Bike got away safely to Korea and should be waiting at the Busan docks when i get there. Hopefully all custom cleared with my temporary import export permit . I need this or I'm going nowhere. The Ferry leaves every Sunday from Donghea and I'm booked for the 23rd So if all goes well i should have 8 to 10 days to ride around Korea First . Country has 80 million people and is 2/3 the size of New Zealand's south island so it will be a quick learning curve for riding on the other side of the road. But before that i have 14 hours to kill in KL .
Busan or Bust
Finally made it to Busan after 3 days of traveling .You would think that 14 hour in KL would be easy to kill but when you fly out at 11.30pm dont sleep on the plane the last thing you want to do is pound the streets. fly out that night at 11.30pm arriving in Seoul 6.00am again no sleep . Both Seoul and KL have transit trains from the airport right into the middle city. English is everywhere in KL so made it easier to work out trains ,subways and buying food. but Korea on one speaks english and apart from the road signs having written words on then every thing else is symbols. Seoul, the small bit is saw is your typical large over crowded city , It,s not hard to see why it,s so prosperous over the last 10 years , no Japanese cars and very few electronic companies , all Korean , Hyundai cars make up 75% of cars on the roads and the Asian people have embarrassed the mobile phone to the point that every person on the train was holding one .
Hi speed train to Busan took 2 1/2 hours to cover 500km not as nice as the European trains but just as fast and one leaving every 30 minutes show how many people use it to travel. Seoul to Busan is like going from Paris to Marseille . Definitely the tourist city of Korea . After a 30 minutes walk got to the customs house and $1000 and 2 hours later i'm riding my own bike out and on to the streets and a further 30 minutes i find my hotel . That was interesting ,rush hour and riding on the other side of the road .
Hit the Road
After the false start yesterday i finally started heading north up the east coast to Donghea . Plan was to head about 200 km north and then go and camp a few nights in one of the national parks before getting the boat but I'm afraid Korea doesnt like motorbikes and make it very hard to get anywhere fast . No bikes on any motorway or any large bridge were the speed limit is 80km so it took me the best part of 2 hours to get across Busan and out to the coastal road , which is pretty good riding if you like going 60km and every 10km theres another fishing village. great for the first 3 or 4 times but wares thin after that . In saying that the scenery is nice . unfortunately because you cant go on the motorways you have to ride through the larger citys and these are quite large industrial city's with people every where. I only made it 170km in 5 hours and as i dont know the quality of the national parks roads i wasn't going to chance it with night coming on . stopped at a seaside hotel about 20km from the turn off so will have a full day to attack it tomorrow.
Camping to Vodka
Got to the national park after asking some friendly firemen the way. Nice spot , about 25km of trails to explore . Hiking is a Korea past time so all the facility's are top notch . Nice clean camp ground . UP early for a run to the boarder . again a slow ride but still worth it , unfortunately i was stopped 5 km short of the board as motorcycles aren't allow . right up on the boarder. no photos either . Back down the road i came down to Donghea to wait for the ferry. Waiting outside the terminal at 9 am was greeted by Mr Karn , he organizes all the paperwork for exporting the bikes to Russia , all went without a hitch and at 2.30pm we leave Korea bound for Vladivostok.
The Ferrys website and photos do it more justice than it deserves . very basic with 8 to a room buck style although there were very few people and only myself and another biker heading for Mongolia shared the one room . and Italian biker heading home after 18 months is also on the boat . very clam sailing and 24 hours later we sail into Vladivostok .
Our bikes are impounded for 3 days while Yuri ,our fixer sorts out insurance and import permits .
hopefully on Wednesday afternoon should be riding of the wharf. If that does happen will spend a night at the iron tigers motorcycle club to check the bike maybe look at a new tyre . In the mean time it,s site seeing time .
Vladivostok to Chita
Got the bike on Wedensday about 6pm ,so straight back to the hostel ,grab my gear and off to the Iron Tigers club house. These guys are the most helpful hospitable bunch people your likely to meet. Had to wait for the Italian rider i meet on the boat , his new license was being posted and he needed it for his insurance.
Got going around 10 ,hoping to get to Kabaros 750km by dark but only 450km. the road is still being made so there are good bits then theres 20km sections of pot holed gravel . in fact most of the road apart from the last 500km into Chita is pretty much like this. Stop in a small village and got invited to a 50th birthday party at the local out door kebab house. While we were there word got out that 3 foreign biker were in town and the local police came by and wrote down our number plates . It's zero alcohol tolerance in Russia so they were waiting for us to leave . Luckily they were spotted writing down the number plates so we were warned and advised to camp at the back of the kebab house . Gravel car park , musci till 3 , fireworks and a large barking dog aided in the lack of sleep.
