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MR 2006 | Ukraine to Russia in Just 4 posts
Stuck in Charcoal
It is 1120 pm and we are currently sitting on the side of the road in Kharkov. This is the most frightening city we have been in thus far. The Mini Scamp has severely bent its rear suspension on a man's sized pot hole. To add to the excitement it seems that Russia is starting to deny ralliers. Man all I want is to get out of the Ukraine, as the Brits say its dodgy as hell, mate.
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Russian Border within Range
7:45 am
There's nothing better to wake up to than the jimber jamber of a couple of Ukrainian women attempting to rise the occupants of five rally cars. The lads managed to fix the suspension issues on the Scamp but alas we only made another 100 miles or so before everyone needed to sleep. As always, we chose the most frightening place possible to retire, just decaying concrete structures and overgrown. Slightly hidden above the neighboring tower, one could see the remnants of the CCCP, a rusted hammer and sickle.
8:40 am
Well we just had our first run-in with the infamous Ukrainian police, luckily we deftly dumbfounded him with idiocy and ignorance. There was some tension when he kept pointing at the video cameras and he really wanted my leatherman, he kept saying "presente, presente." Honestly at the time I was sure he was saying "Prison, prison" to which I replied "No thank you." The wiffle ball bat was a particular hit.
Back on the road, no bribes, just babble.
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Sitting At The Border Again
4:00pm
Well we are through the Ukraine border and waiting for the Russian border to open. Its been an interesting day thus far. We had our interaction with the police, then the Scamp threw its rear suspension again. There was a lot of discussion and some wiffle ball in the countryside, then we fixed it with a few hose clamps and silicon. Upon arriving at the border, we were accosted by insurance salesman. I am not kidding either, we have the photos and little calendars to prove it. The Ukranians did a lot of babbling about the required documentation then let us through. Not before the obligatory angry female guard laughed at both Dom's and my passport photos.
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More border, more border, finally in Russia
7:34 pm
We are still sitting at the Russian border, they are starting to mess with us. We got to the front of the line and then they pulled us out to fill out forms that no one else has to fill out. Now they won't even acknowledge that we are here. How very Russian.
10:45 pm
We have just made it across the border. If anyone tells you that the Russians run a efficient operation, they are lying, plain straight lying. On to a campsite. More tomorrow. Seth......
Eh Rally Rally?
Ok so Im starting to bore people with the same old stories, Kazakhstan this and Mongolia that. Me thinks its time to update our portfolio of random travel craziness and fortunately my old travel amigo agrees.
So next winter RD and myself are hoping to do the Rickshaw Run and of course we would welcome some badcolonies company along the way.
All those interested can check out the website: www.rickshawrun.com
The Rally registration opens on Monday 18th Jan.
Car of the Decade?
A British Motoring magazine has been asking its writers to nominate a car that defines the last decade. Names banded about include: the new Mini, Rolls Royce Phantom, Audi R8 and even the Ford Fiesta MK VI.
I thought the Nissan GT-R could be in with a shout - the ultimate expression of Japanese dominance for the fraction of a price of a Porsche. Technology that seemingly overcomes the Laws of Physics...
Or how about the Ford F-150 or any number of shoddy GM products? Toyota Prius? Cadillac Escalade?
The Lamborghini Gallardo? Not even the Italians can get away with making unreliable cars nowadays.
And for the coming decade? Anything by Tata, Geely, Roewe, SAC.
Your thoughts please.
FAIL!
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