Gelendzhik to Kars

Gelendzhik to Kars

 
Aw Shit

On our way to Dombay, as so many other times, we were stopped at a police check. This was one that writes your car and passport info into a big logbook. They noticed that the date put on the temporary car and bike papers was due to expire on this day. Not good. Unnoticed by me, the border chickydoo had only given me fifteen days for the van/bike and not the requested thirty. Of course they wanted money but I wasn’t going to pay.  At any rate I was still legal that day, the next days were the problema. Finally they got tired of screwing with me and we were off.

Wasn’t sure what to do. They told me I could go to a town, they showed me, on the map, and there would be a customs place there that could fix things. We drove there but was told that I had to go to another town, total distance maybe 150 kms and there would be a customs office at the airport, that could sort things out.  We drove there, waited an hour in line and the chickydoo took all my info and was making Russian noises like she would give me new documents. She then disappears for a long time. When she returned she told me she couldn’t help. I had to go to the border and pay a fine on leaving. Not good as I knew what was going to happen at any police stop that decided to look at the certificates.  Decided to tough it out and go for Elbrus and Dombay.

When we got to Elbrus the sky was mostly clear and the view was really nice. Well worth the drive. Later that afternoon clouds appeared and by the next morning it was snowing. Figured I’d head for Dombay in hopes the weather would improve. Would miss some hiking at Elbrus but hiking in the snow in a cloud didn’t sound all that good anyway. Of course while driving a coupla police stops noticed the out of date papers. Had to invoke the internet to Putin words, after they got to be annoying. Worked great each time. It was my impression that the Russian Police were much more corrupt down in these parts. This was later confirmed by a Belgium human rights lawyer, we met, who said this was true. Not connected, he also said that the killing in Chechnya was continuing, but just didn’t get press anymore. Said that they were targeting the police, so didn’t figure we would have any trouble. In fact he said just recently they took out some policia just down the road from Dombay. That explained why we saw some police checks with armored vehicles.

 Did a little hiking at Dombay, but the cloud never did lift, so couldn’t get the full show. Looked real nice from what we could see. Nice little place. Ski lifts that sort of thing. One day we went to a zoo associated with the nature preserve in the area, with some Russians we met. One of which had pretty good English. Wouldn’t recommend the zoo. Had some big bears in little cages. How sad.

 Headed back to the Black Sea Coast and down toward Sochi. The coast, anywhere there’s any sort of beach, is pretty much developed. Not that great unless you like condos. Seemed to always manage to find someplace to camp near the beach though, sometimes right on the beach after the walkways ran out, at the edge of town. All and all not too bad a place to spend some beach time.

Crazy Americans

 One night we stayed on a windsurfer beach where some guys were out doing their thing. One came around who had pretty good English so we got to chatting. When I told him we were from America and where we had been, he shook his head and said Crazy Americans.

Now it was pucker time as I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with the papers. The human rights guy had said you definitely couldn’t drive into Georgia and several other credible people told me the same thing. The only way to can drive from Russia to Georgia is via Azerbijan and then through Armenia. Problem with this is it’s real dangerous to drive to Azer, this is where the Chechnya war is still going on, and we didn’t have a visa for there, from my info, you can’t get one at the border. So it was the ferry.

Stupid can be Expensive

Went to the ticket window to buy a ferry ticket for Trabzon Turkey but when I mentioned I had a paper problem they wouldn’t sell me a ticket until it was sorted out. A real nice guy in line, would could speak English helped us out. We went to the Customs office we were told to go to, and they said go to another office. We went to this office and they said it had moved to another city 300kms away and I’d have to drive there.   Wasn’t sure what to do, after my experience of having driven to the airport customs and told to go to the border. Went back and asked her to call the office, she screwed around on the phone for twenty minute and allowed that she couldn’t get the new number because they had just moved. Dead end.

That night I decided to just go back to the ticket office the next day and buy a ticket and get in line to see what would happen. They noticed the bad date and told me to go to the wrong customs office, again. Sound familiar? Went back to the customs office and looked real dejected. The woman felt sorry for me and took me to a customs officer who said he would work on it. Things were looking up.

They impounded the van and started a bunch of paperwork. He took me to his boss who said I’d have to pay fifty dollars an hour, for an interpreter, to explain what I was signing. Had to agree or they wouldn’t work on it. We spent all day there and got charged, by the interpreter 100. Next day I went the ticket office, again to buy a ticket. She still wouldn’t sell me a ticket. Said I needed an agent, because of the car papers, so to come back at 1:00 and one would be there. One came and went but finally a guy shows up and motions for us to come with him.

He ultimately sold me tickets. Made me buy a ticket for the bike too, even though it was on the carrier in back of the Siberian Flyer. In the end it cost over $1K for all the tickets. Real rip-off, but I was ready to get outa Russia, at any cost. Took five days in all plus three hundred bucks because of the date error by Russian customs. Stupid is expensive, I should have checked closer.