Still got going around 7 and were in Kabaros by 11. and a further 500km and 7hours later found ourselves camping up a logging road . Same deal the next day , gravel and pot holes and camping in the bush until we reached Chita . One of the people staying in the hostel in Vladivostok warned us not to go to Chita "many criminals in Chita " he kept repeating . I found it to be a great city , Theres a large statue of Lennon in the main square .
,The out lying area like in most city look a bit dodgy and you just don't go there. Got a hotel as 5 days riding makes for smelly bikers and while showering in found a tick buried into my chest . Off to the local Doctor surgery as ticks here carry nasty diseases . 2 injections in the bum and we're all clear to go. Had a good look around the main city centre and a good night sleep in a real bed before the next stage.
Chita to Irkutsk
After a morning of looking around the centre we rode out of town about 2pm heading for Ulan ade 620km away. Once again the road has it,s good stretches ,bad stretches and down right awful stretches . came across large bits of road removed in 1m x 3m sections and about 200cm deep with no warnings as to them being there. It's like the road crew have come along and removed a bad section of road but the tar seal truck and it's workers haven't caught up to fill them in . The closer you get to Ulan ude the more Asian faces you see as it is only 350km from the Mongolian boarder.20km before town I say goodbye to my riding companion as he's going to Mongolia . and 1 hour later I'm at the Opposite motorcycle club eating , drinking and swapping stories with the 4 Russian bikers that are also staying there before there ride down to Mongolia. One draws me a map of a lake in the south that is better and has less people than Lake bikail . The 4 bikers leave at 6am the next day I also pack up head into the town centre to see the largest stone statue of Lenon's head before riding the 460km to Irkutsk
Irkutsk to Barnaul
Arriving in Irkutsk at 6pm the contact i was given didn't have his phone turned on and after trying 3 hotels that all wanted 3000 r ( $120 aud) and all the hostel and smaller hotels were full as the trains from Chine and Vladivostok both arrived today . They meet here , have a stop over before the china passengers join the Vladivostok train bound for Moscow. So i gave up and headed out of town about 100km and camped in the forest just of the road. Another 2 days riding and i was in Kemerovo looking for a bike chain with no luck , but one shop called another in the next city 600km away and they had the right chain so crossed finger mine will last. Even lubing the chain daily the sand , dirt and dust eat out the o rings . the chain hasn't stretched just has to much sideways movement. I thought i would chance it and took a 3 day detour to the lake on the map i had drawn for me back in Ulan ade . while there i meet a biker on a CB400 who told me the bike shop he goes to in Barnaul has chains and tryes and as I will also need a tyre before much longer may as well do both at the same time. Barnaul is only 380km from the lake so an easy ride. .The bike shop only had a tyre in stock but ordered me a chain . so it's another 2 day stop over but least i will have good rubber and chain for the next 3700km to Moscow.
Busan or Bust
Finally made it to Busan after 3 days of traveling .You would think that 14 hour in KL would be easy to kill but when you fly out at 11.30pm dont sleep on the plane the last thing you want to do is pound the streets. fly out that night at 11.30pm arriving in Seoul 6.00am again no sleep . Both Seoul and KL have transit trains from the airport right into the middle city. English is everywhere in KL so made it easier to work out trains ,subways and buying food. but Korea on one speaks english and apart from the road signs having written words on then every thing else is symbols. Seoul, the small bit is saw is your typical large over crowded city , It,s not hard to see why it,s so prosperous over the last 10 years , no Japanese cars and very few electronic companies , all Korean , Hyundai cars make up 75% of cars on the roads and the Asian people have embarrassed the mobile phone to the point that every person on the train was holding one .
Hi speed train to Busan took 2 1/2 hours to cover 500km not as nice as the European trains but just as fast and one leaving every 30 minutes show how many people use it to travel. Seoul to Busan is like going from Paris to Marseille . Definitely the tourist city of Korea . After a 30 minutes walk got to the customs house and $1000 and 2 hours later i'm riding my own bike out and on to the streets and a further 30 minutes i find my hotel . That was interesting ,rush hour and riding on the other side of the road .
Hit the Road
After the false start yesterday i finally started heading north up the east coast to Donghea . Plan was to head about 200 km north and then go and camp a few nights in one of the national parks before getting the boat but I'm afraid Korea doesnt like motorbikes and make it very hard to get anywhere fast . No bikes on any motorway or any large bridge were the speed limit is 80km so it took me the best part of 2 hours to get across Busan and out to the coastal road , which is pretty good riding if you like going 60km and every 10km theres another fishing village. great for the first 3 or 4 times but wares thin after that . In saying that the scenery is nice . unfortunately because you cant go on the motorways you have to ride through the larger citys and these are quite large industrial city's with people every where. I only made it 170km in 5 hours and as i dont know the quality of the national parks roads i wasn't going to chance it with night coming on . stopped at a seaside hotel about 20km from the turn off so will have a full day to attack it tomorrow.
