Day 12 2011

Bryansk – Voronezh

309 miles 9hours 53mins

I woke this morning after a great nights sleep; I was woken once or twice in the night by the rain and couldn’t believe how heavy it was. Oh well it was now morning, still a little damp around. We packed our things and I gave the landy a level check and top up and all before breakfast. There was a very kind man there who was so so kind, all he wanted to do was help.

We rolled out a little later than planned but hey that’s just the way things are sometimes. Once again we were on the so called motorways being over taken by Ladas with no care for road rules or oncoming traffic. It wasn’t long before we had a quick fuel stop. The roads seem to get a little better as time went on. We passed through Oryol, the town that we had planned to reach but as we passed through we were both so glad we didn’t push on the night before.

We stopped at a small trucker’s café to get a something to eat. We had a small salad or should I say chopped vegetables that were very filling…. I even had my first long drop experience; well it was an experience that’s all I will say. Around 20 minutes or so later and we were back on the road. As we drove along the sun broke through the clouds. Around an hour later we came across a war memorial and so decided to stop. As it happens a wedding party had gathered and were busy taking pictures, at the same time the memorial was having a coat of paint, guessing in preparation for Victory day.

Around 30 or so miles down the road we witnessed the most amazing thunder and lightning storm and thought we were going to drive straight into it. We pulled into the next fuel station so Simon could batten down the hatches on his riding gear. Its always the way because as we were doing this the storm blew through so we didn’t get much more than a shower.

We had a small miracle or it felt like it to us. We turned on to the M4, it was a wonderful smooth duel carriage way with most of it being a toll road but who cares it made a pleasant change. We were able to sit happily at 60mph I know not a lot but I am driving a 3 tone land rover that is my home for the foreseeable future.

It was late afternoon as we approached Voronezh and time to find a place to sleep. After battling through the city rush hour traffic we found a small truck stop gastenitra. It was a funny little place a little place with a little strange taste. We had dinner at a little café downstairs with me having borscht a type of Russian soup. I was offered a banya (sauna) I happily said yes with having them through Scandinavia. But on seeing it and being offered to be oiled up by the owner – thinking this sounded a little more than odd and was in no way like Norway I retreated back to dinner.

Safe back in my bunk its time to say good night!

Benjy