Sunday 26 October 2014
A sound of Jawa
5 minutes ago I was walking to a small shop next door. And then I had a strange Déjà vu. It felt like one of those nights a year ago, although everything was different. The end of October brings very different weather to Kaunas and to Jogja. This year I was surrounded by leafless trees rather than forever green palms. And there were no chances to find a freshly cut Papaya in a fruit shop around the corner. Even worse, there is no fruit shop around the corner from where I live nowadays. But the biggest change was the sound, or rather the absence of a very particular sound. Hence, I invite you to listen the soundthat framed, defined and illustrated every day in Indonesia
Tuesday 23 September 2014
About Buryat republic and souverins on russian trains
My train departed from Ulan Bator train station at 20:25. By that time I was sitting in a wagon no. 1, Seat 29 and chatting with two elderly Buryatian women in broken Russian. They were going back to Ulan Ude - the capital city of the Buryat republic. Meanwhile, I entered the last stage of my grand voyage. The vast lands of Russian Empire (I mean federation) were waiting.
At 20:45 I realized that I had gone through my whole Russian vocabulary and there were not many things left that I could articulate in this beautiful, yet forgotten language. I managed, however, to tell about Lithuania, my long trip and my new love to Mongolia. Also, I learned a bit about the size and the culture of Buryat republic. More that two months passed since that evening, but I still remember that Buryatian winters can be very cold in those harsh lands. In southern Buryat regions temperature plummets down to -40, while strong people survive - 50 in the north. Hell, if they can survive - 50, hopefully I will survive much tender winter in Europe.
Few minutes later a third elderly women entered our cabin and politely inquired where I was from and whether I spoke English. The following question was if I didn't mind to switch seats with her, because her cabin-mates were only English speaking fellows. Hence, the first part of my Russian journey was in English.
I shared a cabin British-born geography teacher who had been working in Hong Kong and Australian - English couple who used to live in Singapore. Since I was the only one capable to communicate in Russian, I became a bridge between them and any Russian speaking person, met on our way. Actually, there weren't that many of them. Train conductors were interrupting otherwise peaceful ride from time to time. Two very much Russian-looking ladies would come and try to sell us some ridiculous and expensive souvenirs. I was the only person capable to understand them, thus I was, also, the obvious target. They were rather pushy and at one point I was blackmailed that they would not give me .... something, what was needed on the ride, if nothing was bought. Eventually nothing was bought, everything was provided and the ladies lost their hope. Much later, on Irkutsk - Kazan train ride I learned terrible fact that there is a legal requirement to sell souvenirs for certain amount of money, which is written in a standard train conductor's job contract. If they fail to comply, they get fired.
And now photos:
To be continued...
At 20:45 I realized that I had gone through my whole Russian vocabulary and there were not many things left that I could articulate in this beautiful, yet forgotten language. I managed, however, to tell about Lithuania, my long trip and my new love to Mongolia. Also, I learned a bit about the size and the culture of Buryat republic. More that two months passed since that evening, but I still remember that Buryatian winters can be very cold in those harsh lands. In southern Buryat regions temperature plummets down to -40, while strong people survive - 50 in the north. Hell, if they can survive - 50, hopefully I will survive much tender winter in Europe.
Few minutes later a third elderly women entered our cabin and politely inquired where I was from and whether I spoke English. The following question was if I didn't mind to switch seats with her, because her cabin-mates were only English speaking fellows. Hence, the first part of my Russian journey was in English.
I shared a cabin British-born geography teacher who had been working in Hong Kong and Australian - English couple who used to live in Singapore. Since I was the only one capable to communicate in Russian, I became a bridge between them and any Russian speaking person, met on our way. Actually, there weren't that many of them. Train conductors were interrupting otherwise peaceful ride from time to time. Two very much Russian-looking ladies would come and try to sell us some ridiculous and expensive souvenirs. I was the only person capable to understand them, thus I was, also, the obvious target. They were rather pushy and at one point I was blackmailed that they would not give me .... something, what was needed on the ride, if nothing was bought. Eventually nothing was bought, everything was provided and the ladies lost their hope. Much later, on Irkutsk - Kazan train ride I learned terrible fact that there is a legal requirement to sell souvenirs for certain amount of money, which is written in a standard train conductor's job contract. If they fail to comply, they get fired.
