Brisbane- Port Vostochny - A slow start

22nd April 2007. Making a Dream, a Reality

Having just loaded two trucks into a 40 foot container we feel totally exhausted. Not because of the manual work, but because after 9 months of planning, the realisation has hit us that an adventure was about to happen. Perhaps also, the relief that the vehicles actually fitted into the container contributed to our feelings.

In brief the trip would take us from Magadan, east to Yakutsk (2200Kms) and south east to Tynda, Chita and Lake Baikal (4500Kms). Then a loupe through Mongolia (5500Kms) exiting in the Altai Mountains and on to Moscow and St Petersburg (12,000Kms) and eventually to the northern Russian sea port of Murmansk, Norway, Sweden, Europe, and finishing in the UK.

Inspired by the book and video ‘A Long Way Round’ by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman the adventure would be a drive of some 20,000 kilometres across Russia and Mongolia and would include the Kolyma Highway, better known as the notorious ‘Road of Bones’. I lent the ‘Long Way Round’ video to good friends Bill and Gaylene Lyne and stated I would love to do such a trip. Within the week Bill had telephoned and said that if we were serious about going, they would love to join us. At that stage Bill did not even have a suitable vehicle, yet here we are not, so many months later having just loaded two vehicles into a 40 foot high cube container bound for the far Northern Russian port of Magadan.

I have always had a passion for adventure; very fortunately my wife Lyn also shares that spirit although perhaps not to my extreme. Our holidays have always been to say the least unusual. From the tough 4x4 GPS trip following T.C.Madigans camel trek across the Simpson Desert, GPS trips across the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia, and our favourite destination to the eastern beaches of Cape York. From these experiences I started competing in the 4x4 Winch Challenges. I am fortunate to have competed in every 4x4 Outback Challenge since the first in 1999 having achieved a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and a 4th over the years. We also won in New Zealand in 2003 and achieved a credible 10th in the Malaysia Rainforest Challenge.

Bill has been a long time friend, having made acquaintance through the 4WD Winch Competition circle. Bill has had, a taste of my adventure spirit, having joined Lyn and myself on our Cape York Quad Bike trip down 300 kilometres of the eastern coast of Cape York in 2005. However the idea of driving overseas had never really been in Bill’s itinerary. The adventure of the ‘Road of Bones’ and Mongolia was too much. Once Bill purchased an Isuzu 4x4 light cab chassis truck and started to build a pop top camper the idea was cemented. Bill was fortunate being a builder that he had the know how to complete such a task. His camper would be modelled on my Mitsubishi Canter 4x4 camper, which had served us well on our 2006 GPS Great Sandy Desert crossing in Western Australia.

Whilst Bill had saw and glue gun in hand, it was my task researching the logistics of such an undertaking. The internet proved a valuable source of information and my internet time was logged at over 250 hours. Russian and Mongolian road maps were downloaded and converted to run on the Australian developed GPS program ‘OziExplorer’. Booking containers to remote ports, obtaining the appropriate visas, researching the customs formalities was all part of an intense 6 months preliminary work. Critical in all the research was the time slot for travel. The 2,200 kilometre track from Magadan to Yakutsk would only be open for about three weeks towards the end of June. Winter travel, although technically possible in the minus 30 to 40 degrees weather following December was not our style of holiday, and as the weather warms towards spring, the melt water is added to by the May rains turning the rivers wild and the tracks into impassable tundra slop. This leaves the few weeks around June/July as the only time for travel when the rivers start to drop before that winter weather moves in once again. Hence the loading date was set as 22nd April allowing for the one month sailing to Magadan, and then the inevitable customs and port formalities.
We had allowed for four months of travel but all would depend on the first and most extreme part of the trip – The ‘Kolyma Highway’ the 4x4 track from Magadan to Yakutsk.

