Bike - not luxury but a means of transportation on the world (continued, p.2) to the ferry, which was supposed to leave from Odessa, I had another week, so I decided to call in Kamenetz-Podolsk. This small, strange town was built on a rocky island, the prisoners in the loop channel of the Dnieper. If you pass the old bridge, will open a wonderful view of the castle and ancient buildings, which, like a fairyland, dotted the neighborhood. After two hours of racing through the quiet cobbled streets and the enchanted castle, I have already started thinking about how to get out of here, while my bike did not turn into a pumpkin. Kamenetz-Podolsk was only glance at the map, I'm at the same time identified a further trip to Odessa, which lies on Moldova's territory, and again went to the Ukraine. About Moldova I think I know less than other countries in Eastern Europe, and why this country was for me very attractive. How not to visit the small country between Romania and Ukraine, which was once part of the USSR, but now mired in internal conflict, the territorial and political disputes. There even has its own self-proclaimed republic, Transnistria, which is located along the eastern border. This is an unrecognized state already uspeloobzavestis own currency and declared themselves the last bastion of communism in the world. Terribly exciting! At the border, past the first checkpoint on the Ukrainian side, and almost got hold of a stamp in the passport, the border I had a bout of deja vu. Exactly the same attack I had when boarding the plane at the airport of Beirut, it was last year. I do not really like it. Argued that the Moldovan border crossings need to be sure to give a bribe. What can we say about the Trans-Dniester, which runs on the middle part of my route to Odessa? Moldova does not recognize Transnistria, so stamped on border crossings is not intended, and the Transnistrian border guards can easily be fined because of this same stamp you do not. And these things happen everywhere here. But I did not scare the financial component of the issue and need to be alert throughout the three days of my stay in this region. He had to be constantly on guard. But at the same time I have had neither the time nor the inclination to bother because of the problems that I could create an autonomous government microformations. Well I had to catch the ferry. If you like weird self-proclaimed republic, the Ride is better in Uzupis, which is located in Lithuania, near Vilnius, or in Whangamomona in New Zealand. Well, or in Scotland. But back on and no nuisance to the real stories of my journey. At the Ukrainian border, I apologized and shrugged, saying, "I do not know how this could happen," opened a bicycle and went to Odessa for a more relaxed way, which was located on Ukrainian territory. Odessa was a modern fashionable town in which was full of Russian tourists, expensive cafes and shops. Among other things, under the city itself is huge (about 1000 km) (in fact, about 3000 km, approx. Perevi.) Network of manmade catacombs. It is in the catacombs during the Second World War were based local guerrillas. They unexpectedly appeared in different places, not derail the train, killing the invaders and then disappeared underground, like moles, as long as the Nazis did not suppress the resistance. I have traveled through Russia, but has not met any corrupt police officers, toured part of Moldova with its famous rogue government officials, but Ukraine is slightly tainted impression of themselves in my last night in Odessa. I met another cyclist. His name was Damien. He left London at about the same time as me. The guy drove across southern Europe, so we had almost circled her from all sides. We shared with each other by their deeds and just talked. In the end we went to some bars located in the coastal area of ??Odessa called Arcadia. With a bottle of beer in his hand (as they have in Ukraine has its own beer) and a cheerful expression on his face, we become easy prey for predators of the local police. They approached us and asked to produce documents. This was probably the first time in my entire trip, when I had no passport or any other identification document. It happened as follows: There were three police officers - one older, the other younger. In the main action have been involved young police officers, while their more experienced comrades leaned against the wall and watched the performance. - Oh, so you do not have a passport! Have to go with us to the station. On the paper work will take so much time. Maybe there is some other way to set things right? - E-uh ... Like what? - I do not like messing around with scraps of paper. You do not like messing around with scraps of paper. So maybe you have some other "paper" that can help us all? Popeye - I thought. - Even in such nitwits. " Suddenly I remembered that I have a number one diplomat from Russia. It was 2 am, so I did not think to call him, not to mention the fact that he was in a different country and under a completely different jurisdiction. But I still asked for the phone with Damien. Not very convincingly pretending that I'm going somewhere to call, I pressed the button the phone. - What is he doing? - Asked the cop number two. - Just call one local lawyer. I ask him to talk to you, and then explain to us what we broke. What is your name? Plan B in case if they would open my game, I did not have, but the mood they have dramatically changed. They nervously poterebili their collars and asked me to hang up. - Not worth it. We're reasonable people and do not want to wake him up at this time. Try for the future to have his passport with him. - Sure. Sure, sir. I can imagine what happened next. It must be a senior led the two young in one side and listened to their report of an unsuccessful attempt to take a bribe: - So, sir! Now Tell me how you could not make money on these two unfortunate drunken tourists? Start material: Read more:
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