Accident on Russian Highway
Meeting an angel
Mesmerizing Moscow


MOSCOW
I decided to write a separate post with my adventures of getting to Moscow because of the events that happened, which are of great significance in my Round the World trip.

I left St. Petersburg on a cloudy morning, with wind gusts that challenged me from the beginning. The road was OK, but the traffic was crazy, as I learned it almost always is here in Russia. I intended to stay in Tver for 2 nights as I couldn't find anything in Moscow that would suit my budget. I had in mind to take a train to visit Moscow and then come back to Tver and head out from there. Little did I know how different everything would be...

Tver was 500 km from St. Petersburg and as I came closer to the city I realized that it would be too far for me to take the train from there and then come back. I decided to keep going, even though I was tired, the road was packed with trucks and cars, road construction was making everything muddy and slippery and the rain would not let up. I hoped to find a hotel closer to Moscow. About 100 km from Moscow, the road construction reduced the traffic to one lane and I could see drivers were peeved; everyone was in a rush to get home and they were pushing the limits on how and where to drive. I added to everyone's stress because I was driving slower than anyone and eventually a truck driver decided to show me how things go on a Russian highway. He became very abusive and came close to touching my sidebags several times. I swerved to let him go but he would reduce the speed just enough to stay close to me and try to push me out of the road all the time. I hate when this happens in my own country, but here, in Russia, I was a stranger and I didn't want to upset anyone. So, when I saw that he would not let me go easy, I tried to slow down to 35 km/h and let him pass; that's when he came speeding at me to scare me out of the tarmac into the gravel and mud track on the side. I went out of the road and I saw the water puddle in front of me but I thought it would just be shallow and I would just clear it. I didn't take into consideration also the difference of level between the tarmac and the gravel, which was about 30 cm, and when I hit the water puddle, the bike sunk (it was deeper than expected) and twisted towards the tarmac and hit the road hard, on the left side with me under it. The trucker kept on riding and as I was lying there on the road under my bike, I heard brakes screeching and a Mercedes jeep turned sideways on the highway in such a way as to stop the traffic behind it so cars don't run over my head. I was stuck under the left side case, I had great pain in my elbow, ribs and thigh as well as my left leg was twisted badly. From the Mercedes I saw this massive Russian who came running towards me and single handed picked up my heavy bike and push it outside of the road and then with one hand (I am a big guy myself, I weigh easily 95 kg) he picked me up and took me aside. People came running to see if I was OK, a lady (which happened to be a doctor) came and asked me if I was OK, as I was limping, full of mud and oil from the fall. I wasn't sure what exactly happened, but I know I was very worried about the bike, because I knew if something happened to it, I would not be able to continue. I was confused, wet, my gear was torn in 6 or 7 places, I had very sharp pain in my elbow (it turned out quite ugly, even though I had very thick padding) and I couldn't feel my left leg. Anyway, I let everyone go, I rested for 10 minutes while checking my bike for damage. The ABS light was on, the check engine light as well, so I thought: "I am done, the bike is gone". My two plastic bottles that were tied to the crash bars were broken to pieces and scattered around the accident site, the left case pushed in and the left crash bar flattened but seemed to have taken all the impact of the fall. I turned the key off in the ignition and after few minutes I turned it back on. The engine purred like nothing happened! I was happy. I clumsily mounted the bike, while crying of pain, and I headed slowly out. I was so dirty and torn, all the cars stopped to let me pass and were shaking their heads in pity. I thought: "How am I going to find a place to sleep now, looking like this, in a foreign place and not knowing Moscow at all?" It was already 9:00 pm and I was freaking out already.

I rode slowly on the side of the road and I saw a biker standing at red light in front of me. I squeezed in between cars to get to him and I asked him in Russian: Gostinitsa? (Hotel?) He turned to me and replied in perfect English: I wouldn't stay in this area if I were you, it is not a good place". I was shocked... He pulled aside, introduced himself to me as Alex (Alexei Mikhailov) and this was the beginning of my salvation in Russia and the angel of mercy had Alex's face.
Alex is an engineer for a Tech company in Moscow, a fellow biker and a dreamer and philosopher. He was coming from Tver, he himself tired and wet, but took the time to help this muddy stranger looking like I was fallen straight from Jupiter. He started to make phone calls, inquiries and found me a hostel smack in the middle of downtown Moscow, a nice private room with great price. He told me he has to go back to Tver the next day but will be back so we can meet again and plan some other things for my Russian voyage ahead of me.
It is hard to explain what Alex meant for me at that moment... I know that bikers in Russia are friendly but Alex put a face to everything I heard about. In the next few days, Alex arranged for my accommodation all the way to Novosibirsk, talking to friends to accommodate me, to bikers to escort me into each city and to show me around. He advised me about certain areas of danger, of road quality and of different routes. Suddenly, Russia became a familiar place and until now, it is due to this young man, of great intelligence and education. We walked the streets of Moscow at 12:00 at night and he would tell me the history of each building and we spoke of many things, from philosophy to geography to travel and to different mentalities of the country and its people.
I found Moscow to be a mesmerizing city, full of history, culture and amazing people.
The next morning, Alex came on his bike and escorted me out of Moscow to make sure I found the right road to Nizhniy Novgorod. By the time I got to Nizhniy, he already sent me several emails with info on the next town, roads, routes, parks to visit, etc. I only wish that one day I will repay Alex for his grace and his friendship. I am working on that...