And now photos:
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| Just crossed Mongolian - Russian border |
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| Naushky - the first town in Russian Federation |
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| Maybe more like a village with a train station, that a town |
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| Wagon 1 |
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| Zagustay power plant |
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| Siberian birch trees |
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| Southern Buryat republic |
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| Selenga River |
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| First of many Russian dachias |
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| Ulan Ude is famous, because there is the biggest Lenin's head in the word (7.7 m., 42 tons) |
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| And I had only 40 min train stop to get there and take few picture |
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| Early morning in Irkutsk |
Thursday 17 July 2014
Gumba
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| Gumba and 4x4 |
Gumba was the fifth member on our little voyage through the marvelous Gobi desert. He was by far the oldest and the roundest in our little crew. Gumba was a driver, who had GPS in his head, cigarette in his lips and driving wheel in his hands. Also, he would have a sip of local vodka in the evenings. The harsh Mongolian sun and north winds do not leave Mongolian faces untouched. Hence, it was difficult to judge how old he was. Gumba said he had 4 daughters and 1 son, who was our age. Gumba is in the photo standing next to anold Soviet made, yes (almost) very reliable and, actually ,very comfortable 4x4 Latvia van. We - Michael, Sydney, Isabela and myself were four passengers in the car. Kiwi Michael and me were 27 years old. The Canadian girls were 21. Well, what I'm trying to say is that I don't know how old Gumba's only son and Gumba himself were. But I can guarantee you all, that Gumba was young enough to have mistress in the middle of Gobi desert.
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| Parked properly |
Gobi desert is vast and Mongolia is even wider. The country stretches over a territory three time larger than France. Only around 1.5 millions people live outside capital city - Ulaanbaatar. Every day we would drive deeper and deeper in to the desert. Our crew in a little USSR made van from time to time would stumble upon a ger camp, a herd of livestock or another tourist van. But undoubtedly one of the best qualities of Mongolia - it's pretty much empty space. When we would stop for a pee, I would walk around the corner of 4x4 Latvia and every single time I would be left speechless by the absolute silence. I could hear nothing, but the wind.
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| Pit stop |
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| Ready to camp |
Also, Gumba talked about himself like bad narrator talks about character in a book: "Gumba do not know", "Gumba drink vodka and go to sleep" "Gumba is driver". Well, he was a character and I have to say one of the most memorable characters in the book of my journey.
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| Michael, Isabela and Sydney |
Tuesday 10 June 2014
Don't cry for me, Vietnam!
Sunday evening.
- Tomorrow I'm going to a Chinese Consulate. I need to make and print reservation of hostels in China
Monday morning.
- Consulate office is closed on Monday, June 2nd. It will be open on Tuesday, June 3rd.
Tuesday morning.
- Good morning, you, also, need photo copy of your passport and Vietnamese visa.
20 min later.
- Do you have all needed documents?
- Yes.
- What do you do in Vietnam?
- I'm tourist.
- Sorry, we can not give you visa.
- Why?
- We don't give Chinese visas for non-Vietnamese in Hanoi, unless they have working permit.
- But... I need it. Look I have a Russian visa and I need to cross China to get to Russia.
- Sorry, you are not a first one. My boss told me that regulations changed.
- When?
- Last week
3 min later after a lot of swearing in Lithuanian, English and Russian.
- Hi, it's me again. I have a question: Will it help if I bring an invitation letter?
- It might help.
15 min later on FB chat
- Hey, man I'm sorry, but I have to ask you a favour. Because of recent tensions between China and Vietnam I'm stuck in Hanoi. Chinese consulate refuses to give tourist visas to nationals of third countries. A lady behind the counter said that invitation letter might help. Do you think you could help me in this case?
Wednesday morning on FB chat
- So I send it to your email. (thank you, Kang without your help I couldn't do it ;)
20 min later at 11:15
- Sorry consulate is open only from 8:30 to 11:00. Come back tomorrow
Thursday morning
- Hi again. I have an invitation letter from China.
