Another hot sticky night. Duvet under us, sopping wet but not a bad sleep considering.
It was great to have a shower last night after eating and before preparing for bed. We have got it down to a fine art now. So refreshing. Using only about 1 litre each thanks to the Helio Nemo shower unit.
This morning I checked the crank case oil. There is a slight leak and we don’t want to be stuck on the roadside with a seized transmission. The gear stick’s get so hot you can hardly touch them.
With the first 150k’s of damaged road behind us it’s time for Jen to step up to the plate again and do some driving. She grizzles but she s a good driver and it gives me some relief from receiving instructions…:)
The Landy is going beautifully, despite the starting issues. One thing is for sure, there is no air getting into the fuel system as the inside of the exhaust tailpipe is an even black colour. Maybe we will have time to have a serious look at it in Vladivostok, while we wait for a ship for Vancouver.
We are looking for a change of scenery when we get into Tajikistan. It will get more mountainous and hopefully, cooler with it. There is nothing here, as we drive towards Nukus, one of the cities that featured on the Silk Route and mentioned in the book I am reading. Talking about the Silk Route, we passed kilometre after kilometre of beautiful new highway yesterday and I realised that this is the new joint venture road between China and Russia, to allow the unrestricted flow of commerce between the two countries. It took great restraint not to drive up onto it and leave the tortured mess of a track we were on.
We have just passed an interesting load. Is it petrochemical or intergalactic? With a truck at each end pushing and pulling, attached by a fixed tow bar.
Interesting getting past this!!
There is significant oil drilling going on in the barren wastes we are driving through. New wells being drilled and evidence of others, capped ready for the pipeline that is snaking towards them.
WOW! Within about 5 k’s we have gone from arid desert or Steppe to greenery. We’ve dropped about 30m and it’s a different world. Still hot!
Sitting here in a pool of sweat I am wondering how brother-in-law Dave is getting on in his garage close to Henfield in West Sussex. Dave would love it here…:) When the thermometer reaches 23C he is complaining bitterly. Sorry Dave..:) Caroline, his wife, and Jen’s sister, would just roll her eyes. BIG Hi! too to Jen’s Mum, who will be worried that we have fallen off the edge of the earth. All’s well Mum and your daughter is fine. Grumpy sometimes, but fine..:)
We had the option of driving on to see the receding Aral Sea but by all accounts it’s a pretty depressing place with ships stranded miles from the sea. Trouble is, the Uzbeks persist in growing cotton and the need for water is further depleting the source. Interesting politics here but probably wise not to discuss them.
Well, we are now in Nukus and Jen has found us a pretty swanky hotel. The aircon is set at 27oC and it”s still freezing. That’ll give you an idea of the temp outside! They must have thought we have come from Mars. Me with a four day growth and dripping with sweat.
You are now being bombarded with updates to the blog. Sorry about the gap. We are trying to get a Uzbek SIM card for our Russian modem.
Visits: 24
glad you are back on line. We were a bit worried. And we were beginning to miss our daily read. Going back a few blogs. I googled Bert Munro after you had mentioned him. What an interesting and talented guy. I think he would sort out the Landy. We think we are getting a bit hot here but it seems nothing to the heat you are enduring. Hope things cool down for you. Mike and Wend xx
Hey! there you two, enjoying the tennis & football! Life is good huh.
Landy is fine. Poor old Burt is long gone, but I have offered Noel, a friend in NZ and an Ex mechanic, the option of coming over to sort it for good, but he’s probably glued to the TV too…:).
If it’s hot in France Mike wont have to be mowing the lawn. Whats this about the Baltic?
Wow, very interesting to read about your travels. I’ll see if I can teach Paul to click on the link and read it himself. I remember a very hot train trip in Russia. Keep writing. Xx E & P
Hi Elwyn, thanks for your comment. I sometimes worry we are writing too much, but from the comments we are receiving, people seem to be enjoying reading the blog. Yes, Dennis likes me to read the guide book to him too. Must be a “man” thing. (They’re slow learners! In Khiva now and boiling. Keep us updated on your travels too. Jen x
Hi there Rotovegas travellers!!! I Came across your great Blog site. You are looking like your having a blast. Im also from rotovegas and have been traveling in opposite direction you in a Toyota Landcruser so far from Singapore to Europe, Im back in NZ at present but back to carry on next month from Slovakia where my Landcruiser is parked up.
Safe Travels
Ray Cook
Instagram: raycooknz
Hi! Ray, great to hear from you. How about sending us your travel link? You should be travelling in your Land Rover Series 111 Stage 1. Would be much more fun..:) Cost you an arm and a leg with that thirsty V8. Where are you heading from Slovenia? We have just made contact with two other Kiwi’s in a Discovery. Check their details in the Links & Contact page.
Best regards
Dennis & Jen
Ha ha my mechanic skills and back wouldn’t last in my Landrover….
I plan to head from Bratislava to Greece , Turkey , Montenegro then I don’t know 😂
Great to see your having fun…
Take care and safe travels
Great reading Bro and Jen. No use telling you i’m sitting by a fire in Hallett, central SA with temps in the mid teens. We feeling it after hot north. Will be home bout thur or fri have decided to drive to Gold Coast for Leo’s 50th. Noel and Kylie coming over so I will leave 21st, returning bouth 28th or so. No van and Jen got to work so shud only take 2 days each way. Stay safe and good luck with the Rover.