Category Archives: Hereford to Mongolia 2013

Big Trip

Back to the future!!

Saturday 22nd June 2013

Atle and Hilde have to get out of Iran today. We are 500m from the border with Turkmenistan, but don’t know how long it will take to get through. Then a long day’s drive, out the other side (if borders open) and on to Samarkand. Very mythical city from the old Silk Route, we can’t wait. Realised last night, the desert we drove through yesterday was the great Salt Desert, one of the largest in the world.

Potentially we lose another one and a half hours today. I am not coping with heat very well.

Two minute journey to border crossing. Six and a half hours to get through. Iranians checked us out in one and a half. Hilde and I take our headscarves off. Change our Iranial rials, get right royally ripped off by woman with bad teeth and big smiles. Ho hum. At sheepdip, guard barks at us – realise he is asking if we have a dog on board. Turkmen border procedure long winded, hot and had one hour break for lunch. Talked to Turkish biker who planned to do Nord Cap from Russia next summer. Hilde and I were kept apart from the men. We kept seeing them scurrying about to different buildings clutching forms. Then they searched the cars, pulling most things out and opening boxes. Think they were looking for guns. TIR lorries were being searched underneath. One driver got very agitated when he thought we were being dealt with before him, he had a very loud voice. Soldiers just laughed and ignored him. Eventually put everything back in, drank copious amounts of water and drove off. We know people who have been to Iran, but not anybody who has been to Turkmenistan.

Stopped at the first services to catch our breath and have a bit to eat. Drew a crowd. Long drop squat toilet. Peed on trousers. Knew we would never make the border today, so planned to stay in Uchal. Didn’t get there. The roads were full of pot holes and craters. At road block we were pulled over. Tim’s tilley blows off, he chases it down road. Had to show passports and insurance papers. Cheeky soldiers asked for cigarettes, cologne and to look under the bonnet. I couldn’t reach across. They laughed at the steering wheel on the wrong side. Asked where we had come from, would love to have had a map of Europe to show them our route.

Every time Tim shows his passport, every policeman, border guard or soldier says Manchester United – you like? No, Manchester City, and they laugh. They all support United.

Turkmenistan is supposed to be the most soviet like of all the Stans. Certainly, all the house are the same, one storey brick built. People were growing vegetables. Women wear brightly coloured long dresses and headscarves. This country is 90% desert, and the wind was blowing most of it into our car. People spend 90% of their life sweeping off streets and out of their homes. The irrigation system has caused an ecological disaster, and 40% of the water evaporates before it reaches the intended crops. Rivers are being drained and seas depleted. Spotted bee eaters and avocets.

Atle and Hilde have a couple of electrical issues with the car, but we continue. We don’t want to be driving on these roads in the dark, so decide to stay at Mari. Several bridges have collapsed, so the road goes around them. Why did they need the bridge then? Several holes are so big, even we may disappear forever. We can hear everything thumping down as we crash land, and stuff from the cargo net flies free. Need to rearrange when we can. Atle especially disappointed we won’t get to Samarkand today, but we placate him with the thought of a beer.

Roads improve as we approach Mari. Then, as so often has happened, there is a detour on the edge of the town. Sat nav has no idea where we are and our maps are not detailed enough. Once again, people come to the rescue. Two lads point we are going the wrong way. (How do they know where we are heading?) As we turn around, a whole family come running out of their garden. Welcome. They understand we are looking for a hotel and point the way. Get stuck again, go into a garage and a pump attendant jumps in a car and escorts us, lights flashing all the way. We pull up at a swanky hotel (we are getting wise to this). Hilde runs in, and out again. Good news. They have rooms, dinner, breakfast and BEER!!! All run in, sign in and down the best ice cold bottle of beer ever.

