great write up great trip and a few s in between carnt be bad

Update:

Upon returning to the UK, I felt I should thank Vitali, the Russian mechanic who had garliced my fuel pump and gave me food and accomodation in Astrakhanskaya.


Unfortunately, I did not have any contact details for him. I knew his first name and had an approximate location on the M6 highway.


Fortunately, some time after my return I made a Russian friend through youtube, thanks to the St.Petersburg video I posted. My new friend (hi Петер!) made some phonecalls and was able to locate Vitali and get his contact details. Great success!

Two months ago I posted a gift to Vitali - some good quality swivel-head ratchet-spanners - as a thank you for his fine work.

According to the parcel tracking information, the gift arrived safely in Prishib, Astrakhanskaya on the 20th of February

That's the very best way to end a trip report.

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Dave

Read every bit, and enjoyed it all, really want cover some of parts you have done, my Slovak wife promises to brush up her Russian first
where next?

Tremendous journey, and a fine write up too!

Charlie

Just read the whole trip report - brilliant. No back up crew, no BBC funding, and no plan B if it all goes belly-up.

I've often looked at a similar trip myself, but been concerned about being on my own with little local language to help me. But it seems that a handshake and a few shared s is the same in any country.

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Live life now - you only get it once.

Excelent report. Thanks.

I've got a weeks work in St Petersburg next month, so seriously looking at a similar route, up into the Arctic Circle, and back down into St P. Should be in Turkey in June, so maybe I can stretch things out into one long trip. Your route looks like a great starting plan.

Great report - thanks for taking the time

Great report thanks for sharing,that's some run back to the ferry on the last day my friend and I are going to visit the nordkapp traveling from Dublin - Holyhead - harwich -esjerb -Sweden-Finland - Norway - nordkapp then heading back thorough Norway to esjerb. Do you have any tips for our trip ? We're to stay hostels - camping - the cost of food and fuel.

Nice write up -
Thanks for sharing it, I have a little trip planed myself

My trip for 20 days is [not in perfect order, but you get the idea], a lot of km's in a little time.

Poland
Ukraine
Crimea
Romania
Bulgaria
Istanbul
Serbia
Moldova
Slovakia
Slovenia
Croatia
Austria
Germany
-- and possible a few other places

My next trip after that is :
Germany
Denmark
Sweden
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland

I maybe moving back to England later this year, so would get the more unusual places done.

Will take a few snapshots and jot a few words down when I get back

You can camp wild in Norway, so that's a good way to save money. I didn't as I couldn't get my bike off the road, but it would be no problem for a GS/similar. Fuel is probably the same as Ireland, around £1.50/L if I remember correctly and is similarly priced in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Finland is cheaper. For some reason my debit card wouldn't work in Finland although I could still draw money from cash points.

Speeding fines in Norway are savage, although the roads are essentially un-policed. Watch out for elks.

Hytter (wooden cabins) are a good cheap places to stay, they cost around E40 a night and sleep 2. There are plenty of campsites around the coastal areas of Sweden, not too sure about Finland though.

Assuming you are crossing from Denmark to Sweden via the Orsund bridge, the tolls are about £45 in total. Denmark is expensive and the countryside is relatively featureless.

You'd be much better off sailing between Norway and Denmark on the way back (or even in both directions). There's a crossing from the north of Denmark to Kristiansand (and other places I think) which would cut out the relatively boring slog between south Sweden and south west Norway.


In terms of the cost of things in general, the order starting with the most expensive country is: Norway, Sweden/Denmark, Finland so you might want to factor in where you will be spending most of your time. Without doubt the best area in the part of the world is southern Norway, but its expensive.

Actually thinking about it, if you're used to Irish prices you might not find it as much of a shock to the wallet as I did! :-)

Sweden has Lidl which is cheap for food, but you can only buy alcohol from dedicated outlets in Scandinavia and its expensive (£25+ for 70cl of cheapest vodka).

That will be a great trip, I wish I had time to run up to the Nordcap. Best of luck

Brilliant!!
Really good read