Reading realations of people who are interested in excacly the same what we do, it means traveling you could get the idea that travrlling is very easy. We have bought, paid gone, these three worlds frequently appaer in theirs raports. We practice another kind of tourist. We prefer our own vehicle. It is not the same to overcome the distance of thousands kilomerers by plane and by your own car. Many unexpected incidents are waiting for you all the time. Some people try the attempt of themselves or car out. They have no guarantee to succeed. One but serious breakdown could shatter all your plans.
       Travelling by car gives opportunity not only for unlimited freedoom but also for independence. It gives you the chance for seeing more and visiting palces, that reach only several people. The editor of Speed 2 in TVN3 Mr Wojciech Majewski not only give us some piece of advice but also believed in our success.

Route: Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan.

      It was the first expedition by such a small car to Central Asia. The main aim of expeditions was to familiarize with unorthodox places and with unknown Asian coulture, still little widespread in our country. .Another idea was to present this part of world in such a way to make in attractive and interesting. Chacking out the car quality and our capabilities.
      Having prepared the Fiat Cinquecento 900 car not only made we decision to start on 25th of June 2004 but also we did it. We had 15 thousands kilometers way to drive. The first border was in Korczowa. We crossed it quickly and stressless. Whare are you headind? To Kazachstan we answered. Customs officers sneered and wished us to have luck. The first problem after 528 kilometers drive was the Ukrainne DAI, of coure.We wanted to escape from police but it has finished in failure so after short negociacions we had to pay 20$ bribe. Next 300 kilometers we ware spending time on resolving prablems with police. As we ware experienced with Police since last year expedition to Krym. We ware stopped close to Umann becouse of overtaking at continua line as policeman regarded. We gave 30 hryvien bribe. We ware furious becouse, there was intermitten line for sure. We interviewed local drivers. It turned out that intimidation of trial are notorious and common in Ukraine.What is more you needn't mind about this behaviour what is more you shuold Igor 100 E bribe. Average ammont of mony is 10-15 hryvien and you have to regard it. The best manner is to be patent and have enought time .You have time and we have time too.

      There was distance ahead from Bielogorska to the coast through one of the Krym mountains area. We have disregarded the road sign among to rule that you can't trust signs. You couldn't believe in signs too much. Local people though that signs should be ignored and passed. This 48 kilometers lenght winding road goes up among hills. We had some problems with small streams that ware crossing the road. But we managed to overcome that problems. The average speed is 15-20 kilometers per hour. The landscape and climate itselfes are so magnificiant that makes amends all inconveniences and slow drive.

      We planned to cross Arbatskaja Strielka, it's one of the longest kind of that area in Europe. That place is the road periodically flooded by Azovskie See. We ware driving 10 km. per hour, sometimes quite faster. It is the great challange for us to cross that land. There are not only deep holes in the road but also sand. Our car was schaking so strongly that we thought that all screws would have break down.
      It was exacly the place where we started our journey. The beginning of our and our car skills. After driving 70 kilometrs, there was smoething rubbing at the back of the car. We have managed to fix it, so we continued our rute. We ware in good mood all the time. We said that it was the worst road, we have ever drive. Than we got to know that it was almost motroway. The car was excellent, from time to time it gava us to know that it wasn't sport car.
      The Bazy Otdych are typical for that places and accompanied us for all the time. These are rest place for workers, children and all familie. There are many people and great nosie. What amazed us the most was the discipline : they get up quickly, sing hymn all rules are like in the army. After 2797 km way through Ukraine and 18 supervisions we reached Russia at least.