Over dinner of soup and goulash we talk to Canadian. He is here on business. Amazed by our journey. Should we have air con installed. Skull caps and fur hats for sale in foyer. Sit in bar and chat. Hopefully, long transportation days will be over soon. We all look forward to stopping for a picnic lunch and making a coffee or tea. But we still pinch ourselves and can’t quite believe what we are doing. Glad we doing the blog – I have finished my Moleskin book – because sometimes we don’t know what day it is or what country we are in. Put neck scarves in fridge overnight.

Cornwall crew spent last two days hiking in Transylvania.

Samarkand and beyond

Monday 24th June 2013

Four weddings and a funeral (well three actually)

We didn’t set an alarm, and woke at 8.30. Ran around and beat the others down to breakfast – just. I felt jet lagged, but came round after food and copious amounts of black tea. We decide to contact the travel organiser, a charm lady who answers all our questions. We wait for the guide, drinking more tea and planning yet again. We will only have half a day here, and plan to do some driving tonight.

Our guide arrives. We faff around for a while, but also track down some diesel, where the bank is and where to stay tonight on the way to the border. Imranah our guide suggests we take one of our cars, then we show her inside. She flags down a minibus which will take us all and stay with us all day (after the driver has dropped his wife off at her sister’s).

We have an amazing whistle stop tour of Samarkand. She shows us the up town part with new buildings. In the Soviet days, apartments only had one bedroom. Now they are being built with two. Mr Stalin did a lot of good for Uzbekistan. A lot of reconstruction work was carried out on the famous mosques, but the insides of some have not been touched. In shady garden we see birds, Myna. We were shown the campaign routes of tamberlaine, and fantastic art, ceramic and needlework pieces. The sense of history, mixing of cultures and achievements in sciences, such as astronomy, was mind blowing. Imranah is fiercely proud of her religion, her country, it’s history and stresses the fact that it is a soviet state, not Islamic. We are proper tourists, walking round gawping, taking pictures, buying gifts. We stop for a quick beer, Atle and Hilde lounge on a large day bed, fashioning their camel hair hats. Whole families ask to have their photos taken with us, and we joined a wedding party in the mosque. Drive through families gathering for a funeral, the women wearing traditional mourning clothes in blue with white headscarves. The person must have died before 10 am today.

The journey back to the hotel is a mad dash. We have to get dollars, apparently the National Bank had moved premises. Screech to halt outside new one. Cashier had been in England earlier this year. Done the London Eye, Madam Tusseus, visited Stratford and Bath. I wondered if our tour guides were as fervent about their country and culture as Imranah.

We buy some locally produced French wine and beer. No time for Hilde to buy a dress. Back to hotel before 4pm when the cash card reader goes off line, and get the cars filled with diesel brought in jerry cans. Ate a late lunch, get involved with two more weddings. No marriages can take place during Ramadan, which is coming up soon.

Sorry to be leaving Samarkand so soon. We have all been reading it for so long during the years of planning. When we come back we will fly in, and not visit on a Monday when the 500 year old market is closed.

Leave later than planned, Hildefender starts first time and drive into the sunset. We said we would not drive at night again, but manage to navigate two mountain ranges, through sand storms kicked up by Atle, over appalling surfaces and negotiating roads that petered out. Several checkpoints, and on guard pointed his stick at the back mudflap, which was hanging off. It’s now in the back of the Landie. This is at a junction. Left is our route, right is to Afghanistan. We turn left. Send way point on Yellow Brick. 23k to go. The journey has been frightening, but exhilarating. What a buzz.

Stayed at Boysun in hostel. We believed it had no hot water, but in fact the beautiful en suite was not yet plumbed in and the toilets were outside. Running water came from a stand pipe. Beds were fine. Owner took us across the road, and woke up the owner of the cafe. Her child was asleep on the huge day bed, Wives and Daughters was on the TV, and fantastic beer served in Pyrex cups with hearts and flowers on. Discuss if it fair to judge a whole country and its people whilst just passing through for two days? I thought not. So glad we started on this journey towards the border tonight. Crept out without waking the owner.

It would have been great to see the scenery, but it will still be there in the morning. Inshallah.

