London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 12 – 8 September 2016
Entering Russia at Last
After yesterday’s long drive across Europe, we enjoyed a slightly more relaxed start to the morning. Following breakfast, we took a leisurely stroll around the campsite and spent some time chatting with the owners. The campsite was basic but exceptionally neat, clean, and well-maintained. The friendly owners were curious about our journey and wished us luck for the thousands of kilometres that still lay ahead.
Today was an important day.
Our route would take us through Latvia and into Russia, the largest country in the world and one of the major milestones on our London-to-Mumbai adventure.
With Kontiki once again heading east, we drove through the beautiful Baltic countryside. The roads were excellent, the scenery was lush and green, and the forests seemed endless. Everywhere we travelled, we encountered friendly people who greeted us with smiles and curiosity when they learned about our unusual journey.
By mid-afternoon, we arrived at the Russian border.
Crossing into Russia was one of the moments we had been looking forward to since planning this expedition. However, as with many international border crossings, patience was required. The formalities, document checks, vehicle inspections, and paperwork took considerably longer than expected, and it was almost three hours before we finally received permission to enter.
At last, Team Kontiki was officially in Russia.
The sense of achievement was immense. We had now travelled through several countries and crossed another significant border on our journey towards India.
Our first stop after entering Russia was a filling station, where we arranged the necessary vehicle insurance and breakdown cover required for driving through the country. With the paperwork completed, we pointed Kontiki towards Moscow and continued our eastward journey.
As evening approached, we received information about a campsite approximately ten miles off our route. It seemed like a good option for the night, so we decided to give it a try.
What followed was probably one of the more nerve-racking moments of the trip so far.
The campsite was located down a series of rough side roads. Darkness had already fallen, and we found ourselves driving through unfamiliar countryside in a country we had entered only a few hours earlier. The roads became increasingly rough, there were very few signs, and hardly anyone around.
The further we drove, the more uncertain we became.
Ten miles became fifteen, then twenty. Despite our best efforts, the campsite remained nowhere to be found. In the darkness, surrounded by unfamiliar terrain and unable to confirm our location, the situation became increasingly unsettling.
Eventually, common sense prevailed.
We turned around and retraced our route back to the main road. Once there, we stopped at the first filling station we came across and asked if we could spend the night in their parking area.
To our relief, the staff were extremely friendly and readily agreed.
After such a long and eventful day, we were exhausted. Nevertheless, hunger soon took priority. Before long, the familiar sounds of cooking filled the motorhome as we prepared a hearty chickpea curry with freshly made chapatis.
A couple of cold beers accompanied the meal perfectly.
Then came the biggest surprise of the day.
As we reflected on our journey, we suddenly realised something remarkable—the gearbox noise had completely disappeared.
For days we had driven with the constant worry that the mysterious noise might develop into a major mechanical failure. Yet now, after all the repairs, stress, delays, and uncertainty in Berlin, the gearbox sounded perfectly normal. It was as though the problem had never existed.
None of us quite knew what to make of it, but we certainly weren’t complaining.
As we finally settled into bed late that night, parked safely at a Russian filling station, there was a renewed sense of confidence within Team Kontiki. We had crossed into Russia, covered another substantial distance, and perhaps—just perhaps—left our mechanical worries behind.
Today had been a very good day.
Distance travelled: Lithuania, Latvia, and into Russia
Countries travelled through: Lithuania, Latvia, Russia
Major milestone: Entered Russia after a three-hour border crossing
Night halt: Filling station parking area, Russia
Dinner: Chickpea curry, chapatis, and cold beer
Highlight of the day: The mysterious gearbox noise disappeared completely
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki heads deeper into Russia, leaving Europe behind and moving ever closer to the heart of Asia on our epic road journey from London to Mumbai.