Photos at: Nomad Sports Academy

I look on the map of Russia, as I am writing this, and even though I already rode 2600 km in Russia, it looks like I have done nothing of my total route to the East.
This is the first thing that hits a traveler like me when visiting this country: the sheer magnitude of the land! When I manage to come to a higher point on the road, the horizons stretch so far, even the sky seems to bend to be able to encompass this size.
I left Moscow riding East, still sore from my encounter with the Russian truck driver. The road to Nizhniy Novgorod was busy, full of trucks and cars and not in very good shape. It is patched so many times that the result is a pitiful mix of tarmac and very uneven bumps that rattle your brains out. I felt sad to leave Moscow, because I made my first friend in Russia and it felt lonely again on the road to the unknown East.
As I approached Nizhniy, I was trying to guess my way to the coordinates of the Fabrika hotel. My amazing Garmin can only show me where the destination is, but not how to get there, so I was riding up and down the hills in Nizhniy in order to get closer to the flag on the GPS' screen. Somehow, after a while, I managed to arrive right in front of the hotel. As I pulled in, a few young people that were outside the hotel got very excited to see me and surrounded me, looking at my bike. I am not the prettiest sight in the world, especially with my muddy, torn apart gear, full of dust and smoke, but these young people didn't seem to care. They helped park the bike behind the hostel, then helped me with the bags into the room. Over the next 2 days, I got to know them all and we became good friends. The night before my departure, they organized a party with Shashlik (meat skewers) and drinks, they took photos with my bike and we had a good time. I got to understand a little better how brilliant these young people are and how amazing dreams they have. Some are artists, others engineers, all very educated and pleasant. Again, I was heading out of a new town in Russia leaving new friends behind. Next was Kazan, in the Republic of Tatarstan, Alex's place. Here, Alex already arranged for a friend of his to meet me outside of the city and guide me to my accommodation.
This would become a habit for Alex, to arrange things for me in advance. He is still the reason I met so many friendly people here.
I arrived in Kazan and waited at a gas station for Vasya, who arrived on a Yamaha bike, shaking my head and admiring my bike. He then lead me to my hotel in Kazan and I went to rest. I was getting chronically fatigued and stressed by the Russian roads and I was still weak from Moscow. My elbow was healing nicely, but I was still swelled up on my hip and my whole body ached (probably due to the impact when I hit the road and all the vibration after).
The next morning I woke refreshed and I headed for a town walk at 7:00 in the morning. It was cool, the sky was clear and I was alone, walking all the way to the Kazan mosque, the Kremlin, the cathedral, without any tourists or other people. Kazan is a spectacular city, on the banks of Volga, amazingly designed and very clean. Photos will speak more... In the evening Vasya and his wife took me out for a stroll in town and we spent some time getting to know each other.
On the way to Ufa, the Republic of Bashkortostan, my GPS lead me to a completely deserted road in the middle of a forest, showing me a very large highway in front, where there were nothing but trees. I turned around and got lost again, until I managed to find a policeman that showed me how to get to the road to Ufa. I wasted 3 hours in the process so I rode for 12 hours that day, instead of 9. I arrived in Ufa and I stopped in town next to a McDonald's. I called Alex (once again) and before I told him where I am, he said: "I found a friend of a friend in Ufa to guide you to accommodation and take you around. He used to live in Canada". Few minutes later, a car pulls in and two guys come out: Dennis and Tim. Tim spoke perfect English, he lived and studied in Hamilton, Ontario for few years. I couldn't believe that I met someone in Ufa with such close connections to Canada. They found me a hotel, helped with the bags and we decided to meet the next day. I was so dusty and weird looking that I believe they thought I am a crazy man.
The next day, Tim and his wife, Polina took me to see a great airshow and reenactment of a battle between Germany and Russia in 1942. There were soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the day, old motorbikes (my favorite), planes, parachutes and lots of people.
We ended up the day having a splendid time at a ski resort on top of the mountain. I am truly shocked of the developed status of these Russian cities, the education of the young people, their view of life and their friendliness. It has nothing to do with the image the world has about most of Russians: mega rich (even though some of them are), loud and uneducated. Their hospitality and friendship showed me the real spirit of Russia.
Thank you Alex for your friends, and friends of friends. Thank you Yuri (several Yuris actually), Yura, and the rest of the gang in Nizhniy, Vasya and his wife in Kazan, Tim, Polina and Dennis and Fareed in Ufa. You made me feel welcome and made me feel sorry to leave you behind.
7000 km to go... By passing the Ural Mountains, I will enter Asia and a different kind of culture shock altogether.

Photos here:
LEG 14: MOSCOW TO UFA, 1700 KM - Nomad Sports Academy

Thanks for sharing the report.Some good photographs there in the first page.

3 years ago, as I was planning this expedition and going through the itinerary, I looked at the Siberia crossing and wondered how will I react when I reached this part of the world? The expedition was in its infancy at that time, quite a few things changed, but one thing remained clear: Siberia would be a milestone!

Soon after leaving Ufa, I was heading SE towards Chelyabinsk. The Ural Mountains were looming up ahead and I sensed a change of scenery. Pine forests were appearing and undulating hills were breaking the flat horizon. I crossed the Ural mountains without a hitch (except for the roads, of course, which are always a challenge here). The bike kept purring nicely and I actually enjoyed the climb of the mountains where the air was fresher and the smells of the forest filled my lungs.