Final Day in Iran?

Friday 21st June 2013

Wake early as planned. Breakfast early as planned. Don’t leave early as planned, the Hildefender won’t start. Atle weaves his usual magic on it and solves the challenge, alarm will not send fuel to engine. Fancy electronic cars! We change plans, as we are leaving later. Won’t go to Ashqabad, so no beer. Head straight to Mashhad, the pilgrimage Centre of Iran, so no beer.

Climb another 900 m. Scrubby grass and thorny trees. Rolling clouds over mountains. Stop for fuel. Man talks to Isabel, welcome to Iran. Finds out she is from England. “God bless your Queen. Queen Victoria”. Both sat navs say turn right, but the on board map shows turn left. Fancy electronic gizmos. Need to check which country we need malaria tablets for. Climb higher, large plateau, no trees here. Shame we are missing detours to see famous sights/sites, but we now fully realise we are visa driven and all have different deadlines. So if we want to stay together we have to forge ahead. Hilde is a harsh task master.

Stony desert now. Houses and mosques being built out of mud. Little boy on back of motor scooter, wearing Ronaldo shirt. 39 degrees in afternoon. Stop often to get cold water from fridge. Rationing the Coke. Miles and miles of windy, dusty conditions. Play silly games to keep each other awake – I spy something beginning with S, guess this tune Isabel is tapping out on the dashboard, and my head with an empty bottle. I am rubbish. Definitely a transportation day. I fill my Tilley hat with water to cool my head down.

See camels grazing, so must be in the desert. Just driven 7,000km since leaving home. Can’t believe we will be in the first of the Stans tomorrow. Dead fox (desert). Atle asks several times during the day “How many foreign number plates have you seen?” And the answer is always the same. We still have millions of Iranian Rials, what can we spend them on as we can’t take them out of the country? Are there underground wells here, wheat is growing and there are fountains of water bubbling up in huge concrete troughs. A police caravan, several steps up from their usual hut or even portakabin. The thousands of photograph displayed in every village, town and city must be fallen heroes. Iran/Iraq war perhaps?

Maybe the Landy is full of flies because of the forgotten courgettes. Have to have windows open, and Isabel’s scarf keep blowing off. Asked her this morning if she minded wearing it. She said no, but it made her neck hot and squished her hair flat. Whole family on scooter. CB crackles “Who would like a beer so cold that condensation is running down the outside?”

We stop at services. Full of families, pilgrims going to Mashhad this holiday weekend. There is a large pond with paddle boats in. We buy frozen water and lollies like Magnums. Yum. We attract a large crowd, who want pictures of the car, themselves and us. Decide not to go to Mashhad, we would probably not get a hotel room anyway. Feel ok to carry on near to border, and maybe even cross tonight. Will have to wash the cars before we can get into Turkmenistan, by law. What would they make of Hereford or Cornwall mud?

Not many people travelling in our direction now. Light is softer, temp cooling down and we are dropping below 1,000m for the first time since we entered Iran. Will be a bit of a shock if we leave tonight, not prepared for it. May stay in Sarakhs. See when we get there. Only 100km from an old Soviet Bloc country. More military presence as we near the border. Run out of fuel in main tank, on steep hill. Fill from extra tank. Atle says hurry up, he wants a pint across border.

Sun suddenly goes down. Shepherds here have very weather beaten faces, and look different from other Iranians in dress as well. Stop for last fill up, the lads spill fuel out of each tank. We decide to press on to the border. Hard driving at night. Drive up to border post, SHUT. Never mind, we had driven past the swanky looking Hotel Doosti. They have rooms. The place is like many hotels we have come across – stunning looking from the outside and a time warp inside. But we look at a fascinating scrap book with notes, photos and momentos from people who have stayed previously. Many of them are cycling the Silk Route.

Sit in parlour drinking tea. No Internet, so can’t update blog tonight. Shame as we have just caught up with ourselves.

