

5: Let’s be safe so we push it through the scanner!

I looked at the scanner screen however it was not switched on. But rules are there to follow.

You start at 10:30 in the morning at your hotel and around 17:00 hrs you are back. Total cost Euro 1.126,= and that is cheaper than riding here. Inclusive of 1 coca cola and lot’s handshakes and bye bye’s. Anyway I hope Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is going to take good care of it and that it will arrive at Schiphol Airport this Monday.

Fingers crossed everyone!

16.389 kilometer later

2009-08-12T06:14:00.001+02:00

August 7, it should be a short ride into Kathmandu and then party time.

In the morning at breakfast I ask for the distance- and directions to Kathmandu. About 135km they say and because it is the last riding day I believe them. I knew there was something wrong but maybe I was mistaken. As in the last 3 days it is poring rain as I want to leave. I wait a little as I am not in any hurry as it is only 135km. I looked at the map and the GPS and saw it but did not pay any attention to it. The map has 2 roads going North while the GPS only has one. I wait some more and finally at 11 o’clock I decide to go. It’s still raining. Today I don’t think and I follow the GPS. About 100km I reach the point where I have to turn North and while being soaking wet I feel happy I will be there within the hour. I see the road sign saying Kathmandu 145km. Mmmm I think now I know why I though there was something wrong. The GPS only has the small mountain road I have to do now for over 100km while the paper map has a ‘real’ motorway going north but it would mean going back about 80km. Never go back as Sip always says I take the mountain road. It’s again a wonderful road going up and down the mountains with sometimes great views. Most of the time time the view is blocked by low clouds. I pass some small landslides and rockslides. The nice thing about these small mountain roads is that you meat hardly and other traffic. At an average of 30km an hour I go further and further. Close to 3 in the afternoon I break for lunch and with everything completely soaking wet it even starts to get cold. After lunch it starts to get very busy on the road. Not because everyone finished lunch but because I am almost in Kathmandu. With only 2km to go the rain stops and the shines through the clouds. Does this mean a happy end after all? While waiting for one of the traffic lights I look at myself or maybe I should say at my suite and I have to say I have never seen it this bright and blue before. I guess the rain has washed all the sand and dust of it.

Kathmandu is a a big city I can tell you and there are a lot people who need and want to go somewhere. And they all have an enormous fear of being late. The results is that as in India and Pakistan all use their horn almost constant and if they see an opportunity to pass no matter how remote of success they still feel they should try it. Riding a, for them, unique motorcycle gives me a bit of leeway but it is still challenging.

I have to admit that I did try but I also failed at having any idea of where to go. However as in many previous city’s there are 2 guys on a motor following me and looking at me for a while. When I ask them for directions they are more then happy to escort me to my hotel. After arrival we drink a cola together. First question they ask is how much the motor costs and the 2nd question is if I can get them a job in Europe. Happened many times before. I park the motor in the garage and the bell boy carries all my luggage to the 4th floor. That is 2 aluminum cases full with heavy things 3 big bags with tent, sleeping stuff and cloth and 1 tank bag and 1 helmet. I feel a bit bad about it as I am drinking cola in the garden and he is sweating. To feel better I reward him with enough Rupiahs to buy 8 bottles of cola.

While sitting in the garden I slowly start to realize this is it. It is not going to get any better. End of the journey. Or as many seem to think end of the midlife crisis road trip ;-). Wow I did it. 16.389km, 2.3 liter of oil, about 800 liter of petrol, 4 times on the floor or in the sand on the side, 19 countries, almost 3 month, what else, only friendly and helpful people I met.

Time to take a shower and change into some dry cloth.

The last 700

2009-08-06T17:06:00.001+02:00

August 4, today is the start of the end. It’s the last country I am riding through before the motorcycle flies home. The last approx 700km before I reach Kathmandu which is ‘our’ final destination. By the time I am there it will be almost 3 Month and 16.500km since my departure.

But first I have to get there so I leave for a 250km ride to the next big town named Nepalgunj. In between the bigger towns there are only small villages and settlements from tents or huts. The landscape is flat with rice fields everywhere. Somehow I never expected this of Nepal. I am riding the Highway 1 that stretches all the way from the West to the East. It’s also the only Highway. We would probably call it a nice country road as it runs through a number of National parks. This is the area where various Royals spend there summers hunting tigers. Still you can make a safari here except the hunting part is no longer possible.

In the afternoon the landscape changes to hills. To the North I can see low mountains covert in dark gray rain clouds. Not long later I am in the middle of it and it rains. As it is getting later in the afternoon I stop. No hurry anyway so let’s enjoy it before it is over. The next morning it is dry for about the first hour. Then it rains again. No wonder everything is so beautifully green. I am vegetarian now for something like 2 weeks and I have to admit I have not often eaten more delicious then is this period. The curry’s and Dahl’s are great. The hotels here are not that great however the friendly people absolutely make up for that shortfall. From time to time you end up in nice confusions due to their pronunciation. The landscape does not change a lot. Everything green and lot’s of big and small rivers to cross. Except for one the bridges are fine. I had not problem here but someone else was less lucky. The following day is more of the same except that even the first hour it rains. It’s still warm and humid. And as it has been raining so much and so long I am being warned for landslides along my way. I continue Eastwards and tonight will the last night before Kathmandu.

Into the steam sauna

2009-08-06T17:03:00.001+02:00

August 1, a new Month has started and a new experience awaits me. Outside the nice air conditioned hotel in Dehra Dun it was hot and humid. However the walk to the “coffee today” shop is short so no worries. Now that I have left Dehra Dunn, that is still at an elevation of about 1100 meters, I have entered the plains that are in summer like a steam sauna. Riding is ok until about 14.00 hrs cause by then it is so humid that the sweat runs of you in little streams.

On the way down I ride through the town of Haridwar. This is 1 of the 7 sacred city’s of the Hindus. Here the holy river Ganges has passed his last gorge and is now going to decent 2000km down the plains. By the river there are hundreds of people washing (either themselves or their cloth) but also just sitting and chatting. Many are dressed in orange and they carry all kind of decorations. I also see many young men on bicycles and they all look like they have travelled from far to come here.

I ride 300km and close before the town of Kichha I see a nice hotel. It’s already 16.00 hrs and I start to get exhausted. I take a room and cool down with a nice shower and the blowing air conditioning.

It’s a different world out here. Riding through the towns and villages you see hundreds of little shops all selling something. There are no garbage cans or anything like that so all the garbage is on the street and actually it’s everywhere. In one of the towns I see small mountains of garbage and children carrying a plastic bag roaming through it looking for something of value.

In the morning I try to leave early however as I have run out of rupiah I have to find an ATM first. The directions I receive at the hotel are the same however the distance ranges from 600 meter to 2km. I decide to take the motor and give it a try. I find 3 ATM’s but none of them work. When back in the hotel they know a few more and I get a car with chauffeur to take me there. The 2nd one works and with enough money for the hotel and a full tank of petrol we head back to the hotel.

All set and with one 1 more border crossing to go until the end of the road trip I set of to later discover there is also 1 more river crossing to do.

The area here is heavily industrialized and I see some familiar names on the buildings of the factories. The river crossing is used by everyone and that means that from time to time you see people nicely dressed for work riding through it on the moped. Except for one person they all make it across dry. The unlucky one has an engine that stops in the middle of the stream and he has to walk the rest. Except from water in my boots I also make it across dry.

The map I have is except for the distances very accurate. The result is that I reach the boarder earlier then expected. At both sides of the border there is customs and immigrations. So 4 different visits. Each in a separate little building with on the Indian side in each building about 6 men chatting and doing things. They process the paperwork and it must be to hot to go outside for inspection so that was easy. On the Nepal side in each building only 2 people doing the same things as on the India side. I get my stamps and every all set. First thing noticed on the Nepal side is that the people enjoy things more. Or perhaps they are more outgoing. I chat for while with one the border guards while his female colleague is examining the bike. I try to convince her to sit on it so that i can make a picture of her on the bike but she refuses. The border guard is also a guide in the near by Royal Nature Park and he is doing his best to convince me to go there. I might but I will decide in the morning as for now I am going to Mahendranagar (not easy) for a late lunch and potentially I will stay there. I find a ok hotel and decide to call it a day. I have less then 700km to go until Kathmandu and I have 1 week to do so. And with far less cars on the road that should be less stressful then in India.

Oh what a night!

2009-08-01T12:45:00.001+02:00

When I write “Oh what a night” I expect you to think that I have spend the night in some Maharajah palace where while laying down in pillows beautiful girls from India do a sensual belly dance for me while the friendly staff is serving me a wonderful dinner. Before I tell you the real story travel with me into the Indian Himalaya mountains.

July 29, I leave Amritsar to go to the residence city of his holiness the Dalai Lama. Dharamsala is about 206km away and should be a just about a nice scenic drive through the countryside. Now countryside here in India is different then our countryside as there are so many people everywhere. And they are all on the move. So if you think of a road in Holland or America here the road, due to the fact there are hardly any sidewalks, is used by people walking, talking or (no joke) using it as a toilet for either the big or the small message. Then there are people selling things from small wheeled carts. Then there are people, in order of priority, in big trucks, big busses, small trucks, small busses, big cars, small cars, scooters and motorcycles, tuck tucks and bicycles. So unless you are driving a big truck or big bus they will expect you to make room for them. In other words riding on a motorcycle here is being on the low end of the importance scale and they expect you to make room for them. In case you do not they will still expect it and they act upon it. The result is that specially on the smaller roads you are happy having ABS on your motorcycle and you spend a lot of time making emergency escapes. If you think the picture of the road is now complete then you are mistaken cause there are also animals using it. Either to cross it or just to relax on it. There are cows and they seem to know they have a special status in this country so they lay or walk on the road and everyone goes around them. Then there buffalo’s usually in a big number on their way somewhere same as the goats. Horses are outnumbered by all other animals but from time to time they are resting on the road. And of course I should not forget the monkeys sitting by the road side looking at you but in general scared of the noise of the engine.

So all of the above together with a mountain road in a fantastic green scenery takes me to Chakki where there is a sign saying that the bridge is collapsed and that the road is closed. So I have just driven about 120km to now find out I can not get to Dharamsala. Next on my list of city’s to visit is Shimla and I try that as the D-tour to Dharamsala would take to long. I can not reach it today so somewhere along the way I stop at a hotel that from the outside looks quite good. This bring me to the subject that everything in India is different than you expect.

They have adopted digital print and with it they make the most wonderful banners with fantastic slogans. This means you see hotels having a banner up with slogans like “Your satisfaction is our guarantee” together with a picture of a suite with the quality of a Hilton hotel. Or petrol stations with “Fill up to your pleasure” also warnings like “Don’t mix drinking with driving”. Anyway the banner looked great and the outside of the hotel had some fresh paint. The room seemed ok but that was until I had my cold shower and was attacked by the mosquito's. Happy I brought my mosquito net I went to see if I wanted to eat something here. No that is for sure. I will do with chips and cola. I sleep well under my mosquito net and by 8 o’clock in the morning I am ready for a new day. My plan is still to go to Shimla which is not to far and should take not to long however when I arrive there it is so crowded and there is such a noise that I decide to go further to Dehra Dun with a population of only 110.000 people. I expect this to be a bit more ‘my size’. The road is good and on the map is does not seem that far. As it is getting later and later I ask a few times directions and distances and slowly I start to realize that a straight line distance of say 100km has to be multiplied be about 3,2 to get actual km to travel. The result is that by 7:30 in the evening I drive through a little village where someone tells me that I can follow him on the motor and he will direct me to a place where they do have good facilities for staying the night. It was already almost dark and now as the power just went of in the village it is pitch black. At the same time the news has gone around in town that there is a stranger and everyone wants to see him. So I sit there waiting with like 60 people looking at every move I make and although I don’t feel scared I do feel I should go. I tell the person who was going to drive with me I am going and as I am going slow he will soon catch up with me.

I ride for a few minutes but it is pitch black and doing this for another 16 or 60km (I could not get him to confirm what he meant) is to much. I see a semi bus shelter and decide to put up the tent here and sleep until daylight before I continue. It does not take long to put up the tent and when I am brushing my teeth the person who I was going to follow drives by. He stops and we talk for a while. He is really very friendly but he can not convince me to follow him. It’s not a nice spot but there is no one on the road anymore and it’s cool and with the moon shining bright everything looks beautiful. I fall a sleep and within minutes I wakeup again because everything is vibrating. I put my hand on the floor and it vibrates. It does not shake or rock but it does vibrate. Having read about this area being known for rock slides I slightly panic and within seconds I stand on the road in boxers and on my slippers. I look and listen. No cars or trucks to hear. No other noise. Everything quite. Still don’t know what it was but it did happen again a few hours later. When I wake up in the morning I am happy I am still there and nothing has happened. It was scary though.

I spend the day riding and riding and riding some more. Everything around me is green and it looks a bit like Switzerland in late spring. Alpine is the word for it. At times I ride through settlements where people are cutting up big trees by hand. With people I actually mean children. At other points I see whole families sitting by the road all with a hammer chopping up stones into smaller stones.

