I will give this a bump as i havent replied to it yet.
Nice one Vern. I enjoyed that, had to wait for the misses to go out so i could watch the videos, shame I’ve watched 'em all now, you will have to do some more mate.
Just doing the Swiss bit would get me excited nowadays! 
And the yello sunglasses at the end, were you wearing them for a bet!■■
Keep the vids coming mate, and speak soon.
great pics and such an interesting trip ive not watched vids yet but will do that now… 
great diary though keep em coming… 
Great stuff, nice diary there matey!
I thought Belgium’s motorways are bad until I saw that. 
As for running to Basel going that way instead of Luxembourg-Strasbourg-Kehl Bridge and A5 and Basel to Moscow via Latvia 
instead of Basel-Karlsruhe-Munich-Vienna-Bratislava-Lviv-Kiev the jury is still out although to be fair I’ve never driven further East than Ljubljana and Dubrovnik and that’s only with a car. 
this blue sign about roundabound direction and you post “waiting” just some 30 -50 miles form my homeland place
Nice post there Mat, good to have a bit of an adventure every now and again it’s along time since I’ve been out that way. Used to be Dave Mackies old stamping ground when he was running to the southern gold mines. Have a look at dave mackie long haul trucking, it’ll cost you the best part of half a day to get through it.
I used to come back that way from loading manhole covers at Novosibirsk or industrial Bovril from Omsk as a back load from China if we didn’t get anything at the border. Turn left at Samara and run to Volgograd. There was always a diversion or 2 around that area.
The roads give the impression they are a bit better now, if not by much in some places, are there still static police checks along the way? they used to be on the county lines.
Censorship in Russia has changed a bit if you have to 18+ to buy a mag with ERF’s in it.
Jeff…
The roads give the impression they are a bit better now, if not by much in some places, are there still static police checks along the way? they used to be on the county lines.
The roads are not that bad but when they go wrong they go big style especially when it comes to roadworks.
Yes the static police points are still in place. They have a separate lane and you have to pass over a weigher to get your axle weights. Then they pull you and run your digi card looking for infringements. Was pulled twice from Ublinka to Moscow and they gave me a clean sheet.
P.S Who was in the EST truck with you?
Carryfast:
:shock:I thought Belgium’s motorways are bad until I saw that.
As for running to Basel going that way instead of Luxembourg-Strasbourg-Kehl Bridge and A5 and Basel to Moscow via Latvia
not only would that route involve 2 extra borders its also longer km wise
the EST truck was chris simcox pidpod
Excellent mate enjoyed the pictures and the videos and the 80s music my music era cheers
euromat:
Carryfast:
:shock:Basel to Moscow via Latvia
not only would that route involve 2 extra borders its also longer km wise
It’s always surprising how much distance travelled in latitude can often shorten the distance travelled in longitude the further places are from the poles in latitude.It’s a bit like the shortest distance from Los Angeles to London being via Northern Canada and Greenland.
Carryfast:
It’s always surprising how much distance travelled in latitude can often shorten the distance travelled in longitude the further places are from the poles in latitude.It’s a bit like the shortest distance from Los Angeles to London being via Northern Canada and Greenland.
Mat, as per our conversation earlier… !!
bald bloke:
Carryfast:
It’s always surprising how much distance travelled in latitude can often shorten the distance travelled in longitude the further places are from the poles in latitude.It’s a bit like the shortest distance from Los Angeles to London being via Northern Canada and Greenland.
I’m pretty sure that DAF doesn’t have wings on it, I’d prefer google maps or common sense for road transport myself
milodon:
I’m pretty sure that DAF doesn’t have wings on it, I’d prefer google maps or common sense for road transport myself
Actually the ideal circle for those two points was a bit further north than my idea but a bit further south than google maps and would have made it 2,995 kms.
Good old Carryfast, now ‘advising’ one of the forums most experienced international, indeed transcontinental, drivers on routes! Amazeballs.
Anyhow, very enjoyable. Gonna send you a PM with an idea.
What agreat insight into this remarkable journey. I like the google maps screen shot where it says only 54 hours driving left
kindle530:
Mat, as per our conversation earlier… !!
0
how dare he!!
switchlogic:
Good old Carryfast, now ‘advising’ one of the forums most experienced international, indeed transcontinental, drivers on routes! Amazeballs.
Armchair internet navigator, aka Chistopher Cucumberas