I arrived in Chelyabinsk, which is on the Asian side of the mountain. In front of me, Siberia was stretching its immense body for the next 6000 and then some, kilometers. I checked into the hotel (most Gostinitsas in the smaller towns are renovated blocks so you feel you are in a boarding school) and took off my dirty, dusty gear.

In the morning I walked in town for a little bit, but I was still tired (my hip continues to swell up and from vibration, my elbow is constantly painful) so I went back to the hotel. As I came to the hotel door, I spotted a note on my bike. I thought: "the police wants me to move the bike from the walkway". I opened the note and, in perfect English, it said: "Hello, My name is Andrey Fedoseev, I am a biker too, if you need any help or information, please contact me..."

I called Andrey immediately, just to thank him for his offer, but we ended up walking to town again, this time under his skillful guidance and historical background of the city. Andrey is a special friend, an IT man, again, like Alex from Moscow, working for a San Francisco based company. He was quiet, polite, very knowledgeable and a great man to know. As we came back from town, I spotted another note on my bike: "We glad meet you" it said, "motorbaik klub" and then the address. Andrey and I jumped on our bike (he has a splendid Honda Shadow) and rode to the club where we met a lot of local bikers that ended helping us with route information for Tyumen, my destination the next day.

In the morning, Andrey was at my hotel at 7:00 am (it turns out he lives just behind the hotel where I was staying) and he rode with me for about 30 km to show me the exact road to Ekateringburg.

As I rode out, I kept thinking how amazing these people are, and how lucky I am that in every city so far, to meet them and to see they went so far out of their way to help a complete stranger. I understand that not all bikers are my friends, but in Russia, I have to tell you that most bikers I met became actually my friends. Maybe because I am a foreigner or maybe because these bikers are friendlier than others I met in my life and during this expedition. In any case, I am grateful for the biking community in Russia, that truly is a life saver for most of us that dare to tackle this challenging country.

The road to Tyumen, turned out to be better (thanks again to my biker friends in Chelyabinsk) and I reached the town without issues. I rested one night and headed out to Omsk, Siberia. The road now becomes more and more desolate, larger distances between gas stations and civilization.

Omsk is a huge city, very well designed and easy to discover. The hotel I booked was a dump, completely broken up by renovations so I went in the city searching for another. As I was crossing the bridge I ran out of gas; first time since Livingstone! I knew I was low but I always banked on going about 85 km on my reserve, which is always true. But I forgot about it, as I was looking for hotels and I got stuck. I sat there in the middle of the bridge and a van stopped, husband and wife and offered to help. They took my jerry can, went to a gas station, filled it up, came back, then lead me to a hotel, paid for my first night there and then they left... Just like that! I tried to argue, I tried to offer to pay for the gas and hotel, but nothing; they disappeared into the city as fast as they appeared to me on the bridge. I am grateful for your help, my friends, and I wish we had a chance to spend some time to know each other. But your anonymous help is well noted and gratefully received!

In the morning I took the bike for her service: the poor thing was abused for the past 10.000 km and it needed new juices. I went to Omsk Yamaha, where I met Max and the rest of the crew, very nice people, again. They gave me a major discount on the service, cleaned the bike and she was so beautiful the next morning, I wanted to hug her. We have both been through so many things together, it was hard not to be happy for her. They found no problems with it, all the fluids checked and changed, no loose bolts or screws (it's a wonder), just the balancing lead weights of the back wheel came off during all the bad roads we endured so far. Otherwise, she was ready for the next challenge.

I left Omsk early morning and without a guide this time, so it took me 30 minutes to figure out the road to Novosibirsk. The GPS is blind, as you know by now, so all I was looking on its screen was the general direction. This is the great things about Siberia: it has virtually one road stretching Eastwards, so in any city I am, if I follow the general East direction, I will eventually find my way to the Trans Siberian.

As I was riding on the lonely road to NSK, I kept feeling sad for myself... I thought of the loneliness I endured the past 7 weeks and the remote places ahead of me and the long, loooooonnnng freaking road that was still lying ahead. As I was quite happy victimizing myself, I see ahead on the road two cyclists; I thought: "Russian cyclists! Very nice!". I came closer and I spotted a German flag! I pulled over immediately and I waved for them to stop. They were husband and wife, from Bavaria, Klaus and Doris Hohle (Willkommen bei Hoehles-Challenge.de). Fully equipped, they were riding their bicycles from Germany to Vladivostok!!!! Here I was complaining of the long road, riding a machine that easily does 1000 km a day, and these people are riding their bicycles, doing 100 km at the most and camping in the bush. But this is not all: to get an even bigger slap on my victimizing face, they told me their age: Klaus is 75 years old (are you kidding me?) and Doris is 62 years old!!! I wanted to hug them! Who, in their right mind, does this at 75 years old? And this is not all: they are the oldest couple in the world who have ridden their cycles around the planet and it was already finished! This trip they were on now, was just 10.000 km, "to just stay in shape", as Klaus very unassuming put it... We took few photos together, exchanged emails and we said good bye. What incredible people! I cannot but love their spirit and their passion; my Russian friends, if you see these two German people, wherever you meet them, please take care of them and help them on their way. I hope with all my heart that nothing bad will happen in their journey East.

I climbed on my bike and promised never to complain again...

