Linear roads & looming problems

Day 23 - 310 km (7520 km total)

 

The route from Elista to Astrakhan is almost directly east and because the terrain is so flat, the roads are very straight. This makes for an easy, if uninspiring ride, made more uncomfortable by the stomach problems that had been plaguing me for a couple of days. On arrival in Astrakhan we were informed of a potantial problem ahead.

- - - -

Last nights weird Biker Post motel produced 2 surprises this morning. The first was a cooked breakfast, a pleasant surprise as there was no mention of breakfast when we checked in. The second was a hotel registration slip, to show at the border when we exited Russia, this left me wondering why I didnt get one from the first hotel, and whether I should have. I will find out on Tuesday I guess when I try to leave the country.

 

So off we went for a lot more of this ....

...and quite a bit of this ...

 

 

And even some of this ...

 

A remote petrol station provided an excuse for a stop & re-focus

We set off again,

for more of the same,

& decided to take photos,

whilst riding our motos ....

 

 

... Yes it was that boring,

...but at least the temperature was actually quite pleasant, the cross winds were a little cooler today.

Most of the land here lies between 10m & 20m below sea level by the way,

I was wondering why the air was cool, so checked in the gps, but it's clearly not altitude.

 

This may have been a memorial to the first world war, judging by the dates on a notice just out of shot, but I can find no specific reference to the area online, though itbwas about as far as the German army got in WW2.

 

A welcome sign saying only another 109 km to go

 

And one of those strange posts that you see in these roads from time to time ...I think these may mark the boundary between the different provinces.

Closer to Astrakhan and hence the Volga estuary into the caspian sea, there were a humber of salt pans, or dried up saltwater lakes.

 

 

And then closer still marshy areas with quite a lit of bird life

 

Then the lanscape slowly changed & the first bend for a few hundred km appeared..

 

Followed closely by the outskirts of Astrakhan

 

 

And a bridge over the Volga

The Volga discharges into the Caspian Sea at 28m (92feet) below sea level. No It doesnt go uphill, the Caspian sea is land locked and has no outflows, it is actually the largest "lake" or inland sea in the world. The term sea level referes to the mean sea level of one or more oceans ( isnt the internet useful sometimes? ;-) )

Tonight's lodgings - another strange one. Advertises free private parking, which means on the path outside - declined that & the owner kindly provided an alternative of space in an old guy's lock-up a couple of hundred yards away.

The guesthouse has nice bedrooms but no restaurant seating areas or other facilities, except for a slightly seedy looking jaquizzi with karyoke (yes I know!) and very small pool. These are located in the dimly lit basement next to a fridge with beer! Vseems the Russian sur know how to party.

The lady caretaker, who seems to live in one of the rooms was very friendly & helpful though & walked us to a local cafe so we could have some food.

She also makes you breakfast & bring it to your room in the morning ...

Cold sausage & mashed potato for breakfast anyone?

 

Oh yes, the looming problem ....

When I arrived I received an email from Steve at Motoexplorers, who is arranging the China crossing, that there have been flash floods, landslides & some fatalaties in the area of Tibet that we intend to cross.

He was forewarning that this might lead to restrictions on entry and/or delays imposed bybthe chinese government. Any delay is a particular problem for me as my Chinese visa is only valid up to 8th Sptember (the day we are planned to enter) if it is not possible to enter on that day, then my trip as it stands will effectively end at that point.

Hopefully it wont come to that.