On the Road again...

[MrKiwi]

[Kristof]

Krasnodar, Anapa and Gelendzhik airports are closed. All airspace along the Donbass is closed, planes going to Moscow or St Petersburg pass through Kazakstan.
The one in Sochi is open and then there is the boat, train or road to reach Novorossisyk


https://www.flightradar24.com/51.15,46.9/4

Some extracts from Google Maps which show why it takes more than 6 hours for 300km, almost 9 hours for me as it is the summer season. There are very few areas where you can overtake and many tourists.




ps: In 9h I could reach Mariupol, in a straight line it's less than 300km

[Kristof]

Novorossiysk:
On the window display in English and Russian "French Bakery" nothing in french



The name is still on the wall and it's open:


Italian restaurant "Academy":
(ok I know "Tabasco" isn't really from Italy...")


and outside the city near the vines of a restaurant "Vinoterria":
https://vinoterria.com/



Note, those aerial photos are from the web and not mine:
Novorossiysk center town:



and just behind on the coast "Shirokaya Balka":

[Kristof]

Novorossiysk 07/21






(Ferrari+Bentley at the Italian restaurant)


(More "easy" to see HD than Urals...)

(still open under the sign KFC)

[Kristof]

Novorossisyk 08/15



Novorossiysk - Vladikavkaz - Tbilisi 08/16-17
It's time to go back to France to get my visa for my next project.
To come to Russia I flight to Istanbul then Sochi then a taxi 10 hours

On the way back, another route that allows me to discover (quickly) a new country: Georgia
First step: night train from Novorossiysk to Vladikavkaz, 17 hours, no AC.
Second step: taxi (van) for the border crossing Vladikavkaz to Tbilisi. 6 hours, I was lucky it could take up to 12h depending of the traffic...
Third step, direct flight Tbilisi Paris



A few rare bikes on the road, HD +other customs and adventures bikes, apart from having to drive sometimes in the opposite lane (without visibility) to overtake the trucks who are parked, the most "dangerous" part in my eyes remains the crossing of the tunnels, only one, the longest, is in good condition in the others there are many holes difficult to see especially when you follow a car.












(Gudauri View point, the painted, concrete Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument)

[Kristof]

08/18 - Tbilisi

The Bridge of Peace and "aerial tramway" to "the Mother of Georgia" then back to the "old city"



















ps: Regarding the balloon here the one in Paris, it's an interesting experience


Back to 2011 in Paris:

[Kristof]

This year, very few ride reports from Russia.
Here when "two crazy" guys met on the road to Madagan, they decided to ride together.
American on a rigid "Swedish style" and a Russian on a IZH+trailor

https://vk.com/video-40832768_456245075

https://vk.com/video196135718_456239267









-------------------------
RTW Doug, went to Magadan in 2011 with his Dirtster, I met him in 2012:

[Kristof]

September 2nd - 3rd From Brest (France) to Antananarivo (Madagascar, "The Great Red Island")





Paris CDG - Direct flight.













At the airport entrance:


------------------------
ps: At CDG, 2 A380:

[Kristof]

September 3rd - Antananarivo

[Kristof]

September 3rd, Honda/KTM - Yamaha

[Kristof]

September 4th
View from the "Queen's Palace"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rova_of_Antananarivo

Close for renovation:

[Kristof]

Various pictures from the city:
Dealer "100% Moto - Madagascar"
https://www.facebook.com/100x100motoantananarivo/






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[Kristof]

Friday 9th, the driver will go with the 4x4 to Diego Suarez, 2-3 days on the "road" and I will fly (2h) with an ATR72

Edited:
2h flight








3h3 to Ambilobe by car


Almost 2 days on the road


My pick-up in Tana


My pick-up in Ambilobe

[LadyDraco]

[Kristof]

Friday 9th - Diego Suarez / Ambilobe
3.3h on the "road"

[Kristof]

Sunday 11th - Ambilobe

[Kristof]

09/14-15 Ambilobe-Ambanja-Ambilobe

[Kristof]

09/22-29 - Ambanja







XT500












Baby Raptor (Ranger)

[Kristof]

09/25 - Close to Ambilobe
search for IHARANA BUSH CAMP
https://iharanabushcamp.com/en/








09/27 - Close to Diego Suarez










(not easy to drive and take the pictures...)

[Kristof]

10/01 - Diego Suarez - "1900"





View from the toilet