Got my 90 day Chinese visa from the embassy in Tashkent. No hassles and no nonsense about LOI
Will need to get a bus to reach the border before my Kazakhstan visa expires but what the heck!
Chinese Visa
August 25th, 2010Tashkent, Uzbekistan
August 25th, 2010Day 129
Reached Tashkent, Uzbekistan, what a cracy place! Just don’t try cycling here!
Just been to the Chinese Embassy to try for a visa! What a difference, at last an
embassy that want’s to help! Looks like I will get a 90 day visa after all!
Day 108
July 28th, 2010Kazakhstan has been hard to cycle. They have undertaken to rebuild the whole road network. Seem to spend most of my time dragging my bike through soft sand and gravel through clouds of chocking dust.
I have reached the town of Shymkent and taken a few days rest.
Russia
June 26th, 2010Russia is a strange place – it has wonderfull friendly people but, as a foreigner I can not get my own internet access or even a phone unless I’ve got at least a 90 day visa (which they wont give me!)
Day 19
April 30th, 2010Well that’s Holand and Germany come amd gone. Now in Poland.
Slight problem with my bike – the trailer hitch has been clicking on the rear mudguard, that worked a couple of scews out, lost my rear reflector and worse, when I dropped over a large curb the back section of the mudguard shattered! Well at least I’ve now got lots of clearence!
Day 9
April 19th, 2010The Gods must be smiling, clear blue sky and warm sunshine. If this keeps up I’m going to need to get sunblock!
First 500km done and reached Arnhem. Will cross into Germany tomorrow.
Day 7
April 18th, 201018th April (Day7) 122km /462km / 168m / 2671m / 2% 7%
It was flat calm last night and slept well. Glade I paid the extra £6 for a sea view. The ferry got in 07.45 but that’s really 06.45 because of the hour on the clock.
Very easy to get out of the ferry terminal at Hook of Holland and clearly signed cycle tracks all the way to Rotterdam. I tried to be clever and bypass the centre but got caught out by the wet bits and ended up heading north! Luckily I met a cyclist going to see his brother in Rotterdam and he guided me back and made sure I bought a map of Holland!
Then I magically found the sign for the next town on my route and spent the rest of the day following the dykes to the eco village of Culemborg. The entire place is made from sustainable timber and have solar heating.
Day 5
April 17th, 2010Cycled up to Harwich. Head wind all the way and still feeelng the strain of carrying full luggage! My legs bonked and all most had to walk / crawl the last few miles through the lanes!
Saw the news about the volcano and thought – er better book my ferry ticket. Got on the saturday over night just before they sold out completly.
Day 4
April 15th, 2010Given up on getting anymore visa’s. Cycled over Tower bridge and headed up to the village of Billericay. Discovered that crossing tar ridges is a bit different with a trailer! Front wheel ok, Rear wheel ok – then the trailer wheel slips down the wrong side of the ridge and the handlebars deffinetly start to shake!
Only covered 58km and I’m finding it hard work. Must have got fat and lazzy over the winter!
Planing to cross to Holland on saturday. That will be my second ferry of the trip.
Ivan
Hello world!
April 4th, 2010Hi
Down in London to organise my visa’s for my big trip. Well, got my Russian one so far, so guess I will be going that far!
Ivan