Actually didn't sleep to badly next to my bike, except gets light so early. Rolled up and then the Toyota garage right behind Esso had the bearings and did the repair. They didn't have all the parts and the mechanic's friend came and picked me up and we went to his house to salvage some parts from his bike for me in his rally car that they have raced at the Monaco Classic Rally.
The parts did not work, but the bike is good to go and paid $540 and left to the Russian Consulate to make sure I didn't need a visa, which was the case. Border is only ten minutes away and only three people there going through. Norway checked all my paperwork and we're intrigued at my passport and bike license and driver's license, couldn't quite believe it and even laughed at the driver's license. They even gave me a stamp in my SA passport after some hesitation.
Then into Russia, a stunningly beautiful women came out and asked for passport then let me through the first gate. Then they ushered me into the office with all my luggage which was prayed. Wanted to know why I want to visit and where am I staying ,but very nice and professional, all very neatly dressed and even welcomed me to Russia and hoped I would enjoy it. Took about an hour and I was escorted everywhere I went and then I was cleared to go and the one guy came out to my bike and asked me all about my trip, then I left and had another gated area you had to leave from and I was not to stop for the next 20 kms and would come to a checkpoint where I needed to stop.
Arrived at the checkpoint and they told me to park and wait for an officer who was on his way to talk to me. He arrived in an old Renault and told me to climb in and then showed me his ID and then the interrogation began. Then he asked for my phone and I had filmed the immigration area so I nervously erased the two videos and he went to my phone keyboard and typed in some numbers and four codes showed up and he studied them and then asked about my trip to Ukraine. He grilled me on that and wanted to know all my movements and if I had contact with the military there. Then asked about my kids, where do they live, what work do they do, are they in the military, do I have tattoos ? It went on for an hour and then I was cleared to go. Was quite intense but he was real pleasant.
Motored on and the roads are empty and no scenery whatsoever, passed a large military base, the buildings were ancient and evrything looked old and dilapidated. Passed through another checkpoint where they examined my documents and then decided to go to Marmunsk and got there in the dark and my tank with 20kms left of fuel.
Found a gas station and tried to pay with my card and they were all refused, so went to an ATM and same thing. So now I'm screwed and was at a gigantic 24 hour food store in the parking lot pondering my next move.
After an hour of pondering I came up with a plan, now it was 11pm. I asked one guy if he knew where there was a hotel within 3 kms as I have no fuel, so I followed him to one just down the road, didn't look to good from the outside but was fine. Tried to pay with my card but still no go so the lady wasn't bothered and I told her I would sort it out in the morning, no problem. She was so nice and had a good sense of humor and the room was just fine, got to have a shower after three days and that felt good and was up till 1 am trying to have my wife sort out the card issue only to find out due to the sanctions no credit cards work in Russia. Then I wept and went to sleep.
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