At points the road forks into two roads with one going down and the other going up. I ask for directions. There are road signs however they are all in Hindu. Someone tries to tell me the road is closed ahead due to maybe rockslides. At some point there is a fork in the road and in the middle there is a sign that the road is closed for foreigners. Not being sure which of the two roads the sign is for I ask for directions and quickly drive of before the soldier who is walking my way can talk to me. It’s been a long day before I reach Dehra Dun and when I find the hotel mentioned in the guide I happily take a room there for 2 nights as tomorrow I am going to do some maintenance and planning on how to get to Kathmandu.

Into India

2009-07-28T16:13:00.001+02:00

June 27, it’s the usual drill when I want to have a long day available to get somewhere. I get up at 7 and by 8 o’clock I start the motorcycle. Today is a bit different as I realize shortly before I want to leave that the border does not open until 10:30. So there is time for breakfast together with the others. Then it is off to the border and as I had some directions it goes well until the road stops due to works. People here are used to only seeing tourists going or coming from the border and I must look like going as they all point me further through narrow alleys where the motor hardly fits through. Then a stretch of mud and sand where everyone tries a different route through it creating a total chaos as up and down traffic merges into one big cloud of dust and sand. Anyway not far further is the border and it is like an oasis of serenity as there is absolutely no-one making any noise. This is also because there are only a handful officials and except for 2 backpackers no other tourists.

I get my exit stamp in my passport and Carnet and drive slowly through the gate to the Indian side. Here it takes a bit longer as the power just went off and the computer acts funny. Then a health declaration regarding the Swine Flue. Some stamps in my Carnet and then to the only person authorized to sign my Carnet. It is a way to keep unemployment low. Then inspection of the serial numbers of the motor and check of the luggage. Now they find my second passport and they look at me as if I am a criminal. How is it possible you have a 2nd passport they ask. I tell them a story about being an important business manager and having to travel a lot and this is my business passport. As the picture and the dates are the same they let me go. Saying you are a manager goes don well in these countries. If they only knew ;-).

Now off to Amritsar and a hotel with air-conditioning. While riding into the city I realize I am to much used to small city’s and towns. I get totally lost but apparently I am not the only one as asking for the Golden Temple gives me multiple directions to go to. Riding around for fun here is not something you do. It’s so hot and humid that my hole shirt is wet and I can feel the sweat drops running of my face. I consider riding without helmet, gloves and jacket but don’t as it is really nice to have it on if you do fall. And the times I did fall where at very low speeds or almost standing still. In other words these kind of circumstances. I see the sign of a hotel that is on my list. The security guard looks after motor while I look at the room. Fine by me although it does not have air conditioning but the fan will be enough to keep me cool. The motorcycle goes to the 24 hour parking (0.40USD per 24 hours) and I am going to have a shower. While under the shower I realize this is the last country I am travelling through. The next one will be my end destination…

The next morning I sleep late and treat myself to a nice Cappuccino and toasted sandwich for breakfast. I sit on the 2nd floor of a new, clean and modern coffee shop. I watch the total chaos on the street. Sometimes a car stops to load or unload passengers. They do this in the middle of the road blocking it for others. Then when they drive off again they immediately are on the horn. However as everyone is on the horn all the time no-one pays attention to the other. As soon as you are passed by it is your problem to stay on the road. This means you can be overtake by someone to the right who actually has to go left and as soon as he has overtaken you he turns left cutting you off.

I visit the golden temple and am surprised by the enormous amount of people coming and going. This is different then what we are used to. People swim or wash themselves in the pool around the temple. I sit for while by the water looking at it all. India is different I agree with myself. On the way back to the hotel I see a hairdresser and decide to have a haircut and a shave. One hour later and 0.70USD poorer I leave the shop. Tomorrow towards the mountains to find some smaller town and hopefully cooler weather.

Off to Lahore

2009-07-28T16:11:00.001+02:00

July 25, After 2 wonderful nights in Hotel Islamabad (air-conditioning, cappuccino and and a clean big bed) I leave the city for Lahore. When I entered the city 2 days ago I got a feeling for the direction to follow when leaving. It is not that busy on the road yet when I leave. I stop for a red traffic light while from behind an ambulance approaches the crossing. With flashing lights and sound it slowly crosses. However as people here have a different way of driving one guy on a motorcycle does not look and while talking on his mobile phone slams right into the side of the ambulance. Now if you have to have an accident then you would think it is you lucky day if it is with an ambulance. Here however it work different. The motorcyclist is down on the pavement and the ambulance drives off. Someone stops and sort of picks up the motorcyclist and pushes his bike to the side. Further down the ambulance stops and the driver gets out and looks at the damage to his car. My light turns to green and even more careful then before I continue.

On the map a real motorway shows between Islamabad and Lahore and after all the small road I decide to enjoy it for change. Also someone told me that there are KFC’s and coffee shops on the way. At the toll gate I hear a loud whistle and before I know a traffic police officer stands in front of me. Where are you going is the question? Lahore I reply. ‘You have no permission to go to Lahore” he says. I look at him and wonder what is wrong in Lahore that I can not go there. To be sure I explain I have to got to Lahore as I am travelling to India. Again he says “You have no permission to go to Lahore” but now he explains it a bit more “You have to take the other road”. I ask why? The motorway is only for cars and you can not travel on it he says. OK so I can go to Lahore but not via this road. I return and take the N5. I miss out on the KFC’s and the cappuccino but that’s ok.

Lahore is a 6 hour drive. Somehow it feels like every distance takes me 6 hours. Anyway while riding the temperature is ok but when stopping you start to sweat immediately. For lunch I eat some chips and drink more then a liter of orange juice. I am getting used to when people seeing me, taking a chair and sit next to me and only look at me. Today however I do my best to avoid other people. That is until I reach Lahore. Here you have no change to avoid people. My goodness where do all these people come from. Bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, horse and carriage, cart and donkey, small cars, old cars, rickshaw's and of course the big 4 by 4 cars and busses in various sizes. All going in different directions and all feeling they should go first. Amazing to see and bit horrifying to be part of.

The city is bigger then I expected and although I do my best I can’t seem to find the hostel I am looking for. A rickshaw driver offers to bring me there for free as I am a guest in his country. Within 2 minutes I loose him as he is going to fast through the traffic. I stop somewhere where there is lot’s police on the street and I expect to be able to ask for some directions. Not here, they are all very official and explain that this is the official area and I have to go away. I try with being an official guest to the country but is doesn’t work. I ride a bit further and stop 4 rickshaw's before I have one who speak any English. From here on it only takes minutes before I am at the hostel and carry my luggage up the stairs.

The hostel is full of nice people and with a couple of them I go for dinner. One of them is Nathan. He has left Australia 6 Month ago on a Australian Post delivery bike Posty Bike Named Dorothy) . He is on his way to England. Others are heading the same way by 4x4. One of them however left England 2 years and 3 Month ago has no end date yet. Except for the hot and humid air and continues power outage it is enjoyable to spend some time here. The Sunday afternoon we go to see the border closing ceremony at the Wagan/Amritsa (Pakistan/India) border. What a spectacle to see hundreds of people here only to see this ceremony. Before the ceremony starts there is music and people waving with flags and singing and shouting. Happy to have seen it we return home in the Rickshaw for an other unbelievable ride with hundreds of other people through sand, dust and noise. I have it on film and will put it online when back in NL.

To compensate for the expensive hotel in Islamabad the hostel only costs 4,5USD a night. Now of to bed for an early start tomorrow to go to India.

Men in black

2009-07-24T20:02:00.001+02:00

July 22, I left Chilas early in the morning. Really have to do some good km’s otherwise i will never get anywhere. From the very high roads surrounded by high high peaks full of snow and the river deep down below I slowly move in to lower area’s. I ride a bit faster until I see 2 men in black carrying Kalashnikov machinegun's. They look serious while they signal me to stop. Follow us they say and it is big relief that they have the word “Police” on their shoulders and they wear a name tag. They climb on their Honda 125cc motorcycle and I follow them. In the next town they stop and they want to know if I need anything. I buy a cola and while I drink it they start to look a bit nervous. At first I was only surrounded by children but by now half the village stands around me and the motor and my new Police escort has not arrived jet.

Come quickly they say and off we ride. We cross a bridge that is partially damaged. Later I learn that there was an attack here recently. that is probably also the reason that they got a bit nervous when so many people where standing around us. A little further outside the village they stop and tell me that my Police party will be waiting for me further down the road. “Don’t stop anywhere and good luck” they say.

I never met the other Police party but I did get stopped a few times by members of the Anti terrorist squad. They look very wary when they see me coming. One of them wants to know what I have in my bags and as he looks very serious I decide it is not the time for jokes. They do wear great shirts and I am trying to trade one of my polo shirts with one of theirs that is black with in big white letters “Anti terrorist squad” on the back and Pakistan Commando logo. Bad luck.

It’s hot and humid. Dark clouds come from the distance closer and closer. I am in Batgram and wanted to do 100km more when I call it a day. I find a nice hotel overlooking the town and it appears to be a nice and calm place.

After a cooling shower i walk into the restaurant where I am being invited for a late lunch. I meet Bilal Shah and his team of people. They are building 21 schools here in the region and they work for/with the Asia Development Bank. They arrange for my motor to be parked in the reception of the hotel and tonight I have dinner with them. As the sun sets the Monsoon rain comes in and cools everything down. On the rooftop I sit talking with a colleague of him who has studies in Holland. He lived in Enschede for 1,5 years. I think we talk for more than 2 hours and it is a pleasure.

Dinner is at about 11 in the evening and before I know it is 1 o’clock and time to go to sleep.

The next morning after breakfast pictures, some good advice and an explanation of the best road to take to Islamabad. I do my best and ask around a few times but I still think I missed that road as it did not look the way it was described.

While driving down to Islamabad the number of cars on the road increases dramatic. From the nice almost empty mountain roads I end up in the craziest traffic I have ever encountered. If there are 2 lanes at least 5 cars ride side by side. First they go and then they look if there is room. If there is no room then they go until they can not go any further and they stop. Then they start thinking if there is a solution. They use their horns continually. If I am not carful they come drive next to me and then push me off the road. I have never used my horn so often and even shouted at 2 of them. Different country different habits.

Once in Islamabad I try to find the foreigners campground but I am unsuccessful. Lucky me as I now have a reason to check in to the Islamabad hotel which is a 5 star hotel. I am going to enjoy this!

What a wonderful people

2009-07-24T19:08:00.001+02:00

July 20, I set of for a short ride to Karimabad. Short in the sense of km’s but not short in the sense of time. A stretch about 80km takes me 3 hours.

The scenery is wonderful, the people wave at me or when I stop come and shake my hand and the road is from the pass to almost Islamabad under construction. That means it is going to make me far longer then planned to drive the almost 800km or it will mean less sightseeing.

In Karimabad I spend my afternoon wondering around the fort up on the hill above the city. The path leading to the fort is so steep and it is over 3000 meter high where I am that I have to pause twice as I am out of breath. Hope it is not because I am getting old.

For the tour around the fort I have a very friendly young student. He explains a lot about the different rulers of the fort and while talking we come to the subject of Islam and extremists. We talk about this and the way Pakistan is in the news regarding the war on terror. It is a very pleasant conversation and when I tell him that I expected for example that all the woman would be wearing black chador's he starts to laugh loudly. You have indeed a incorrect impression of Pakistan he says. And he is right. The woman here walk around in beautiful and colorful dresses and most of them only wear a shawl covering there hair. So far Pakistan is a really nice country with very hospitable people. Let see if further south it’s the same.

The next morning I set of early as I want to ride a good distance. As before the view is wonderful and the road is awful. It’s not difficult it’s only that at about every bend in the road you have to make a D-tour. So off the road into a pile of sand and stones and then back on the road. I make an average of about 25km per hour.

Late afternoon I reach Chilas and check inn to the Karakoram Inn. In hindsight the most awful hotel. In the middle of the night I discover it is full with little biting flies and each time there is a power down (about 4 times that night) the generator starts and it is located not far from my window. The owner is very friendly and that makes somewhat up for it.

Dinner that night is again delicious. funny is that they always give you a menu and that they tell you what they have available.

A warm welcome to Pakistan with …

2009-07-24T18:56:00.001+02:00

July 19, The Chinese are extreme burocratic and it takes forever before I receive my pink A1 size peace of paper that I have to show to the military at the pass so that I can leave the country. They even take my temperature, scan all my luggage and quarrel with my guide for 30 minutes before I am allowed to go.

At the gate I am stopped and told “Only 60, 60 you understand” Yes, yes 60km per hour I will do. They told the driver of the car in front of me the same thing and with one soldier riding with us we set of. As it is no-man's-land they give you an escort to the Pass. The Pakistan driver I have to follow drive precisely 60 however not km’s but miles and we fly low through the country side and up the mountains. At 3500 meter high it get’s a bit cold and I stop to put some extra cloth on. At this altitude you also start to feel your head a bit. It’s bit like a headache. One more checkpoint and then the final border crossing checkpoint. All well the form is complete and correct and I am allowed to leave. At the monument at the highest point there are lot’s of Chinese soldiers making pictures of themselves together with one of the Pakistani guards. They also make a picture of me and him and me and the motorcycle and me with them and the motorcycle and more of the same sometimes in other combinations.

