No unfortunately i dont have but perhaps someone has? I am not certain if they are on Walter's waypoint list.

I found somewhere information from two various sources that GPS co-ordinates for embassy in Almaty: N 43 12.127 E 76 54.818

I try to check them against some GPS software

Address is

Tajik Consulate General in Almaty, Kazakhstan
16 Sanatornaya Street
Baganashyl
Almaty


Br
Sami

Hi Sami
Thanks for your quick reply and also your pm. Let's discuss possible commonality in plans via pm.

I looked on Walter's waypoint list on Mapsource and the Tajikistan embassy in Almaty isn't on the list, or I can't find it. Can you pm me the contact details for your English friend on the xt600 in Almaty from 2012. I have lost the business card he gave me. If you have a telephone number for the embassy he might be able to call them to confirm their address?

Many thanks for all your hard work on my behalf. I owe you a beer!

Chris,
I PM'ed Keith information to you. Unless embassy has moved this year its definately that Sanitornaja street as i remember searching it with "unoffical" taxi driver several hours. It was very well hidden :)

Cheers
Sami

:thumbup1:Many thanks for Keith's details. I'll let you know if Almaty/ Pamirs ends up as the plan. Parking in Kyrgyzstan is straight forward and the only extra expense is a flight back to England.

The heavens have just opened here. Glad I'm in a hotel. Wild camping on the BAM in a rain storm wouldn't be much fun. Hope the Mundus 2 plus 2 have a roof over their heads tonight!

argh..... hard to read about everyone enjoying there summer....

i arrived to sokcho on tuesday, only to find that the ferry was broken (headed to Zarubino) and am waiting here for the week. even if i take the ferry to vlad (on friday), i still wont pass the customs any sooner.

another xchallenge will be heading to magadan next week.....

Update as per 4pm Thursday 25 July

Arrived with bike on train back at Severobaykalsk. The plan is to ride zhiglovo tomorrow/ Fri and be back in Irkutsk Saturday evening. Anyone there for sherberts?

On Sunday things will be closed, so Monday I'll see if I can get a replacement radiator. The bike mechanic round the corner from vlad's bike shop had lots of Japanese stuff kicking around so maybe something will fit.

I have a few ideas for the month of August but most likely is a Pamir revisit as heavy shed can get me to some of the interesting places.

Needless to say, I left my Kazakhstan and central Asia maps in at the Oasis in UB. Any idea of any shops in Irkutsk or Almaty where I can buy such things or if we meet en route I could buy yours?

I'm sitting on the balcony of the Severobaykalsk Resort hotel eating a well earned bar of chocolate while it's still raining. Should be fun in the mud tomorrow on the zhiglovo road :-) ...

Ar, I heard it through the grapevine. I have not seen him since we tried to take a short route through the Altai.

Its not a question of whether the 4x4 will make it and yes, Mongolia isn't difficult I wasn't saying that. I was just asking about the water levels and if we are wasting our time heading west of Baikal to the BAM. I still think Kaunda will be our sticking point. I was hoping the late summer would be favourable for a late start but maybe we have left it too late?

G

irkurstk
 

Update from the 2 brits on x challenges.

Back in irkutsk having got to zhigalovo where phil decided he has had enough after 3 months on the road. Can't say i blame him as what lies ahead ain't easy.

I'm hanging in the city waiting for Brighty on his shed. Will make a plan from there on in. Just mmet the 2 germans on f800gsa who are heading to olkhon today.

I think noah, kurt and seb and kim are the only ones heading north to bam now? Anyone else out there?

Will try to curtail social deviances here in irkutsk. It is friday though!

Felix

The bam past yuktali is far from graded gravel roads. Looks like serious flood damage.expect it to be just as bad.more details wheni can charge electronics.im currently 100+km from yuktali and it might be improveing. We'll see soon
Found out the solo rider I missed before the vitim is an australian. Any idea who he is Walter or anyone else?

No idea who the solo Australian is. On a motorbike or push bike? Cant find your reference to him in your blog. Its probably you.

Did the 4 motorcyclists pass you today?

Griff, dont underestimate the road. While the Western BAM is a cinch compared to the Eastern, its plenty brutal enough for a 4WD.

A well prepped Disco driven by experienced Polish expeditioners in 2009 was basically trashed on the western BAM and had to limp home. The guy who led that trip, Michal Rej, who was a Polish rally champ, and has done everything from Cape York, Tanami Track, all variants of the Road of Bones, all sorts of obscure tracks in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, described it as the "Everest of offroading" after he reached Tynda.

I think you will get across the Kuanda with help from Kuanda based 6WD trucks.

I think the road will be your biggest challenge.

Not underestimating Walter, I remeber your wise words from a thread a longtime ago about the road and 4x4 use. Your words have stayed with me all this time! Im quite prepared to turn tail and head back if it gets too much, Im not out to prove anything.

I need to get in touch with Adam to see what he thinks as we are on similar wavelengths. I just saw on FB that Andrew, Jon and he are in Tynda having completed the BAM in some sunny sunshine bier

G

I met some Russian 4WD guys last year at Chara (Nissan Patrols from memory - sponsored up from a Moscow 4WD gear importer - so all geared up). They had come from Moscow, up to the BAM on the 110 (same way BlackLabb has come).

They had to abandon their trip at Chara and freight the cars home on the train, mainly cause the 110 was so tough on the vehicles and the stretch of the BAM from Novy Uoyan to Chara had finished them off. But I do recall them having gotten over Kuanda River without much drama - cant recall if it was on the bridge late at night or via a 6WD from the village. Sorry about not remembering the detail, but as I said, I do recall that Kuanda wasnt an issue for them.

The thing that scares me most for the 4WDs is the rail bridge crossings. There have been a couple of occassions on the past few years when motorcyclists have misread the tracks, and met a train half way across. For the bikes, they can throw them selves against the railings and the train squeezes past. Any error with a 4WD and its an instant wreck.

I think for bikes it's the weather that's the killer, I did it last year east to west with a friend in fantastic conditions and the ride was amazing. I can imagine it being a totally different experience in the wet though, maybe I will try it sometime :) . As Walter says the bridges are the main problem for 4WD, the 2 big ones are guarded so if they do let you drive them at least they will know when the next train is due. We crossed a couple of other smaller ones on the bikes but that's easy to bump them onto the side of the track and shoot through. Also I wouldn't fancy sitting in a 4WD day after day over those roads! I'd end up with piles! Ha ha
Good luck and look forward to reading your progress.
Mark