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Almaty to Qapshaghay - Qapshaghay to Siberia The Rally begins (photos of the Rally launch to follow soon). A late-night dash from an English country wedding across the Channel to France then non-stop to Frankfurt via the famous Nurburgring in time for lunch. We are treated royally by friends of Stephen (co-driver, Eastern leg) then leave for Prague the next morning. There is nowhere for us to sign-in as proof of passing through but we have consolation in a good supper, plenty of beers with the locals and a bed for the night courtesy of a friend of friends. The troubles begin The First Breakdown, 10km outside Prague. A day spent waiting for the car to be fixed then another breakdown in the middle of the night in terrific storms, seven hours after leaving the first garage. On the spot repairs get us to Budapest where we wait another day for further mechanical attention before our first night in a hotel (after two nights sleeping in the car). Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria Problems at the Serbia & Montenegro border lead to an all-night thrust through Romania, arriving at the border where we cross the Danube by ferry into Bulgaria. Recent rains cause a diversion over mountain roads ... and another breakdown caused by a peculiar sinking sensation. Swift repairs by kindly locals get us into Sofia for a quick lunch and then headlong into Turkey ... with another night sleeping in the car. Istanbul British heads held high as the locals receive a lesson in expert backgammon-playing and our first chance to be tourists. Justin finally concedes and has his head shaved before departing solo for Georgia and Azerbaijan, since the second co-driver fails to get his passport back in time from the embassy in London. Baku to Bukhara
More to come!
London to Prague -
The troubles begin - Serbia, Romania,
Bulgaria - Istanbul - Baku to
Bukhara - Road to Almaty -
Almaty area |
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