A few hundred meter further the Pakistani border guard says welcome to Pakistan while he shakes my hand. Please come in for some tea. We drink tea and eat cookies while he explains that he is up here at this 4733 meter high pass for 3 Month before he goes home to his family. It is a small building with 1 room that has 3 beds, 2 chairs and a smelly petroleum heater. Not the nicest place to work for 3 month. After tea I set of for a 84km ride to Sost as there is the customs and immigration office. The Pakistani side of to Karakoram highway is under construction and that means a slow ride down through sand, stones and rocks and from time to time a small stretch of asphalt. The view is breathtaking though. High peaks with snow and fast running river below. The first truck I meet on the road is looking precisely they way I expected it to look.

Once in Sost it’s the same super friendly treatment. I get a nice stamp in my passport and someone calls for the customs clerk to do the work on my Carnet. No check’s no nothing except many ‘hallo’s’ and “welcome’s”. Sost is small and soon I am in my hotel for the night and order my first Chicken curry with rice. O and of course tea. Lipton black tea without milk served by a super friendly man. One more noticeable thing is that all officials look like sergeant majors from the English army. They all have this wonderfully manicured moustache. And everyone speaks English it is a great joy to be here.

Ready set go…

2009-07-24T18:42:00.001+02:00

July 17, I hang up the phone and smile. my tires have arrived and in the afternoon we are going to change the rear one. The front tire is still good and (lucky me) so far I have had no flat tires. With a new rear tire I have a good chance of getting to Nepal without issues. The oil level is still good and I checked all the nuts and bolts and everything else I could think of. I spend most of the day like a real traveler doing nothing important. All the others we have met the last few days have left Kashgar and I am happy to be leaving tomorrow.

The tire is changed but they can not balance it. They also do not have the equipment to tighten the bolts to the right torque but I check them myself and I will continue to do so. While riding back to the hotel I speed to 100km an hour but I do not feel any unbalance so I guess it will be alright if I do not go any faster.

Tomorrow 10 in the morning i will leave for Tashkorgar which is the last town before the 4700 meter high pass into Pakistan. There I will stay the night and the following day I will leave China and cross into Pakistan. I would have liked to travel a bit in China but at the rate of 300USD a day it is a bit to expensive. My dinner of a delicious pizza is accompanied by a really nice cold beer as Pakistan is a alcohol free country.

The following morning i have breakfast in Fubar Cafe and the owner who is the New Zeeland guy decides to accompany me for the day as business is slow and he wants a break from it. I follow the guide to Tashkorgar on a newly paved road and that fact makes the ride a bit boring. Once in Tashkorgar we try to find coffee but what we find is like warm water with a it of taste. Later over dinner we meet Ernest and we hear one of those horror travel stories you don’t want to experience.

He was travelling with his friend Eddy and due to some miscommunication between them and their guide they rode to the Pakistan border which is 120km out of town while they should have gone to the customs office 1km out of town. At the border they were send back by the military. You would think that you can’t even get there but the road is open if there is no police at the checkpoint. So on the way back Edy who has been complaining about pain in his belly becomes seriously sick and parks his motor at the hotel they where staying and goes to the hospital. There he is put into an ambulance and driven back to Kashgar. Once in Kashgar they put him on a plane and fly him to Urumchi and from there he, before he knows, ends up in a hospital in Hong Kong. All of this is about 2 days flying. In the mean time back in Tashkorgar Ernest is waiting for news while his mobile phone does not work and the internet is not working and all international calls are blocked. His guide has left to go back to Kashgar and the customs people will not let him out of the country as his itinerary showed that there were 2 people and 2 motorbikes. I lend him my telephone to send a few text messages and we agree that tomorrow morning we will all show up at customs and hope that we can get him out of the country. The motorcycle of his friend can be brought back to Kashgar and stored at the bar (Fubar Cafe). His guide is also back in town so we have hope it is going to work. The following day he is not at the customs office as his tour company told him to wait in the hotel until everything is sorted. I am leaving though and I hope it is all going to work out well for him.

A few days in Kashgar

2009-07-20T15:35:00.001+02:00

July 13, So I am in China and also in the Province where a week ago in the capital there were uprisings and some 150 people got killed in it and 1500 people got arrested. As a result the government has switched of the internet and most of the telephone net. Sending a text message sometimes works and receiving a call from abroad sometimes works. They also send the military and they drive around in trucks with their shields up and the machine guns ready for use. They also patrol the streets and stand at street corners fully armed. Strangely enough it does not feel scary at all and most of the locals just ignore them.

Together with my guide I visit the city center and some of the other highlights. We have Plov for lunch and the afternoon I have off. While walking around in town I run in to the 2 backpackers I met in Sari Tash. One of the them, Pieter is staying a couple of days and together with Francis who he met earlier we sightsee more of the city. We have tea at the teahouse in the center and from the 2nd floor balcony we watch the activity in the old town. The majority of the people here are Urguz people and they don’t really like the Han Chinese. We as tourists they don’t mind and they ever make room on the carpet when we want to join them for tea or lunch.

When I crossed the boarder I felt a bit said that I had not planned a few day in Kashgar and now while waiting for my tires to arrive I have them. My travel permit has already expired but they will tell the authorities that I had some technical issues and that is always the solution. At breakfast i run into 2 Americans who have spend a Month in Pakistan to do some English teaching. The road I am going to take is according to them perfectly safe and also after seeing the amount of permits in my name I now the only way out is to the Punjerab pass and into Pakistan. We will take 2 days to get there and it is only 400km of good new asphalt road so plenty of time to also do some sightseeing. As a souvenir I buy a, according to the seller, handmade Aladin oil lamp. He told me I should have bought flying carpet so I could use it at the end of the trip to fly home. Indeed the end of the trip is coming closer as I only have 3 countries left. Together with China I think they will be the more difficult countries of the whole trip though. Anyway tonight dinner in our “stam kroeg” run by a guy from New Zeeland who is thinking of quitting as there are hardly any tourist coming to this part of the country due to what has happened.

Welcome to China

2009-07-20T15:23:00.001+02:00

I leave Sari Tash before 9 in the morning for an about 84km ride to the boarder. The road is under construction and that results in riding on an unpaved road until you get stuck at a point where the road workers put up high piles of sand. You ride back to a point where you can get on to the old road and then the ‘normal’ routine of deep holes and patches of sand and mud starts. after about 1,5 hours I break for hot tea, I bought a thermos bottle, and a snickers bar. I sit high up in the mountains and look out on a beautiful valley dotted with yurts. I pass a total of 3 checkpoints where I have to register and finally I ride through piles and piles of isolation material until I realize this is the boarder town that got destructed by a earthquake about 2 years ago. They are still rebuilding it and the people live in containers, tents and what we in Holland would ‘pipo the clown houses’. This is really a very poor area and living here must be a real challenge.

Leaving Kyrgyzstan is easy and takes about 5 minutes. Most of this time is spend taking of my gloves and helmet and putting everything back on again after getting my exit stamp. No checks no forms easy as 1,2 3. I reach the highest point of the road and see the sigh “Welcome to China”. It is 10 minutes to 12 local time and also Kyrgyz time. According to Beijing time it is 10 to 2. All the official things in China run on Beijing time. All the boarder officials go for lunch and they are already getting ready to get on there bus. The only officer I see (he is wearing a uniform suite and he speaks English) orders about 10 soldiers out of the car for inspection. Within minutes they unpack my 3 bags and 2 cases and 1 tank bag. They take my camera’s and look at the pictures while my laptop is being brought to the officer. within minutes they go through everything I have with me and everything ends up at a different spot.

About 5 minutes after 12 I am clear to move to the next station that is 4km further down the road. There I have to wait until lunch time is over. Before I can leave I have to repack everything and that takes more time than the complete inspection. It looks like I am going to be able to enter the Peoples Republic of China. Wow 2 Month and 12.400km after leaving Amsterdam I think i am going really do it.

Lunch in china takes a while. To be more precise 2,5 hours. In other words I wait until 2:30 local time before the officials return to there stations. The first step is a form asking who I am, where I am going and for how long and if I am sick or if someone of my group has left the groups because of illness other that an accident. While standing in line for the second check I am called back because I have my own transportation and I need to declare it. I get a form and sit down at the desk of the inspection officer and without being send away I fill out the form. The English used is enjoyable and half of the questions I do not understand. I leave them blank and I will see what will happen. I go back into the line I was before but now I am being told by a Girl officer that I am not standing correctly in the line. She walks to me in a marching like way and explains that a line is a line and that means you have to stand behind each other and not like I am standing as it is out of line and I am looking around. Little later the officer tells me (she has 3 stars on her shoulder) that I can not register here and that I have to go outside. Outside registration is for people who have there own transportation and/or truck drivers. On my way out I am called back and they want to know who my guide is. I tell them that he is waiting for me on the other side of the border. Now I have to go and go find my guide as this is not the correct procedure. While walking to the exit I am being called back because I do not have my entry stamp yet. Please guys what do you want me to do? The officer sending me to go find my guide has more stars on his shoulder and after some agreeing I can go find my guide. Actually that is moment the guide is allowed into the building and he finds me rather then I find him. What an interesting border crossing. Now I have to pay 34 Yuan. Can I pay in USD I ask? Only Yuan and lucky me the guide knew this and brought some money. Now outside to the motor where the soldier asks me for my passport for the 2nd time. No stamp he says. Go inside for stamp. No I have to go here for stamp I tell him. OK then go to the office 5 meters further and there the officer try’s to send me back inside for my stamp. Now the guide steps in and my registration can start. The stamp can however only be given inside but lucky me the officer from the outside office goes inside to get it. Can you all still follow this?

Next step is customs. Some forms that the guide has with him. Some conversation around the bike with some more officials and then an interview with the head of customs. Q: have you heard about recent things that have happened in the providence of Xinjiang? Yes I reply I saw it on the news. Q: Do you think this will affect your travelling at all. Not as long as it is safe to travel. Do you think it is safe for me? No reply from the officer except that I am cleared to go. Almost then cause just before I start I am told that they have forgotten to check my luggage. Everything has to go through the scanner. I take my bags and carry everything inside and they run them through the scanner. Ready? Yes! welcome to China.

Now let’s get go to Kashgar. Although i have studied the map I did not realize it was a 250km ride to the city. The road is new though and by 8 o’clock in the evening I arrive at my hotel. Time to change some money and find something to eat. By 11 I am in bed. Tomorrow sightseeing and finding out where my new tires are.

Back on the road again

2009-07-20T15:16:00.001+02:00

July 11, After making a full and remarkable recovery in Osh I am back on the road. In Osh I had a good time in a fantastic Guesthouse (Tess) and also thanks to the good food at all the local restaurants. Once you get the hang of the names of the dishes a bit you can find really good tings to eat. Also finding more snickers and mars bars with a current date on them did a lot of good. Actually for ‘safety’ reasons I have a half a case full of them with me. While in Osh I made a daytrip to Jalalabad where they had a thermal hot spring with sanatorium. I say had as most of the buildings where in ruins and the only hot spring water I saw came from a tap where you had to pay for drinking it.

So left Osh early in the morning for Sari Tash and a road which I remembered as being extremely difficult. It must have been because I was sick cause today I did the same road in under 5 hours where the previous time it took me 7. Made some nice pictures and stopped even for lunch. Once in Sari Tash I refueled and found a room in the same guesthouse as last time. I took the room on the left as that one has a little electric heater. Unfortunately the power does not come on until 6:30 in the evening. Later that afternoon two backpackers joined me and we had a nice meal together. At 9:30 it was time to get into the sleeping bag and dream of tomorrows crossing into China.

As no one knows anything about whether or not the boarder with China is open I bought an new visa for Kyrgyzstan so that if the boarder would be close I could go back into Kyrgyzstan and travel to the capital (Bishkek) and from there to fly myself and the bike to (probably only) Istanbul. This would mean the end of the trip as from Istanbul I could only drive home and not to India.

Anyway no sense in worrying to much as I will not be able to influence the Chinese and I would have to accept what will happen at the border.

Sick

2009-07-11T11:47:00.001+02:00

July 1, At 1 o’clock in the night in a town that is not listed on my map, than has no running water, that has no electricity, that has only 1 telephone, that as no GSM signal, that is at 4200 meter highs and therefore is very cold in the night I sit above a small hole in the ground using my flashlight to see if I am filling up the hole or the inside of my jeans. I feel so sick and it is freezing cold outside. The hole in the ground is like 25 meter walking from the house and has 3 sides and 1 door and no roof. The wind blows through it and … anyway a place and a town you don’t want to be sick in.

As my visa is about to expire I have to move on in the morning and after taking some Imodium I ride to Murgab which is 184 km’s before the boarder with Kyrgyzstan. I get there early in the afternoon and without eating I take my sleeping bag and I pass out.

Besides sleeping and taking medicine I run to the hole in the ground and sit there shaking with fever and fear that I am filling up my jeans instead of the hole. I have not showered since I left Dushanbe and I have not washed any of my parts for 4 days now.