Following the discovery of gold in the Kolyma River north of Magadan, in the early 1930’s, the then Supreme Soviet Leader, Josef Stalin sent prisoners to make roads, build bridges, and mine the precious metal. During Stalin’s ‘Great Terror’ years of 1937 to 1938 it is estimated that he sent over two million through Magadan, or as it become known ‘The Gateway to Hell’. This area was ideal as a prison camp; ice blocked for most of the year, 9000 kilometres from Moscow and surrounded by frozen mountains in winter and impenetrable mosquito infested swamps in summer. Building the road from Magadan to Yakutsk, Gulag prisoners toiled for 14-hour a day even in winter, leaving few survivors and many frozen bodies along the way, hence the road become known as “The Road of Bones”. This track is now rarely travelled, is not maintained, and there are no trip notes available. Zooming down via Google Earth one could see parts of the old track and the washed out log bridges. We had a challenge before we started even to find out if it was passable, and yet would actually never know until we actually got to that point.

Bill Nicoll, of Silver Wind Corporation had been very helpful in organising the container, and as I understand it, it was something unusual to send a 40’ High Cube to Magadan, let alone from Brisbane to Magadan. Following a phone call to Wayne Francis, an old school mate in the forwarding industry, we were put in contact with Mick Toomey of Interport Cargo to arrange the loading of the container at their premises.

At Interport we met up with Peter Murphy who had tracked us down via The Hubb (Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Bulletin Board) and had asked if they could fit two motor bikes into our container. Peter and his mate from Vancouver, Canada were also in the process of planning a trip from Magadan to Mongolia by motorbikes and after seeing my research notes on the Hubb, expedited their plans to avail themselves of the deal we struck to co-share the container.

With the side mirrors removed and the tyres let down to 25psi it was a tight squeeze into the 40 footer. Both vehicles were built to fit but measuring in the shed at home is not the same as actually doing it. The top of the vehicles cleared the container roof by 50mm and the sides by 300mm. The only exit for us from the container after tie down was by shuffling along the floor under the differentials. By 3.30 I am heading home daunted by the fact that if we had forgotten anything it was way too late and we would have to improvise.

From contacts in our 4x4 Winch Competition sport, we were put in touch with Andrey Sudbin from the Russian magazine “Off-Road Drive”. He wants to do an article on these mad Australians in two camper trucks crossing this notorious road. We needed a translator to perhaps help out clearing the vehicles in Magadan, and he wanted a story – it was a fair swap. It was thus arranged that Andrey would fly from Moscow and join us in Magadan on the 20th June.


11th June 2007 – A taste of things to come!

We leave 5am tomorrow morning for Vladivostok via Sydney and Seoul in Korea, but what a week we have had.
We had not even touched Russian soil and already we have had a severe taste of the bureaucracy. Our container arrived in the Port of Vostochny (130kms north of Vladivostok) on 21rd May with a connection ship to Magadan about 30th May.
Then we receive an E-mail on 29th May saying

“Pls note that the container with your cargo is idle in transit port Vostochny, Russia”

Needless to say the container missed that sailing AND also the next. About 40 plus E-mails later, and numerous telephone calls between Brisbane, Melbourne, Vladivostok and Vostochny, I now believe I am at the heart of the problem. Customs treat the on-forwarding from Vostochny to Magadan as a domestic leg, meaning that the container must be custom cleared in Vostochny not Magadan. Why no one realised this before is a loss to me; however an adventure is where no one has been before, and to my knowledge shipping vehicles into Magadan from Australia, or from anywhere else for that matter has not been done before. Hence as we are breaking new ground - the adventure must have already started!

The next news was….

Dear Bill, (Bill Nicoll of Silverwind)
i've just came back from customs house with bad news. Custom house administration can allow to transit this cntr to Magadan under customs control:

1. if we, as forwarder, indicate gross weight and amount for each name of commodities in the per packing list, - Kym’s note – impossible, a $ value and weight for every spanner, spoon, plate, pillow etc etc.