Leaving Tehran

Thursday 20th June 2013

Will today be the day we get our Turkmenistan visas? Leisurely breakfast, then we pack just in case. Hilde comes for coffee on balcony again. She then rushes off to pack. I have sneaky snooze whilst Isabel updates blog. We are catching up, but photo download didn’t work.

Phonecall comes, we have 20 minutes to get to consulate. Grab passports, document and spare photos. Rush out to taxi, clatter through the streets, good job it’s not too far away. Screech to a halt, all doors closed. Diplomatic Policeman says shut. Atle says paperwork already lodged and we have been called for. Policeman rings bell, someone comes eventually. Early closing on Thursdays, everyone going. Told to wait outside, Consular is in meeting and will see us after. Hilde takes a photo, bad move. Hilde and Atle look at their passports, and notice they only have two days left on their Iranian visa, so no pressure on getting this one then!!

One and a half hours later the door opens, and a young lad comes out. He nervously hands us application papers, in Russian, asks for passports and photos. We try to explain all that has already been sent. He rushes back and forth like Mr Bean. But it is obvious that they want all the paperwork from scratch. Hilde and Atle rush back to hotel for photos. Sheesh!!!! 3:30, 3:40, 3:45 – we stall as long as we can. Decide to give all our paperwork in. 85$ for GB, 55$ for Norge. Thank you very much. They arrive back, we help fill in forms – 3:55. Our visas are issued. People are leaving the building. 3:57 theirs are issued!!! We giggle manically. (If any of you have seen the film Argo, you will know what it felt like!)

Dash back to hotel, throw stuff in car. Fridge defrosted over last two days, so lost our Magnums. Can you eat them when they refreeze? Ali sends a driver on motorbike to get us to motorway – farcical. He runs out of fuel, refills, refuses money and we set out alone. Atle misses another slip-road ogling a LR. Shame on him. Journey to Semnan as dusk falls. Motorway sign says Police control the roads Imperceptibly. Climb to 1100 m. Many vehicles driving with no lights on in the dark. Hotel adequate, another buffet dinner with fish. Look at maps of Central Asia. Big countries with lots of mountains and few good roads ahead of us. Plan 2 heavy days. Cross border to Turkmenistan and spend tomorrow night in Ashqabad, famous for its British pub. Isabel washes today’s clothes in shower. Leave noisy air con on and sleep well.

Tehran

Wednesday 19th June 2013.

Wake up in Tehran. Lazy morning, reading paper, drinking tea. A lot about the recent elections here. Bring coffee making stuff from car, and Hilde joins us on balcony. Natter. Order two taxis, as Ali will be our guide. We career through the traffic. The drivers are amazing, I think they must have eyes in the back of their heads. Stop for several photo opportunities. We visit the Golestan Palace. Tehran is not a very old city, and is the 39th national capital. Palace and treasures have world wide influences. Art, pottery that was similar to Wedgwood and Delft, gifts from Queen Victoria and Tzar Alexander. French furniture and Chinese vases.

Walk through working mosque to bazaar. Only saw a tiny part of it. Much cooler on inside that out. Bought something for home. Vibrant, colourful and teeming with people. Back outside we buy a frozen lemon juice drink, delicious. See man selling baby chicks and ducklings dyed florescent colours. He put them in a paper bag when sold. Hot and tired we head back.

A couple of hours later we head out to dinner. Witness two men fighting over a car bump, one had a stick. Our route runs parallel to the mountains, quite spectacular. Clutch on taxi smoking, so driver drops us at the bottom of a steep hill, and points upwards. We have the name of the restaurant written in Farsi, so we ask a taxi driver (green one as Ali insists upon), and eventually a waiter says we have found the right one. Walking up the hill was amazing, lights strung everywhere, stall keepers putting out their wares, cars crawling along. This is obviously a very affluent part of the city. We are all hungry, so fall silent as we eat. More kebabs, and not surprisingly Isabel has fish. Try to pay for over 20 minutes, leave money on table. Waiter comes running out, but not after us!!! Phew.