I reached Novosibirsk late afternoon, and the size of the city and its industrial feel, kind of scared me at first. I couldn't find the hotel, but I stopped at a Lukoil gas station and Alex's friend, Alexander, came to show me to the hotel, which turned out to be just 200 m from where I was.

He was in hurry, so as soon as we reached the hotel, he left. While I was checking in, Ivan showed up; Ivan is the Heidenau dealer in Novosibirsk and I contacted him through Alex to find a back tire for me, as the one I had was eaten up by the broken roads. Ivan told me he will come pick me up in the morning to get the tire.

At 11:00 the next day, he came and said: "Let's go, concert in town", "Concert", I said, " I thought we go to get the tire", "Later", he replied.

We went downtown, where I met his family, Lena, his wife, Katia and Slava, his children. It turned out that, exactly that day was the 121 birthday of Novosibirsk, so the whole city was out in celebration mood, with music, dancing, balloons and the whole package. It was a lot of fun, especially since I thought that I would just stay in the hotel for 2 days. It was also special for me and my bike, because Novosibirsk became the half way point of my Round the World Expedition and half way across Russia as well.

Here are some statistics (for those of you that are not interested, just skip this part and go straight to the photos):

in Novosibirsk, Siberia:

Bike Odometer: 62500 km (I bought the bike with 0 km, in October 2012)

From Namibia (where I bought the bike): 34.000 km

From Livingstone, Zambia (where our project is): 32.500 km

From Narva, Estonia (border with Russia): 4100 km

Accidents: 1 (between Tver and Moscow, see Moscow Post)

Damage: Crash bars bent, back left case scratched, cracked elbow, swollen hip, bruised rib, mad ego

2 sets of tires from the beginning to now

4 services

No mechanical problems with the bike, no spare parts used, just oil and lube

Countries crossed: 23

Duration: 7 months and 2 weeks

TO GO :

3500 km to Vanino, for the ferry to Sakhalin Island

5300 to Iwata, Japan (Yamaha Factory)

22500 km to Ushuaia, Argentina

34.000 km to Namibia

35.500 km to Livingstone, Zambia

From now on, it is the countdown back to my Africa, where the sunsets are dark red and where my heart is happy!

From Novosibirsk it was the lonely, very long road to Krasnoyarsk, 917 km, where I reached late at night, desperate to find a hotel before dark. Riding around town, I spotted this couple riding on a Yamaha cruiser and I followed them. They stopped soon and I asked them for help. They immediately (of course) started to make phone calls to all the hotels in town and rode with me to several of them until I found a good one. Ivan and Vasilitsa are two young people that immediately became friends with me. Thank you again, bikers, for your hospitality and friendliness.

Photos here:
LEG 15: UFA TO KRASNOYARSK, SIBERIA, 3300 KM - Nomad Sports Academy

Following your journey.

__________________
julian

Hello my friend,

Long time no hear! How are you? Back in England?

Thanks for following our progress

John

Yes but at least its warm/hot.

