So after the day wait in Trabzon we managed to get the ferry, little did we know... We also met up with Jules and Jim, a couple of guys on their second year of the rally, they had just attempted to get through Georgia to Russia but were unsuccesful (unsurprisingly in light of recent events) and were forced to retreat to Trabzon at Gun/Tank point!! We spent a very surreal 12 hour ferrry ride relaxing and slept on the top deck of a not very crowded boat (a proper ferry). On arrival we had to wait outside port for 14hours while other boats were unloaded, and being a sunday evening by the time we landed the cars were most definately not moving. Leaving them on the boat we kept the keys and found a reasonable hotel (in terms of the very up-market Sochi) . It was however a very Soviet affair and cannot be accused of being anything more than functional! That night was a late one and the eveing meal wound up at about 5 in a restaurant-come-club (with pretty good views:). The next day was really frustrating, with a day long wait in the port building that resulted in getting the cars, but being so late that the only option was to crash at the same slightly expensive hotel. At least we had the cars!
The drive through Russia commenced and the first day was a windy one punctuated by three breakdowns. Team Loud Noises had a blocked fuel filter and some dodgy spark advance (both quickle sorted) and we suffered a handbrake that jammed on. After some persuasuion using both hammer and 3-in-1 oil we got going, the handbrake is now cable tied down and worn to a point of no resistance...which is not holding us up! The day ended with a remote camp in the middle of Russia, a pretty standard evening.
The next day was slightly more smooth...with no breakdown but a sum total of $180 worth of "fines" luckily only $30 attributable to us! The first was a (believe it or not) speeding ticket, thankfully we were at the back of the convoy. The second was to all of us for not coming to a complete halt at a police checkpoint, despite being beckoned forward. I smell some profiteering. The third was unfortunate as we all managed to get seperated in some town and one of the teams pulled an "illegal" U-turn, some more Dollar was in sight I think. That separation was actually more frustrating than the Sochi hold up and was made all the worse as mobile contact was lost. We got back together in the end. That evening was amazing, we camped (now in Kazakhstan) near a herders house, and a greeting expedition resulted in a really fun evening. In return for some Whisky and entertainment (some joyriding was also done) they treated us to fermented camel milk and a chance to look around their amazing Moscovich 412 (car) with a pretty awesome stereo! A great time. By the way that was just short of Atiraw.
A funny one that I forgot to mention, when were were looking for a place to camp that night team Loud Noises reversed into the front of Two Muppets and a Car resuting in the one good headlight they have being smashed. Some gaffer and araldite (hopefully) sorted-ish that one. To make the story a bit better the other one is off a transit van as they had an accident before the start line...looks pretty odd now!!
That brings my entry to an end, I will had over to Jules to bring you up to date!
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