The next morning I do not feel any better. I have to cross into Kirghizstan today but it is a 184km of bad roads. It seems endless and it actually is. At the boarder they offer me some tea and kind words. it does not help I feel awful and i am awful. late in the afternoon that day after more of the same roads I get to Sari Tash on the Kyrgyz side of the boarder. I hear music coming from the shops and they sell coca cola. All of a sudden it feels a little bit closer to home. I buy some water, cola and chocolate. The chocolate is 6 Month over the date all the other items are current. I find a homestay and when I ask for shower she says no shower but she can prepare some hot water. They must have a little bathroom where I can wash I think. Wrong. Outside by the gate they have 4 buckets hanging and in the 2nd bucket she pours some hot water and that is where I can wash. I wash my hands and with the tower still around my neck I go back to my sleeping bag. I skip dinner and sleep until the morning. When I wake up in the morning everything is very quite. As if the sound is blocked. I look out and it is snowing. It does not really stay on the ground but the motor is covered by a thin layer of snow. Today only another 180km to Osh where I hope to recover as it is in a valley at approx 1000 meter high and apparently it is a nice city with a nice warm climate. I expected the road to be all asphalt but the lady of the house tells me that the Chinese and still building the new road and it will be about 100km of dirt road and then asphalt. I eat a few eggs and set of to my recovery site.

After more then 6 hours of riding I reach Osh. How is it possible to have such roads and to spend so much time riding them. Well if you have a thick layer of wet mud, thick as in 15 cm thick, you need 2 wheels and 2 feet on the ground and at a walking pace you ride. No need to play the hero as for sure you will fall. I was sure it was going to be easier in Kyrgyzstan but so far it is not. The battle continues.

Once in Osh I find the place I want to stay and they have a bed for me. No dinner for me as I am going to bed. I did shower though but that is the last thing I remember. Tomorrow is a new day.

Leaving Dushanbe

2009-07-11T11:31:00.001+02:00

June 28, while leaving Dushanbe I run into Jurek and Ola from Poland. We met in Bukhara and I was suppose to email them the details of my contact in China. I can now correct this omission on my part. They just changed tires and I can take one of there old rear tires just for spare. When I checked this morning I found a big tear in my rear tire so you can imagine this makes me feel a bit more comfortable. We also agree to ride together for the day.

We both wanted to take the same road except that we both had different reasons to do so. I had heard that the Northern road was closed and that the police would send you to the other road and they hear that the Northern road was not maintained and that you had to take the southern as it is in better condition. Finding the correct road was a bit more difficult then it had been so far and also finding a place for lunch was not easy. Or in fact we did not find anything at all. However at the police checkpoint the police gave us a bread and a passing car gave us another one. Maybe they knew more than we did.

The road was good until it got challenging, very challenging with a broken bridge. The bridge had steel plates but they where no longer in there original location and that resulted into holes where you could fit through. We helped each other across and convinced we could do anything and that it would not get worse. We continued until we arrived at this river crossing. Here we had to wait a little as it was the turn of the people coming from the opposite direction. From a distance it did not look that bad but when we got down and in front of it we saw what it really looked like. It was serious and a normal passenger car in front of us even got stuck before the end and had to be towed out. Trucks going through had big difficulty coming out. We decided to offload some luggage and with 1 person riding and 2 guiding we passed. In hindsight is was doable on your own but better safe then sorry. Shortly after the crossing we arrive at a river bed where there was like a trail through the stones. Stones,stones and stones the size of your fist to ride through. And half way there was a stream to cross. What a day what a challenge. From stones the size of your fist we get to soft sand and then again to graffel. With the km’s we are making per hour we knew we would be arriving by the time it get’s dark. It was actually dark 30 minutes before and against our plans we rode through the dark. We did find a very nice homestay and soon after taking the luggage of the motorbikes we where laying on a nice Persian carpet drinking our first beer of the evening.

Besides writing about the challenges of the day I should also tell you something about the landscape and the views. It’s beautiful, high mountains everywhere a big and fast flowing river to the right of you and across the river Afghanistan. Small villages on the Afghan side with a surprising amount of satellite TV dishes. We even tried to through a stone across but that was just a bit to far. The weather is nice with temperatures in the high 20 degrees. All soldiers patrolling this boarder area except for 3 of them are friendly and are waving at us. The 3 that did not wave stopped us and threatened to through the motorcycles on there side if we would not pay them 10 somi each (1,5 USD each). We paid and moved on. Sanitary stops are easy as there is plenty of space to do them. You stop and walk a few meter from the road and … not here though I stayed on the pavement.

The following morning after breakfast, buying some supplies and buying fuel we leave town for a relatively short riding day. Earlier we had agreed that we would ride together for a bit longer as we are all happy to do so. Only about 250km to do today. The road turned out to be reasonably nice or have we gotten used to riding under any condition. Most of the time we ride standing and riding while sitting down now feels odd. We find a nice homestay in Khorog and meet some fellow travelers. they tell stories about how they went across to Afghanistan and jumped on a bus there. Not for me but it did sound nice.

The following morning has the same drill. It’s almost like going to work. Check the motorbike, have breakfast, agree the route and go. We want to drive to Warang and we are being told that the first half is fine and the second half will be the usual graffel. By lunchtime Ola makes a comment that it appears that the hole road is going to be asphalt as it is really going well and the road is easy. You will not believe it but only 500 meter further the graffel road starts and it does not stop for a day and a half. Around 3 in the afternoon we are close to a recommended homestay and that turns out to be a wonderful evening. There is an old fortress not far from the home and for 70 somi we make a last minute reservation and a 4 wd car comes to bring us up to the fortress. The homestay is at 2500meter above sea level and the fortress about 600 meters higher. Good practice as we are going to about 4000 meters high the next few days. While planning this trip you read all about it but you just can not image how it really is. Slowly slowly I am going through area’s where people have nothing and where there is no GSM signal and in some villages only 1 telephone. I really feel bad about this GSM part as I expected to at least have a signal once a day but for the last 2 day it was not there.

After seeing the fortress we have a wonderful dinner with soup and main course backed potatoes the way they also do it in Poland. We still had some beer and shared that amongst us. Of to bed for an early rise and shine as we have a 140km road tomorrow before we reach the M41 (Pamir highway) and none of it is asphalt and all of it is between 3000 and 4000 meter high.

July 1, today is the day of 140km no asphalt and then the main road. We ask many people but none of the really know if there is petrol and where. Tanks full and spare tanks full we go. In the beginning we still pass 2 or 3 villages and then it will be about 80km before we reach the checkpoint high up in the mountain. In the last village the road starts to go up with a serious number of hairpins. At about 80% of the hairpins behind us we meet 2 Swiss cyclists. That is really tough what they are doing. The landscape slowly becomes dryer and it’s also getting colder. We reach the checkpoint and after registration we reach the point where our ways will part. Jurek and Ola want to go to one of the lakes here and I have to move on as my visa will expire this Friday. While having lunch they calculate there fuel need and reconsider if they want to be together in an area that is famous for drug smuggling from Afghanistan. As they make up there mind a couple comes down the road on their motorcycle and they want to visit the same lake. With the 4 of them they feel comfortable and after selling them my spare petrol they turn right where I go left. From the couple that just arrived I received the GPS coordinates of a house where you can buy petrol and where you can spend the night. The last 30km before the main asphalt road the scenery changes again. It’s like moon craters. Then finally after 4 days of I guess more then 60% no asphalt roads and riding standing most of the time I reach a nice smooth stretch of asphalt and while turn East on the road I feel very small as I am sitting down now.

By 4 o’clock in the afternoon I reach the village and the coordinates are recorded 4 meters away from the petrol can. I decide to stay here for the night and tomorrow early I will go close to the Kyrgyzstan boarder. The family asks 10USD for dinner, sleeping and breakfast. O and tea is for free and they even put some wood on the stove for me as it is getting seriously cold.

The son of the sister of the mother of the house! comes and translates as he speaks a bit of English. We talk for a while and then he invites me to his parents house. Unbelievable on the clay floor they have some plastic and on top of that some thin carpets. In the middle is a old stove and it is ‘leaking’ smoke from all sides. It is one room and there is no other heating then the wood stove and there is no electricity and no running water. Nevertheless they give me tea, bread, watermelon and a portion of their dinner but I am afraid of eating it but then it was sizzling in the pan before she took it off the stove. Now back to my place for some soup and then quickly into the sleeping bag as I am tired and my head feels a bit strange. Must be the altitude and I hope it will not get worse.

Into the black hole

2009-07-11T11:22:00.001+02:00

June 27, happy to leave this awful ex Soviet camp I jump from my sleeping bag into my cloths. No breakfast I am out of here. After about 2 hours I see a nice stop and order lot’s of egg’s and the. Sitting in the sun I enjoy it again. Now direction Dushanbe where I have already promised myself a nice luxury hotel with a clean and hot shower.

Yesterday on my way to my bed i run into a French man who told me he was there already for a while collecting butterflies. He goes out into the mountains and spends a few weeks a year on this. He warned me for the 5km tunnel that would be a nice experience.

I ride into a Chinese camp and they all direct me to go further. I feel though that this is the end of the road and slowly I move on. I get to a tunnel where the tracks are so deep that the engine bar get’s stuck and lifts the back wheel of the road. I sweat and survive. The tunnel is only maybe 100 meter and think he must have been mistaken. He was not mistaken as I now reach a tunnel where there is thick smoke coming out. Even to get in to the tunnel is a nightmare as there is a stretch of big stones to cross partially flooded with water. Once in the tunnel I switch on the alarm light so people can see me. I also switch on the big light but have to stop shortly after as the light is reflecting in the thick fog that is in the tunnel. I adjust the headlights down in a attempt to see where I am going. In the distance they are working and while riding through this tunnel that is also flooded with water my adrenaline reaches it’s highest level since I started this journey. Riding into the water, not knowing how deep it is and hardly being able to see anything is breathtakingly scary. Halfway the tunnel I have to stop. I am not sure if I can make it to the end. My eyes hurt from the fumes and although less scared about the deep water I now more fear for suffocating. I move on and now there is a long stretch of water. The motorcycle is still moving, I am still standing and my boots begin to fill up. Surrounded by steam I resurface. Unbelievable but I made it. What a journey what have I started.

After this I can take on anything I think. Not knowing what is going to be tomorrow.

I reach Dushanbe early afternoon and spend the entire afternoon drinking Cappuccinos at the Italian Segafredo coffee place. I have enough of riding a motorcycle. I also took the newest and probably most expensive hotel in town.

Tajikistan here I come

2009-07-11T11:17:00.001+02:00

June 26, Off I go towards Tajikistan. Finding the road out of Samarkand is not that difficult. Buying fuel of the Euro 95 type is a bit more difficult. The first petrol station I stop, take my sunglasses off, helmet off, gloves off, earplugs out, take the tankbag off and open the fuel opening. Only then the man who has been standing looking at me all this time says there is no fuel. Well thank you for letting me know. The next two petrol stations I stop and ask without stripping and at the third I am lucky. Now all I have to do is find the right road. That does not take long and after about an hour I arrive at the boarder. After hearing and reading about leaving Uzbekistan I have ‘updated’ my customs form for the part where they ask about money. I am carrying a few thousand dollars and so far I have never declared it anywhere but for leaving the country I don’t want any problems.I do the usual forms and handshakes and after a 2 minute customs check I am good to go.

At the Tajik side of the boarder they greet me with ‘welcome to Tajikistan’. Also here some forms, 7 euro for one a them and lot’s of help and friendly comments from the customs person. Last is for them to open the gate and I am in Tajikistan.

It looks like they opened the curtain as I see high mountains with snow on top of them. The first city I ride through seems to have a busy bazaar and while riding very slowly I look for an exchange office. I look and look but I can see any. I stop next to the entrance of the bazaar area and when I look again there are about 10 exchange offices around me. As always there are lot’s of children standing around the bike and one of the helps me to buy a simm card for my telephone. All set and I will now go for the mountains. I tried to find the road to the seven lakes but must have missed it. Once up in the mountains the road becomes difficult with lot’s of stones and sand. I do find a nice place for lunch and with my belly full I set of again. Thinking of how many km I have done I realize it is not a lot. I try to go a bit faster but it is tough on these roads. I go higher and higher up into the mountains. I reach a point where the road is closed and there are a few car’s waiting. They are working on the power lines and we have to wait. It does not take long and shortly after I set off again I reach a stretch of new asphalt. I have a big smile on my face as I ride on for a few minutes. I then have to stop for a Chinese crew making this new road. The machine they use to put the asphalt down with is as wide as the road (obvious) and they do not really care about letting me pass. After a while I am done with waiting and I slowly start riding behind them on the fresh and hot asphalt. I can tell you it hurts under your feet and it ruins the new asphalt but the result is that I start to get some attention. All the way to the left they direct me and with the front of motor being able to pass the machine 4 of the crew members lift the back of the motor and almost carry it passed the machine. I smile and go. Not long after I pass the point where they closed the road from the other direction and there are for sure 50 cars waiting for the road to open. I think I have been lucky that they helped me pass.

Now instead of going strait to the capital I will visit Lake Iskander Kul which should be a little gem according to the book. The road to the lake is off the main road and it is a 24km dirt road. It’s close to sunset when I start with the road and while riding standing I enjoy the scenery it is really is stunning. I reach the lake and indeed it is beautiful from this distance. The former Intourist (Sovjet) camp I am planning to stay is easy to find. It’s a peace of land overgrown with plants and in between there are crappy little houses. What an awful place to stay. But with the sun now down no alternatives. There are no showers and I don’t even care about looking for the toilet’s. it’s not even 8 o’clock and i am going to bed with my stomach filled with chips and chocolate (over the date) I am giving up for today.

