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4th July 2024
Last night the neighbours were boozing until 1:30am, lots of chatter, so not much sleep for me.
I was packed up and gone by 8am making my way across Poland to get to Kaliningrad in the same day.
The first half was all on fast motorways with not much traffic, the second half was slow going, lots and lots of roadworks. The Poles are building themselves a very good roading infrastructure. I arrived at the Polish-side of the Polish/ Kaliningrad border. There was no movement. It took 3 hours to leave Poland. That’s the longest wait I’ve ever had anywhere. It took 2 hours to get into Kaliningrad Russia.
Because of the embargo on Russia, Western credit or debit cards won’t work, booking.com or any of those western apps won’t work either. Facebook is blocked. So when I headed to the Polish border I had no Russian Rubles, no cell phone data, no place to stay and James fuel light had come on.
Luckily I found a money exchange place and was able to exchange Euros. Once into Russia I was able to find a petrol station and fill up. 95 Petrol is NZ$1.09 a litre
I had made waypoints in my Garmin map of a couple of places to stay. Hotels are too expensive so picked a couple of Hostels in the Centre.
I arrived at 9pm and luckily there was a place available.
I met a Latvian guy at the hostel who translated for me.
Very few people speak English here.
Last night the neighbours were boozing until 1:30am, lots of chatter, so not much sleep for me.
I was packed up and gone by 8am making my way across Poland to get to Kaliningrad in the same day.
The first half was all on fast motorways with not much traffic, the second half was slow going, lots and lots of roadworks. The Poles are building themselves a very good roading infrastructure. I arrived at the Polish-side of the Polish/ Kaliningrad border. There was no movement. It took 3 hours to leave Poland. That’s the longest wait I’ve ever had anywhere. It took 2 hours to get into Kaliningrad Russia.
Because of the embargo on Russia, Western credit or debit cards won’t work, booking.com or any of those western apps won’t work either. Facebook is blocked. So when I headed to the Polish border I had no Russian Rubles, no cell phone data, no place to stay and James fuel light had come on.
Luckily I found a money exchange place and was able to exchange Euros. Once into Russia I was able to find a petrol station and fill up. 95 Petrol is NZ$1.09 a litre
I had made waypoints in my Garmin map of a couple of places to stay. Hotels are too expensive so picked a couple of Hostels in the Centre.
I arrived at 9pm and luckily there was a place available.
I met a Latvian guy at the hostel who translated for me.
Very few people speak English here.
Queueing at the Polish border 
Still queuing!!
James has a new friend
Still queuing
And even more queuing
Getting close. Still another hour and a half
Russian fuel prices are good.
My cubicle. Stalag3.3
Todays route
5th July 2024
The hostel I’m staying at is located near most of the attractions I wanted to see.
Right across the road is the B-413 submarine museum. I’ve been on a few submarines now, this was the first Russian one.
While doing the loop of the attractions I dropped into a mobile phone shop and got a Russian SIM card. I purchase 20GB per month for 3 months, that also includes calls and texts, which I won’t need. The grand total NZ$28.
As I walked I watched life going on. If I thought the west was bad for cell phone obsession and selfies, then Russia takes it to another level. I watched a woman take 5 photos of her filled croissant, all from different angles, then review the photos before devouring the object of her desire.
I popped into a supermarket to get a drink. You wouldn’t know Russia was under a trade embargo from the west, bottles of Coca Cola, Pringle crisps and so many other western brands.
Drivers are polite, stand next to a zebra crossing and they stop straight away.
I am in the capital so it will be wealthier than other parts of Kaliningrad.
Kaliningrad used to be called Konigsberg which was part of Germany until annexed by the Soviets in 1945. There is some German heritage but also much of the Soviet legacy left behind.
James has been in a fenced and guarded compound since I arrived NZ$3 a day. Certainly worth the price for the peace of mind.
It’s difficult to find camping places here, hotels are more than I want to pay, so hostels seem to be where it’s at. They have come a long way since I stayed in them in the 80’s.
Tomorrow I will be heading out of Kaliningrad making my way to Belarus.
The hostel I’m staying at is located near most of the attractions I wanted to see.
Right across the road is the B-413 submarine museum. I’ve been on a few submarines now, this was the first Russian one.
While doing the loop of the attractions I dropped into a mobile phone shop and got a Russian SIM card. I purchase 20GB per month for 3 months, that also includes calls and texts, which I won’t need. The grand total NZ$28.
As I walked I watched life going on. If I thought the west was bad for cell phone obsession and selfies, then Russia takes it to another level. I watched a woman take 5 photos of her filled croissant, all from different angles, then review the photos before devouring the object of her desire.
I popped into a supermarket to get a drink. You wouldn’t know Russia was under a trade embargo from the west, bottles of Coca Cola, Pringle crisps and so many other western brands.
Drivers are polite, stand next to a zebra crossing and they stop straight away.
I am in the capital so it will be wealthier than other parts of Kaliningrad.
Kaliningrad used to be called Konigsberg which was part of Germany until annexed by the Soviets in 1945. There is some German heritage but also much of the Soviet legacy left behind.
James has been in a fenced and guarded compound since I arrived NZ$3 a day. Certainly worth the price for the peace of mind.
It’s difficult to find camping places here, hotels are more than I want to pay, so hostels seem to be where it’s at. They have come a long way since I stayed in them in the 80’s.
Tomorrow I will be heading out of Kaliningrad making my way to Belarus.
My hostel on the lower right
Last of the diesel Russian submarines
Torpedoes away?
Not much room
Escape suit
Underwater rover
Selfie anyone?
German heritage
New synagogue
This is where I watched the woman take multiple photos of her croissant
Lots of art work
Rough communist job!!
This building has been abandoned for years. Some YouTubers have filmed the inside
This is what it looks like today. Finally pulling it down
Decaying infrastructure
The Bunker museum. Was a Nazi bunker
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
Dog made a bed for himself in the park
Lots of flowers
Lots of memorials for the fallen soldiers
Russian dead numbered 20 million in the Second World War. The Russians call it the great patriotic war
This is a memorial to all the people that gave there lives to contain Chernobyl melt down
Memorial to the Great Patriotic War with an eternal flame
The flame
Decaying Soviet buildings
Flying boat with a very distinctive nose!
The designer?
Looks like it’s about to fall down!
James in his lock up
6th July 2024
Today I left Kaliningrad and headed to Vilnius in Lithuania.
The border crossing went well except when Russian customs searched my panniers, they came across a white pot containing white powder, they were very suspicious of it. The guard summoned her boss. They spoke no English so I had to try and explain it was talc for the boots, to make them smell nice. It was smiles all round once they got it.
Easy through the Lithuanian border.
Today I left Kaliningrad and headed to Vilnius in Lithuania.
The border crossing went well except when Russian customs searched my panniers, they came across a white pot containing white powder, they were very suspicious of it. The guard summoned her boss. They spoke no English so I had to try and explain it was talc for the boots, to make them smell nice. It was smiles all round once they got it.
Easy through the Lithuanian border.
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