2. or, consignee can arrange temporary import authority semself in Vostochnyi customs house,

3. or, customs broker (instead of consignee based on an agreement between them) will arrange temporary import authority for b/m cntr.

That is 3 ways only
Signed Vladimir Zhenikhailov of Silver wind Corporation – Vladivostok.
Hence we are off to Vladivostok with a mission to complete No2 above!

In the process I did find a very useful link for further sailings from Vladivostok/Vostochny to Magadan and return:
http://www.tma.ru/showservice.php?serviceid=fml&locale=en

The team at Silver Wind Corporation both here in Australia (Bill Nicoll) and Vladimir Zhenikhailov in Vladivostok were great, with communication at every turn. Vladimir even telephoned me on my mobile phone in Brisbane the day before we left advising that they would do everything to help. That was great service up to this point, later as we would find out, it just vaporised.


Thursday -14th June 2007

Position: Vostochny Port, 130Km North of Vladivostok
Highlights: The start of learning about ‘Russian System’
Excitement with finally arriving Vladivostok. Discussions with Silver Wind Shipping Corporation about getting vehicles. As the day moves forward the anticipation of everything going well slowly fades!


We arrived in Vladivostok yesterday afternoon, knowing today would start well with the owner of Silver Wind Corporation, Mr Vladimir Zhenikhailov meeting us at the hotel at 8am to take us to the container port to attend to the customs formalities. During this 4 hour drive north, we discussed the procedure and that we would meet with the general manager of Oristra Co, Sergey Ukolov. Oristra are the shipping agency, handling the container transfer from Vostochny to Magadan.

As we drive, we were continually impressed with how lush and green the country is, particularly after leaving South East Queensland in its drought brown condition. I found the amount natural bush impressive, significant stands of white barked Birch trees graced every hill and valley. The towns with their drab multi-story concrete apartments a total contrast to the small villages with their very small one or two room houses with brightly coloured windows and veggie gardens. Along the road, old ladies sold potatoes, shallots or flowers to supplement their small state pensions.

Finally we arrive at the Port, on the side of the road Vladimir introduced us to his local manager Irina Pavel who according to Vladimir, “knew everything there was to know in this port”. We felt everything was going to fall into place very soon. Vladimir then dropped us at the hotel saying that Sergey from Orista would meet us in the hotel lobby soon. What then surprised us was that he then left to go back to Vladivostok, neither he nor Irina were going to be with us for the ongoing process. Some how I thought because we paid Silver Wind to get our container from Brisbane to Magadan they would actually follow through the process. We felt totally whitewashed! He had been so very helpful up until that moment, then gone and not to be heard from again!

I started the whole story again with the Orista people. Alexander from their office then took us to the National Custom Broker Company who would ‘negotiate’ on our behalf, our container clearance with customs. Again the story was repeated, but more related to the problems of why, and how. Many probing questions for example “Why do you have so much alcohol?” We had listed in the requested contents 8Lts of methylated spirits! The word spirits equated to the drinking kind, and they had never heard of a spirit that you could cook with. (We were using methylated spirit stoves because we knew supplies of LPG gas would be difficult to obtain in Russia and Mongolia) Partly satisfied, the questioning continued “Why, if you cook with it, do you have it listed in vehicle parts and not with food”. And so it went on and on.

We did finish on a good note and all talked and joked about how we have now met the ‘Russian System’ head on. I imagine a leftover from a more suspicious past time.

After the 2 pm meeting with NCB, we waited in the very moderate hotel foyer until 6.30pm for the answer to our most important questions. Would customs accept our paperwork, and does Peter Murphy have to come personally to Vostochny Port from Australia to clear his bikes? Finally the answer came by telephone at 7.30pm – Customs would decide only tomorrow after midday, and after all documents were translated into Russian!

It was going to be a slow start to our adventure.