Sandy palace

2009-06-27T10:56:00.001+02:00

June 20, The translation of the word Registan is Sandy palace. In Buhkara it was the palace of the Kahn and everything around it was one big bazaar where people would trade products. The town of Bukhara is beautiful with a big fountain in the city center where there are lot’s terraces and restaurant. The next circle is one of Mosques, a bazaar, the hamam that dates back to the 16th century, the Registan and of course the 21st century internet cafe. After walking around and visiting the highlights of the city I decide it’s time for some relaxing in the Haman.

The fact that you are being washed by a man always feels a bit strange. It also smells strange but that must be because it is so old. For massage he asks hard, medium or soft. I go for medium but now 3 days later I still regret my choice.

In the evening we have a dinner at the B&B where Mr. Akhbar is cooking. We have the best plov ever and the evening is very enjoyable.

The B&B is a wonderful place. It’s like a small museum and I have offered him to trade it against my house.

Tomorrow some more of the same except for a bit more relaxing as it is extremely hot here and it does make you tired.

I have seen it. Maybe not all but the rest I will read about in the book while enjoy a warm cup of chay back at the B&B. Tomorrow i am going to Samarkand where it is suppose to be 5 to 6 degrees cooler as it is higher and close to the mountains.

June 22, I am on my way to Samarkand. The GPS dashboard tells my I have driven 10.000km since my departure from Amsterdam. For the first time in weeks I am taking it extremely slow. It’s often to hot to do anything but I am also often to tired. My daughter Claudia emails me that she has passed her exams with excellent results. I am very happy for her. She worked so hard for it and then this reward is fantastic. If you want to congratulate her then send her an email (claudia_jongens@hotmail.com). No news yet from Alexander. I hope he has done well with his exams.

On route I stop for coffee and for the first time the children are without and respect for my things. They try to touch everything and ah maybe it is just me. Having the 5,5 weeks travelling blues.

Coffee on route was tasteless and lunch was the usual. Just for this once I wish I could trade it for the usual I had when going out for lunch with Kevin during my work in the US. I decide that in Samarkand I will take 3 more days doing nothing.

Slowly I start getting my energy back. I see the sights of Samarkand. I check the motorcycle and clean and repack the cases. Buy water and ice tea to take and talk to all the people in the B&B about Pakistan and possible routes to avoid going there. I get more and more the impression it might be to dangerous to go there. Two of the guests here lived in China for some time and they all tell me it is possible to go form china directly into Nepal. If I do so I can still make a tour through India and skip the dangerous part. I email my Chinese agent and I have people at home working for me :-) on it. I also order a set of new tires as these enduro tires wear fast on these mixed roads. I think i can do about another 3500km with them and by then I will be in Kashgar (China) and I will change them for the last part of the journey.

Friday I leave for Tajikistan. High up on top of the world where snow is possible year round. I want to visit the 7 lakes in the West and then travel a part of the Pamir highway and take the long road south all along the Afghanistan boarder. According to the stories most of it ok. Parts are stones and sand and difficult.

Salam ma likem from Bukhara

2009-06-20T19:31:00.001+02:00

June 19, from one of the holiest city’s in Islam history I greet you with “Salam ma likem”. What a beautiful city is this. Like walking in one big museum. Getting here was easy. On the Turkmen side of the boarder I think they where happy that I was leaving. One form, some tamps, pre-registration at the bridge 10km before the border, a intermediate registration about 5km before the boarder and no bags to open and 1 bottle of water offered.

The Uzbekistan boarder was a bit unfriendly. Also some forms but no one prepared to help but also no one who really cared checking anything. They all wanted to know how much the motorcycle costs in USD and already for a while I am telling everyone that it was a present from my father and that I do not know. Once admitted into the country there is a small horde of people gathering around me with stacks of money they want to change and Uzbek simm cards. While not even knowing the exchange rate I exchange my last few manats and I buy a simm card. So if you want to call me this week call me on + .

According to the map I had to drive about 135km for Bukhara but after little over 100km I have to stop for one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen. The Ark Registan is a stunning fortress dating back to the 5th century (picture will follow later).

The B&B is full but they are prepared to clean out the ironing room for one night. Tomorrows I can then have a ‘normal’ room. The lady of the house gives me tea, soup, bread and tomato’s with salt. Fantastic I am sure I will enjoy staying here for 2 days.

The bread here is almost holy and you can never throw it away! In the streets they sell stamps with patterns you use give it design.

Tomorrow and the following day i will stay here to indulge into Islam history.

The road is long

2009-06-20T19:29:00.001+02:00

June 16, can you imaging that over a stretch of 600km there are no places to stay. No hotels, camping is something they don’t know of. Nothing, no nice villages. This country is a bit a challenge for me. It’s dry and hot. The ride through the desert is long and dusty. I can imagine people have health problems here as there does not grow a lot or in many cases nothing but there is often a strong wind blowing. Making everything dusty and cloudy from the dusty desert sand. While driving through a small town I make a big mistake by thinking that the police here as well as in Europe are there to serve and protect. I ask advice but am told to switch of the motor and push it into the parking lot of the police station. The chairman wants to speak with me. One of the policemen tells me I have to go back. OK I am stupid i will not do this again. The chairman checks my paperwork with (I think) the KGB. And then tells me I can not stay in town and have to go to Ashgabat. Tomorrow I can then come back to swim in the lake in the mountain. Well I am not so sure about that anymore. I think tomorrow I am going to do nothing for a day. Again I arrive at my destination when the sun is setting. All car’s flash with there lights at me and one is trying to explain I can not have my light on in the city. I have to switch it off. Safety is apparently a concept that has not arrived here yet. The hotel I take is the favorite pick from the lonely planet. They can not change dollars but do not accept any other currency. Parking is 5 dollar payable direct to the guard. I am fine with it. I am going to sleep.

In the morning I find the air-conditioning. Wish I searched longer last night. My stomach is upset. I am going to take it easy today. When I look out of the window I see the former President of Turkmenistan in gold on a 50meter high Arch of Neutrality. What a guy and why did he spend all that money on himself.

I spend my day amazing myself. So many marble covert buildings together with boulevards full of fountains. I have never seen something like this before.

Tomorrow Mari and the ancient city of Merv. If I can make it in time. Now to bed.

The next day I am ready washed, packed and oil checked at at 7:15. First breakfast then I will go. Breakfast does not start until 8 she tells me. OK then i will leave without as I want to be in Mary early to see if I can still find a guide to take me to the ancient city of Merv. I reach Merv faster then I expected and when I stop to orientate I am already in front of the hotel I want to stay. Once in the hotel they know a guide who works at the museum and for the price of 2 weeks salary he comes with a car and takes me for 4 hours to Merv.

Most of the city is ruins but you get a pretty good idea of what it looked like. Some of the building date back to well before we started counting the years and they even had things like ice houses. In the winter they would fill it up with the snow that would fall and all summer long they would use them as big refrigerators. Two of the Islam founders (sorry I forgotten there names) are buried here and still many people visit there graves.

For a while Mohammed and I sit on a bench and talk about Islam and how gently and welcoming the people are. So different then the impression we from the West often have. The conversation changes to Turkmenistan and if the people have a good live here. He feels that way. If you have a car the first 120liter of petrol each Month is free, each member of the household has free water and free gas, the first 35kw of electricity is free. The salaries are low but with 120 USD a month you can get by. Apartments with 2 rooms sell in Mary for 1.600 USD. I had a rely nice day and look forward to tomorrow when I go the next country on the list.

Michel start of customs control

2009-06-20T19:26:00.001+02:00

June 15, awake, refreshed and full of good spirit I leave at 8 in the morning for the Turkmenistan boarder. So far the road was good so what can go wrong. Well the road can change and it did. I have never seen a road like this. It become impossible to ride. Remembering my soft sand adventure I move to steppe road nr 1 on the left of what was the real road. I am to tense and afraid to end up in the soft sand again. It takes for sure half an hour before I feel comfortable again riding standing and keeping my pace. After steppe road nr 1 I have to move to steppe road nr 2. Then to steppe road nr 3 and finally to steppe rod nr 4. I have not tried the 4 roads on the right side of the main road. Over a stretch of 40km I spend more then 2 hours. I wanted to arrive at the boarder at 9 and now it is 11:30.

The Kazak border control way easy and friendly. I am visitor number 3 today. The previous day they had 6 people crossing according to the book. I have to park inside the hangar and have to come inside the office. Paperwork and juice. they help me with the paperwork, offer me juice, do you need anything else? All set I tell them and after handshakes with everyone I am off.

The Turkmenistan boarder control is a little further and starts off very relaxed. First the paperwork with about 6 forms of which many in 3fold. Each however with original signature and original stamps. Some up to 3 stamps. Here like in Moldova they circle important parts of the documents. After each document to the bank for payment. First 10 dollar and 2 dollar bank fee. Second 95 dollar and 10 dollar bank fee. I stopped counting after 22 stamps and 12 signatures. Then “Michel please get you motor here” and in the 40 degrees heat he tells me “Michel start of customs control”. He makes me take each bag from the motor, carry it to where he is standing in the shade, unpack it and then repack it and then the next one. Finally the “Michel end of customs control is announced” a handshake and I think I can go. I am exhausted from the heat. Only about 200km to go Turkmenbashi where there must be a hotel and a cold beer waiting for me.

The road on the Turkmenistan side is ever worse then on the Kazakh side. Over 40km of something that should not be allowed on the map as a road. It is now close to 3 o’clock in the afternoon and I am in need, big need. But no help, I really struggle for 2 hours over a 40km stretch and at the end of the stretch just when things start to look better in terms of road I fall. For a moment I did not pay enough attention and I get blown of the road into the ditch. Back wheel in the ditch from wheel on the road. Damages: broken hand protector and the right blinker is gone. I find it and put it in my bag. Empty the last bottle of water (4 of 4 today) into the camelbag and realize I have to find water and fuel and a place to stay. I had nothing to eat except for breakfast and since this morning have not seen anything that looked like a shop or ever a village.

The landscape is dry, dry and dry. Far in the distance I see buildings and immediately I start to feel better. I ride by a pink salt lake and smell a penetrating oil smell. the pink must be from chemical spills as it looks completely dead around the lake. The buildings are ransacks with no live at all. The fuel station (first since this morning but then I only travelled 150 km so far today) has only a little bit. Anyway only about 150km to go. If all of this sounds like complaining then it is not. It is only a actual description of my day!

Stupid me. I see a nice stretch of Caspian sea beach and think let’s have a 15 minute break for a swim. There is a patch of the main road and I take it. A few meters down the path I stop as I don’t trust the it. I try to turn and my rear wheel get’s of the track into the sand and digs himself in deep. So deep that after 30 minutes I give up and start offloading my luggage and then while the cool Caspian sea is 5 meters away i sit on the road waiting for the next car to come by. I feel stupid, awfully tired and helpless. But that only lasts until the next car (after 30 minutes of no cars) stops for me and helps me to get the motor back on the hard part of the track. No I am going for my swim and despite the freezing cold water it feels great.

Ready for the last part of the day. Turkmenbashi is getting closer. But not before 2 more police registrations of which one with tea and candy and handshakes with all policemen. Finally as the sun sets I ride into town. Everything clean, no garbage anywhere, nice roads with trees. Wow this would be a really nice town. I find the hotel with some paid help only to hear the president is in town and all hotels are not available for non invites. So here I am without a hotel, no water anymore, no nothing and I feel even sorry for myself. Slowly I ride back into town looking around and I see someone waving at me. His daughter is called to translate together (with the dictionary) and within minutes to motor is parked in his garden I am lying on a Persian carpet drinking tea and eating plov. What a wonderful end of a long, long, long and I say it one more time long day. At 10:30 in the evening I am so tired that I go to bed. I think the only bed in the house as the hole family sleep together in the other room on the floor. O and also because of the presidents visit there is no running water

Turkmenistan I am coming

2009-06-20T19:24:00.001+02:00

June 14, the boarder with Turkmenistan is about 400km away and I want to get close so that when the boarder opens at 9 tomorrow I will be there waiting. Dima picks me up from the apartment and as I follow him we pick up his girlfriend. First of to the Datscha where his parents live. Some tea and fresh picked strawberries an delicious cookies. They live here all summer long and have a big garden where they grow lot’s of fruits and vegetables. Earlier that morning I gave Dima a present my father gave me to take and give to someone special I would meet along the way. At the Datscha Dima gives me something I have been looking for since I left Holland. Russian defense is says. After tea we go. I follow Dima to the road I have to take and after a photo session with him and his girlfriend I am off. On to new adventures.

I travel south and have planned to spend the night somewhere in the steppe. I feel lucky to see a nice stretch of beach about 100km before the the Turkmenistan boarder. I feel like a swim and a rest. the road was good and the lunch was wonderful. Somewhere along the way while refueling a girl comes to me asks “Do you know Borad” and “I want to go to America and kill him” I reply that killing never solved any problem but she insists. He made a fool of the Kazakh people and she want to know what I think of the people. I tell her I like them a lot and everyone I met in Kazakhstan is very friendly. I promise her to write about it on my blog (hereby).