__________________
julian

I am writing my last post from Russia... What an experience this was for me and my bike! 6 weeks spent crossing the largest country on the planet, 11.000 km done, 7700 by motorbike and just over 3000 by the TransSiberian train (see below my train experience). Russia enchanted me with her friendly people, her amazing food and her heritage of culture and history, but it also challenged me more than any other country I have ever been to (with the exception of Congo, perhaps). I am still licking my wounds, both mentally and physically and I think it will take some time to recover from this ordeal. To cross a mammoth like this, with roads that rattled my brains out and drivers that nearly killed me several times, and considering the accident I had, would be enough to write a small book about overlanding through Russia. I deeply and respectfully salute all those that have done it, by any transportation means and I even salute those that attempted it and failed. There is no shame in that; only those that have been on 2 wheels (or any other number of wheels) through this country will understand what price you have to pay to reach the other side.
The ride from Krasnoyarsk was one of the most challenging, as the roads were very bad with large broken parts and very remote places. It took me about 16 hours to reach Irkutsk and by the time I got there, I was shaking so badly I could hardly park the bike. I stopped in front of a Subway (the American Sandwich store) and ran inside to buy a sprite to get some electrolytes in me before I passed out; I rode the whole day with only a 500 ml bottle of water and no food and I was ready to faint. The boy behind the counter got very scared when he saw me: I was muddy from top to bottom, eyes were popping out, I had a mud mask around my goggles and I pretty much looked like a racoon in Yamaha clothes. He quickly prepared a foot long sub and 1 litre bottle of Sprite. People were watching me as I shakily unwrapped that sandwich and started eating. I left Krasnoyarsk at 6:30 in the morning and it was now 11:00 at night!
I rested in Irkutsk for 4 days, arranging for the train in the same time for both myself and my bike; I wanted to take the train from 2 reasons: to experience a part of the Trans-Siberian and to give my body a chance to heal from my rough trip so far. I rode on adrenalin until now and I didn’t realize how much I abused my body and neglected my injuries. Now, my hip was dangerously swollen, my neck was twisted and stiff from wearing the helmet for so long and from the Moscow accident.
I booked a train ticket for me, through my new friends in Irkutsk: Natasha, Nikolai and Sasha, all bikers that have taken care of me again. Sasha arranged with the cargo company to pack my bike and send it to Khabarovsk. They said it would take 6 days; no problem... It took 11 days. “This is Russia” everyone tells me, even though I don’t know exactly what that means.
I left Irkutsk on Monday, July 7, at 9:30, being driven to the station by Colea (Nikolai) and Natasha. It was starting to rain and Colea said: “There is a saying in Russia that when good people leave, it starts raining”. I replied: “There is a saying in Canada, that when you leave good people behind, it starts raining.”
The train arrived on time (a miracle in Russia) and I went to my “apartment”. I took this train after reading so many reviews on the amazing quality and experience you might have and I was quite excited. When I got to my cabin, I noticed 4 “beds” (4 planks of wood, with dodgy mattresses), and 3 guys that were already there. I said “Hello”, and introduced myself. They were professional athletes, and the sport was shooting. I thought: ‘wow, it must be one of those disciplines at triathlon or something like that”, but they said that they were actually shooting with AK-47’s. What? Yes, AK-47’s! One of the guys had a gun on his hip, while lying in bed drinking tea. I thought: “OK, this should be an interesting ride!” It turned out they were from Novosibirsk and heading to Chita for a National competition. They were very pleasant and respectful and we had a good time together. I slept for few hours that night, as the train was throwing us all over the place and it was hot. Outside, a major rainstorm was unleashing and I realized what would have happened if I went by bike on my own. The Trans Siberian highway was right next to the rails and the condition of the road was terrible: muddy, broken, and narrow. I was happy I chose the train.
I woke up in the morning extremely stiff, my neck was twisted badly and I looked like Quazimoto! I actually envied the Hunchback for having his own place in the attic of the cathedral.
I wobbled my way to the toilet and when I opened the door my jaw dropped: the stench was indescribable and on the floor there was a sea of urine and water, trying to find its way to the hole in the middle. I swear this thing had a tide of its own, moving back and forth with the bumps of the train. I had to find a system to use this toilet without sinking my feet into this piss. I started brushing my teeth outside (trying hard to contain my gagging from the smell and sights of the interior) and when I knew I was ready, I stepped inside. I quickly rinsed and when I wanted to use the toilet, I understood why there was so much on the floor: it was hard to hit the toilet while the train is throwing you all over the place... I was wearing flipflops... This was going to be a long ride!
As I returned to my cabin, my roommates were packing as we were approaching Chita. As soon as they left, I thought I would have the cabin all to myself until Khabarovsk; 5 minutes later, 3 massive Russians walked in, with bellies the size of an American Thanksgiving turkey. They started to take their clothes off to prepare for the ride and they were sweating profusely already. “Great”, I thought, “I feel now like Ben Stiller in “Along came Polly” when he played basketball with the sweaty, hairy guy!” Another 40 hours with these guys! I went out to give them some “privacy” (I am using this word extremely loosely). I asked the conductor where the Restaurant car is and he told me to wait. Few minutes later a lady came with a cart filled with Fanta and Chips. She even had a menu: chips, Fanta, different kind of chips, other Fanta types, water J I almost started to cry!
