Kicik Qala 98 Hotel Baku

... a "Bridge Fee" which was apparently for the privilege of using the loading ramp to get off the damn boat! Monies exchanged, the port officials became all smiles and handshakes and waved us on our way.<br><br>Out into nigh time Baku at about 11.30 in the evening, and it seemed like it was rush-hour in New York, with cars racing each other at stupid speeds through the heavy traffic. At this point, Tim ...

... 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.

Spent the day in Baku and met up with the Gordons in the early evening. We had showers! I was disappointed to find that most of my tan was ingrained dirt. Graeme took us out for a curry and few beers and we returned to sleep in beds! Chris and I shared a double bed, but he only hugged me once in his sleep. It was a special moment.

... de l'epoque sovietique. A Sheki il y a un palais a voir, pas follement interessant si ce n'est qu'il est construit sans aucun clou, uniquement avec des pieces de bois encastrees, deux caravanserails parmi les plus grands au monde (l'un d'eux etant converti en hotel j'y ai dormi pour eprouver un peu les sensations des caravaniers et surtout un tres tres tres grand froid) et un minaret assez curieusement taille avec une forme octogonale. On peut ...

... must have won something, but could be hoons or a wedding party. At this stage Dianne hasn't yet been to sleep - kept awake by our toilet which flushes non-stop, even after Murray looked at it, the fridge turning on and off, and the air-conditioner joining in the cacophony. Monday 16th June Baku Have to meet drivers at the truck at 9am, according to a note from them, with overnight bag packed for two days, big bags to go in ...

... tantric goddess of fire. Suraxani was one of many toxic towns surrounding Baku, the capital, with black sludge behind shantytowns interspersed with oil wells. This area was also once a major chemical processing center for the erstwhile Soviet Union. After communism's fall, the rust began and the toxic waste and its effects became apparent to the world. But the upside of the oil is that Azerbaijan, a secular ...

... expect in the middle of nowhere and I get the chance to pick up some much needed new clothes and toiletries. We have dinner in an awful restaurant with local live music and then head off to the Irish pub, which has a big sign outside proclaiming 'Guinness on draught'. Once inside we find nothing but Russian beer and Scottish oil workers.

... Mary (63 years) gets twice as many offers as I do! The women laugh at the comments and take it all in stride. Most women have 4-5 children and bearing children is a huge part of the culture. After three sleeps, we say goodbye and head back across Brokopondo Lake to Afobaku. Here we negotiate a van once again to take us to Brownsweg, where we have arranged for the driver from the nature reserve at Brownsberg to pick us up. It is at this point that we know for sure we ...

... of the cabin. As I waited the 4 pulled apart my room, searching under the bed and through my bed sheets to finally turn and pull me back in. "Sir, no problem." the police nodded to the guard and the guard smiled to me as if to say see-I-told-you-I-would-get-you-across-t he-border-safely. I stayed standing, disbelieving at the ease of the crossing procedure, and silently thanked Maria for arranging my 1st class transfer into Azerbaijan under guise of a KGB-like diplomat. I was ...