Camping to Vodka
Got to the national park after asking some friendly firemen the way. Nice spot , about 25km of trails to explore . Hiking is a Korea past time so all the facility's are top notch . Nice clean camp ground . UP early for a run to the boarder . again a slow ride but still worth it , unfortunately i was stopped 5 km short of the board as motorcycles aren't allow . right up on the boarder. no photos either . Back down the road i came down to Donghea to wait for the ferry. Waiting outside the terminal at 9 am was greeted by Mr Karn , he organizes all the paperwork for exporting the bikes to Russia , all went without a hitch and at 2.30pm we leave Korea bound for Vladivostok.
The Ferrys website and photos do it more justice than it deserves . very basic with 8 to a room buck style although there were very few people and only myself and another biker heading for Mongolia shared the one room . and Italian biker heading home after 18 months is also on the boat . very clam sailing and 24 hours later we sail into Vladivostok .
Our bikes are impounded for 3 days while Yuri ,our fixer sorts out insurance and import permits .
hopefully on Wednesday afternoon should be riding of the wharf. If that does happen will spend a night at the iron tigers motorcycle club to check the bike maybe look at a new tyre . In the mean time it,s site seeing time .
Vladivostok to Chita
Got the bike on Wedensday about 6pm ,so straight back to the hostel ,grab my gear and off to the Iron Tigers club house. These guys are the most helpful hospitable bunch people your likely to meet. Had to wait for the Italian rider i meet on the boat , his new license was being posted and he needed it for his insurance.
Got going around 10 ,hoping to get to Kabaros 750km by dark but only 450km. the road is still being made so there are good bits then theres 20km sections of pot holed gravel . in fact most of the road apart from the last 500km into Chita is pretty much like this. Stop in a small village and got invited to a 50th birthday party at the local out door kebab house. While we were there word got out that 3 foreign biker were in town and the local police came by and wrote down our number plates . It's zero alcohol tolerance in Russia so they were waiting for us to leave . Luckily they were spotted writing down the number plates so we were warned and advised to camp at the back of the kebab house . Gravel car park , musci till 3 , fireworks and a large barking dog aided in the lack of sleep.
Still got going around 7 and were in Kabaros by 11. and a further 500km and 7hours later found ourselves camping up a logging road . Same deal the next day , gravel and pot holes and camping in the bush until we reached Chita . One of the people staying in the hostel in Vladivostok warned us not to go to Chita "many criminals in Chita " he kept repeating . I found it to be a great city , Theres a large statue of Lennon in the main square .
,The out lying area like in most city look a bit dodgy and you just don't go there. Got a hotel as 5 days riding makes for smelly bikers and while showering in found a tick buried into my chest . Off to the local Doctor surgery as ticks here carry nasty diseases . 2 injections in the bum and we're all clear to go. Had a good look around the main city centre and a good night sleep in a real bed before the next stage.
Chita to Irkutsk
After a morning of looking around the centre we rode out of town about 2pm heading for Ulan ade 620km away. Once again the road has it,s good stretches ,bad stretches and down right awful stretches . came across large bits of road removed in 1m x 3m sections and about 200cm deep with no warnings as to them being there. It's like the road crew have come along and removed a bad section of road but the tar seal truck and it's workers haven't caught up to fill them in . The closer you get to Ulan ude the more Asian faces you see as it is only 350km from the Mongolian boarder.20km before town I say goodbye to my riding companion as he's going to Mongolia . and 1 hour later I'm at the Opposite motorcycle club eating , drinking and swapping stories with the 4 Russian bikers that are also staying there before there ride down to Mongolia. One draws me a map of a lake in the south that is better and has less people than Lake bikail . The 4 bikers leave at 6am the next day I also pack up head into the town centre to see the largest stone statue of Lenon's head before riding the 460km to Irkutsk
Irkutsk to Barnaul
Arriving in Irkutsk at 6pm the contact i was given didn't have his phone turned on and after trying 3 hotels that all wanted 3000 r ( $120 aud) and all the hostel and smaller hotels were full as the trains from Chine and Vladivostok both arrived today . They meet here , have a stop over before the china passengers join the Vladivostok train bound for Moscow. So i gave up and headed out of town about 100km and camped in the forest just of the road. Another 2 days riding and i was in Kemerovo looking for a bike chain with no luck , but one shop called another in the next city 600km away and they had the right chain so crossed finger mine will last. Even lubing the chain daily the sand , dirt and dust eat out the o rings . the chain hasn't stretched just has to much sideways movement. I thought i would chance it and took a 3 day detour to the lake on the map i had drawn for me back in Ulan ade . while there i meet a biker on a CB400 who told me the bike shop he goes to in Barnaul has chains and tryes and as I will also need a tyre before much longer may as well do both at the same time. Barnaul is only 380km from the lake so an easy ride. .The bike shop only had a tyre in stock but ordered me a chain . so it's another 2 day stop over but least i will have good rubber and chain for the next 3700km to Moscow.
