Category General
Ulan-Ude to Ulaan-Baator
Ulan-Ude
We set off from Chita at 6.30am unsure of how far we would get due to the reported road works but we are grateful they were not as bad as we had expected. Some drivers were a bit too keen when the road got good again… We were second on the scene, everyone else stopped, checked everyone was ok and quickly went on their way again – hopefully a little slower…
Too fast for that corner…
After leaving Chita and continuing our journey westwards, we noticed a sudden change in the ethnicity of the people, their attitude towards us, and towards life too I think. We got an instant sense of contentment, belonging, curiorisity, enjoying what they were doing.
Great meeting Russians on the road
A happy little chap
We had a massive riding day, 626kms from Chita to Ulan-Ude, exhausting but it felt great, my favourite riding day and we knew it would allow a full day’s rest here.
Rest meant exploring for half a day and spending the second half doing administrative work – starting the process for our Uzbek and Iranian visas, that takes so long, bike checking, dealing with software issues etc.
Here are some images of our day today (wifi here is the best so far in Russia!):
Serious ground rail crossing barriers
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude museum, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
The world’s largest statue of Lenin, Ulan-Ude, Russia
Enjoying Ulan-Ude, Russia
WWII memorial, Ulan-Ude, Russia
WWII memorial remembering non combatants
Ulan-Ude, Russia
Drinking water, Ulan-Ude, Russia
Ulan-Ude, Russia
For anyone passing through the region, we both highly recommend taking a day to visit this gorgeous town. We could have gone to Lake Baikal but chose to get more of a sense of Ulan-Ude and its people instead. And we are very glad we did.
The day runs away from us again and we feel we have done a fraction of what we wanted! We have experienced so much, yet our blogs only capture mere snipets. The most poignant moments however will remain as powerful images in our minds and memories as we do not take photos of them, which we can’t describe appropriately to give them credit. Such as the old lady, a medal pinned to her chest, walking along the old soviet era monument, looking up to it, then slowly walking on. What were her thoughts, memories, experiences?? We will never know but we will remember her. Or the beautiful sight, amongst the pure and moving chanting in the church, of a young woman, staring into the distance through the candles in front of her, praying. Or the images of a woman on her own, dressed for work presumably, waiting for a bus out in the middle of nowhere in Siberia.
We have enjoyed our time in Russia, the people we have met, their generosity, the roads, just not the horse flies!! We are heading for the Mongolian border just south of Kyakhta tomorrow – let the real adventure begin! Wish us luck…
– Anne
3,500 kms in Siberia in three and a half minutes
Chilling in hot Chita
Only 3000kms in 6 days since we left Vladivostok and when we see our accommodation in Chita, with air conditioning, we decide we need a rest: we are definitely no hard core riders!!! We are a little embarassed that our Korean scooter riders are only two days behind us. But that’s ok, we’re probably their grand-parents’ age.
Time for a good shower (our hovel last night had no running water whatsoever, no tap outside even – it’s funny how we much prefer camping to such places but the heat and horse flies put us off, especially after our longest day riding), some washing, money changing, blogging, a little exploring and resting. And a little shopping too: our hovel last night fried my power converter/recharger when we suddenly got power in the late evening – my mistake really.
Over the past week, it has been incredibly frustrating for me to realise how little Russian I remember. While I can make myself understood, often with the aid of Google translate, which I do manage to correct at times, I have no idea what I am being told! Although I did understand one poor woman’s frustrating retort telling me she couldn’t understand why I didn’t understand her!!! Anyway, some words and grammar are slowly coming back, and luckily I can still read Russian easily.
This luxury in Chita was only a little more than double our hovel the night before!
New engineering students on their graduation march through Chita
Proud parents waiting to see their children in the procession
Russian tv journalist reporting on Chita’s university graduation
Graduation speech on Lenin square, Chita
Lenin square, Chita
Chita – old and new buildings
Old home in Chita
No fur needed at the moment – 35 degrees days
Chita train station
Chita cathedral
The inside of the cathedral was breathtaking – I have no idea if photographs are allowed but I felt it inappropriate as everyone inside, young and old, were praying to different saints in different parts of the cathedral. We lit candles for our guardian angels.
Not much more news really. Loved walking around Chita and seeing the graduation march – great timing! Just wanted to give you a quick tour of Chita before we head into Mongolia in 4 days’ time. Using up our sim card data pack as wifi is near impossible to use here. As you can see, the weather has changed for us now: the winter gloves have been packed away, and it is 31 degrees as I write this at 9pm.
We will be in touch again when internet allows – could be 3 weeks, by the time we cross Mongolia, back into Russia and into Kazakhstan, so no panic. Just keep your armchairs oiled for our return…
– Anne
2slowspeeds 