We walked to the small magazine (shop) next door to the hotel and tried to buy some Rum, or Vodka, but gratefully settled for 3 large bottles of beer.


No wonder the young Russian teenagers have a serious drinking problem!

Final Note:
Kym - “Why are there no road signs?”
Vladimir – “That is part of the old Russian system. Everything is a secret!”


Friday 15th - Sunday 17th June 2007

Position: Vostochny Port
Highlights: Still waiting for customs to ‘consider’ correctness of paperwork. We now have a ‘legal’ letter appointing customs broker. Visit to local big town of Nakhodka.

Distance: Zero in the big scheme of things.

Friday was another long day; we seem to spend so much time waiting in anticipation of something to actually happen. In the morning we went for a walk filling in time. The ‘town’ of Vostochny is at the very eastern end of the Trans Siberian Railway. The town is 400 meters long, and has been specifically built to service the container port. There are 25,000 containers, one 10 room hotel in the 5 story grey concrete shipping complex, and across the road, one café, and one service station…that’s it.

During the Soviet Era Vostochny was a military port and the only Pacific port open to foreign shipping, and today it is still operated under military administration. This was to prove the basis of our problem, old habits die hard and everybody was suspicious and everything and everybody was watched.

Returning to the hotel foyer at 12 O’clock we waited further news of customs decision. Finally at 3 pm, Alexander from the Orista Company informed us that Customs would ‘consider’ our application once they saw all the documents translated into Russia. It also may not be necessary for Peter Murphy to fly from Australia to be present. However we would need a lawyer to write a letter on my behalf to appoint the Customs Broker who would represent us. The hotel foyer became our point of contact with the shipping industry as most of their offices were upstairs, and we could ‘attack’ them as they came and went. Sitting here patiently, I also hope they may also have some pity on us waiting in this small town that has become so important in the process of us driving across Russia.

At 5pm, Alexander, indicated that we were invited by members of the Orista staff to join them on a visit to the local town of Nakhodka. It was a great evening with Anna and the driver Vlad. Anna spoke perfect English having been an English teacher for 3 years and studied it at university. It was good talking about the area, lifestyles, and life in general. Further more, we would be picked up tomorrow morning to see the lawyer.

Saturday morning we were met by Vlad and another member of the Orista team - Natalia, and headed the 30 km back into Nakhodka. Natalia, also spoke good English and asked her Orista ‘boss’ to be with us so as she could practice her English. She had not spoken English for 3 years and looked at the chance to refresh her vocabulary. Arriving at the lawyer at 10am there was already a line up of about 15 people. Without appointments, and what I thought confusion, the ‘system’ worked and we were seated in front of the female lawyer within 30 minutes. The form was a standard type of form and would be ready at 2pm in the afternoon. Following some sightseeing at the Local Park and zoo, lunch at an Azerbaijan restaurant we returned to the lawyer. Natalia translated it in to English for me and I then signed this very impressive form. All this, just to appoint a customs broker!

Of what remained of the afternoon, the 4 Australians dominated the small hotel foyer. We listened to John Williamson and others from the computer, Bill and I drank the local beer, while Lyn and Gaylene polished off a bottle of Chilean Red Merlot.

Sunday was a day of pushing our Russian language limits. We decided to catch the local bus back into Nakhodka, wander around the shops, have lunch and return by bus to the port. I am pleased to conclude that all this was accomplished admirably. Particular credit goes to Lyn who has taken on the roll of translator. Vera, our Russian teacher would be very pleased of Lyn’s achievements considering she has had only 5 hours of lessons.



Monday 18th – Tuesday 19th June 2007
Position: Vostochny Port…still
Highlights: Still waiting for customs to ‘consider’ correctness of paperwork. The ‘legal’ letter appointing customs broker is not enough.
More problems, more waiting. Morale momentarily low.

Distance: Still Zero in the big scheme of things.

