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Author Topic: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17  (Read 2876 times)

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Offline msmoby

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #25 on: June 10, 2020, 05:40:07 AM »
Sorry... even the Warsaw hotel was on the outskirts of town... NO time to visit fleshpots (
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Online AvHdB

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #26 on: June 10, 2020, 05:43:52 AM »
A good read. Thank you!

Having chris crossed Europe, sometimes dragging a Star. It can be amusing and at times frustrating with the bureaucracy at the borders.  :'(

I also noticed the switching of tenses, a bit annoying but I think writing from memory is challenging.

Anyways looking forwards to the train journey leg.

ROLL ON!  :coffeeread:
“If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” T.S. Eliot

Offline msmoby

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #27 on: June 10, 2020, 06:00:50 AM »


I awoke to Misha banging on my door - calmly telling me that we had 12 minutes to catch the train - I had fallen into a death like sleep and slept over 10 hours ...  The station was 1km away and we were on the 7th floor

I was packed in 1 minute, checked out in another and while Misha went to order a taxi by Yandex .. I grabbed one that had just dropped off a client !

I was in a blind panic and confused - Misha his normal laid-back self - stating as we paid the taxi that we still had 4 minutes..

We had to go through security screening - but there was no queue and we had to run the width of the station - as our train was the last but one away ! ...

We left onto the first open door and got 'told  , "this is not your carriage ! )" - like we cared )))

The train left and I dropped into my seat feeling my heart thumping ... A small panic - I could not find my UK passport - it was in the back pocket of my jeans.  I don't think I calmed down until 50km south of Moscow - observing heavy snow and slow moving traffic - THANK GOD we took the train !

Our 'wagon' was a double decker and we quickly realised that the glass prevented the GPS antenna working and it was sealed ((

The cabin for the journey :



You can see, they give you snacks and chocolate

Tea was ordered  - 65p a cup and were tucked into some chocolate watching miles after miles of snow..

Anticipation was mounting - we were actually going to make it to Sochi !   This is like travelling from Manchester (UK ) to Nice (FR) or New York to Miami.

Lunch was served - we weren't expecting a meal - it was Pork with prune sauce and buckwheat - served in tin foil - as if on an airliner. I nodded off to sleep  - again



This was an express- so it was dangerous to alight from the train - as it didn't stop long ! I observed a northbound train at Liski being made ice free by the lady responsible for the carriage ( Vagon )


We had a meal in the restaurant car - we could lock our cabin ( coupe) - having been given a key - and I had a dark beer ( Czech) and Pork Shashlik with rice - Misha had a soup. Very tasty !
 




Somehow I managed to sleep through Voronezh - so didn't get a chance to see if Angel-Eyes had brought Mini-me to wave at us - or possibly send him for a holiday in Sochi !)) 

I just slept and slept !
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Offline Manny

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #28 on: June 10, 2020, 10:49:59 AM »
What did the train cost?

Is that a sleeper you booked just for use by you and your mate? If so I assume they charge a premium for that as they haven’t sold the other beds?
Read a trip report from North Korea >>here<< - Read a trip report from South Korea, China and Hong Kong >>here<<

Look what the American media makes some people believe:
Putin often threatens to strike US with nuclear weapons.

Offline msmoby

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #29 on: June 10, 2020, 01:04:12 PM »
Next episode ... It will be explained
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Offline msmoby

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #30 on: June 12, 2020, 02:56:07 AM »
Woke up near Tuapse to see the sun appearing on northern slopes - note.. NO SNOW ! ))



Then the first sighting of the Black Sea - that would be at our side for 2 hours



Finally, after deciding we would alight from the train at Sochi - as the car could only be unloaded at Adler - 28km further south - the end of the journey - the city came into sight ..



We left the train and I finally had a chance to take a photo of our accommodation - the car bringing up the rear !



A few hours later - after surprising SC and a shower- she wasn't expecting me until the late afternoon - we went to Alder to collect the Vauxhall

The car was perfect on inspection and the same two guys who took care of her in Moscow were at Adler !! 




As you can see the temperature is somewhat different to Moscow !