Just as we were about to head for the gate to go to the boat, the customs guy says I had to pay him 1500 R or fifty bucks for ‘parking’. First time that was mentioned. On Friday the customs guys worked till 8:00 at night so figured I’d go over and talk to the nice customs guys and ask about the fifty bucks. Who do I meet but the fifty-dollar man. I said I was going to say goodbye to our new customs friends. He said they had already left for the day, I mentioned that we had exchanged email addresses so it wasn’t that big of deal and BTW I want a receipt if I give you any money. He stalked off, and mentioned we might be stuck there for some more days. Turns out he was just bluffing as we went and got on the boat. Scum Sucker.

Custom War

When we got in the car to go the main customs office and also pick up the interpreter the customs guys started out by making sure all the car’s documents were correct. Thought this was a little odd so being the curious sort I asked why? Was told the police and customs agents were bitter enemies. They seemed to have no idea why, it just was that way. Odd.

Other odd thing about everywhere we visited in Russia, it seemed like the police just didn’t do any traffic control at night. You hear car and motorcycles out having a great time. Need to look real close before crossing a street as vehicles would be hitting amazing speeds. Reminded me of the 60’s in the US.  

Micky Dee’s a block from the docks. Had a toilet with a seat that worked. Russafied though as no paper.  Scored a couple of Chicken Sandwiches and sundaes. Good to get some cholesterol in circulation again.

Sad day occurred when my last jar of peanut butter ran out. Took four along but this was the last. Sometimes you have to rough it, when traveling.

What a Difference a Country Makes

What a difference a country makes. We got to Turkey and breezed through immigration and car papers. Automatically gave us ninety days for both. No hassles at all. Cost me twenty bucks for a visa, Marisol didn’t need one.   When the guy checked my passport at the gate leaving the port, he gets on the phone. Said something was wrong with what was there. He motions for me to follow him, and we drive back to the original port office. While walking into the office what seemed to be the guy at the top of the food chain, tells me in good English, that the problem was, Turkey customs software only allows one vehicle per person and I had both the bike and van. He said they would figure something out.      A lot for Turkish later with four or five guys in the office working on it, and we were on our way again. Sounded to me like they were going to change their software. Could you imagine that happening in Russia?

What Books?

I like to read, so months before shipping the van I started going to used book stores and looking for books that I thought might be interesting. Put maybe thirty or so in the Flyer and took another twenty or so along with me in a bag on the plane.   Packed about half them in one of the lockers to get them outa the way. After reading my way through all the ones bungeed on top of the fridge, went to get some more out of the locker. To my surprise, no books. Asked Marisol where were all my books?  She says “What Books?” Apparently she threw them all out, course still hasn’t admitted it. Nice to have a wife who cooperates and helps out.

Turkish people are incredibly friendly. If possible even more so than the Russians. We drive along and they will wave and smile. Keep giving us things. Stop and ask for directions and they give us apples or something. Act like we are long lost friends. Can’t do adequate justice with words to describe how friendly.

For map followers, we went from Trabzon to Sumela to Bayburt (Really neat old fort) to Erzurum to Yusufeli. Have to say the road from Erzurum to the turnoff before Yusufeli had the best rocks I’ve seen since Canyon de Pato in Peru. Oddest rocks I’ve seen for a long time. Certainly equal to Pato.  Other than rocks old churches and forts are what you look at in this area. Fired up the KTM and road to some. Most are around one thousand or more years old. Getting a little old Georgian churched out now.

Then headed from Yusufeli toward Artvin  to Ardahan to Kars. Lots of nice scenery on the way as far as Ardahan. Forgot to mention. Got sticker shock on gas. Works out to about nine bucks a gallon. Not a cheap place to drive. Not much traffic though. Apparently discourages frivolous trips. Makes the KTM look real appealing. Roads so far have been quite good, in Turkey, especially after suffering through the Russian ones. Even little thin lines on the map are asphalted. The Flyer is quivering with relief.

Kars has some old ruins, again about 1K years old, called Ani. Great place, spent close to four hours looking at them. Marisol wasn’t impressed and can only pester me for more beaches.

Good News Bad News

Good news is the fitting I had made up to fill propane, at the pump in Russia, is the same in Turkey. Bad news is it’s five bucks a gallon. Good news is there are stations everywhere. Most gas stations also have a propane pump. No propane worries.   Bad news is we are late in the season. Good news is the leaves are changing so it has to be the most scenic time of the year. Bad news it’s getting coldy, or so Marisol tells me.

Good news, talked to a tour guide guy from the Netherlands and he said he leaves his car in Greece when he goes home. You can only leave one in Turkey for six months but in the EU no problema. This is what I was hoping I could do, but wasn’t sure. Am pretty sure now that I can do this. No bad news on that one.

Till next time,

DZ