While looking at the tempting blue water of the Caspian sea I realize I have used to much fuel and can not reach my destination. I have to go back about 50km to buy fuel again and this time I also fill up my new metal jerry can. Plastic is not allowed in this country and if the police stops you they will confiscate it and you will get “staff”. Finally at the end of the afternoon I am back at the beach thinking of taking a nice swim. Within 5 minutes I have 2 dinner invitations and after my swim I enjoy the company of a Armenian couple who give me food and drinks. Anything empty they leave there and from the looks it has been that way for a couple of years. What a dirty place. Anyway time to set up my tent and now I make the mistake to do this to early. Half the beach is coming to have a look and make pictures of what I am doing. I get nervous over so many people watching what I am doing and children trying to climb on the motor and parent encouraging them to do so. Finally I switch on the alarm and with the alarm going of they seem to understand it is over. At 8 people start to leave for the city and at 9 I am out. Tired of the heat and the long day on the motor. Expecting a smooth ride to the boarder as the road until now has been great.

We take beer and bla, bla bla

2009-06-20T19:22:00.001+02:00

June, 12. Dima invites me to come with his friends for fishing. We take the boat and every 2 hours we check the net. I am under the impression that this is a few hours thing. He picks me up and we go to pick up the other Dima. And then the 3rd Dima. With car full of people and the booth full of equipment I start to realize this is going to be longer then a few hours. In fact it’s going to take until tomorrow morning.

Via high tech Russian technologies he inflates the boat. The campfire is made and the beer is still cold. The beer we bought at the show that has about 10 taps and many 1,5 liter bottles. Here you buy tap beer by the bottle. Once the net is in the sea the bla, bla bla can start. The potatoes go into the fire and we have some cubassa with bread. As the evening progresses fish comes from the net and after being cleaned they are salted or go into aluminum foil and into the fire. It’s becoming a wonderful evening with new friends. They do this many weekends from March to October and if you are ever around I am sure they will welcome you to come along. It takes until about 3 o'clock before I can keep my open any longer and I sleep in the back of the car while they sleep on the sand. The morning is not far away and by the time I am back in the apartment I

sleep again.

The afternoon Dima and I spend some time looking for a metal jerry can as the plastic one I have is not strong enough and according to Dima not allowed by the police. to dangeres is the heat. That evening is very short for me. I sleep by the time the sun goes down. Dreaming of home and my girl who is there waiting for me.

A road to far

2009-06-20T19:20:00.001+02:00

I sleep like a baby until the alarm wakes me up. More then 8 hours should be enough. I switch the alarm of and lay down for a bit longer. The sun is up and and shines on the tent slowly changing it into a small oven. I sit up and check the inner and outer tent for unwanted visitors. I check to see if there is anything in my shoes. All clear no visitors. I make a nice Italian espresso and eat some cookies to get started. Packing and getting dresses is a 15 minutes job if there are no showers to use. Ready for a new day.

I want to reach Fort Shevchenko in the morning and spend the afternoon looking at some sites. The road is not much different from yesterday. I make good progress and in the next town I refuel. At the next road sign Aktau is to the left and Fort Shevchenko straight on. I mark the location in the GPS. I go straight and can already see myself sitting on the beach tonight camping again. Somewhere I make a wrong turn and end up at a house where the road stops. I ask for directions and I think he tells me I have to follow this trail. The trail however continuously changes into 3 different directions. After trying and trying I decide to go back to the the nearby town and see if I can find something that looks like a road. I do and shortly after I go North East and according to the map that is right direction. The road changes to stones only. It then changes again but this something new for me. It is sand as thin as powder sugar. But appears to be only a thin layer and with right speed I continue. I now go through holes that are filled with this powder sand without being able to see it coming. A few times I manage to barely stay standing. The front wheel is out of control now most of the time. I try going faster and I try going slower. I stop a truck coming from the opposite direction and with sign language I ask if the hole stretch of road is going to be like this. I think he says it will even get worse with sand and that makes me decide to go back. Let’s see if there are other ways to get there. I turn around and while going back at the same pace I hit a deep and long hole filled with this soft sand and I loose control. I try, the engine does, the tires try but in a big cloud of this yellowish powder sand I go down. There I am first fall and unfortunately in extremely soft sand. I switch to engine off and stand there looking at a sand covered motorcycle so dusty I have never seen before. I myself look the same I realize. The sand is everywhere. It takes a while to dig the motor out and get it back on it’s wheels. It starts well but it sounds like it is choking. That must be the air filter being full with sand. It’s about an hours worth of work to take the air filter out and rinse it clean. Once done the engine sounds as never before.

OK I am done with it. The sand is everywhere and I quit. I am going to Aktau and I am not going to see the sights. I want beer, food and a clean bed.

While riding into Aktau a guy looks at me and the motorcycle and asks where I am from. He looks at how I look and I think he feels sorry for me. His name is Dima an the next 2 days he is taking me around town. We look at 2 hotels and than he shows me a lovely apartment close by the beach and it is for the same price as the hotel. A washing machine included. The motorcycle we take to the car wash and for 4 euro it is being washed while I drink a cola. This is the first time they wash a motorcycle he tells me. And it shows.. everyone is making pictures of the motor. Motorcycle parked in a guarded parking and of to the apartment for a shower. Dinner is with Dima and his girlfriend. At 2 o’clock in the night all my lights go out and I sleep until mid day the following day.

The road to Aktau

2009-06-20T19:17:00.001+02:00

The road to Aktau is a wonderful smooth road, for about 10 km. It then changes slowly into a road with potholes. Best to ride on far side of the road the German guy told me a few days ago. I still do about 60 to 70km per hour. I am sure the sign sad Aktau straight on but what is in front of me is only stones and nothing else. A little d-tour sign says to go left. Here the boys get separated from the men as this is going to be my first steppe road experience. I ride on while standing and while remembering Marcel’s (travelmaniacs.nl) off road tip nr 1 I move on. Lucky me. It’s only a few km and back on to reasonable road. The road becomes less reasonable and then bad. After this it become worse. Anyway with no way back and this being the main road (according to the map) I ride on. Every 30 minutes I stop to see if I still have my luggage and jerry can. I lost it twice and with the temperature reaching 38 degrees I finish my 2 liter camel back in 2 hours. At the next stop I refill it and add some ice tea for the taste.

Lunch is soup with Chay served by the lovely lady in pajama. And when I want to leave again I double check if i am still on the right road. I am but it is difficult to believe. Stones, potholes, sand. I try the steppe road on the side but that slows me down to 20km an hour. It’s a struggle but this is what I wanted (I convince myself). About 200km later I reach a stretch of new smooth tarmac. I speed to 120km an hour to cool down a bit. The fun ends shortly after and it is back to stones, potholes, sand and lot’s of dust.

I loose my luggage once again and change the position of the jerry can. This is better. If you want a more time phased impression of the day you can just this read post for about 8 hours and you will feel the way I felt.

It’s getting late and on the left I see a nice spot I think I can make camp.

To tired to cook I eat some cookies and drink a bottle of water. I lay down for a while listening to the 3 birds and one fly that are out there with me. Before I realize I start to doze of. Time to check everything is locked and with my knife and spray at hand I fall a sleep.

Camel milk and horse milk

2009-06-12T13:13:00.001+02:00

The hotel in Altirau is great. A bit expensive but after washing in the river only I promised myself some luxury. The motorcycle is parked behind the hotel in the emergency exit who is now locked with a big chain. Don’t worry the girl from the hotel sad when I asked if the guest can still leave the building in case of an emergency.

My morning walk is to the Orthodox church and the Mosque. At the same time I try to find 2 small jerry cans for taking some extra fuel with me. One of the 2 German guys yesterday showed me some road on the map that have limited fuel station and 350 to 400km might be a problem unless you want to 80ron fuel in it he sad. A taxi driver tells me to go to the bazaar for “Canister” there they will have it. While enjoying lunch I talk to a girl sitting at a other table and ask if she speaks English. She speaks English perfect and she explains how to get to the bazaar. We talk some more and she recommend a nice restaurant for a tradition dinner. I invite to to join me and she agrees. This turned out into a really nice evening which we conclude with drinking Horse milk which tastes a bit like our “karnemelk” and Camel milk which tastes a bit like a Camel cigarette.

Upon returning to the hotel the staff seems to have “defrosted” and they ask me dozens of questions. Do I like the hotel, where I am from and going to, am I not afraid alone, how many horse power the motor has etc.

O and I also found a jerry can. now to bed and for tomorrow I have planned a night in the steppe.

I am in Kazakhstan!!!!!!

2009-06-12T13:12:00.001+02:00

I drive away from the Kazakhstan boarder control and raise my left arm high up in the air my hand as a visit and I shout I AM IN KAZAKHSTAN. At the same I realize there is no way back. i used my Russian visa and only have visa for onward travel. Scary idea.

Leaving the Datscha that morning was difficult. I think it was Klaus who sad that it felt like saying goodbye to a good friend. And he is right. I had a great time together with them. I do hope we will meet again sometime somewhere.

The road to the boarder is not very difficult to find. Once I leave the city it becomes very quite on the road and the countryside is beautiful. It’s all wetlands as far as I see and the animals living here seem to enjoy it a lot. In little groups they stand, lay and roll in the water. Later I see a hurt of cows swimming across a little stream. One thing about wetlands i did not realize yet is that is it full of mosquito's. That is why the boarder guards are equipped not only with their pointing stick but also with mosquito spray. Amazing within seconds after I stop I surrounded by a 1000nds of mosquito's. I use my spray but they don’t seem to mind it a lot. The Russian side of the boarder goes rather efficient. About 15 minutes and I hear the “Go” and “Take care”. It feels like they have have all been watching the same movie. Not sure which one it is yet. before I ride further I talk for a little while with a German motorcycle rider who is going into Russia. He is with 2 others but they lost each other the previous day. If I see them I will tell them you are ok I promise. Now I am in no mans land. The Kazakhstan boarder is about 5km further and Here they have the same stick but nu mosquito spray. I use some more of mine and before I know they all use it. Perhaps this will give me a bit of goodwill while doing the paperwork. One of the officials make me open my cases and starts playing with my photo camera. He opens more bags and looks in. He asked for presents from Holland and I tell I have no space for it. A other man helps me with the paperwork which is all in Kazakh and Russian although he does not seem to work here. On one of the forms you have to declare how much money you bring into the country. I open my walled and show 30 euro and about 6 euro’s worth of Rubles. While waiting for the final stamp the official starts asking for money. I was prepared for it so I give him my Rubles and my stamp is done. Now I have to follow the person who is not working here to his office and he starts about Kazakh police and my green card. I know I have to buy it so I sign a few papers and there it is. Costs 2.800 Tinge. I did not check the exchange rate yet and I also don’t have any Tinge yet. “Can I pay in euro?” I ask. “i will give you a good rate” he replies. He calculates for a while and as a miracle the cost is 30 euro’s. I smile and leave the office with my document. Ready for Kazakhstan.

First impression of Kazakhstan is Camel’s and houses made of clay. I ride and have to stop as there are some camel’s crossing the road. This mother and child I want to make a picture of so I stop and take my camera. They have already walked further so there I am in 38 degrees in a blue motorcycle suite running after then into the Steppe trying to make a good picture. Can you imaging how people would have looked if they same me there running. I make some picture and walk back to the motor sweating like a camel? But not smelling like them. Wow you can smell them from 20 meters away. About an hour later I meet 2 German motorcycle riders who are with 3 all together but they lost one other. I tell them that I met him at the boarder and they are extremely relieved as they where afraid something had happened to him. TIP: Make sure your telephone works in all countries. They have one that does not in Kazakhstan. One more hour later I see two bicycles standing at a roadside cafe. This must by Michael who I met last Saturday. He has met a Dutch guy coming from Groningen and on his way to Tibet. They decided to ride together. We talk for while and with a handshake and “Good luck” we say goodbye.

The rest of the day I spend on a good road heading for Altirau. Here I want to spend a day preparing for the remainder of the country.

Keck woda?

2009-06-08T22:48:00.001+02:00

It’s Sunday morning and what is better way to start the day with a swim. Klaus and I dive into the river and while swimming and washing our hair a young man comes to the stairs that lead to the water and asks kek woda? I know the word woda from polish bit it takes to long to decide that he is asking how the water is. I take my soap and start washing my other parts until I loose the soap in the river. It is now that I wonder if the soap is bio degradable or if I am now responsible for a small environmental disaster. Breakfast is coffee, juice and bacon and eggs. Around 10.30 Olfare (nickname) arrives and we all leave for the city. The walk is through some deserted landfill with piles of glass and something that looks like glass fibers. In German there is a good word for how it looks and that is “mistraurich”. The day in town is fantastic. We visit the monastery where the head monk shows us around and talks about live in the monastery, the soviet time and the last and the first (evening) meal. We are being invited to witness the marriage ceremony that will take place shortly. Then off to the market for some muscle shirts for Klaus and Jörn who at that point don’t know yet that the next 100km of the onward journey is going through mosquito country. After the market we go for beer and that makes the hour in the Mosque a bit heavier that expected.

Weddings seems to take place all over town and they all like to use stretch limo’s for it. We have seen a few of them that day.

Grocery shopping and then of to Olfara’s house for some internet work. We meet here parents and before we know it is time to walk back to the Datcha for an evening swim and dinner.

The evening swim is like being in a small paradise. The sun setting in the distance and not a ripple in the water. That is until Klaus jumps in. The rest of the evening Klaus and Jörn sing Rudi Carell songs for me (Las dich uberaschen). I have it on the video camera! and we talk about “Freude am fahren”, Linda de mol and all other things that make an evening with new friends unforgettable. Saying goodbye tomorrow will be difficult but Kazakhstan is waiting for me.