Evening came again, inside the train there was total darkness and outside a Biblical deluge was filling up the vast Siberian swamps. I shyly opened the door and sneaked into my bed and closed my eyes, wondering how I was going to sleep that night. The Russian grizzlies were already in bed, each one snoring and farting their brains out. Their undigested kielbasas were coming out with the vengeance. I didn’t close an eye that night, I had my headphones on to drown the snoring but I found no relief from the farting. I am sure that the genius that will invent a camera that captures smell, will win the Nobel Prize.
We arrived in Khabarovsk 2 hours late; by now I was stuck looking down on my left foot, with a twisted neck that would not let me straighten up. People in the train were wondering what kind of weirdo I am; not that the rest of the characters there were of great stature: a guy was lying on the floor of the corridor, so drunk, vomit was coming out of his mouth and he had no clue; another one was sitting in between the cars so he can sneak a smoke; he was in his not-so-white underwear, hanging with one hand on one of the metal bars while smoking with the other. “I fit right in”, I thought.
I took my bags and got the hell out of this train. It was still raining, but the fresh smell of rain and grass in the train station made me extremely happy. I limped my way to a taxi and went to the hotel. I took an hour long shower (after 62 hours on a Russian train, I needed that), disinfected my flip flops, and I went to bed. I am not sure what Trans Siberian train tourists take, but I was the only tourist (and this was first class, a propos). There must be another, fancier train that caters to the tourists, for sure! But I think I got the true cultural experience with this train.
It saved me time and headaches and probably my life, as I would have never made it through 10 days of mud, rain and in the physical state I was in, but what an experience that was! I rode with Russians, on a Russian train, across Siberia! I am sure this will be a funny story for my grandchildren, but at that moment it didn’t seem funny at all.
In Khabarovsk I met Alexey (Ivan from Novosibirsk gave me his phone number) and Kate (Katia), his daughter-in-law. This turned out to be, again, a life saver for me, as this family of Flight Attendants took me in their home like one of their own and fed me, gave me a room in their home and drove me everywhere in town. When the bike turned up a week late, I was cared for by them without one hint that they would want to be reimbursed for their efforts. This is what will make me miss Russia: the wonderful people I met and their altruistic nature. Alexey, Galina and Katia, and Katia’s parents: Natalie and Nikolai became very close friends; the list of my Russian friends is growing.
I headed from Khabarovsk for my last leg on mainland Russia on a cloudy and sticky morning; it rained the whole day before and the humidity was high. I was worried about the 550 km of the Eastern BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) because I knew the condition of the road and after rains it would be worse. I was lucky enough to avoid rain and when I saw that large tracts of the road were missing I realized how difficult it would have been in the rain. As I turned East towards Vanino at Lidaga, the road narrowed and soon I was heading towards the mountains. Even though it was extremely remote, the landscapes were spectacular and due to my slow speed, I managed to enjoy the scenery. It took me 8 hours to reach Vanino from Khabarovsk and when I saw the Pacific Ocean my heart trembled with joy. I reached the end of Russia’s mainland, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, I was still alive and my bike was purring like a cat, as if she knew she is approaching her own country. The humidity disappeared and the fresh ocean breeze was already cooling me down. I was a happy man!
In Vanino I met Natalie (friend of the friends from Khabarovsk) and with impeccable English she lead me to her parents’ home, where I was offered a room (the “great” Vanino Hotel wanted to charge me 120 Euros for a shitty room). As soon as I unpacked the bike, Alexander, Natatie’s father, took me to the ocean where a lot of fishermen were by the shore fishing for Salmon. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw how much salmon there is in these waters! Few minutes later we ended up with amazing salmon and few more minutes later the barbecue was on, the salmon sizzling on it. Next was the caviar, the salmon roe, the garden potatoes and the veggies, all from their own garden. I was speechless... An hour before I was in a completely strange place and now I am in someone’s home, having a dinner fit for the Czars. All this hospitality offered without one word that I have to pay anything or at least buy them a gift. For them, it was a pleasure to have me as a guest and a simple thank you was enough. This is the Russia I will always remember: the biker community that is so welcoming and the total generosity of the local people for complete strangers like me. It makes me feel sad that what the world hears about Russia are mostly bad things, but I will always hold dear all the memories that these people gave me. The ferry to Sakhalin took 20 hours, even though it is only 210 km from Vanino to Kholmsk. The ferry is a giant piece of rust that goes only 5 knots per hour. It is understandable when you realize that they put more than 20 rail cars inside, about 40 trucks and as many cars. I was the only bike and I was lucky because Natalie arranged (without my knowledge) to have a private cabin so I had a good night’s rest and good food. I arrived in Yuzhno the next day around 4 pm where I met up with Dennis, a biker that found out about me from Alex from Moscow (again). He led me to the hotel where I now wait for my departure for Japan.
I have a deep sense of satisfaction when I look back where I was 6 weeks ago and what this ride across Russia taught me. I am humbled by the size of this country, but even more humbled by the bigger size of people’s hearts. I was privileged to stay in their homes, eat their food and learn of their daily joys and struggles, their view of their country and the world and I was a small part of their lives for the little time we spent together. I will never forget them or what they have offered me.
Enjoy the photos here:
LEG 16: KRASNOYARSK TO SAKHALIN ISLAND: 5100 KM - Nomad Sports Academy
Meanwhile, I can sense the magic of the country of the Rising Sun, which lies only few hours away from here. Sayonara Russia, Konichiwa Japan!