Monday started with anticipation that all would move forward now that we had the legal document appointing the National Customs Broker. No, only now they tell us that Bill also must have an appointment letter. Why this was not previously mentioned is another Russian mystery. One hour and 700RBL (A$28) later, Bill had his letter, but the most disastrous news was that Peter would also need such a letter – but Peter was in Australia!
They would NOT accept Peter’s letter of authority to me, it had to be a legal document, actually a Power of Attorney, prepared by a lawyer, AND stamped and signed with a special stamp from the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs. This stamp, or appostile, makes the document legal in both Russia and Australia. With many frantic SMS’s, phone calls and E-mails to Peter, we hope that this is in process.

I fail to understand why this matter is so complex, and the stupidity of the system

To make matters worst the ship was arriving tomorrow from Magadan and leaving two days early for the return voyage. Our deadline for loading is now in 3 days.

Finally at 11.30pm, Peter telephones me with his plan to get the documents prepared and signed in Northern New South Wales and then drive to Brisbane for the appropriate stamping.

Tuesday, we are still sitting in the lobby. I think we have been here too long. The passing parades of office workers now say ‘Stras Voyter’ (Hello) to us as they migrate past, to and from their offices.

SMS is wonderful as Peter keeps us informed of his progress getting the POA and stamping by Department of Foreign Affairs. Peter achieved all this in record time and SMS’ed us at 2pm after sending an E-mailed copy. The Shipping agent produced the copy and we went immediately to the lawyer ready for the next move. You would not believe our depression when she said she would ONLY accept the original. That could only arrive 3 days later (Friday) by DHL. I fail to understand, when only yesterday she said she would accept a 5meg file scanned E-mailed copy.

This decision immediately meant that we would miss the next sailing to Magadan. All plans are again in turmoil for so many people. We, AND the local shipping agent ‘Orista’, who have been incredibly helpful, are dumbfounded with the difficulty.

In Summary: We have been working on clearing the vehicles for 5 days now, and currently we are waiting for an original document so we can get a Lawyers letter so we can appoint a customs broker, who will represent us at customs, who will ‘consider’ our application! Tomorrow is another day.

Wednesday 20th – Thursday 21st June 2007

Position: Nakhodka – Home-stay
Highlights: Confirmed next sailing to Magadan 5 July arriving 10th July Magadan. Too far away!
Checked out of Hotel Vostochny, moved to home-stay in Nakhodka. Docs from Australia delayed.

Distance: Again Still Zero in the big scheme of things.

Our day started with a down that the next sailing to Magadan from Port Vostochny was on 5th July, some 15 days away, arriving 10th July. There is a closer sailing from Vladivostok, but the logistics of transferring the container to Vladivostok to save 3 days is not considered worth while. Whatever we did shipping wise would equate to a 3 week wait somewhere in Russia. We have had enough of waiting!
Our decision is made that once we have achieved customs clearance of the container is to unload here in Vostochny and drive. We are anxious to just get going…

This decision significantly changes all our plans; however is the only sensible decision we can make. The plan is now to drive: Vladivostok-Tynda-Yakutsk-Magadan. Then retrace out tracks Magadan-Yakutsk-Tynda and on to Mongolia etc. Besides it is only an extra 10,000 kilometres over some of the worst roads in the world!

Of this we had to inform Peter in Australia, Tom in Vancouver and Andrey in Moscow, and with after two attempts on a borrowed Russian worded computer we finally achieved.

Our next move was to exit the Hotel and find less expensive accommodation. The 6 day stay in Vostochny at 2600RUB (A$104) per night x 2 couples was, we felt more than we wanted to pay. Natalia, was very helpful in finding accommodation in Nakhodka. We now are paying 1000RUB (A$40) /night x 2 couples in a home-stay apartment. We each have our own room, air con, TV and a share bathroom and kitchen with our non-English speaking hosts.

