The famed Russian summer houses are still mostly modest cottages with a small plot of cultivable land and are popular amongst the nation’s urbanites, who travel to them for weekends or longer retaining their passion for country living, relaxing and gardening. With Russia having a relatively low rate of urbanisation the villages include many permanent […]
The area around Turun in Eastern Siberia (just west of Irkutsk and Lake Baikal) suffered terrible flooding and 20 people lost their live. We rode through the area two days after the disaster and the impact on local housing was shocking. It reminded us of the awful days in New Orleans after Katrina when we rode through […]
Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia – indeed it’s 20% of the world’s surface freshwater. At a depth that reaches a mile in parts, the world’s oldest lake has a length the same as SH1 between Auckland and Wellington. As we descended 500m to lakeside from the hills the air temperature dropped 7 degrees C. That’s […]
Oil rich Kazakstan is a mix of ostentatious buildings, vast steppe, and massive infrastructural investment. Quite a contrast to it’s neighbour, the Altai which is a mountainous holiday destination for Russia’s outdoorsy population who go tramping, rafting, and cross country 4X4 racing in this, Putin’s favourite playground. Cheek it out below.
We’re back in Russia – it’s like coming home we’ve become so fond of it. The border entry was really slick now they have all our details on the computer, love these multiple entry visas! Sad to say goodbye to Kazakhstan, really enjoyed our week there but of course only scratched the surface – our […]
Back up on the high latitude road across Siberia now, a location where the living environment is harsh, but the people very warm and generous. Our experience of Russian generosity continues with meals not being charged for in restaurants and offers of free accommodation. For sure people’s homes are a fascination and nowhere more than […]
We’re now in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan, land of the Tartars. As descendants of Genghis Khan the folk here are proud of being part of the Golden Horde that ruled these lands until Ivan the Terrible, Russia’s first Tzar sacked their city and burnt their places of worship. A rather ignominious end for the first […]
Leaving the Volga River now after a week travelling along it, we pass through Izhevsk – home of the Kalashnikov (AK 47) and into the city of Perm. Perm was a closed city during Soviet times. As with several other cities it was where armaments were manufactured. Indeed for 17 years it was called Molotov, […]
What were you doing on 12 April 1961? It was one of those days that you might remember, like a Kennedy or MLK assassination, Neil Armstrong’s walk, or 9/11. I know, I know many following this weren’t born then but for those that were think of the years between Elvis & Love Me Do – […]
Well we’re back in Russia for our 3rd motorcycle tour. It feels great, the weather is fine and hot, we’re looking forward to the traverse.Get a sneak peak from the video peak below.