The parking is crazy, nowhere to turn easily, alarms and horns blaring, more cars and people coming up. Isabel stops to look at scarves. An old woman starts talking to her in fractured English. She insists on buying Isabel a scarf. “Why?” Because she wants her to always remember Iran. Eventually Isabel accepts, and cries. We hop into the green taxi with the helpful driver. When we get back, Ali said he had phoned the restaurant which was recommended, and we hadn’t eaten there!!!! Oh well, food was good anyway.

Zanjan to Tehran

[Show as slideshow]

Knew we had a shorter day driving, but told to get down to breakfast early as hotel full. The early bird gets the worm. A lot of foreign travellers. Isabel thinks she sticks out like a sore thumb wearing baggy clothes and dubious head scarf arrangements!! Iranian women very stylish.

Nasty smell in car, surely we don’t stink that much. I furtle around and fine slimy mushrooms. Atle catches gaz bottle on security gates, but no harm done. We have only been driving a couple of minutes when we find a LR garage. Well, we have to stop, jump out and have a nosey. As we drive off a police car pulls Atle over – just to have a natter. Need fuel, fill both cars for 250,000 Rials -Nasty smell in car, surely we don’t stink that much. I furtle around and fine slimy mushrooms. Atle catches gaz bottle on security gates, but no harm done. We have only been driving a couple of minutes when we find a LR garage. Well, we have to stop, jump out and have a nosey. As we drive off a police car pulls Atle over – just to have a natter. Need fuel, fill both cars for 250,000 Rials – £26. Bargain. Atle is leading, and we miss the turn for the motorway as he is ogling a Landie. We take lead. Suddenly can’t see them in mirror, they had stopped to change drivers. Hilde had noticed other women driving, so she knew it was ok. Soon lose them again. Diagnostic kit said “Driver error!!!” Hilde thought this was hilarious. Park by a vineyard. Throttle cable was oiled and ECU changed. Landscape more arid, but can follow water courses by the lush trees. Large iron mines and lumbering lorries. Really excited about going to Tehran.

Toll booth attendants wave us through and waives the fee – all 2.5p. Broken down lorry uses stones to cone off area. Good team work driving, CB radios help. Couple who waved at us on motorway come and talk at services. Isabel takes picture of first sign for Tehran. She is moaning about her camera being too slow to capture the moment. She’ll be wanting a new one for Christmas, no doubt. Traffic heavy through Tehran, and many new roads are not on say nav. But find Norwegian Embassy, to collect stuff for Hilde and Atle.

Very swanky apartment hotel. Handbrake doesn’t hold us on hill, so we park up to garage doors. Huge suite each, ours has balcony with 5 patio doors. Five loads go into washing machine, and dry within 40 mins. Beat that Will. We were going to taxi to a restaurant, but Iran has just beaten Korea in a World Cup qualifying game. We go outside to join in the celebrations. Cars whizz past with people hanging out, waving flags, horns tooting. They wave at us and shout welcome. We order a take away and eat together. Hilde says that if the Turkmenistan visas don’t come through, at least we have driven from home to Tehran. We feel privileged to be visiting Iran, but also it is such a historic moment to be here. We are sharing some of their joy at the election results and share their hope for a bright future.

Istanbul to Iran

Istanbul city traffic challenging, but safely negotiate our way to bridge over the Bosphorus and into ASIA!!!! Isabel accidentally bought bread from man in fast lane of motorway. Pulled over by Turkish Land Rover driver, who then leads us to shopping mall, where the only supplies we get are Starbuck’s coffee. Shocking. Met young couple from CZ in little Lada Niva 4wd, also travelling to Mongolia. Invite them to join us camping tonight.

Drive over magnificent mountain ranges, with hundreds of bee hives along route. Spectacular sunset. Atle says we are now truly on holiday. Arrive at Black Sea coast in the dark, so not sure what Happy campsite really looks like. Can’t wait to see view from our roof tent in morning.