Following settling into the room, we explored the local environment, found a bottle shop and purchased; 2lts white wine, 1.5lts Gin & Tonic (pre-mix), 2lts bottle beer, and promptly started to drink the spoils.

We felt we both deserved and needed it.

The 21st was Lyn’s birthday, but it was hard to celebrate. After telephoning Orista, and confirming with Peter by SMS, we heard that the documents we needed had only left Australia today, hence would not be here at least until Monday. This means another 4 days to do nothing but wait. We are really becoming annoyed with the frustration of being unable to get on with our holiday.
We spent the day walking the streets of Nakhodka, found a great little fishing store, where Bill and I each purchased a 3meter collapsible fishing rod (A$8.00) reel (A$20) line and tackle all for a total about A$40each. We think we have done well. More walking found us in the local markets, great fruit and vegies (better than in town) lots of shoes and fashion, but not really our style.
Managed to finally track down the local internet café – BUT nothing was working!

Telephoned, Andrey in Moscow, to bring him up to date, and was pleased he is still very keen to join us, despite the changes to the plan.

I have to quote Andrey
“The only thing that is worse than our bad roads is the Russian System”

On this I have to agree
Oh! On second thoughts…if the system is this bad what are the roads like?



Friday 22nd- Sunday 24th June 2007

Position: Nakhodka –Vladivostok -Nakhodka
Highlights: Change of scenery to fill in time. Local Bus back to Vladivostok.
Sight seeing in Vladivostok and the train back to Nakhodka.

Distance: And again, Still Zero in the big scheme of things.

It is confirmed that Peter’s documents would NOT arrive from Australia until Monday, hence being only Friday afternoon we decided to catch the local bus back to Vladivostok. We had previously prepaid from Australia for two nights accommodation at Hotel Vladivostok, which was unused and had also left our suitcases there on anticipation of a quick return. Huh!
Currently we have been living out of a backpack each and a change of clothing would be both refreshing and uplifting. Returning to Nakhodka with our respective suitcases would also mean we could drive away from Port Vostochny and bypass Vladivostok on our way north. This time would also allow us some sightseeing around Vladivostok, and to catch up with Alexander Kholianou who had driven the Road of Bones 2 years previously.

We are becoming quite conversant in catching buses. Firstly the No2 to the bus terminal and then the 506 to Vladivostok. This 4 hour drive was very cheap at 207RUB (A$8.00) each. Then a local taxi to Hotel Vladivostok.

Saturday 23rd, was full. Firstly we headed off to the Post office to finally send some E-mails, and to update the blog. We met with Alex, who had bought with him a DVD of the Sathoon 4x4 Club trip across the Road of Bones in 2005. It was great to see what is ahead, and to learn of some of the points of interest we should look out for. Alex then took on the part of tour guide, and showed us some of the points of interest around Vladivostok. The most Eastern point of the Russian land mass, the Russian navel base, and a very commanding view of the town.


In the afternoon, we revisited on foot some of the areas that Alex showed us in the morning, finishing up in the evening at the ‘beach’ end of town trying the local prawns. They look like a cross between our prawns and the Morton Bay bugs, however the taste is very ordinary. I think we are spoilt with our local sea food!

Sunday was a new challenge, yesterday we checked out the train schedule to Nakhodka, and there is a train at 12midday, taking 4 hours.

That was our plan
…and it all happened as planned.

We had the last carriage to ourselves and spent the time standing at the open window watching the green country and the small villages past by.

At Nakhodka our host Allisa, welcomed us back home.



Monday 25th June 2007

Position: Nakhodka and Port Vostochny
Highlights: Paperwork arrived, and then more problems with the contents of the vehicles. Customs want to check and they want to get quarantine involved!

Distance: MORE ZERO’S still no movement in the big scheme of things.

Peter as been keeping us informed continually on the movement of those all important DHL documents, and the most recent SMS indicating the arrival of the documents at the port at 10am. With that we were on a local bus by 9.45 to the bus terminal then No26 to the port.