      At the Ukraine and Russia border we ware stressed for almost 8,5 hours. There would have been no problem but it came out that we had validited visas only for three days. We trusted Ukrainian officers at Poland and Ukraine border in Korczowo. He urged us that he had gave us 8 day righ of abode, rether than 3 days. The oficer was satysfied with this facth becouse, he earned much mony on that transaction. He wasn't too tolkative, he also threatened to made us come back. The office didn't want to negociate and listen our arguments.
      We learned that you must always chack the doccuments out and never trust bard officers. It was goodby in Ukraine.
      We ware walcomed quite nice in Russia. We had to fill many doccuments of course in russish. We paid assistane OC on our car strachowka 20$ ( it depends on engine power and volume) and (it means that not only our car is leavin but also we are). Prices changed very quickly becouse we had to pay 100 at crossin boarder but almost 60 at leavin Rusia. They rationalize it as the way of protection from sellin cars in Russia. You must remember that Polish people needn't visas at traznit in Russia. There ware just one officer from 8 ones who knew abuto this rule, that is wy we staid 6 hours at the border. That fact prooved that oficer order aren'y well qualified and that polifh tourists realny attand Rissia. After many phones to local governmentwith our complain, our claims ware accepted and we ware allowded to continuing our journey.
      We ware extremelly tired but we went ahead. The first place we reached was rainy and full of unmarked holls Rostov at Donem. This city is famous for Criminal Rissia what means monster from Rostovo.
      Not only in Rostowo but also in Valogogard ware lots of holls in the road an havy rain. If it hadn't been Jola we would have broken down all wheels. There ware 425 ahead. We ware passing tatars settlement when we strateg to drive.All of us ware in a good mood. Not only got the weather batter and warmer but also in Vierchnelebjaze at Volga there wasn't any rain left. The asccessibility to Volga river was difficult. But you must be patient becouse it is worth seeing. Volga is not only widespread but also beautyful. We ware woken up by astonishing woman voice in the morning. As it turded out, she was crossing irregularity of the road by her car in order to deliver us some braed she had baked the day before. After short tolking she proposed to invite us to her home for a dinner. She also said that shehad not only the shawer and all we needed at her home but there was also Volga nerby.
      We have never personally met such a kind-harted woman before. She explained it would have been honour to host Polish people. She had heard from local people that we ware staying there, thatwas why she visited us. Her intentions ware so honet that we had difficulty to refuse. Astrachan is famous for the most expensive resort in the world. If you want to get Kaspijskie See (just 60 kilometers way) you must swimm by boat becouse, there is no exit road. One man with pleasure promised to organize the boat for us. Volga has many branches that is why reaching Caspijskie See isn't easy.
      We ware sighseeing the towm quite fast mainly the bookshops, as we hadn't got any map so far. Nobody has heard about Russia's map not to mantion about Kazachstan map. We ware sugested to buy school wall map. So we surged to boarder. We ware passing Krasnyj Jar among people with typical kind of looks. The control at boarder was without any prablems, just few standard questions. It took us about one hour, than we ware continuing the journey. We couldn't have noticed Kazachstan border. Durring the travelling we ware farrying and after 5 kilometers way we reached Kazakhstan. In Kazakhstan there was exacly familly atmosphare. Cackin the visa out, filling the deklaration temporart standing in polish, english or russish. The atmosphare was so friendly that we ware proposed some vodka or cigaretes. There would have been everthing ok if there hadn't been heat 40 C. We had to spent there about four hours at the open area, that why we felt extremelly tired with the Sun but, in the end we saideach other goodbye. Just after the border we tanked some patrol 93 octans per about 1.79 zloty per liter. It is nice to drive on that cheep patrol. There was asphalt surface, in all not too bad, we ware passing the road holls from time to time. We noticed olso few wild camells in the steppe. There was desert or widespread dume landscape.The speed was about 100km/h. We tried to buy Kazakhstan map, but it ended in failure. There was just 40 kilometers distance to Kaspijskie See, but nobody knew the road. The asked taxidriver expainted that the accessibility was banned and all the roads ware closed. We ware quite disappointed and irritated with some prablems so we leaft the town quickly.

