1- 6 July First stop Estonia heading for russian border
One stunning day with old friends from before in Altun area south of Ostrov W Russia. Rich nature and bushy tracks in addition to generous hospitality is typical Russian. Best ever rib-eye steak in late evening and luxury rooms. Good first day in Russia
En route in beautiful and well kept landscape on farm tracks along ukrainian border all the way near Belgorod further to Rossosh – a percet day so far
A good day ended in misery – a bloody Land Rover ofcourse! Having camped in decent Allan Hotel in Rossosh we start up figuring out where to ship our faulty Defender / neatest authorised service location some 400 km away. Most likely we need a New transfer box to replace the one installed 2016 (Aschcroft). ”Perfect” timing on a Friday. This is for sure our very last Overlanding with Landys after +20 years of Landy troubles ww Good night shipping the misery car to Rostov n Don Received 2 am and the Jaguar land Rover firm AAA Motors (miss Julia) start curing the patient already this morning. We have no expectations but so far ok
7th July on..
Crimea
After a full day travel in endless 600 km long caravan of trucks and cars, all heading for the bridge of the new ”autonomous” republic of Crimea, we reached the bridge. Passed this creation and installed us in a hotel on a lovely sandy beach determined to forget for a day or two Land Rovers, the lack of any mobile connections here and credi card pins (cards useles here – sanctions presumably). The republic lacks water supply as it was closed by former ”owner” of Crimea. Thousands of trucks in shuttle traffic from Krasnodar region try to satisfy the need. Despite this, the total lack of non-russians things seem to work ok – but not even near as it used to be before …..
En route fm Crimea to Sochi and Abkhazia this morning passing Novorossijsk climbing Caucasus. Lunch in Sochi Comfortable +++ 30 C – Sotji-Adler-krasnaya Polyiana interestng to see after Olympics but hardly uplifting. Desolete arenas and plenty apts/houses for sale everywhere and no int’l visitors noticed. Look forward to next stop Abkhazia
Abkhazia – what to say
Possibly our new favourite So Georgian and so non Russian Plenty of humour which may be to good help or even needed to endure the day. Standing still since troubles in 1992. No evidence of any progress. Thousands of houses left or in ruins still. Everywhere even in the very heart of Sukhumi. Will take many generations to reach the standard of Albania. Nevertheless life for us on the road (or tracks rather) in this Pleasant unexploited republic meeting open and generous people in Every corner is a thrill. To those having not been here we say; take the time and troubles to visit. Really worth while
14th July on
Abkhazia visit ended with Ritsa lake and Auadkhara area on 1650 mtrs near Russian border zone incl much medium offroad drivning
Border cross trouble free. Further on to Karachaevsk to meet friends from before (bithday party son & dancer Omar 15!) from where we aim to climb on a track to Garabashi via khurzuk to abt 3500 m ”wrong” side of Elbrus top – if bridges / water crossings will permit.
Ending Russian Caucasus after Elbrus and Tsey areas done on small and high tracks only off main roads. Wild nature and stunning vast sceneries in total security – in contradiction to obsolete advise from Swedish foreign Office. Next from North Ossetia back to ”home” territory of upper and lower svanetia in Georgia.
Georgia: Trouble free & super fast border cross – even service minded both sides! Wille left us for R na D to deal with the poor Land Rover ”system” both in UK and Russia while we took on our favourite Omalo and some other nice spots. Amazing thunderstorms at night in high mountains come at a price when climbing 62 km down; land slides, massive stone blocks size of a truck etc in our way but on the upside travellers like us teamed up: We made friends and convoyed all day with Dutch, Polish, Russian, Georgian and other nationalities as well as with local people.
Change of plan – back to Russia to salvage the 2weeks stranded Defender after alarming news; no parts can be supplied by LR UK or LR Russia! William flies ahead to Rostov n Donu. Parts available off LR ”service” system. Rents a car, pick parts up and returns to LR garage. Sounds easy but the catch is – a 3 day operation for the LR customer to go over 4000 km himself to get parts off LR market in St Petersburg – in a rented car. Shame on LR UK and LR Moscow! Landy now driveable after local LR garage AAA Motors did a fine job. We must cut out Turkey and the Balkans in order to safely have the misery Landy re-exported in time via Moscow and StPb. Not happy abt that – cutting our trip by 50%.
Compare LR ”service” with Land Rover: Some noise from FJ’s left rear break cylinder in Moscow- one phn call at 9.00. No need to find ourselves the address as Toyota picks the car up at 11, start working on the car at 12.30 – checking all break system and change necessary parts. Back on the road again at 15.00 hours! Thx Toyota and Pavel/Artem. In the meantime offered a splendid lunch in the in-house restaurant.
Back home to Stockholm via StB and Finland
August 2019