- Good, this afternoon I will talk with my boss if you can the visa.
- How I'm gonna know if I got the visa.
- You need to come back tomorrow in the morning
Friday morning.
- Good Morning, I am back.
- Good Morning, please wait in the waiting room.
25 min later.
- Please come in
- Hello.
- Hello, we have few questions. First of all, how do you know the person who wrote the invitation letter?
- We met in a university.
- Where?
- Budapest, Hungary.
- .... What is your nationality?
- Lithuanian
- Where were you born?
- In Lithuania
- Where were your parents born?
- In Lithuania
- Why didn't you get the visa in Lithuania?
- Because, I was living in Indonesia?
- What were you doing there?
- I was student. Look I have student ID (meanwhile trying to get my wallet from a pocket to get my student ID.
- Ok ! Ok ! Ok ! Please go back to the window No.2
3 min later.
- You can come and pick your visa on Wednesday June 11th. You need to pay 30$ in this bank
- But yesterday you said that I get my visa on Tuesday, June 10th.
- In this case you need to pay 50$, because it's an extra fast service. Normal service takes 4 days.
- But I gave my passport to you yesterday.
- Ok, pay 30$ and come back on Tuesday June 10th.
10 min later.
- Sir, there are a lot of engine oil under your motorcycle. You need fix it...
- You got to be kidding me...
3 hours later after I managed to pay for the visa, fix and sell the bike
- Hi, how much a bus' ticket to Sapa costs?
- 12$, when do you want to go?
- Today.
- It leaves at 6 PM and comes to Sapa tomorrow at 7 in the morning. When do you want to come back?
- What time it leaves Sapa and what time it comes to Hanoi?
- The bus leaves Sapa at 6PM and it's Hanoi at 7 AM
- How much it is usually late?
- It comes to Hanoi at 7 AM.
- Are you sure? I need to be in Hanoi before 11 AM on Tuesday!
- YES!
- Ok then I want to leave Sapa on Monday, June 9th.
Saturday morning.
- So it's 8:30 and I'm in Sapa. The bus is late for 1.5 hours - Very reasonable by South East Asian Standards.
Monday evening
- Is this a bus to Hanoi?
- Yes.
- Good
Tuesday morning
- Where are we?
- 130 km from Hanoi.
- What!?!? It's 8:20. Why are we so late?
- I don't know. I think we stopped last night. I woke up two times and we were standing in the same place
- What time we will in Hanoi?
Driver points at 12 on his watch
- 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... I still have more than two hours. 130 distance is doable in this two hours
1 hour later and 27 km closer to Hanoi.
- Why we are STANDING AGAIN!?!?!
Driver and rest of the crew forgot all English, while filling their mounts with Vietnamese Noodle Soup.
- WHY WE ARE SO LATE? WE WERE SUPPOSE TO BE IN HANOI AT 7. IT'S 9:30 AND WE ARE NO WHERE CLOSE TO HANOI.
- sorry, sir, sorry, sir, sorry, sir, sorry, sir...
- WHY?
- sorry, sir, sorry, sir, sorry, sir,
Driver is bumping his fist to each other,
- I suppose that mean a crash on the way?
- Yes, sir
12:45
- Hi, I booked a return ticket to Sapa in your agency on Friday. You said that the bus comes back at 7 am. I'm back now, almost 6 hour later.
- ...
- My passport is in a Chinese embassy and I cannot collect it today, because it's already closed.
- No, no, no, it's lunch break. They are open 8:30 - 11:00 and 14:00 - 17:00
- hmmmm...
2:01 showing the papers, with which I have to collect my passport to a soldier next to the consulte
- Tomorrow
- But...
- Tomorrow
- ...
Dear Vietnam,
It was a lot of fun for both of us, but from the very beginning we both knew that is only for fun. Don't get me wrong, you are the most beautiful country I've ever been, but at the moment I'm not looking for anything serious. It's not about you, it's about me. I hope you'll find nice persons who want to stay here longer. But, please, be reasonable and let me go. It's over!