      We met local lory drivers in Makat. They said, they had thought that Kazach people had stolen the car from polish people, but they knew we ware polish people when they heard our specach. The joy was great. We ware disecouraged from travelling to Akat, the only town with akcces to the see. There are 800 km way in addition, the road ends in that town and you mustn't drive further. Their map extremelly helped us, thank you once more. Becouse of that map we could have had piece journey.
      There ware 586 km. Tomek affirmedv that the road is in bad condition. His friend was crossing that road by Kamaz for 11 days. We didn't want to come back, that is why we decided to overcome that way. We exhanged telephon numbers and wished luck to each other.
      There ware just 20 km asphalt surface and then the steppe and some remains of road. We hoped for a batter road conditions but after 100 km we hardy disappointed and lost hope. It turned out that whole road is in such bad condition. You drive thruogh the steppe and the dust gets to all rifts. It is necessery to limit refreshement of car to minimum as the juorny with open windows is imposible. We ware usually driving 30km/h from time to time 40 km/h but sometimes with some brane even 100km/h. We hit the gear box and oil bowl into ground, stoner or rut few times. Inspite of being asphalf surface the ruts are one meter high. I have never seen that thing before. The polish roads are in very goud condition in comparision to that ones. Next day we reached Kagandasz small town among steppe. We tanked 80 octan patrol. The car got to weaken, the engine got to rustled we realized the car wasn't in good condition. We got Aktiubins the biggest eastern town in Kazachstan, after 7 hours drive. The capital of that area was smart and clean, it is easy to pay attention on that fact. We addend good quality patrol. We ware delighted with leaving the town. There was double roud but just 40km far from the town. The road condition got worst. Reaching the steppe we ware wandering If there had been any point to go further.. We met drivers travelling with polish Kamaz to Afganistan. What is interesting, Kamazes are much cheeper in Poland than in Russia, that is why Kamazes transport from that distance is profitable. We ware warned not to cross the steppe at night and especially after falling rain by local men. We had 360 km way to Aralsk. Propabely, the asphalt begins at that town.
      It is night 0.33 o'clock and 200 km to Aktiubinsk. What is more 150 km way to the closer town. Unfortunatelly we felt into the unvisible mad. All the four wheels ware buried in it. Jola was calmed down but Dominik quite nervous, he realized that the situatiun was serious. We ware trying to get stuffed the car, so we had mad until knees. While we ware putting stoneks under the wheels, Jola noticed the car lights. She was running with all her power, but unknown driver was afride of small woman in mad and he drove away quickly. We ware complitely disapointed and exhousted, so we decided to wait to next morning. There was cold, we ware getting colder while the car floundered more and more. We shouted the light after one hour. The lorry! Running and holding each other hands we obstructed the vehicle. The driver stoped and asked what had been going on. We described the situstion in english. He decided to help us. He also addend that that kind of situation are usual and that he had got used to halp floated in mad cars. We managed to overcome mad and car was pulled on dry area. Ivan was his name had a fun with us. We thanked him. He advised us to go sleep rather than drive that day, what we did. The only one lory drive there per every two days.
      BNext day we ware woken up by rain, we ate breakfast and drive away. There another problems with car sppeared.We thought that continuing drive in steppe is imposible. We got onto road that looked as hard mad. The car was moving sidle. All we ware tired, as we tried to aviod 5 meter deep moat what is more headwheels skided all the time.
      There appeared something like asphald surface but after 3 hour way. The road was made with stones in tar. Almost every road looks like that. The surface is very irregural but in comparision what we drove it looked as a table. Our presentance paid attention to ather people, as our car looked like we wuold have taken part in Safari rally. The car was covered with mud so nuch that, the car color was invisible. As the speed was rising our right lamp was broken down by the stone.
      Next day we passed Bajkonur where russish racket usually start. It is believed that always after starting the weather gets worst and there are sandy storms. Becouse of the military zone nobody is to approach so we took some photos fromfar. We stapped, as we notice laden british motoclist. The man who had Honda Africa Twin 750 to Malcom was since 4 months in way. He was driving from Londyn to Mongolia. Mal consented to camp with us. He needed somebody he could tolk in his national language he couldn't speek english at all. He also had some problems with overcome that difficoul way in addition to his motor waighted 300 kilos. After all the motor was in as well inbad condition as our car. We cleaned up the car and leave Szymkent in goud mood.
      We decided to go to Balchasz lake but just next day. We setteled the tent in Teraz, where not only the view but olso experience ware unforgetable. There was extremelly heat 40 C at night and far away from that place ware 5 thousend high moutains covered with snow.
      In spite of that fact we woke up early the weater was hot and we had 200 kilometers way ahead. The ventilation was useless.Unfortunately the shaving cream brought out. The road was quite good but the car got weaken. At early evening we reached Balchasz the bigest lake in Kazakhstan. We ware disappointed as the cost was roughy and overgrown with all kinds of plants. Not waiting too long we decided togo to Alma Ata, 270 kilometers way. The road we ware driving was excellent, as was built by German people.This is the best road of all from Kazachstan to Alma Ata. We had just one lamp becouse one of them had broken down. We couldn't have avoid the fault becouse of mosquitos and any other kinds of insects.There ware 70 kilometers to Alma Ata.
      We left crovded and full of beeping cars town in the morning. Low buildings are typicla to that town. We drove to Medoco the place where local people and people from Alma Ata usually rest. We passed the most expensive district of town where are mostly expensive cars and grand properties. Medono is sport and recreational center situated on 16000m u g r. There are not only beautyful views but also many swimmingpools, stadium, skating-rink, ski slpoes and planty of moutains routs.
      We waited on Mal we had agreed by phone. All we went to Kapciagajskoje lake 60 kilometers from the town. The water was clear but there ware much rubbish lost at the side. After one hour clearing there was nice. It wuuld have been rest day but it turned out to be reverse.
      We went shopping for breakfast food. Mal staied to carry about our property. We ware stpped by Police. The forst foth was that it was just ordinary control. The took ours car doccuments and passports. Our explanations ware useles what more they wanted to deposit our car on Police car park. We couldn't have even support by lack of information at the order obout necesity of car insurence. And registration. The situation got worse. While we ware sitting at the wall for the first time I sow fear in Jola's eyes. Sitting on the flour we glanced at machine to chack out the blood that was covered with thousand of flies. We could have been inprison or paid great fine. We ware stubborn and waited almost 2 hours. The policeman decided to take us to central policestation in Alma Ata. We ware happy as we got back car documents and my driving licence. The policeman calmed us down and explainded that this procced was just the rule and we needn't have been nervous. The fan radiator broker down during that way becouse of some wire. That is why we must have drive around without air-conditioning just ordinary air.
      We ware explaining for next 7 hours, what is more we ware put into tle place without windows and toilet,nothink to drink, not to menton obuto foodIn the end the Luck Ravel company was blaim aboy tahat situation. The company representative was called. The company was weighed down high fine what more they wuold have like us to pay it. It shortyl turned out that the cost of fine was the same as the cost of our registrement. We refused to pay. We tolked to each other about taht unpleasent affair after comming back home. The next prablem was sandy storm, the dust got everywhere. The sand was everwhere and I had my eyes hurtem for four days. It was the first rest day after 16 day journey. The water lake was clear and warm and the beach had soft sand just as the silk. The Alakol lake was our next aim. Many people from southern Kazakhstan usually relax there.
      Because of the weather the capital of Astana was our next aim. Befor leaving we chacked out the tyres. They ware in bad condition thatwas why we bought the new ones 90 zloty each. The tyres ware made in Rissia but the drive was suprasingly excellent. The previous ones we had overcame 10 thousand way, becouse of rough asphalt surface, steppe, high temperature and fast moving. Astanta looks like one building included more and more sky skrypers and shops. The towns developes quickly becouse of well status of capital.
      In our way to Barawoj we passed gun-carriage with many cars on it. The most common are Mercedes, Audi and Subaru. That kind of cars are inported from Germany or Litva and Toyots come from Saudi Arabia. We have noticed that the most popular are just Toyots ans Audi.
      We reached Barawoj at late evening. We paid fee for National Barawoj Park. It is picturesque moutains with three lasek, two of them are dedicated for tourists. Not only roads are extremelly smooth but the souranding is clear.There are fine for littering. There is lot of tourists especially Russish people but we also met 2 german families, there wasn't ant Polish person. We decided to stay there for a longer time to recover and back to doog condition before coming back to Poland. Three days later we ware heading to Poland.