So what did you do before breakfast this morning? We paddled and watched dolphins playing in the Black Sea. Took most of the beach back into Landy with us. Stuck Ulaanbaatar – Mongolia 2013 (and back) stickers on, thanks Atle. Drove along coast, past holiday resorts, oil rigs, ship yards. Across the bay is Russia, be there soon. Just heard Iran closed borders with Iraq and Turkey. Decide to press on anyway. Land Rover fest, as a lot of military traffic. Hail storm hits just as we stop for lunch, didn’t dent bonnet this time. Too exposed to wild camp, so stayed in hotel in Cankiri. Drank bubbly, need to finish all alcohol before Iran!! Bedding smelt of smoke.

Saturday 15th June 2013 – election results from Iran look very optimistic, moderate cleric in lead. Glad we decided to press on. Vast plains of wheat being harvested, hundreds of storks eating grain, paddy field and crumpled mountains. Feeling more exotic and foreign. Cardboard cut out Police cars. Climb over 2000 m several times. First hotel has no parking , so find Konak Muzlum hotel in Erzincan. Doesn’t serve alcohol, so Atle and I traipse off to buy some beer.

Spa shower woke us up nicely this morning. A lot of violence in Istanbul again last night. Real honey comb at breakfast, Isabel enjoyed it. Good news about Iranian elections, moderate cleric got 51% of votes, nearest rival got 16%, no unrest so they may open border soon. So far, the further East we go, the more civilised. Atle made us laugh with his story in the US lingerie store – too rude to publish, ask me back home! They bought toilet, a bucket with a lid. Discussed if we should share driving, but throttle too stiff and a lot of vibration, so may hurt I’s knee.

Very concerned about border crossing, Isabel less so. All got clothes suitable for Iran ready. Managed land slide holds us up, but well organised. Papers lodged with Turkmenistan Ambassador. Lots of military LRs coming the other way. Intermittent snow tunnels over railway tracks. Sun baked bricks, clay ovens in gardens. Just saw IR lorry on other side, is border open? Was that an Imperial eagle?

BORDER OPEN!!!! We are 300km from Iran. Camouflaged Defender, GB made caravan outside new build. Just covered 5000 kms. A diagnostic kit tells Atle he is running a little hot, he buys expensive fluid for injector. My temp gauge is stuck on cold, I hit it with a screwdriver – sorted. Military tanks heading in opposite direction. Of course. They were all defending the border with Iran.
Drive past snow capped Mt Ararat, very Biblical. Spectacular sunset. Sweep of mountains all around us are in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran.

Stop 20 kms away, Lurch brings 2 trays of unbidden chai. Very refreshing actually. Change clothes. Should we chuck alcohol now, or keep it in case we don’t get across? Err on side of caution, don’t want to waste it! Sort maps, phrase books, paperwork and currency. Take down ariels, hide cameras and sat navs. Every little village has look out posts, weapons and tanks, and military vehicles guard minor roads. Bit like our border with Wales.

We approach crossing at Bazargan. Nervous, as we have no protection from Embassy or insurance, and no Iranian money. Lorries backed up for many kms because of border closure. They tell us we can drive on. Man in a van supplying meals on wheels. Remember to dump alcohol as Turkish border post looms, hopefully someone will make use of it. Enjoy! No turning back now.

Bulgaria continued… To Istanbul

We had looked forward to Bulgaria but found it dour. The hotel, that in the old Soviet times would have been very grand was now down at heel and the Turkish owners saw us coming and right royally ripped us off. In our tiredness we forgot the golden rules of checking rooms and costs. Nuffield said, lessons learnt.

We hadn’t gone far when our split charger monitor started indicating a problem with alternator. First overcharging then dead. Two bits of luck were we had a spare alternator (thanks to Paul and Sally at BG Landrovers) and secondly we had a brand new Optima red top. We therefore drove all the way to Istanbul without turning engine off and using minimum amounts of electricity.