Munster to Wladiwostok

2009-06-08T22:09:00.001+02:00

Tseren knows someone in Astrakhan and she has room in her Datsha. In the same house she is also hosting Klaus and Jörn from Munster in Germany who are cycling from Munster to Wladiwostok. They are on their way to meet Ammanu from Afghanistan who has had heart surgery in Germany and now 5 years later they want to find out how he is doing.

Before I arrive in town I end up in the annual national celebration of the people of (I think) the region I am going through. There is a journalist working for the national TV and she wants to ask me all kind of questions. I receive a tour around the celebration area. Meet the local president of the club and have lunch with many officials dressed in traditional costumes. So far on this trip everyone I meet is so hospitable and helpful. I enjoy these contacts to the fullest.

After this “lunch” break I continue. It does not take very long before it starts to rain and within minutes I am wet up to my underwear. 30 minutes later I see that to the left the sun is shining and to the right are the same big dark clouds full of rain. I hope it is my lucky day and expect the road to slowly turn left so that I will have no more rain. The road turn right and I get one more fresh shower that chills me to the bones. The temperature is again down to 18 degrees.

The Datsha is not far from the town center and the river is a 5 minute walk from there. Before dinner we all go for a swim and a wash as there is not running water in the house. We try the famous dry fish and that was for me a first time last time. The rest of the evening we spend talking and drinking beer.

Check www.amandu.de for the story of Klaus, Jörn and Ammanu. You might even find a picture of me there.

A day in Elista

2009-06-07T16:10:00.001+02:00

Elista is a small Buddhist town and that shows. With a big portion of the population being from Mongolia (long time ago) you see a mixture of Mongol and I think Chinese but Tseren disagrees on the last part. They a have a beautiful Buddhist temple in town and that is what I am going to look at. Outside the temple there are tents where you can have “oliebollen” and appeljuice. Not a bad breakfast I have to say. The rest of the day I will spend in town and at the apartment writing for the website.

Tomorrow I will go further east and stay in Astrakhan to finalize what I think is needed to stay safe and be able to eat in Kazakhstan.

100 rubles or troubles

2009-06-07T16:08:00.001+02:00

It rains when I leave Rostov. The temperature has gone from in the 30 degrees to 19 degrees. I am wearing my inner and outer jacked and after breakfast I set of. Direction east. Kazakhstan is the direction and I have about a 1000 km to do before I am there. Today I want to do half of that and stay in Elista for a day before I go to the nearest town to the Kazakh boarder. The area I am passing through is a bit boring. Farmland as far as you can see and small villages along the way. One are is a biosphere reservation are with large water- and salt lakes. To stay on the main road is easy as all turn of it are sand roads. I try two of them to see how it feels with my new enduro tires. It’s a lot of fun I have to admit. So easy it now handles on sand and graffel. I make some pictures along the way, have 2 hotdogs and a Pepsi and about 6 police check’s. The one after the weight station got me. The stop sign is about 20 meter before where the officer stands. I see the sign and ride slowly towards the officer as that looks most normal. Not is this case. You have to stop at the stop sign and wait for the officer to show you what to do. Mistake I try. In Holland it is different I try. Football… van Gaal my friend…. nothing works. His boss takes my drivers license and makes me choose. A ticket or 100 rubles. I try some more but slowly my license disappears into his pocket and it looks like he has more important things to do. Unprepared for this I don’t want to open my wallet as there are also a couple of 1000 rubles note in it. I walk back to the motor and pretend I get the money from my tank bag. With only the 100 rubles note in my hand I walk back and we exchange the money for the license. that was 2,5 euro worth. At the next checkpoint I am paying more attention.

Once in Elista I ask for directions. As before how easy can it be. Follow bus 21 and you will get to the train station. Here I meet my new friends. See picture. Here I also meet Tseren who is going to host me for 2 nights in his apartment. Tseren is a doctor at the country hospital and via couchsurfing.org we met.

How many rubbers do you have with you she asks

2009-06-07T16:04:00.001+02:00

The road to Rostov is not difficult to find. Police checks along the way and from time time special police checks. In between some other checks like weight scales. Twice they select me for a check and after showing my Russian green card (motor document) say “football, AJAX and van Gaal” they let me pass. At the fuel station I buy a map of the upcoming city and lucky me the hotel is listed on it. The manager of the hotel does not like motor cycles and quickly directs me to a secured parking. After checking in and making sure that they will do the mandatory OVIR registration tomorrow (but only after 12 o’clock, rules are rules here) I go to the business center. Here is Anna and she is prepared to call the local BMW dealer. Tomorrow at 17:30 they have time for a tire change but only if I have my rubbers with me. How many rubbers do you have with you she wants to know. Two I reply. I am on a motorcycle. Do you have them with you in hole or in parts? I try to draw a picture of a motorcycle with 2 wheels and on the wheels rubber tires. I think she understands and within a few more minutes I have my appointment fixed. On the map she draws a circle where the dealer is located. So far so good. Dinner is with McDonalds as I am getting tired of eating shashlik all the time. Interesting is that each time I order shashlik I get something different. Today was a very warm day with temperatures over 34 degrees. To cool of a nice cold beer and then to bed. Tomorrow see the city and hopefully get my tires changed.

The orthodox church in the city center amazes me. How can they spend so much money on a church while the people don’t seem to be rich at all. Apparently there is a church official visiting as next to his Skoda Superb he stands accepting kisses from lot’s of old woman who he then blesses by putting his hand on there head. Around the church is the bazaar and there I do my grocery shopping. There are sections for different kind of products. Like olive oil is sold by about 5 different woman but they all have their own little area. Same for the eggs, vegetables, fish and fruits.

About 1 hour before my appointment I leave for the BMW dealer and in about 15 minutes I find this super deluxe building with lot’s of X3, X5 and X6’s outside. Inside there is every kind of model of BMW together with lot’s of friendly helpful employees. The girl behind the reception determines if you go left to more girl working on computers or to the right to men working on computers. The men however are all wearing special jackets. I am being told to wait as Julia is being called. Julia is my personal interpreter for this session. She translates everything and soon I am standing, as a big exception as Russian customers are not allowed, in the maintenance area. My motorcycle is being brought in by one of the men in the special jacked and handed to the mechanic who wears special gloves. Soon the hole team is around my motorcycle looking at the picture of the route to India I am taking. With Chin-Fah’s comments in mind I watch closely how they take first the back wheel and later the front wheel of to replace the tires. Balancing the new tires is a bit of a hurdle but after consulting the manual and some colleagues the machine says “OK”. Two hours after my arrival, a payment of less then 40 euro, 1 invoice in a special BMW folder and many good luck’s and some handshakes later I am on my way back to the hotel. Now some dinner and then tomorrow to the Buddhist town of Elista.

Welcome to Russia

2009-06-02T21:14:00.001+02:00

The DJ plays “Yesterday” by the Beatles and the hole families toast to my arrival in Russia. Do you want the hole story then read on past the boring part….

So it’s Monday morning and I leave the hostel turning left and then at the next road to the right. All the way to the and there is Russia. How easy can it be. Between where I get on the road and where the road stop as it is the end of the Ukraine is about 240km. In the distance a big blue building and behind it I can see water and boats. The Ukrainian soldier sends me to the ticket office and short of only 2rpm I have to change 10 euro and end up with a wallet full of small money as I have already done a few times before on this journey. But perhaps nice for the photo album.

While waiting for the ferry 3 Polish men arrive on their bicycle. The are doing a trip around the Sea of Azores. We talk for a while and when I tell them I like the shopping in “Swote terasse” in Warsaw they can not believe it. We talk until it is time to board the ferry and there we make some pictures of each other. The crossing takes about 30 minutes and everyone seems nervous for the Russian part of the boarder crossing. I receive the usual questions about narcotics when they see I come from Holland. So far I have had to open the cases only once at a crossing and when they look inside it is always “go”. At the immigration everything ok. About 3 forms and done. The customs part is a little more complicated as my green card is “No good” but that is solved by a Russian version for about 22 euro. All forms are in Russian so the women is so kind to fill them out for me. Total number of forms is about 8 including 2 “No good” and they are thrown away. A few more scan’s of my passport, visa, motor registration and I am good to go. Almost, 1 more window to go to. This one has a opening at about the height of my knees and while kneeling down before her I wait for the lady to do the final check of all paperwork. 10 minutes after I left the customs zone I realize my camelbag was on the back of the motor and now somewhere there on the ground. I return and everyone seems to know about it and point me in the direction of the lost and found counter. New start and I am of in Russia looking for a hotel.

By the road they have signs that make you expect a hotel is there. You see a key with a number like 300 and other signs like eating, swimming etc. I can tell you it’s not a hotel. Still not sure what it is. It’s getting late and I don’t want to drive in the dark. In the next village there are a couple of men all dressed up standing together talking and I ask them “Do you know a hotel?” they point to the next door and say “there hotel and here eat”. OK I think that sounds good. The room is 750 rubles without breakfast. Breakfast is not possible. Registration takes a while and in the mean time one of the men helps me to find a guarded parking for the motor. A shower and I am off for something to eat. The next door is easy to find and while I order a beer I ask for something to the menu. It’s difficult to make myself heard as there is a big party in the room next to the bar. Eating is not possible. That is strange I was sure I spoke with someone like the manager of this place. The door to the room opens an there they are. Come eat, drink! It turns out to be the 30st birthday party of the wife of the police chief and they invite me to join. That was 3 hours delicious eating and drinking “Good Russian vodka”. Alex the policemen is on the phone for a while and tells me “for you road to Kazakhstan no problem” while pointing at his telephone. And then the DJ plays “Yesterday” by the Beatles and they all sing with the song, raise their glasses in a toast and say “welcome to Russia”. The Vodka does it’s work and I sleep that night as a rose.

Tomorrow to Rostov an Dona trying to get my tires changed and preparing for Kazakhstan.

What to do with 4 days in Crimea

2009-06-02T21:11:00.001+02:00

So you get to the Crimea peninsula and you have a few day to spare before you can enter Russia.

Fist of all you can stay during these day in the Hostel run by Kevin. You can can find him on hostelworld.com. I am not a hostel expert but I believe him when he tells me he has the nicest hostel in Crimea. The city of Simferopol is centrally located and has busses going to all city’s of interest. Alternatively he can arrange tours for you.

I however have my motorcycle and use that to drive around. First stop is however the fuel station to fill up the tank. With about 0,80 Euro per liter i have a full tank for about 10 euro’s. As I am refueling a other car pulls up behind me and when the tank is full I think let’s be courteous to the person behind me and make some room. I push the motor some 2 meter further and when i swing my leg behind me to get off again he hits me from behind. Then I am on the pavement next to my motorcycle who is also on it side. Now in normal conditions you would expect the driver to get out of his car and help. Not this one. He slowly get’s out and while I am with the help of the fuel station guy getting the motor back up he only stares at me. It does not happen oft to me but I get so angry and in my best English I curse at him. Except for a scratch on the engine protection bar, that is what he is made for, no damages. i feel happy that before i left I ‘softened’ the tightness of the the handlebars, mirror etc.

The rest of the day I spend looking at the joint Ukrainian/Russian black Sea marine harbor in Sebastopol and I visit the former submarine factory build into the caves of Balaklava. In between I ride some spectacular roads and at the end of the day I end up in Yalta. With all this history around me I decide to also visit the Kahn’s palace and look at the cave houses near Bachasaray. Last is a visit to the Lavidia palace where Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt met to discuss the world after the 2nd world war. In the first room of the palace I run into a American group who are members of the peace corps and they are in the Ukraine visiting homeless children and obviously some historical sites. Their guide asks me if I want to join their tour and this gives me a free guided tour of the palace. On the way back I make some picture of one of the most pictured castles in all of the Ukraine. This would make a great spot for getting married. The last day I spend with Kevin and his girlfriend going to the beach. I don’t know if this is at all beaches but here they have an interesting commercial system where the beach is free however if you want to swim you have to buy a ticket. There is someone sitting selling swimming tickets. That was Crimea. Next stop is Russia!

Crimea

2009-05-29T21:34:00.001+02:00

In Simferopol city center you go to the main train station and there you take bus 51 or 61 and that brings you to the Freedom bus stop where everyone has to get off the bus. From there walk away from where the busses are parked and turn left and we are the 3rd house on the right. Now the word train station sounds like “pokna3am” and if you read the signs very fast than it even reads a bit like this. So when I arrived in Simferopol all of a sudden I saw this sign and after following it for a while i ended up at the MacDonald's which was the other landmark described by the Hostel as critical to find in order to get to the Hostel. From here I followed, after a nice McDonalds lunch, bus 51 and there I was in front of the Hostel 4000km away from home.

Road side shopping is available as you see from the picture on the left.

The Crimea I want to stay for a few days to relax a bit. Look at all the sites like Sebastopol, Balaklava and Yalta. Ride a few of the famous mountain roads and prepare for the next part of the trip. So far I have done some research and found a BMW Motorrad dealer on my way in Russia and here I want to do my tire change.

