BAKU

I am in Baku, at last. It took us 5 hours just in the customs. Inept officials, stupid protocols and too much paperwork. My friends left yesterday but I stayed to see Baku. Acerbaijan capital is a crazy city, the petrol money runs free on the streets and there is high consumption fever. The most expensive cars, the most exclusive shops, the highest skyscrapers just beside the old Muslim town. I met three Scotish guys last night. Baku is full of them, it´s called Little Aberdeen. They work in the petrol business and spend one month here working and drinking and one month off at home, drinking as well. We hit of and had good drinking night. But today I leave to Shaki, a little town on the Caucasus mountains and tomorrow go to Georgia, the small country in permanent cold (and sometimes hot) war against Russia. Georgia makes good wine and is the birthplace of that great killer called Joseph Stalin. I will visit his village, Gory, and his museum. It gonna be interesting.

The love boat

Dear friends.

We are in the ferry expecting arriving Baku by 2 pm. It had been just five days waiting. I meet Sam and Silvan in Aktau three days ago. That morning I was running along the beach and saw two dirty beggars sat on the walk side. When I approached, I realised it was them. We spent the night at my room and the following morning went into the port to ask about “parom” (ferry). It was expected to arrive by noon and leave by the evening . Great happiness. But that was Kazakhstan.

Of course, the ferry left the evening, but in the following day. So we camped in the parking and we waited. When we bought the tikets started the research for the 1000 stamps they need to be good for travelling. Customs, police, veterinary, firemen… three stamps each one and different colours. The most difficult issue was finding the right guy for the right stamp. 40 degrees of heat and to many guys to look for.

Then, when the ferry arrived at morning, passport control. Like animals, one by one was checked and kept in a cowshed. Few hours passed till we went out. The ferry, Merkuri 1, looked crappy and rust, but beautiful in the sun. Perhaps we can go into, we desired. Too good to be true. We had to wait in the parking lot till they put off all the wagons kept in the ship´s hold. Few hours passed. Then, another control. The soldiers were going to check the luggage looking for drugs and guns and radioactive material and forbidden portraits of their sacred president having sex with a sheep. But they were not really interested but in getting some money. No way, friend, I told to them when they asked for “tengue” if I wanted not to be checked. I have time, said. So you should do your work. I opened my suitcases and menaced to spread all the staff on the floor. Davai, davai, they gave up.

What about the boat? Not the Love one. In the hold, no ropes and no help to tie the bikes. I did it my self with my own straps. Sweated like coming up from a Turkish Bath, I went into the reception. The four ugliest women in Earth were waiting in the front desk to give us the key and take our passports. No smiles at all. A customer is always a suspicious guy. Still in the Soviet Thinking Way. Of course, the cabin not was so dirty, hot and humid as you are imaging right now. No, it was much worse. I the lesson of my Central Asia Trip: expect always the worst and you will get it but even worse. Only because I am mad I find it funny.

Keep safe and do not travel ever to Central Asia.

RIDING THE MOON

Dear friends:

I am again in Kazakhstan waiting for the ferry to Baku. Nobody knows when it could sails. If I have to wait for a long, I will camp on the Caspian beach because hotels are not cheap here. Finally, I rode alone from Kungrad to Aktau, 800 km of a real desert between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. It took me just two days to ride it. No towns, nor fill stations. Nothing but dust. The road was really terrible: gravel, stones, sand, bumps… Back to the Moon. The Chinese bikes could not ride it. They will be destroyed, so I took petrol, left them behind and went forward having a lot of fun. I enjoy riding the worst roads. It is something special when you feel the only guy on Earth in the middle of nowhere.

But this is not the end of Silkside Story. Sam and Silvan have put the bikes in a train to arrive Aktau. Our trips are very different and each one of us has to do his own adventure. Hope to see them tomorrow, when the train arrives here. The city is Ok, restaurants, bar, people, beach and sun. We can have some fun trying local vodka and leaving the bikes having a rest. They really deserve it. My little fat will need new rear shock after this trip (she is craving for Ohlins) and a very good and deep bath. I will give her everything she needs in Instambul, where I hope be arriving by the end of july.

Keep safe.