Vladivostok to Ukraine across Russia, and back again next year. 24,000km

[Louie]

I had such a great time with the Russians I'm doing it again next year.
Don't be a pussy and tell me ... like most people said
"Oooo its a dangerous place you'll get mugged or kidnapped ... or the mafia will get you"
As it happened I did meet mafia. They were very hospitable ... they took me under thier wing as a guest of honour. I couldn't pay for anything otherwise they would have been insulted. I was given a minder to look after me.
I did all the wrong things. Travelled at night. Got drunk with teenagers in the poorest part of Siberia. Travelled and camped in the Northern Caucuses, where the NZ Govt travel advisory lists the area as "Extreme Danger" "Avoid this Area" Funny because when you walk into a cafe there they wont let you pay because they are just amazed to see a tourist. I was the first tourist to ever go to some of these cafes. Nice people.
These people arn't Asians, theyr'e not Arabs or Africans in fact they are Slavic but mostly a lot like us, hardly foreigners at all.
Who wants to come ?????

[Brian d marge]

I had such a great time with the Russians I'm doing it again next year.
Don't be a pussy and tell me ... like most people said
"Oooo its a dangerous place you'll get mugged or kidnapped ... or the mafia will get you"
As it happened I did meet mafia. They were very hospitable ... they took me under thier wing as a guest of honour. I couldn't pay for anything otherwise they would have been insulted. I was given a minder to look after me.
I did all the wrong things. Travelled at night. Got drunk with teenagers in the poorest part of Siberia. Travelled and camped in the Northern Caucuses, where the NZ Govt travel advisory lists the area as "Extreme Danger" "Avoid this Area" Funny because when you walk into a cafe there they wont let you pay because they are just amazed to see a tourist. I was the first tourist to ever go to some of these cafes. Nice people.
These people arn't Asians, theyr'e not Arabs or Africans in fact they are Slavic but mostly a lot like us, hardly foreigners at all.
Who wants to come ?????

if I get this bike finished in time , be heading towards Harbin in China and Vladivostok

just need to umm finish it




Stephen

[Akzle]

Who wants to come ?????

..."don't have to pay for anything"... you say? "getting drunk with 18 year old blonde chicks"... you say?

sounds like a bit of me!

(i might have extrapolated "teenagers" too far)
((those hostel movies really did the russian back-country in eh.))