5 days after entering Japan and so many things happened, I am compelled to write my first post. I expected Japan to amaze me, but I wasn’t expected to be blown out of my boots!
I left Yuzhno Sakhalinsk very early morning because my agent (Mr. Valeriy, an excellent gentleman that prepares everything for you, both on the Russian side and on the Japan side; I have his info for the interested travelers through that region) in Korsakov said I should be at the ferry before 8. There was a peaceful feeling to my last ride in Russia, the 42 km to Korsakov... I had this deep sense of satisfaction that I made it alive through the largest country on the planet and I had memories that will stay with me forever. I went slowly, enjoying the last sites of the Island and reflecting on my journey.
I arrived at the ferry and sure enough, Mr. Valeriy was already there, waiting for me, with all my papers on hand. We went through Russian customs without a hitch and I headed towards the Heartland Ferry dock. As I entered the belly of the ship, 4 impeccably dressed Japanese men welcomed me, showed me where to park (I was the only vehicle on board, all the passengers were on foot and mostly Russians going to Japan). As I parked, a young man brought a small piece of carpet and set it under my footrest so I don’t scratch the deck! I thought:” What in the world is this?” Scratching the deck?
Then the four men brought a pressure washer, all sorts of brushes and soap and started to scrub my bike. It was so clean I could have licked it. All the Siberian dust and mud and bugs disappeared at once. A new horizon was ahead, with an entirely different mindset.
I climbed upstairs where I was greeted again (with a bow, something I would see a thousand times a day in Japan) and after taking my dirty boots off (which were immediately washed by one of the crew) I was shown to my place; there were no seats or benches on the ferry (except in the lobby) and everyone is sitting on the floor, without shoes. I was given a tray with my lunch and the ferry departed. I went outside to look for the last time to the Russian shore. It was hard to believe that I was leaving this country on the Pacific side, after crossing almost 11.000 km from the Baltic side at Varna, Estonia, just 6 weeks ago! I had mixed feelings about this all experience, but as I turned south, I realized that beyond those clouds lies a new adventure, one that I dreamed of and planned for a long time. Japan was basically my destination from the beginning; the bike was built here and now it was returning to her homeland, this time not in a crate, but by road. From here on, is basically considered the return to Africa.
I fell asleep on the ferry for a couple of hours and when I woke up and went outside again, the sun was shining and on the port (left) side of the ship I saw the first sight of Japan; I trembled as I took my camera out... The high rises of the volcanic mountains were peaking through the haze and massive amounts of Wind generators were lining the tops. Wakkanai was ahead.
We pulled in Wakkanai exactly 5 hours after departure from Sakhalin, a far cry from the 20 hours we did on the Vanino ferry (which operates without a schedule). I was welcomed by another agent at the door and invited to wait in an office. Few minutes later, an Immigration officer came with the agent, all the papers for the bike stamped and the insurance issued, plus my visa for 90 days for Japan. The Immigration officer than bowed and said: “John San, welcome to Japan!” I was finally here!
I rode few minutes up to the mountain and camped that night in the Wakkanai park, a spectacular place, above the city, full of bikers and campers from all over Japan. I set my tent and then I was looking to see where to pay for my night’s stay. Some people saw me and told me: “It is free, you don’t have to pay for camping here”. I couldn’t believe my ears, but this would be the beginning of a series of events that shocked me in Japan so far.
I cooked dinner (I still had some food from Estonia and Russian with me) and after I finished eating, I see an older gentleman approaching. He came and sat next to me and served me Sake, just to say Hello (even though he didn’t speak English) and make me feel welcome.
At 4 in the morning as the sun was rising (being 2 hours back from Russia, the day starts really early here) I had to get up and pack for my first ride South. All the campers were up too, going for the morning Yoga or jog. I now understand why these people live so long and look so young: they go to bed at 9, wake up at 4, exercise and take time to enjoy their lives.
I headed South towards Haboro and I felt rejuvenated in the morning coolness, riding through the small roads of the fishing villages (I always avoid highways) and filming the spectacular landscapes around me. I was in paradise: the roads are impeccable, the people welcoming and respectful, the food, out of this world. I stop for coffee and breakfast at a little store on the way and the attendant there sees my foreign plates and comes out with a bottle of Iced tea and cookies and offered them to me. “A gift”, he says. I am speechless!
I pulled in for gas and 3 people run out of the gas station and when they find out I come all the way from Africa, they bow and shake my hand in respect. As they fill up, they set a small towel around my gas tank so they don’t spill on it. I keep thinking: “Who does this?”
I pass Haboro, heading towards Sapporo, an amazing city, but already so hot, I couldn’t breathe inside my helmet. 41 degrees, my thermometer shows... I desperately get out of the city and find a camping side on the mountain: Arten Campground. Set among the trees of the forest, it looks like a typical Japanese landscape: manicured and quaint. At 4 in the morning, the mist from the mountain gently flows through the trees, creating a Zen atmosphere. I am taking photos and smiling in the same time... I have a surreal experience.
I ride to the beautiful city of Hakodate, take the ferry to Aomori and enter the South Island. Aomori is splendid, the city is so clean and so quiet you can actually hear the birds singing in downtown. These people never honk their horns, never shout and never show you the finger. They walk quietly about their business and everyone keeps to themselves. There is no unnecessary noise.
In the morning as I head Southwest towards Sakata, I can feel the heat building up. Sakata area is very humid and I am sweating even though it is only 7 in the morning. The mountain ride is breathtaking, with low mountains lined with pines and large rice fields in the valleys. Flowers are planted everywhere, even on the highway. I pass by a spotless lake, with a red tower in the middle and I have to stop, just to take in the sights and the silence. This country touches me to the core of my being... the peace, safety, standard of life (highest in the world, I have no doubt) and landscapes are just a few factors that can change my perspective on life here.
I stop to one of the many rest areas (these are huge places with everything you can think of, from markets to pharmacies) and buy an ice cream. As I enjoy sitting in the shade, a little girl runs to me with 4 cereal bars and a bottle of Iced tea, saying in a cute voice: “Gift” and then she runs back to her parents. I am flabbergasted again and asked the parents “why is everyone so nice to me?” “It is our custom to welcome weary travelers from faraway places.” And as they say that, they bow again.
5 days into Japan and I feel I am on a different planet... I cannot but think that they are and should be the standard by which the whole world should be judged. Japan sets a bar of civilization level that should be adopted by the rest of the world. A sign of true civilization, the way I see it, is when all the citizens of a country enjoy the same standard of life and quality across the society’s areas. Whether you have money or not, you can still eat at cheaper restaurants where the quality is the same. Your house, small or not, has the same modern amenities as anyone else. You car, your healthcare, the infrastructure will be the same whether you are rich or poor. Most of the countries I have lived in or visited in the last 25 years are basically catering to the rich: if you want a very good meal you will pay more in a fancier restaurant (otherwise food poisoning is on the menu), you want a nice place to live, you have to pay more, a better hospital care, you pay more. Basically, the underlining message is: “you’re poor, you’re screwed”. Japan does everything the other way: food is amazing everywhere, whether you pay 5 dollars or 200. The cleanliness, the technology and the infrastructure is available for everyone, rich or poor. Of course, if you have more money, you have a better house or car, but even the small houses and cars and restaurants are of the highest standard here. You also get the same treatment and respect, whether you are rich or poor, which is very rare almost anywhere else I have been before.
Lastly, the respectful attitude of all the people I met, the politeness and the peaceful approach these people have to everything makes this country what it is today, a jewel of our planet. Their determination to not only survive but thrive, in spite of typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes, plus a couple of nuclear bombings, is remarkable, to say the least.
The Japanese have everything they want and no one is trying to rip you off (I get free tea, sake, cookies, food, someone even filled my tank free, etc). I remember paying 4 Euro on the Italian highway for a cup of tea, just because they can, or 6 Euro a cup of coffee in Norway or 1 Euro for 1 egg at the grocery store, just because it’s Norway.
I have more than 3 weeks to explore this country on my own 2 wheels and I am already walking on clouds, because I have reached the best country on the planet (I understand that different people have different experiences and opinions about Japan, but this is my experience so far here).
And this, my friends, is my 2 cents worth of reflection after 5 days in Japan.
Photos here:
LEG 17: RIDING IN THE COUNTRY OF THE RISING SUN - Nomad Sports Academy