On 23 th of July at 7.30 a.m. we reached order of Kazakhstan and Russia.
We had driven 7232km so far and 4500 km ahead.

      Kazakh bord offciers chacked the car carefully useing two houngry CocerspanielsWe spent there almost 3 hours to be sure that everything was ok. We had to pay for obligatory car insurence 520 rubels, temporary car staying, our doccuments's xero 20 rubels per person. There is the most expensive xero in the world.
      Sjekaterinburg the capital of ekstern Ural was the aim. We had engine breakdown in the morning bocouse of the monumental and crowded town. We moved slowly sometimes at turned off engine. We ware allowded to stay in apandoned place by Police.
      Ural in front of us what means 300 kilometers high moutains and many aproaches. Becouse of the car disorder we ware nervously and moving slowly not to heat the engine.There was great crowd but we manaded it. The engine has 115 C from tome to time. The most dangerous to engine is to turn it on and off than it got warmer and warmer. I have never use pacemaker so often before. As we ware overtaking up the hill at countinuing line we ware stopped by Police and we had to pay 200 rubli bribe, as many other drivers.
      Ural crossing is nice but on the other hand surface cnodition is bad. Beautyful views and characteristic cottages buildings make all incinvenience up. There are wooden houses with handmade astonishing features. It seems as to be in fabe, people carry about their homes a lot.
      Samara one of the biggest town of that area was in front of us. The bridge was closed so we drove to the centre.It was unnecessrily but we did. Prohibition at the road means nothing. The asked policemen gave us direction to propabely closed bridże but it shortly came out it wasn't truth. The bridge is huge as well the Samara river. If the bridż had been available not only for lokal people everything would have been ok. Some people piad 200 rubli bribe to coulg there drive but we didn't. The policeman ordered us to come back. We refused to drive by ring road as other people ware let on bridże. We ware arguing for almost one huor in the end the policeman said that it was infringement of us gong there. After all that truthfull man took another bribe. Having seen that fact his superior let us go. That way we ware allowded to get on bridge than we ware stying in 7 kilometers long traffic jam. As the matter of fact we fixed in traffic jam there was great heat so all we ware swaty.It was worth arguing.
      23 kilometers from Jelcem we ware immobilized as our car engine was out of order. Countinuig the journty was imposible. The Police advised us to pull the car because 20 minutes after twilight it would disappear. We ware in the most dangerous part of Russia than. There was serious poverty and many bandits, all policeman was armed. We ware pulling our car for one huor no distance 400 m but fortunatelly it wasn't too hard. At once few policeman arrived they looked like the bandits ratler than officers. We ware extremelly stresem. They proposesed to haul our car to the car park in Jalta. We reached the car park after 40 minutes and we ware nappy to have our car at sefety place.
      After short specach we thanked them and went for a walk. We slept very well becouse of having been tired. The rope we ware holding the car was so thin. At 6 a.m athere was extemal heat and the dust was everywhere .On our toalet way we met polisk driver who was very helpfull and nice. He finished drinking his coffe and wojen up his friend .He had los of ideas at one time. The boys ware quite asleep but they started warking quickly. The atmosphare was nice and cherful. We fixed the car what took us one hour. Mirek thouhg that ig Jola ware the men she could be tir driver. We ware called guerrillas bocouse of our of the orygiaal hobby. The have never met such young, brane and pleasend people who went around Kazakhstan by Cinquecento and had such a fun. If you feel that something is going on you could fell redl yourney otherway you wouldn't eden konow about that expedition. If you know that you must look for solution you feel real live. The men ware heading to Jugoslava so we took photos, exchanged the phone numbers and said goodby to each other. Thank you very much. It was the pleasure to met you.

