6th July 2024
Once through the Lithuanian border I was on my way heading through lots of road works. It was slow going.
I’m at the same camp I was at last year.
Tonight there were hot air balls taking off from behind the camp. Impressive as it was quite gusty..
Once through the Lithuanian border I was on my way heading through lots of road works. It was slow going.
I’m at the same camp I was at last year.
Tonight there were hot air balls taking off from behind the camp. Impressive as it was quite gusty..
The camp I was at last year
Dinner polished off!
A balloon sticking its head up above the trees.
The balloons are to celebrate Lithuania's independance day.
Todays route, dark blue
7th July 2024
It was a day of great effort for no return.
I headed to the Lithuania/Belarus border via a money exchanger (to ensure I had cash for Belarus. Because of the sanctions no western cards work at the ATM or other outlets).
As James and I were getting towards the border the queues of lorries appeared and then the queues of cars. Being on a motorcycle you are allowed to ride to the front.
The queues were enormous. The lorry queue was 8km long, the car queue, 2km long.
I spoke to a Nice Belarusian guy in a car, who told me he’d been in the queue for 36 hours!!!!!!. It’s all to do with the Russian/Belarus sanctions the west have imposed.
When it finally came my turn at the Lithuanian border control station I had to show passport/ insurance/ bike registration papers. After about 2 hours I got to the Belarus border. They checked my passport and registration papers for James, then asked for my visa. Visa? “New Zealand passport holder don’t need one for Belarus” I said. He went back into the office and got on the phone making various calls. He then came out and said, "if you fly in you don’t, if you travel overland you do”. He was very apologetic about it.
I turned back and had to go through the whole rigmarole again through the Lithuanian border.
This has put a spanner in the works. Nowhere could I find that you need a visa for Belarus if you entered by land.
I’ve contacted the Georgian authorities to find out if I need a visa to get through there. It is my only way out of Russia to Turkey.
It was a day of great effort for no return.
I headed to the Lithuania/Belarus border via a money exchanger (to ensure I had cash for Belarus. Because of the sanctions no western cards work at the ATM or other outlets).
As James and I were getting towards the border the queues of lorries appeared and then the queues of cars. Being on a motorcycle you are allowed to ride to the front.
The queues were enormous. The lorry queue was 8km long, the car queue, 2km long.
I spoke to a Nice Belarusian guy in a car, who told me he’d been in the queue for 36 hours!!!!!!. It’s all to do with the Russian/Belarus sanctions the west have imposed.
When it finally came my turn at the Lithuanian border control station I had to show passport/ insurance/ bike registration papers. After about 2 hours I got to the Belarus border. They checked my passport and registration papers for James, then asked for my visa. Visa? “New Zealand passport holder don’t need one for Belarus” I said. He went back into the office and got on the phone making various calls. He then came out and said, "if you fly in you don’t, if you travel overland you do”. He was very apologetic about it.
I turned back and had to go through the whole rigmarole again through the Lithuanian border.
This has put a spanner in the works. Nowhere could I find that you need a visa for Belarus if you entered by land.
I’ve contacted the Georgian authorities to find out if I need a visa to get through there. It is my only way out of Russia to Turkey.
Speaks for itself
Been a lot of effort for no return. Back at the same camp again!
8th July 2024
Today I was packed up and on the road by 6:30. Today is the day I go to main land Russia via the Latvian Grebnova/ Privada border. I arrived at 1:30, past 10km of lorries. I went straight to the front of the queue and asked the Latvian border control guy “how long the wait was”. He said “4 days!!!! and you’ll have to go to the back of the queue”. I said to him “can I pitch my tent on your grass”, he said “no you’ll have to get a hotel” . He then said “there is a website for the Estonian border where you can book a slot”.
I found the website, booked a slot for tomorrow and headed into Estonia and camped as close as I could to the border.
Today I was packed up and on the road by 6:30. Today is the day I go to main land Russia via the Latvian Grebnova/ Privada border. I arrived at 1:30, past 10km of lorries. I went straight to the front of the queue and asked the Latvian border control guy “how long the wait was”. He said “4 days!!!! and you’ll have to go to the back of the queue”. I said to him “can I pitch my tent on your grass”, he said “no you’ll have to get a hotel” . He then said “there is a website for the Estonian border where you can book a slot”.
I found the website, booked a slot for tomorrow and headed into Estonia and camped as close as I could to the border.
A typical church in Leliūnai, Lithuania
A bite to eat in the Grazutes Regional park, Lithuania.
Lots of Storks about. None with baby’s hanging from the mouths.
About to cross a bridge over the river Daugava in Latvia.
10 km of lorries please, oh, and you can wait 4 days to cross the Latvian border
A typical Latvian house
Lots of farm land in Latvia
Ape, Latvia, before the rain came. I know what you're thinking. Don’t say it!!
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