I left Sakata and headed for Tokyo on a very humid morning. The temperature in Japan has been record breaking the past week and riding with my heavy gear was no picnic. My head was exploding in the helmet and it made the ride extremely unpleasant. Luckily the landscapes and the countryside were spectacular making the whole experience easier. I avoided the highway and the GPS, while still confused about a lot or routes in Japan, took me through very tiny roads through villages with manicured farms and rice fields. I had to stop often to cool off in the shade of the forests and I must have drunk over 5 litres of liquids.
I am in awe of Japan’s bamboo forests and rice fields and the peace and silence in the places I rested calmed me deeply. The thermometer hit 43 degrees around 12 noon and going through villages I encountered a lot of stoplights that made me angry. Waiting for a stoplight in Japan is like going fishing in a lake without fish. Patience is the key, and it turns out that the Japanese have a lot of it. No honking, no noises and what shocked me the most was that the majority of the cars waiting at stoplights turn their engines off. It is the first nation where I see environmental attitude at a very large scale. Everyone seems concerned about their impact on nature and takes serious steps to preserve it. It is a beautiful thing when a whole nation cares for the future.
The next morning I entered Tokyo, knowing very well the mega size of this city and its traffic. Even though everyone drives in an orderly fashion, it still took me 7 hours to get in and get out of Tokyo (of course, I blame Garmin for this, the poor thing had no clue about one way streets or how to find the way out to the South). The heat was unbearable, I had to take my jacket off and my goggles and I got fried by the sun. However, Tokyo impressed me deeply and when I arrived in Shibuya crossing my heart nearly stopped; 4 million people cross this street every single day! The sea of people is indescribable: from all directions, masses of people go about their business as if this is very natural to them. I parked the bike next to a Metro entrance and watched the flow of people for about an hour. A homeless man came and sat next to me for the whole time and we chatted away while having coffee. He was a very nice young man, speaking excellent English. I am not sure what misfortune hit him to become homeless, but I appreciated his companionship.
After the mayhem of getting out of Tokyo I finally managed to find the road towards Mt. Fuji. I wanted to spend few days here, to explore the 5 lakes around the mountain and rest. I was feeling very weak from my hard riding in the heat and my body was exhausted.
Once I hit the countryside, the temperature went down, especially that now I was climbing towards Mt. Fuji. The Yamanakako lake (where I am camping at the moment) is at 1000 m altitude and Mt. Fuji stands at an impressive 3776 m. People told me that this time of the year it is rare to see the top, due to clouds and humidity, but I was lucky a couple of mornings when I got some good photos around 5:00 am.
Mt. Fuji’s lakes are impeccable: clean, scenic and perfectly placed at the foot of the mountain, as if someone planted them there for a special reason. The Japanese love visiting them and many are camping here in the summer.
As I pulled in the Misagi campground there was no one at the reception and a very nice man that was camping told me I can set up anywhere and in the morning I can pay for the camp. He also helped me with his own WIFI device so I can talk to Carmen that night. In the morning we had coffee and got to know him and his companions a little better. I have had so many experiences by now with the generosity and hospitality of the Japanese people that I cannot even count them; people give me food and drinks all the time, they offer help in any way they can and I found no place so far where I wasn’t welcomed or treated royally. I am sure that everyone has different experiences while touring other countries, but I am fortunate enough to be spoiled here in Japan.
I spent the next 5 days fishing in the lake, swimming, tanning and just taking in the fantastic sights. I am in love with this country and its incredible people! When I see virtually the entire population going for jogs in the morning at 5:00 am, or thousands of children playing tennis by the lake on their many tennis courts, when I see how much is spent on safety and on facilities to help their children develop full lives, I am convinced that this country has a great vision and passion for the future.
My last night at Mt. Fuji treated me to a spectacle of Japanese culture and Japanese nature: there was the Festival of Fireworks in the village, with thousands of people and I was the only foreigner. People greeted me respectfully, served me food and drinks (yet again) and I felt very fortunate to be a part of a true Japanese festival. While the evening was drawing close, I noticed a strange mist on the lake, rolling in waves from the mountains. It felt like out of a horror movie... Soon after that major lightning and thundering began to shake the mountains. Meanwhile, for one and a half hours the fireworks lighted the sky, mixing with the lightning from above and with the sounds of the thunder. It was so mystical I felt I was not on this planet anymore! I sat in my tent, listening and watching this show of splendor from man and nature and wondered how did I end up here, lucky enough to spend some time in this amazing country.
Soon, my experience in Japan is drawing to an end, and it is so far, the only country I wish I’d stay longer... However, I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of a great relationship with this country for many years to come.
Next is Yamaha factory in Shizuoka and shipping the bike to Canada. New adventures await and soon I will have only the 2 Americas to complete my circumnavigation of the globe.
Photos here:
LEG 18: SAKATA TO MT. FUJI, 800 KM - Nomad Sports Academy

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