I passed Mongolian immigration and climbed the mud hill, entering Siberia for the second time. I feared it was too early to arrive at Russian immigration because my grounds for being in the country were not exactly legitimate, so I dismounted Donkey and lit my stove for a brew, to feed some warmth through my […]
Mongolia Part 2: Ulaanbaatar to the Russian Altai
Greetings from Norway! I wrote most of this blog a year ago but I’ve only got around to completing it now. It describes the second part of my journey through Mongolia up to the Russian border. For the first part go to: Mongolia Part 1: The Gobi Desert to Ulaanbaatar. The next story will document […]
From Norway to Mexico
May 28 I arrived at Nordkapp, Norway (loosely claimed to be the northern point of Europe). After Nordkapp, I caught the boat from Honningsvåg to Hammerfest to take an alternative route back to Alta, but I didn’t get far. A few hours in Hammerfest led to a chain of encounters and ultimately an opportunity to stay. […]
Update from Finland & Thoughts about Stage Two
Greetings from Finland! I have lots to blog about—8,000 km worth—and it’s going to take some time to catch up. But since I can’t take time out for now I’ll just avoid it with this brief digression. In a nutshell, my movements from the point of my last blog, Mongolia Part 1: The Gobi Desert […]
Soviet Apartment from the Outside
The soviet apartment in Vologda. It’s fascinating, for me at least, just walking around the cities and seeing all the little details of life in these old apartments.
Mongolia Part 1: The Gobi Desert to Ulaanbaatar
I was up before sunrise. The dawn pink illuminating the vast desert vista, revealed the first challenge of the Gobi, navigating the haphazard maze of vehicle tracks. There was nothing out there but horses and camels.
Bicycle Stockholm
Stockholm is the first city I’ve been to for a while where people actually ride bikes, so I was out bike spotting hoping to find some interesting machines. Um . . . the one in the window was the best I could find. I guess bike theft is a problem. There were, of course, Swedish bikes […]
Mongolia to Russia Update
Greetings from Stockholm, Sweden. Seasons have passed since my last blog and early snows of winter began to dust the woodlands of central Russia weeks ago. This writing hiatus hasn’t been due to idleness. Since departing China in July, I’ve cycled over 6,000 km through challenging conditions and with little rest until now, due to […]
China Second Round
The Russian gateway was barely more than a patch of rough, mismatching buildings set in a barren valley. It’s presence marked by twirling clouds of gravel dust kicked up by each transferring vehicle. My feeble attempt to sneak through the gates was abruptly halted by an austere guard. ‘Bus!’ He demanded, pointing back the way I came […]
Russian Far East Final Chapter
Tasseled, crimson cloth draped around the windows and Buddhist insignia dangled across the windshield. It seemed oddly placed in a Russian vehicle but it gave some character to the most uninspiring of all forms of transport. I hate buses! I thought, watching from the front seat as the driver veered off course, while texting on […]