O o o Odessa

2009-05-29T21:18:00.001+02:00

Odessa, pearl at the black sea. What a beautiful city. The center of town is really amazing. There is a big pedestrian only area and and that is full of restaurants with terraces out in the sun. There are parks with fountains and in the evening they are playing classical music and people sit and enjoy the nice atmosphere, their beer and the nice weather. My hotel is about 30 minutes away from the center (bus 85) and for 2 grifna (0,20 euro) the bus takes you there. Close to the hotel is a nice beach but the books say that it is better to be safe and not swim here because the water is to dirty. Outside the city center you still see a lot of poverty. Run down buildings and stray dogs operating in groups. Luckily the dogs are very afraid of people and as soon as you come closer to them they will run away. There are 2 more things noticeable in most Ukrainian city’s so far. As soon as you have a bit of money you buy a German build SUV. The number of BMW X3, X5, X6 and Audi’s Q7 and VW Touareg’s you see here is amazing. And they only like one color and that is black. The other noticeable thing is that there are so many beautiful girls and they all look bored and hardly smile.

The next morning after a great breakfast I am ready to go as I want to spend some time in the Crimea area. It takes the usual hour to find the exit out of the city but once on the motorway i am surprised how much detail (at times) there is on the Garmin world map i have in the GPS. There are moments where the exit to take is very accurate. In other times (usually when you need it most) it shows nothing. The paper map of the Ukraine I have been using so far is great as it has all the names in western Europe language. However the road signs are usually in Ukrainian but sometimes also in Russian. So I now use a three way system. I use the lonely planet to determine where I want to go and how I want to ride. Then I mark it on the European version of the paper map and then I do the same on the Ukrainian version of the paper map.

And so far it works as I have gotten, after spending a night somewhere in between, to Crimea.

Mr. Michel you have a problem

2009-05-25T13:32:00.001+02:00

The motorway from Chisinau to Odessa run through the independent republic of Transnistrian. Not recognized by anyone else then the president who is also the owner of the casino, hotel, brewery and many more outlets. Anyway the motorway end at a military checkpoint with 3 soldier with automatic weapons. Next is an immigration officer who sends me into the office. No first I have to go to the upstairs office where my motorcycle get’s registered. Next is back downstairs to wait in the cue. When it is my turn I receive a form I have to go fill out. Then back in to the cue. Some stamps, signatures and a scan’s of my passport later I think I am ready. Now I am told to come to the back of the office. In a separate room I am being told “this is a 1 day transit visa for our republic. This costs 10 euro” with a big smile I pay him the 10 euro and think My first bribe wow what an experience.

With a bit of searching I find the road to Odessa. It’s empty and it’s cold. Yesterday I packed all my warm suite parts as I expected I would not need it anymore. I switch on the handle bar warmers and with 120km an hour I drive to the next control point 102km further.What an awful scenery. Old crappie houses and water wells along the way where people hose water up in buckets. I expect the exit to be easy but I am told “Mr. Michel you have a problem. You don’t have an exit stamp from Moldavia. You have to go back. To make a long story short. One hour and 40 USD later I hear. “Go”. Finally let’s see if the Ukraine is easier. And lucky me it is. One form and one control slip seems to get me in until a very big hat with a small head asks me “you come from Holland?” Yes I do. Because we have this new disease in the world everyone visiting from one of the countries who have this disease have to go to the doctor for checkup. I ask him with a smile “is is a nice doctor?” While waiting on the finalization of my papers 2 other officers come to me and “You from Amsterdam? you have marijuana? I smile and while pointing at the tube of my camel bag I reply “No marijuana but Heineken beer”. they smile and walk back to there control station. Amazing what a countries am I going through. The doctor asks for my passport and starts writing in her book. While waiting for what to come she tells me “go“. So that was my day today. And on top of that it is my son’s (Alexander) 19th birthday. I am happy I hear his voice for a while this morning just like I heard my daughters voice 2 days ago on her birthday. Once in Odessa I run in to a fellow motorcycle driver who helped me find a really nice hotel with sauna and that is what I am going to enjoy now.

You have to pay some kind of road tax she tells me

2009-05-25T13:24:00.001+02:00

Shortly before I found a small hotel for the night the fuel low indicator lit. I had just passed about 15 fuel stations so I expected that when I would move on the next morning I would find at least 1 more. The next morning I drove of and the tank empty indicator read 71km before empty. How far can the next fuel station be. the next town was 64km away. Sure that I would find one on the way it took more then 34km before the first station was there. “Full” he asked. Yes please and do you take credit card? No card. Only cash. Why did I have to spend my last Lei (Romanian currency) last night I though. I looked into my walled and found 6 Lei. Next fuel station I asked? About 35km he said and he gave me about 1,5 liter of fuel. Good luck he said when I drove off. When I finally found the next fuel station I had 1 liter left in the tank. After refueling I drove to Iasi the last big town before Moldova and looking at my map close to what looked a 6 lane roundabout a black VW Touareg coming from the opposite direction crossed about 5 lanes and parked his nose into my motor. “Where you have to go? Center town” he asked friendly. Moldova I replied. Moldavia I tried. “Kishinau” was my last attempt. OK Moldova he finally understood what I meant. “right here and then always straight”. He jumped into his car and turned signaling to follow him. We took the roundabout and he then stopped to wave me to go straight. Always straight and a wave and he was gone.

the boarder crossing I got to was not the one I wanted but what the … As long as it would get me into Moldova. The first check was by the police. Next was a pretty looking Moldavian officer who told me to take my helmet off.

When she approved my papers she send me to customs. Here a was to fill out a import form for the motor. They checked the chassis number and as the form was in local language they helped me to fill it out. Form done. Now copy he says and gives me the same blank form. When done I get 5 stamps on each form, One signature of the customs officer, the form is registered in a big book. Last is that he sort of circles sections of each form. Now immigration he tells me. Only 1 form to do. Ready? No not yet. I am being send outside and an other woman is being called. “You have to go to the bank. You have to pay some sort of road tax” she translates. With the payment form from the bank (5 USD) I get my passport back and are ready to hit the capital Chisinau.

The hotel is a Soviet heritage. When I asked for parking the motorcycle he asked if I could drive up these stairs. I could then park in the lobby!Unbelievable what an awful hotel. But maybe a good test for myself as I will have some more of this to come. The city can somehow not appeal to me. A lot of police an military. Not many speak English, the museum is closed for renovation and not other reason to stay. Tomorrow i am out of here. Odessa here I come.

Route travelled

2009-05-23T08:09:00.001+02:00

Here is the route up to today. And the height

chart shows the elevation of some of the roads in the Karpaten.

So where is Dracula born

2009-05-23T07:39:00.001+02:00

That is almost on the way you are planning. Take a little d-tour from this road and go see Sighisoara he recommended. Some of the people here are sensitive about what we think of when we talk about Romania. And I have to say that most of it is wrong. Dracula is dead, the country side is beautiful and the people are very helpful and friendly. The food is great and everything comes from the land and not from big greenhouses.

Sighisoara is a great place to be. With the Citadel on the hill surrounded by an ancient wall. Town squares with bars and restaurants with terraces out is the sun.

It was difficult to leave this wonderful town. During breakfast I talked with a group of Polish motorcycle enthusiasts dreaming of one day riding there bikes to Nepal. Far later then planned i left to go further East.

Around Lacu Rosu there is a spectacular road. It go’s through a deep canyon with high walls rising on both sides. It’s so narrow that busses can only go one by one. Refueling here gave the first heart attack. There was no self service and the guy filling up the tank was seriously topping it up. But if you do to much it will just run out. So while I was not paying enough attention I all of a sudden see this big pool of fuel ‘growing’ on the pavement. For a moment I thought the fuel line got damaged in the mountains. With no further issues I reached a awful looking town not far from the boarder with Moldova. That’s the task for tomorrow. As preparation I have put 1, 5 and 20 USD bills in strategic places in my suite. Let’s see if what the books say is true.

Goodbye he said, welcome said the other man

2009-05-22T19:57:00.001+02:00

I left Hungary taking some small roads leading to the Romanian boarder. When the road stopped a friendly older couple asked me why I was here and where I was going? He tried in a combination of English, German and Hungarian to explain he had been to Holland when he was young. Now he enjoyed working in his garden and sometimes go to the market. He wished me good luck with the rest of my journey and after giving some tips on nice roads to take we crossed the river.

After some further small roads I arrived at the Romanian boarder where a Spanish couple was emptying a Citroen C1 as they apparently could not find the documents they were asked for. It took about 10 minutes waiting for the Hungarian custom officer dressed in light brown to realize there where more people waiting in line and he told them to move the car to the side so he could continue his duty. He took my passport, looked at it for a while and then talked to the custom officer dressed in blue. It sounded like “did you see a passport like this before”. Not sure it was because of all the visa’s or because he had not seen a Dutch passport before. He was rather young. They gave me my passport back and the brown dress officer said “goodbye” and the blue dressed said “welcome”. So into the land of horse and carriages, potholes and monasteries.

I had some small mountain roads. With lot’s of potholes and gravel until at 3 o’clock I saw this little farm where this old couple was sitting in the shade due to the the afternoon heat. If it had been later in the day I would have asked them if I could camp next to there little house. But as it was to early in the day I drove on until at around 7 in the evening I was getting worried not to fiend anything anymore. Luckily there was a “Pensiune” run by a lovely couple who had bread, soup and snaps. As the are a rural pension they are not allowed to sell beer but that was solved by a Hungarian truck driver who likes Dutch people. I have to admit I slept super that night.

What has happened with the cows and the sheep

2009-05-19T21:39:00.001+02:00

Left this morning looking for small country roads through the mountains with lot’s of waving Svetlana’s (and children) along the way and cows and sheep wandering in the country side.

I only found one place where there where animals out so I feel i have to share this with you all.

More of these roads led further South – East and finally I found a place for some lunch. It felt like a dejavue and perhaps Sip, Spijk of Ralph will recognize it.

I was pretty sure I was here last year and when a little later I was driving by a chemical plant I was sure about it. More small roads led into Hungary and little later I arrived in the pretty town of Miscolc. As this part of Hungary is rather flat I will tomorrow go further East to the Romanian side of the Karpaten mountains. From there the next destination will be Moldova.

From Prague with ….

2009-05-19T21:07:00.001+02:00

Rain and cold. Just like leaving from Amsterdam. Took the motorway East for 2 hours to Brno where I had a wonderful lunch in the city center for 6 euro. Amazing how expensive things are on Nl. From here on found some nice small roads through the countryside and before I knew it the sign “Slovakia” passed me by. So again no picture of the point of entry of the new country. Will have to start thinking of something else for the photo album.

On route I found a nice place for a summer residence. It needs a bit of work but once it is ready you are all invited. Even the town wants to contribute to turn it into something nice. The road are fantastic and new. the scenery is beautiful and the camping I wanted to try closed. So moved on to Stara Tura where I found the best Italian pizza restaurant I have been in a long time ;-).

Tomorrow I will try to get to Hungry. Time for some goulash.

Schloss Colditz and cheap Schweinebraad

2009-05-17T18:03:00.000+02:00

Germany is actually quite pretty. You have to leave the motorway for it but then the fun of the small country roads can begin. What better reason then going to have a look at Schloss colditz can there be. As I never knew where this castle was located in Germany I did not know if this was the famous one from the movies or was it the war. Anyway a wonderful scenic road leads to the village and the castle welcomes it visitors. This was probably not the case during the war. You can even stay in the hostel for the real Colditz experience. Not for me I have a good reason for moving on. Prague is waiting in the distance. And the other reason that Schweinebraad seems to on sale everywhere ;-).

Route up to day 2

2009-05-16T22:24:00.001+02:00

Route up to day 2
Originally uploaded by michel_jongens

Here is a quick update of the route so far. The google map does not seem to work,

2009-05-15

2009-05-16T20:30:00.001+02:00

First day on the road. After a super nice evening at home and a wonderful farewell where friends came to say goodbye the evening before and the morning of the departure I drove away. Mirjam my long term motorcycle friend drove with me until Amersfoort. First stop was after 3.1 km. Only because I forgotten to buy a International Drivers License before. After getting the license we had coffee and then started for real. First thing in my mind was: Check 1: Oil level –> forgotten. Second was: did I take everything and did I not leave anything laying around to only find out somewhere in Germany I had forgotten it. Last was: did I take my passport?

Slowly I was getting more sure I had everything with me and it was going to be alright. Next important thing was to leave Holland and drive into Germany. Close to the German border the yellow light in the display started blinking and the meter showed 69km before empty fuel tank. Peace of cake to reach Germany and refuel there and have a cup of coffee. The sigh “Germany” passed by at about 130km an hour and I started to think of German ‘schlager” songs when I saw the sign “Next fuel station 98km”. What to do? Drive more slowly and save on fuel. Go back into NL and refuel there? The last is not an option as Sipke told me last year. “Never turn back always forwards”. Once off the motorway it took about 30 minutes to find a gas station and with 1 liter left in the tank I could have tried the next village too.

Back on the motorway 300km further I was done with riding and after refueling again I found a nice “Gastehaus” for only 36 Euro a night inclusive of breakfast. Time for a shower, a beer and some German Schweinebraad”.

Tomorrow less then 500km to get to Prague!

Preparations

2009-04-28T14:13:00.001+02:00

Preparations are well underway. May 15 is the departure. The planned route is showing on the map (top part of the screen) and the route traveled can be seen when you click below the world map.