On the road to Samara....

At 12.30 we reach the Kazaki-Russian border. As we get to the Kazaki passport control: “Problema problema!!!!!” say the guards. One of Carlotta’s documents was missing (the one to exit the “safety car" from the Kazaki land). Immediately we understood that the “problem” was: Prison for Carlotta . Panic. Heeeelp! The poor girl was almost in tears. Thanks to Manfredi, Paola and Luca the problem was solved and the team made it to leave the gate. After 200 rubli for a new Russian document and after a scary extremely accurate check of the Jeep finally, at 4.30 pm, we touched the Russian land. (Again!) Just 200 km to Samara where we arrived at 9 pm. What a city! It looked like the horror house of the Lunapark .
No idea of where to go and spend the night. But 2 pretty girls we stopped on the streets drove us to an hotel (we didn’t know but it the best in town! Ups!).
Dinner at the Vienna Café in the hotel with a full of grilled meat and garlic sauce. As you can see someone was very hungry!
After dinner Paola, Manfredi and Luca had a special guided tour around Samara with their new Russian friends and ended at 3 am in an very trendy Russian-Italian restaurant.

The 500team

Our neverending story in Oral

The Italians we met in Atyrau suggest us not to drive on the Kazaki way. “It is too dangerous because the streets are horrible!” they warn us. Therefore we run to the Russian Consulat in Oral ( the only one in Kazakistan together with the one in Astena, the capital that Paola really wanted to visit…. but, seeing how things are going, forget about it!) to check whether we can extend our Russian Visa from tomorrow (August 4th) to August 10th and drive all along the Russian way towards Mongolia.
After 5 hours at the Consulat, running around the town like crazy with a taxi driver (with us in the photo) who was more crazy then us and helped us to make passport pictures and take all documents (that of course we forgot at the hotel!), we finally obtain the Visa extension.
To celebrate the success, Polly and Otta offer themselves a massage. But surprise surprise… it was not what they expected: instead of a relaxing treatment they found a sort of Doctor who crick crocked their back. AAAAAIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is it for today.

The 500team

last day in Volgograd

We have been waiting for days for a spare part from DHL sent from Almaty Kazakhstan and every day the package seems to be headed to pretty much everywhere except Volgograd. Thanks DHL....can anyone pick our pack up in Brussels ?? :::)))

4320625212 - Detailed Report

Location Service Area

Checkpoint Details
July 30, 2007 16:48 - Atyrau - Kazakhstan

July 31, 2007 - 15:12 - Atyrau - Kazakhstan
Departed from DHL facility in Atyrau - Kazakhstan

August 01, 2007 - 02:47 - Almaty - Kazakhstan
Arrived at DHL facility in Almaty - Kazakhstan

August 01, 2007 - 23:57 - Almaty - Kazakhstan
Departed from DHL facility in Almaty - Kazakhstan

August 02, 2007 - 11:06 - Frankfurt - Germany
Departed from DHL facility in Frankfurt - Germany

August 02, 2007 - 18:17 - Brussels - Belgium
Arrived at DHL facility in Brussels - Belgium

August 03, 2007 - 04:11 - Brussels - Belgium
Departed from DHL facility in Brussels - Belgium

Luckily, we had the pieces copied and made locally by our garage just in case....should be back on the road this afternoon.

Cheers from Volgograd ( Ula Belga Team)

Our day in Oral (Kazakistan)

This day we decide to stay in Oral.
While that guys surf on the Internet, the Paola and Carlotta explore the city to find a place for lunch. Like a miracle, within the many little houses made of wood of this colorful Kazaki town they find a Western steak house (that will become their “home sweet home”…).
Dinner at the same place, of course. And to conclude the night… a bowling match. Bravo Luca! With no pietas he “killed” everybody!

Nighty night…
The 500team

From Atyrau to Oral (at the conquest of Kazakistan)

We leave the hotel at 10.30 am. ( unexpected too many hotel extras on our bill…).
To all of you who are following us we inform that unfortunately we had to change the itinerary as time is running out and going to Uzsbekistan (and Samarcanda) as we planned would take too many days.
Therefore we heat the Nord towards Siberia. Next stop: the city of Oral (400 km).
We reach Oral at 7 pm and celebrate the arrival with a nice and typical Kazaki dinner at the restaurant.
Everything was perfect except.... a car accident in a taxi on the way back to the hotel.

By for now!