How much was the train trip? It cost approx £220 including our accommodation, which could have had four people, but being the time of year, we did not have to share. Getting down from Moscow to Sochi is approx 1600Km ( 1000 miles) and would have involved dealing we the first snow of the year ( we didn't have snow tyres ) and staying overnight  ( twice ?) and diesel, plus the last part from Tuapse, is tortuous..


Still have to pinch myself .... We could have done this in 9 days - but we were here safely and the testing of our kit that Misha got done was invaluable
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Offline msmoby

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #31 on: June 13, 2020, 02:08:15 AM »
I misspelt Adler ( not Alder)...It is the town in Gtr.Sochi where Express trains end ( normally)

Some go into Abkhazia.

Adler is 30km South of Sochi, but has a wide valley into the mountains and a coastal plain, so the airport, Olympic Park and F1 race track is there.
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Offline msmoby

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #32 on: June 20, 2020, 01:10:02 AM »
On arriving in Sochi, Misha - finally - got a rest from me and I went to visit SC...

I thought it would be 'fun' to surprise her - but she was in the bank in the town centre and a neighbour saw me and let me in to the apartment block and gave me a key to the apartment and  SLEPT...

Next morning, we had to officially 'finish' our trip and we headed back to Adler - only 3 km from the border with Georgia / 'Abkhazia' and Sochi's F1 race track.

We have been displaying their logo since before we left Cheltenham and it was 'pay-back' time.... I THOUGHT there'd be a photo-session in the pit-lane - but Oh NO ....  they stopped the Dodge Vipers filming their crazy laps to allow the Vauxhall Insignia on the track !! 

We got loads of photos and a short video - promoting our trip and a talk Misha and I would do about our trip.

I've been on the track on foot - but it was GREAT to stop on the grid - lining my front wheels on the yellow line - and imagine the red lights coming down and FLOORING it :)






The lady is Olga, my friend Andrey's g/f .. They run the best English School in Sochi ;)
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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #33 on: June 21, 2020, 03:30:40 AM »
The idea of this trip was 3-fold

1/ Test our gadget

2/ Bring a letter from the Mayor of Cheltenham to Sochi

3/ Possibly leave the car in Russia or close-by for future use ( more in a later post )

Today was the day we had to go to Sochi administration to deliver the letter...  The business suit, shirt and tie went on off.. we went.

We were met by a lovely lady I knew already from the English Club in Sochi and she took us past security and up to a lovely room where the lady responsible for Sochi's international relations and her team work ...

Cheltenham has one lady who SO nearly lost her job in cut-backs - but Sochi is now labelled the third capital of Russia and no expense is spared.

As with the Russian tradition - tea, lots of cakes / biscuits and many questions about our trip - particularly the Latvia episode - which made the local TV news here ;)

We were joined by two Mayoral assistants - but no 'big cheese' - our scheduled arrival being a day earlier..we 'missed' our chance ((

Nevertheless, the initial disappointment in not meeting said Mayor - VVP was also in town - so he 'out-ranked' us ,,,didn't last long..

Anastasia presented the Mayor of Cheltenham a gift - will post the photo - when she ( Cheltenham's Mayor) gets to see it and I got THE most fantastic Matryoshka Doll set and a lovely bound photo album of Sochi and it's wonderful nature.





Misha and I got asked lots of searching questions about the prototype and one chap had seen the Vauxhall and wondered if it was an 'English variant of an Audi ' !

More 'engagements' on our arrival to follow.
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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #34 on: June 21, 2020, 08:31:28 AM »
Nice conclusion. I can understand Misha need for some respite.  :laugh:

For what it is worth Adler is German for eagle.
“If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” T.S. Eliot

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Re: Road Trip to Sochi written Nov -Dec 17
« Reply #35 on: June 21, 2020, 12:20:29 PM »
Nice conclusion. I can understand Misha need for some respite.  :laugh:

It's not over ;)

For what it is worth Adler is German for eagle.

i ya znal !

I don't know the origins of the name .. (
I have never claimed to be a Blue Beret

Spurious claims about 'seeing action' with the Blue Berets are debunked >here<

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