Yours,
Povi
P.S. I'm sorry I'm about to go into your biggest foe - China.
- Tomorrow I'm going to a Chinese Consulate. I need to make and print reservation of hostels in China
Monday morning.
- Consulate office is closed on Monday, June 2nd. It will be open on Tuesday, June 3rd.
Tuesday morning.
- Good morning, you, also, need photo copy of your passport and Vietnamese visa.
20 min later.
- Do you have all needed documents?
- Yes.
- What do you do in Vietnam?
- I'm tourist.
- Sorry, we can not give you visa.
- Why?
- We don't give Chinese visas for non-Vietnamese in Hanoi, unless they have working permit.
- But... I need it. Look I have a Russian visa and I need to cross China to get to Russia.
- Sorry, you are not a first one. My boss told me that regulations changed.
- When?
- Last week
3 min later after a lot of swearing in Lithuanian, English and Russian.
- Hi, it's me again. I have a question: Will it help if I bring an invitation letter?
- It might help.
15 min later on FB chat
- Hey, man I'm sorry, but I have to ask you a favour. Because of recent tensions between China and Vietnam I'm stuck in Hanoi. Chinese consulate refuses to give tourist visas to nationals of third countries. A lady behind the counter said that invitation letter might help. Do you think you could help me in this case?
Wednesday morning on FB chat
- So I send it to your email. (thank you, Kang without your help I couldn't do it ;)
20 min later at 11:15
- Sorry consulate is open only from 8:30 to 11:00. Come back tomorrow
Thursday morning
- Hi again. I have an invitation letter from China.
- Good, this afternoon I will talk with my boss if you can the visa.
- How I'm gonna know if I got the visa.
- You need to come back tomorrow in the morning
Friday morning.
- Good Morning, I am back.
- Good Morning, please wait in the waiting room.
25 min later.
- Please come in
- Hello.
- Hello, we have few questions. First of all, how do you know the person who wrote the invitation letter?
- We met in a university.
- Where?
- Budapest, Hungary.
- .... What is your nationality?
- Lithuanian
- Where were you born?
- In Lithuania
- Where were your parents born?
- In Lithuania
- Why didn't you get the visa in Lithuania?
- Because, I was living in Indonesia?
- What were you doing there?
- I was student. Look I have student ID (meanwhile trying to get my wallet from a pocket to get my student ID.
- Ok ! Ok ! Ok ! Please go back to the window No.2
3 min later.
- You can come and pick your visa on Wednesday June 11th. You need to pay 30$ in this bank
- But yesterday you said that I get my visa on Tuesday, June 10th.
- In this case you need to pay 50$, because it's an extra fast service. Normal service takes 4 days.
- But I gave my passport to you yesterday.
- Ok, pay 30$ and come back on Tuesday June 10th.
10 min later.
- Sir, there are a lot of engine oil under your motorcycle. You need fix it...
- You got to be kidding me...
3 hours later after I managed to pay for the visa, fix and sell the bike
- Hi, how much a bus' ticket to Sapa costs?
- 12$, when do you want to go?
- Today.
- It leaves at 6 PM and comes to Sapa tomorrow at 7 in the morning. When do you want to come back?
- What time it leaves Sapa and what time it comes to Hanoi?
- The bus leaves Sapa at 6PM and it's Hanoi at 7 AM
- How much it is usually late?
- It comes to Hanoi at 7 AM.
- Are you sure? I need to be in Hanoi before 11 AM on Tuesday!
- YES!
- Ok then I want to leave Sapa on Monday, June 9th.
Saturday morning.
- So it's 8:30 and I'm in Sapa. The bus is late for 1.5 hours - Very reasonable by South East Asian Standards.
Monday evening
- Is this a bus to Hanoi?
- Yes.
- Good
Tuesday morning
- Where are we?
- 130 km from Hanoi.
- What!?!? It's 8:20. Why are we so late?
- I don't know. I think we stopped last night. I woke up two times and we were standing in the same place
- What time we will in Hanoi?
Driver points at 12 on his watch
- 1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... I still have more than two hours. 130 distance is doable in this two hours
1 hour later and 27 km closer to Hanoi.
