Karat Inn Baku

... shouting and thumping of tables. I was delegated to go in to the Customs office and try to remove Pete before the guns came out! After more shouting and tearing of various triplicate forms, the Customs guys eventually processed the paperwork, demanded the usual seemingly random amounts of Dollars and let us through, complete with yet another wad of undecipherable stamped forms.<br><br>It wasn't over ...

... to stop her sliding off the oily deck into the sea. Fantastic. I have met a Russian lorry driver called Alexander, who has taught me to play Kazio. He thinks the crossing will take 3 days. I hope he's wrong but he has apparently done this journey many times.

... lost on the metro, but eventually got back to the Gordons. They had a few friends over and we spent all evening outside chatting and barbequeing. It was fantastic and we will all be reluctant to leave the land of real food, showers and beds.

... drove straight up it. Good demonstration of low gear, as was the descent down the outer face, without the benefit of a ramp. Threaded our way through the narrow village street(?) to the highway, and on our way. Although the dam level was very low, below the embankment of what had to be a saddle dam, there was a considerable outflow from the control gate structure. The wide valley we followed from here was obviously irrigated ...

... beasts. I could remember Philipp the Swiss speaking of these packs of dogs and mentioning that they have been known to attack and kill people. Now the worried look on the face of the digger driver hit me with such gravity and the reality of the situation sank in. Would I be quiet? Would I yell at them to try scare them off? I could take on 1 or 2 with my golf club but this howling frenzy sounded like they were in pretty large groups. I thought I should go and climb on ...

... big oil money. Houses are being built everywhere and although there clearly is poverty, the people seem to have much more disposable income than their neighbours across the border. Baku is a fantastically varied city - Ladas and brand new air-conditioned Mercs compete for space on the roads and there are police everywhere. It is so hot - about 40 degrees and so our sightseeing has been a bit listless. We did make it to the UNESCO protected walled old town ...

Azerbaijan - Having visited more than once it is always there. When the breeze comes off the Caspian that waft of OIL with it's pungent perfume is everywhere. The waters on the boardwalk are brown usually washing against the structure leaving behind a blackening residue. The OIL trains racked up on their rails just a bit from the city centre also contribute to that smell of ...

... fires lasted for over 1000 years without being lit. This phenomenon saw the temple become a focal point on the Silk Road for traders. Driving around Baku, it seemed very modern, though this may have been due to where we had spent the past few weeks. It certainly had a very European feel, however did not have the busloads of tourists or the inflated prices of Europe. It had a very cool vibe and an instant appeal. Apart from all the oilrigs there were many ...

... causing great alarm among the 8 passengers who were already on it. Against all the odds, we did make it to the final attraction.   But after 90 minutes of an extremely turgid Under 21s Azerbaijan-England goalless draw, we kind of wished we hadn't bothered.   The game was only livened up when an Azerbaijani tried to break the leg of an England midfielder.   He didn't, and the ...

... young man had walked over, passed me from behind and when I turned, was staring at my camera. He quickly turned away. Sensing something wasn't right, I did a 180 and began to walk away from the shore and back into the city at a faster than usual pace. When I reached about 100 meters away and turned my head to see the man following me. I stopped in my tracks and bluntly turned to face him. He was still far enough away that I imagined he had hoped to go unnoticed. I put both my ...