At 11am the parcel arrived and immediately we are off to the lawyer, ½ hour later we had one more link in the chain completed. Everything closes for lunch from 12 to 1.30pm…..but we are used to waiting.

Finally at 2.30pm all the papers are presented to customs…THEN they find another problem. On our bill of lading we listed a small amount of food, like coffee and tea, and this they (customs) want to test. The container must be moved to a safe area to open and that takes time. It could also take up to 2 days for the results!
Currently we are waiting, again, for this to happen.

Later we get a message that customs will close an eye to the small amount of food, but they insist that ‘sanitary’ (we think they mean quarantine) want to check the vehicles.

Finally at 5pm we learn that this will happen tomorrow at 9.30am

We return to our home-stay, pack our bags in anticipation of a get-away tomorrow.

To explain, to bring a vehicle to Russia you need to get from customs a ‘Temporary Import Permit’ this pink piece of paper lists the vehicle registration, chassis and engine number and allows you to transit Russia without paying import duties on the vehicle. Other items are personal effects, like in your suitcase when you arrive at the airport. Some how, our Customs broker does not understand this and insists that the Import Document must list ALL contents of the vehicle. This is not correct. He has a real problem comprehending this particularly in relation to the food (coffee etc) because that would be consumed during our travels hence would not be re-exported so it can not be temporary.



Tuesday 26th – Wednesday 27th June 2007

Position: Port Vostochny
Highlights: More disappointments because we are still waiting.

Distance Travelled: ZERO

Tuesday, the weather has changed to overcast, no more of that ‘Sunshine State’ sunshine. We are determined today we will get our vehicles. Following catching the bus, once again to the port, we are informed at Orista’s office at 10.30am that inspection would not be today, as the paperwork needs to be presented to customs and they only accept that type of paperwork at 5pm each day.

Now I am annoyed…….. I immediately request a meeting with the National Customs Broker. Using Nathalia as translator, I methodically set out the time line of events, and in no uncertain terms expressed our annoyance to him. I went on to threaten telling the world about their stupidity and lack of performance to all the internet sites I had gleaned information from for our trip, and also threw in the Russian off-Road magazine article just for good luck. All in the room knew I was mad. Awaiting his response - there was silence. All he could do was sigh. He had nothing to say other than he was doing his best.

Personally I believe the National Customs Broker do not know what they are doing.

My talking must have done some good, the wheels are slowly turning. That afternoon the container was moved to the Customs examination area and Alexander went to inspect the contents. He returns saying that it is impossible for customs to look at the vehicle and contents because they are so tightly packed. We had already told them this.

Another day passes and tomorrow, Bill and I must take the trucks and bikes out so that the National Customs Broker can take pictures of all the contents.

Wednesday, Lyn telephoned her Mum to wish her happy birthday, and we hope her good luck wishes to us come true. As least we will be able to see and touch the vehicles today.
Because it is a military controlled port Bill and I must have permission from the Director General of the military. Normally this is a 2 day process – finally we have a fax copy for permission in the record time of 1 hour.

Someone out there is starting to pull some favours.

However as we check into the port area at the control point the large security woman would NOT accept the signed fax copy of the permission. This is very much a land of mistrust, and she insisted on telephoning the Director General for confirmation and to verify his signature.

Opening the container we finally saw our vehicles and they both fortunately started first turn of the keys.

The National Customs Broker proceeded to photograph all contents up until the time a customs officer arrived. He was only interested in confirming the chassis and engine number, and informed the Broker that recording ALL personal contents was unnecessary.
THAT is what I had been telling National Customs Broker for 2 weeks now.


Our next challenge was that it was becoming impossible to find Bill’s engine number. We looked for over an hour; however the customs official was not really concerned because the vehicle was new having done a mere 15,000kms.

I am convinced that the source of all our problems is the National Customs Broker, they simply do not understand the procedure.