We have driven 3206 kilometers in Russia.

      Both Ukrainian as Rusish people treated us kindly. The russian asked if we carried out something and jf we Took to Russia. We ware invited once again. In Ukraine order officers filled all the documents on by themselves.
      We spent 2 days at Diesna river but the weather changed and we leaved. There ware many holls filled with water fall in the road. Unfortunatelly we heard some hit, nosie and the car stpped. We got to know that the engine had broken down. We raised the car up and tried to mand it with tools Chile the rain was haivilly raining. The family from Ukraine was just passie by, they asked if we need halp. We showed them the couse of the problem and they promised to proce it. That man was car mechanic but he had no clue what was going on. We fixed it quickly than we chacked if everything was ok and let to drive.
      The family invited us for diner to their home we must havo go there was no other posibility. So we agreed, we ware entertained with delicious and ceremonial food. Men filled glasses with local homemade alkohol called Diesna as the riverand has 60% power.
      We had to pull the car becouse of broken down pacemaker. There is one rule you should always park your car at the top of the hill. Becouse of the rainy weather we stopped just to tank the patrol.

      We reach the Korczowa order at 7 p.m. Kolejka liczy 500 samochodów. There was long queue about 500 cars one by one. We ware offerd to drive without standing in queue by two men what would have cost 200 zloty. The german people usually give the bribes but we refused. At the gate there are standing people who keep places for customers. If somebody decides to pay thay let him to the town. We ware waiting for two, four hours but the queue didn't shorten at all. We had driven just 200 meters up 4 p.m but there was one kilometr left to terminal. We slept just few hours, and got up at 6.30 o'clock. There wasn't any change, the queue hadthe same lenght. We quickly decided to drive to Media 70 kilometers far awal from that place. One hour later we sow empty order.

We drove 981 kilometeri in Ukraine.

      The roads ware excellent just few kilometers to home left. In spite of that fact we ware sad as we wanted to come bacu to Asia. In our part of Europe there aren't any inhabited and uncivilized places as there are.

As well we and our car have survived!!!


The expedition in numbers:
36 days - time of the journey
15 903 km - whole distance
500 km - the distance in Poland
3778 km - the distance in Ukraine
4393 km - the distance in Russia
7232 km - the distance in Kazakhstan

Ukraine: average cost of patrol - 2,90 hrywny/litr (PB95) = 1,89 zł
Russia: average cost of patrol - 14 rubli/litr (PB95) = 1,90 zł
Kazakhstan: average cost of patrol - 60 tingów/litr (PB96) = 1,65 zł
58 tingów/litr (PB95) = 1,59 zł
54 tingi/litr (PB93) = 1,48 zł
47 tingów/litr (PB80) = 1,29 zł

Car's faults:
1500km - the back bumper was broken down
3000km - the head right indicator has broken out
6400km - the right headlight glass has beed broken down
7800km - the ventilator fan radiator has burnt
10000km - the exchange of two head tyres (Matador MP12 165/65R13)
14000km - the engine broke down

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