The journey though Bulgaria was much as previous day minus the rain. We arrived at border and saw a marked contrast in countries. Bulgaria all dour and grumpy and the Turkish side all smiling and helpful. Took about an hour and then we were on Turkey. Roads were really good although we were meant to buy some system of paying but carried on regardless. Hope that number plate readers are all low down and so won’t catch us.

Arrived through hectic Istanbul traffic to the Radisson Blue near the airport. (Atle had booked it). They seemed a bit nonplussed to see two expedition Land Rovers and we had to go to the staff car park as we were too tall for the guest one. Room was amazing. Two floors plus all the gizmos you could want. We started with a chilled beer before Atle and I got sorting the alternator. A simple job made difficult by the bottom bolt been seized. A half hour job turned into a three hour one but it was done and charging well so really it did not cause us any delay.

Isabel and Hilda go shopping for supplies, only to find sweet shops. Dinner in hotel, rushed through our courses by over zealous waiters. Hilde insisted upon copious amounts of red wine.

Up early next morning in attempt to get Turkmenistan visas sorted. Took taxi to consulate. We were not allowed to apply, don’t think clerk really understood the purpose of our visit. Atle contacted the Ambassador in Tehran, so we spent the morning completing forms on line. If this doesn’t work we will have to go to Plan C.

Know we will not have time to visit the park or Blue Mosque, another time maybe? Drive through back streets of Istanbul. Other three shop for antibiotics, supplies and T joint for Hilde’s car. Only thing they didn’t find was a gas mantle. I gaffer taped the driver’s door together. All four of us had unbidden help from locals, children and adults alike. Amazing kindness.

Bulgaria!!!

After great stay in Hungary we hit the road and had beautiful drive through Hungary and then Serbia. While getting near border with Bulgaria the rains came and stayed all day. I can’t remember driving through such bad weather. Serbia seemed lovely and people friendly and everything despite obvious poverty appeared to have some pride in it.

Border crossing to Bulgaria was the first taste of things to come. Bulgaria has not taken to freedom well. It appeared to be the poorest country so far with no pride and care taking place. Everywhere full of dilapidated factories. Roads almost no existent. Sofia was much of the same with ray driving in torrential rain. Most crazy move was done by us when we aquaplaned in main central square (slippy tiles) almost did two full turns before regaining control and carried on. No one batted an eyelid!! Atle offered us use of beta blockers!!

Carried on and found one of worst hotels in living memory. To be continued….

Travels through central Europe

French Defender Camper with huge trailer.

We got away from Camping Wien Sud nice and early and hit the motorway system hoping to catch a glimpse of the Danube but failed miserably. We had numerous contacts with Atle and Hilde and decided to meet up near the Serbian border at a city called Szeged. As we drove into Hungary we both commented the scale of the old border crossings. Very easy now with only a brief stop to change some Euros into Florints from a grumpy, surly Austrian lady who really wanted us to buy motorway vignette for Hungary. We had done this online day before but it did not cheer her up. It has been a shame that the only unpleasant people we have come across so far have both been Austrian women.

The drive through Hungary was uneventful but for people our age quite moving thinking that we were now driving through the old USSR.

Stayed at the Novotel Hotel in Szeged which was very comfortable and reasonably priced. We had text from Atle and Hilde – only 10 minutes away. Dash down to bar and order 4 cold beers. Can’t believe we are finally meeting up after three years planning. Hugs all round, laughter and excitement. Cheers! Here’s to our grand adventure. All went out for beautiful meal in large banqueting hall.

Tim on balcony, overlooking the NOT Danube

Back together again, at the start of our great expedition

Trying hard not to squint in bright sunshine

Somewhere on journey. Tim not picking nose – adjusting glasses (so he says)

Where tomorrow? Will it be Serbia or Bulgaria? We hope to get to Istanbul on Wednesday so still have two hard days of driving left. Will have done about 2,000 miles by then in just over a week. 2/10 of our total!!