- Why we are STANDING AGAIN!?!?!
Driver and rest of the crew forgot all English, while filling their mounts with Vietnamese Noodle Soup.
- WHY WE ARE SO LATE? WE WERE SUPPOSE TO BE IN HANOI AT 7. IT'S 9:30 AND WE ARE NO WHERE CLOSE TO HANOI.
- sorry, sir, sorry, sir, sorry, sir, sorry, sir...
- WHY?
- sorry, sir, sorry, sir, sorry, sir,
Driver is bumping his fist to each other,
- I suppose that mean a crash on the way?
- Yes, sir
12:45
- Hi, I booked a return ticket to Sapa in your agency on Friday. You said that the bus comes back at 7 am. I'm back now, almost 6 hour later.
- ...
- My passport is in a Chinese embassy and I cannot collect it today, because it's already closed.
- No, no, no, it's lunch break. They are open 8:30 - 11:00 and 14:00 - 17:00
- hmmmm...
2:01 showing the papers, with which I have to collect my passport to a soldier next to the consulte
- Tomorrow
- But...
- Tomorrow
- ...
Dear Vietnam,
It was a lot of fun for both of us, but from the very beginning we both knew that is only for fun. Don't get me wrong, you are the most beautiful country I've ever been, but at the moment I'm not looking for anything serious. It's not about you, it's about me. I hope you'll find nice persons who want to stay here longer. But, please, be reasonable and let me go. It's over!
Yours,
Povi
P.S. I'm sorry I'm about to go into your biggest foe - China.
Wednesday 4 June 2014
My ride and my road
Top Gear always was my little dirty sin. I love the show despite conservative, stupid and apparently racist comments from Jeremy Clarkson. The show brings inner 9-year-old to life and makes me want to play with cars, do stupid things and make a lot of noise. 6 year ago the Clarkson, May and Hammond bought old cheap motorbikes in Saigon and drove (almost) all way north to Ha Long bay. Since then a motorbike road trip in Vietnam was one of my ultimate dreams. Now I can say I'VE DONE IT.
A little bit more than two weeks ago I bough rusty second hand Honda WIN, which slowly, but surely took me more than 2 300 Km till Hanoi. And it was absolutely amazing. There is not enough beer in the world too tell stories about adventure, that I had on the way. But I will be happy to tell those stories once me and you will raise a glace of ...., but now photos:
A little bit more than two weeks ago I bough rusty second hand Honda WIN, which slowly, but surely took me more than 2 300 Km till Hanoi. And it was absolutely amazing. There is not enough beer in the world too tell stories about adventure, that I had on the way. But I will be happy to tell those stories once me and you will raise a glace of ...., but now photos:
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| Out from Saigon |
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| First stop - beautiful Da Lat |
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| A little bit of rain on the way from Da Lat |
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| My bike |
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| Da Lat - Nha Trang Pass one of the most beautiful road I've ever seen |
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| That day I was completely wet two times |
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| I spend a day in Quy Nhon |
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| The Biggest Plus of the city - not many tourist |
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| One of many war memorials that I found in Vietnam |
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| Vietnamese like play billiard |
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| Another war memorial |
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| Road just outside Quy Nhon |
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| Cemetery in sand |
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| Night Light in Hoi An |
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| Views from Hai Van Pass |
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| Kids playing inside Hue citadel |
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| Night Market |
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| Cemetery in water |
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| I prefer smaller roads for obvious reasons |
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| Mountains in Central Vietnam saw some of the worst battles of Vietnam War |
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| Absolutely stunning Ho Chi Minh Trail |
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| These hills look like a face, don't they? |
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| I didn't like road signs: Caution loose rocks |
 |
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| Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park |
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| Paradise cave - the largest and the most beautiful cave in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng area |
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| Local farmers like to dry their weeds on Ho Chi Minh highway |
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| Ha Long Bay |
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| Cat Ba island |
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| Fishing port in Cat Ba City |
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| On the way back I was wondering if I'm gonna be in the new about one of those ferries that sank in SEA, because there was way to many people on board |
How much of a movie hero that you want be you are?
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