Along the Volga to Astrakhan
What a relieve to have the sun out today. Did tension the chain and checked tire pressure this morning. I also asked at the motel to put a stamp onto my migration card which turned out to be a major operation involving at least 3 people. It took about 30 minutes for somebody to show up and put a stamp onto a piece of paper. This was just in case the Russian border officials would complain about the card being a blank canvas….
Set off towards Volgograd to then turn back south towards Astrakhan. Took about an hour to get thru Volgograd. It would have been nice to see Volgograd formerly Stalingrad. Site of one of the fiercest battles in WWII. But wanted to make it to Astrakhan tonight and that was still 250 miles away. The way led me along the Volga, which you didn’t really see much off.
Was stopped for the first time by police at one of those check points. No big issue there just took me a bit to understand that after seeing my passport and bike reg. they where asking for my drivers license. Funnily enough they only looked at the german one not the international one which would have had the info in Russian.
Arriving in Astrakhan I stopped at a petrol station just to look at the guide book and get my bearings, when a guy getting petrol for his scooter walked over and asked what I was looking for. Kind of with sign language I showed him the hotel from the guide book that was supposed to be reasonably priced. So the guy led the way on his scooter and after a confusing drive thru town we made it to a hotel with a different name. On asking it turns out they renamed and refurbished. Now looked like a smart business hotel and way out of my league. I asked inside and it turns out they were booked out anyway or they have something against smelly bikers.
Off I went in search for a reasonable place to stay. I went down this smallish side street to get back to the main road, when I saw the puddle stretching across the street and thought ah can not be that bad. Well, it was. Big pot hole which I went straight into. So lesson today: Don’t drive into puddles. Drove around a bit and saw what looked like a hotel but turned out to be some kind of apartment complex. However asked some bystanders and they pointed just down the road. So went their to ask. 4th Floor and no lift. Asking for the price the woman said 3500 rubles, which is 80 Euro, so I said that was too much for me. She offered 1750 if I didn’t stay a full day. Some of the hotels in Russia rent their rooms on a 24 hour basis. So its sometimes useful to say you will leave early in the morning. So I’m staying there. Hmmm I think I ended up in a place again that rents out its rooms for ehm entertaining. Signs: leopard skin bed covers (check), huge room with couch etc. (check) and bathtub but no sink (check). I don’t really mind as long as its dry and has secure parking for the bike.
After a shower I headed into town for something to eat. Astrakhan will be quiet nice, however at the moment there is a lot of building going on. And most of the side streets are not paved. Pavements are only partially existing. Nice promenade along the Volga. Tomorrow Kazakhstan.
Day 29
14. May 2009
Start: Kalach-na Dony, Russia
End: Astrakhan, Russia
Miles today: 327
Miles total: 4229
Odometer: 10352
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