London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 18 – 14 September 2016
The Long Road Across Russia
By now, life on the road had settled into a familiar routine. The excitement of border crossings and major cities had given way to the reality of covering vast distances across one of the largest countries on Earth.
We were up early once again and left our overnight stop at around 8:00 am, eager to continue our journey towards Kazakhstan. The Russian landscape stretched endlessly before us, with long straight roads disappearing into the horizon and vast open countryside in every direction.
After driving around 170 miles, we stopped for a light lunch break. These pauses had become important not only for food and fuel but also to stretch our legs and recharge before tackling the next section of road.
The day was largely spent driving.
Hour after hour, kilometre after kilometre, Kontiki carried us steadily eastward. Thankfully, the motorhome continued to perform flawlessly. It was hard to believe that only a few days earlier we had been stranded in Berlin wondering whether the journey would continue at all.
By the end of the day, we had covered approximately 306 miles despite numerous fuel, food, and comfort stops. It had taken nearly ten hours on the road, reminding us just how vast Russia really is.
Yet despite the distance covered, the Russian-Kazakhstan border was still around 350 miles away.
That fact alone put the scale of the country into perspective.
By around 6:15 pm, darkness was beginning to fall. Driving at night in unfamiliar territory becomes increasingly challenging, particularly when road signs are in a different alphabet and navigation can be unpredictable. Rather than push on unnecessarily, we decided to stop at a fuel station and call it a day.
There was no rush now that we had found a safe place to park.
With Kontiki settled for the night, we opened a few cold beers and relaxed while Ramesh once again took charge of the kitchen. Before long, the comforting aroma of simmering lentils filled the motorhome.
Dinner that evening was simple but delicious—freshly cooked daal served with rice and yoghurt. Sometimes the simplest meals are the most satisfying, especially after a long day behind the wheel.
As we sat together enjoying our meal, conversation naturally turned to the days ahead. Kazakhstan was drawing closer, and beyond that lay even more unfamiliar territory. Every day seemed to bring us further from home and deeper into the adventure we had dreamed about for so long.
The driving was demanding, and the days were becoming repetitive, but none of us were complaining. We knew that these long stretches across Russia were an essential part of the journey.
After dinner, we rounded off the evening with a few glasses of Famous Grouse whisky, reflecting on another successful day. The kilometres were adding up, the motorhome was running well, and Team Kontiki remained in excellent spirits.
Soon afterwards, tired from another full day on the road, we turned in for the night.
Tomorrow would bring another long day of driving as we continued our race towards the Kazakhstan border before our Russian visas expired.
Distance travelled: 306 miles (approximately 490 km)
Location: Somewhere in southern Russia
Distance remaining to Kazakhstan border: Approximately 350 miles
Night halt: Fuel station parking area
Dinner: Daal, rice, and yoghurt
Evening drink: Beer followed by Famous Grouse whisky
Mood of the day: Tired but satisfied, with Kazakhstan getting ever closer
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki continues its relentless drive across Russia, with the Kazakhstan border now finally within reach on our epic journey from London to Mumbai.