Alexander’s final comments for the day. “Why did National Customs Broker sleep for so long when all this could have been done in 2 days?”

I recall reading somewhere that a famous Russian writer once said “Russia is full of bad roads and lots of foolish men”

We are disappointed but feel we will drive away tomorrow!

Today we also moved back to the hotel in Port Vostochny from the home stay. Firstly this was in anticipation of leaving soon but more importantly to get registration.

Registration is an immigration requirement that all foreigners who arrive in Russia must register their visa within 3 days of arrival in Russia, and then every 4 working days thereafter and/or every time they change towns. Our visas were registered on arrival the first day at the Hotel Vladivostok, and then at Hotel Vostochny.

Now that we have moved to the home stay, some 30Kms down the road; it was considered a town change and extended beyond the four day limit. With everything else going on, we had totally forgotten this. As we checked back into Hotel Vostochny they blankly refused to register our visas. Personally I think they were annoyed that we chose the home stay over their accommodation. In the end they reported us to the immigration authorities, who imposed a 2,000RUB (A$80) fine per person and a fine would also be imposed on the home stay.

We elected not to divulge the name of the person at the home stay and would take the chance on never being caught with immigration. It just elevated our adrenalin each time we were pulled up at a police road check.

Over the next 3 months in and out of Russia we never had a problem. To the hotels and police this old law is a nuisance, most country hotels did not even know about foreign registration, so except for first time registration we never worried about it.


Thursday 28th – Friday 29th June 2007

Position: Camped in the bush 80kms out side Port Vostochny
Highlights: Thursday almost there, but not enough.
Peter arrived from Australia.
Friday most of the day waiting …then we have a conclusion.

Distance Travelled: ZERO – then finally 47Kms.

Thursday, we were so sure we would drive away today, but the day dragged on with small achievements being made.
We were so close, and customs were about to print the Temporary Import Permit, then because we were the first vehicles to be ever cleared through this port, customs did not have the necessary paper to print the permit on.
The rest is a comedy of errors that could never be scripted it you tried. Alexander made a ‘rally car drive’ (his words) to the next town 40kms away to get the correct paperwork from customs in Nakhodka. He arrived at 4pm and had to pay a 100RUB fee per page. However the customs officer would not accept the payment because they closed the till at 3pm! Such is the stupidity of the system. He did give Alexander the Customs bank account details yet the bank declined the deposit because they maintained the numbers were incorrect and the money would finish up in the “cosmos”. Hence another day passes.


At 6.30pm that evening Peter, the owner of the 2 bikes arrived.
We were very appreciative of Peter shouting us dinner that night as we swapped stories of Australia and of our events here.

Friday 29th June

At 3.30 in the afternoon, Bill ran through the office of Orista yelling :
“We’ve got our trucks!”

There was a lot that happened that day and particular thanks goes out to Alexander and Natalia of the Orista Company who pushed every limit. For a small moment Peter experienced the ups and downs of the last 2 weeks and makes the decision that he and Tom will head towards Mongolia as soon as the airline finds his lost luggage!

I had a final meeting with the National Customs Broker and did thank him for his work and following his request, I would not report the experience to the press as I had threatened to do. Finally with that reassurance he handed over our paperwork. Following these discussions, I do believe in the last few days they used every favour they had with both Customs and the Military to expedite the release of our vehicles.

Alex went on to explain later that The National Custom Brokers were the ONLY company prepared to take on the work.


We collected the vehicles from the port and then I thanked profusely the Orista management and particularly Alexander and Natalia. The procedure had cost us 16 days, but also Orista had contributed 2 weeks work of two very valuable employees.
For this we will always be indebted.


We drove out of Port Vostochny at around 6pm. That night we camped in the bush, about 80kms from the port.
Finally, our adventure can begin!

Friday 29th June - Distance: 47Kms
Camp 1: Forrest camp outside Nahodka