Bike - not luxury but a means of transportation on the world (continued, part 3) My last day in Odessa, coincided with the last day of August. For a calendar month, I traveled only five degrees east from Helsinki to Odessa. Given that the disk 360 degrees, I will take six years to come back to London, if I move at the same speed. September was supposed to be a month of accelerated progress. Unfortunately, I could only rely on the strength of their legs. True, some helped ferry trip which was supposed to give me additional impetus. Promotion to five degrees does not change the situation on its merits. In the end, all was not as bad as it might initially seem. Despite the fact that, by the way, I pretty much winds, I managed to make significant progress on the south. So I was absolutely ready to month decisive move to the east. Odessa ferry - the largest port on the Black Sea, which in itself quite isolated and connected only with the Mediterranean Sea. They say that his name was due to the high content of oxides in the water column. From Odessa, a few ferries on the west coast: in Constanta (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria) and Istanbul. Thus, in an easterly direction hodilo not so many ships, and with cooling of relations between Russia and Georgia flight was even smaller. The vessel, which was destined to become my home for the next few days, was called "Sun Greifswald, with homeport in Hamburg. "Graysvald - freight ferry, which mainly transports trains, trucks and containers, and the remaining space filled with passengers. Together with me on that flight went Olygev captain, about 10 sailors, 40-fed truck drivers and about the same number of passengers. "Greifswald" standing alone when I arrived at the port Tuesday morning. It will take several hours to overcome all customs formalities before being loaded, and another 12 o'clock will need to be on board before the ferry finally leave Odessa. Passengers have access to 3 deck - sleeping part, a dining room and an open upper deck. It took me 2 minutes 47 seconds to get around all our possessions. If it's rain, then to the upper deck could not leave, that takes away from the total time as much as 54 seconds. Between eating and bedtime entertainment was not so much. Besides, mostly they had to invent their own. Cards, dubbed into Russian movies of dubious quality, maps, sunbathing, maps and all sorts of fun with drinking. Yes, I have already said about the card? Games usually ended with a drink after I drank a pint of vodka. Coincidentally, it is in these moments of steam began desperately throwing from side to side. Trucks on the ferry on the ferry were fed well, but mostly simple food. Simple, but fill. The meal typically lasted exactly 30 minutes, during which we showed all his skill to the polishing plates. But over time, portions became smaller and the accompanying bread all stale. To my infinite joy on board was another man who, like me, was neither Ukrainian nor Georgian. It was another British citizen, or rather, it was a citizen named Emily. She traveled without a defined route to the wind and their own desires, so to speak. Her company was a real gift for me, since the ferry is almost no one spoke in English. Despite this, everyone was very friendly and were not averse to "talk" with us, but we prefer native English chatter, which saved us from aggression, which is usually the result of loneliness. Caucasian distance Slowly moving in a completely calm sea surface, our ferry arrived in Poti on Friday morning, 60 hours after sailing from Odessa. Poti - Georgia's main port. In fact, Georgia is only accessible via Poti, since most of the land border remains closed. And so finding a berth is not easy. This problem is even more complicated by the presence in Poti Navy United States - Obama posted here a few ships to keep the situation under control. In addition, they seem to hold some other exercises in Poti. So, because of congestion, we should have to stand for 2 days at anchor about 1,5 kilometers from the coast. Port authorities on the goodness of his heart suggested that we enter into the port out of turn - for $ 600. We refused. Just decided to wait. As a result, the planned 48 hours, during which we had to get to Poti, turned in 5 days. We sat there like chickens in a floating prison. Well, or as some recidivists. On the ferry I met a lot of interesting people. Truck drivers have tried to stick together and gathered in cigarette smoke-filled cabins. As a child I wanted to become a truck driver. Other kids dreamed of becoming police officers, firefighters, doctors, pilots, astronauts and programmers ... ... but not me. Probably me more attracted to travel than life, consisting of bars, chocolate bars and Internet pornography. Hard to say, but maybe everyone should have his own dream. By the time I finally landed, offers dining, live and go to Georgia, I had so many that I myself was hard to understand them. I recorded several telephone numbers that might be useful to me in my journey. During the first hour of leaving the ferry truck drivers greeted me with loud honks in a sign that they are familiar with me, despite the fact that the majority of them I did not exchange a word for all five days of our trip. However, the acclaim and the cries were not over. Georgia is known for hospitality and generosity of its people, but even knowing about it, I was not prepared to see how kind and friendly may be local residents. Passing cars to slow down, and the drivers insisted that I took from them a fruit basket. Stopping for lunch by the roadside, I was always entertained by something else, just because I am a guest in their country. Me several times even treated chachey (local vodka from grapes fortress 40-60 degrees), and all joined me for a drink "on the one for the road." Stopping at night in cities, I could not get off the bike, because around me, crowds of people, each of whom wanted to invite me to his home to provide food and lodging. In Georgia, there is a saying - "Guest - a gift of God." For the past 30 days since the beginning of my journey I was trying to at least someone to convince me that a gift from heaven, but nobody was unconcerned. And so, I think, in this whole nation to believe. Start material: Read more:
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