The 500team

The 500team in total relax

Unique goal of the day. Sunbathing + eating + massages...to recover from the previous marathon!

Monday 30/07/07

Team still seperated, Italians in Kazakhstan-Atyrau and Belgians in Russia-Volvograd looking for a solution to fix UlaBelga 500 car.

Volvograd - At least 14 non-egnlish speaking mechanics leaning over our car in local garage telling us there is no problem with the car and not understanding why it does not start... waiting for a replacement piece coming over from Kazakhstan which our Italian mechanic thinks will fix it!

More news asap.... ciao!!

The 500team is back together in Atyrau (Kazakistan)

In the middle of the Kazaki desert Carlotta, Luca and Paola wake up at 9 am ready for a new mission> reach Atyrau , 250 km away, and pick up Manfredi at the city airport.
At 2 pm we stop in the only place we see on our way. It’s difficult to describe it. A small house, with nothing around. At the entrance there was a little basin (lavandino) with no water at all, inside everything was blue, just a few tables and 2 smiling girls. Toilets? No words to describe it….
What a bout the menu?No idea. Impossible to read it. Everything was in Russian. Only solution: we decided what to order looking into the kitchen where we found some familiar food: potatoes and spaghetti!!!Happy!
At 5 pm we arrive in Atyrau (40 C’) to pick up Manfredi who was waiting for us since 7 am….Poor guy.
Finally the 500Team is back again. We all go to the hotel and…what a surprise: as a mirage in the desert we find a 5 stars resort, with swimming pool + bar + Italian restaurant on the top floor. And a fantastic health center that Paola and Carlotta enjoyed very much with a wonderful massage….
We totally felt at home as the hotel was full of Italians from the Agip Company (thank you for the kind hospitality Mr. Michele Maldoni !). Like us another Italian Mongol rally team (Tommaso, Jacopo e Paolo) stopped in that oasi because of a problem with their car.
Goodnight everybody, see you tomorrow morning in this wonderful hotel….

Carlotta, Paola, Luca e Manfredi.

leaving the Belgian team in Volvograd :-(

Hi everyone this is Paola, Carlotta and Luca.
Unfortunately we had to leave Olivia and Yves in Russia to run and manage to get through the Russian gate before the 30th the date in which it was expiring. The adventure within the three of us started at noon. We drove like crazy along the 'Silk road' stopping just once. We met peolpe on the way who kept giving Carlotta melons and watermelons as a present for the journey. It sounded more like the 'fruit road' to us. During the journey a cow risked a shock for the driving of Paola. Luckily she couldn't talk. She would have surely insulted her. The sun was setting down. The drive kept going faster and faster to reach the border. 45 km away from Kazakistan a policeman stopped us to check Carlotta's papers. He pointed a gun to Luca who asked to move it away, just in case...To the question: 'Any drugs to declare?' Carlotta answered 'yes' as she doesn't understand a word of Russian and always sais 'Yes' with a big smile. This time we only risked a pleasant stay in prison. Almost hopeless we finally got to the boarder at 9.00 pm. After the Russian gate we drove throught the 'Land of nobody' and found ourselves in front of a lake. No streets, no lights. The question was: 'and now??'. At that moment we saw some lights moving towards us: a floating platform carried us and some other cars to the other side of the lake. In front of us was the entrance to Kazakistan. A couple of hours and a few wedding proposals (flattering Paola and Carlotta) later we finally touched the Kazaki land. We all desperately dreamt of a bed to sleep. We were told we would have found a hotel just 50 km away from us. We increased the speed and left, sure to find the way. No chance. Two minutes later we were lost in the middle of nowhere. All around us was the desert. Just sand. No one to ask for directions. Not even a cow. We kept on driving around like crazy hoping to find the wright street. Panic and tiredness was dominating us. We had to go back to the boarder and ask remembering to have seen two Mongol Rally cars (friends!!!!). Unfortunatly the gate was locked and tour Mongol Rally 'friends' were blocked inside. Finally someone stopped and drove us throuought the desert to the nearest village. The moon was the only light on the way and Luca was scared to death because he was the only man with two girls. We got lost again and stopped a minivan on the streeet. It was the Police!!!!Our safety. They drove us to the nearest 'Hotel': nothing else then the home of a Kazaki man with some rooms but no bathroom, no sheets and towels, no water at all!!!! Terrible night. This is the end of our day 8 of our mongolian adventure....

Volvograd...I'm lovin' it !