Russia > The battery light comes on

I open the door to the room to go to the adjacent bathroom. The hotel landlady is already sitting at her desk at the end of the corridor. “Dobre utra.” I greet her with a good morning in return. The shower is warm, but the thermostatic tap alternates between slightly too hot and slightly too cold. I quickly wash my hair. The village of Krasnovyokovo doesn’t have much to offer, so we continue toward the Altai Mountains. We avoid the main road since it adds extra kilometers. On the map, the small roads are white, which usually means unpaved. We are pleasantly surprised at how well the sandy roads drive. The potholes are limited, and the sometimes perfectly straight roads run through the rolling landscape. At a T-junction, there is a small coffee stand. We order coffee and a sandwich for breakfast. While we sit outside enjoying our coffee, a young couple stops. “Can we take a photo?” Of course. The boy points to his car, which has “YogurtTV” written on the back. He has his own YouTube channel and is also carrying a small video camera. Funny. For lunch, we buy bread, salami, and eggs at a small shop. Gestures get us pretty far. We park along the bank of a small river. Children play further downstream in the shallow but fast-flowing water. Some Russians, picnicking nearby, come over to ask where we are from. They also want a photo with us. At a leisurely pace, we drive on to Gorno-Altaisk. On the way, we pass Aya, which is clearly more touristy. Numerous hotels and tour operators are based here. Rafting, horseback riding, and multi-day treks—everything is possible. In winter, there are skiing opportunities. We cross the Katun River and drive the final stretch to Gorno-Altaisk.

Russia - The Chuya Canyon with mountain ranges in the background

A small van overtakes us, brakes hard, and when we pass it again, the driver is gesturing frantically. While driving, he points to his dog, which even gets lifted onto his lap. We decide to stop for a moment. We understand that he has—or had—a husky kennel. He also has accommodations or a campsite in Aya. He gives us his card, but we continue on to Gorno-Altaisk. The Lonely Planet lists a nice hotel, but we cannot find the address. A consulted agent says it is far outside the center, which seems unlikely. Using the navigation, we reach the street but not the hotel. The numbering seems per block. Where the navigation says “destination reached,” we see nothing resembling a hotel. In the distance, we hear thunder. It’s not a question of whether it will rain, but when. Just as we are about to park, there is a knock under the hood. The battery warning light also comes on immediately. Probably, the alternator belt has snapped. It was already in poor condition and sometimes squeaked. This means the battery is no longer charging. Almost simultaneously, the rain starts. We shelter in the car. After twenty minutes, the weather clears somewhat. Since we can no longer start the car freely, we go on foot to look for accommodations. We cross the central square, where there is also a hotel. The owner welcomes us in excellent English. He has a room with a double bed available. If necessary, he can ask friends if they want to swap. The hotel is in an old bank building, he says. He temporarily uses one floor as a hotel. The first and second floors seem to be occupied by students. It looks a bit messy. A wing on the third floor is set up as the hotel. The room is fine. We can park the car in the courtyard and even replace the belt here tomorrow morning. The owner mentions that a festival will start tomorrow for the 260-year relationship between Russia and the Altai. He also says that Putin might come the following day, but we won’t be here then. In the evening, when we look for a restaurant, a girl approaches and asks if she can help. She walks with us to the restaurant. We invite Katarina for a drink. She has already eaten. She tells us that she sells souvenirs with her mother at the airport and in the tourist resort of Aya. She has a degree and worked for three years in Dubai but is happy to be back in the Altai District. She gives us tips for beautiful spots along the Chusky Track, the main route to Mongolia. Later in the evening, a friend also joins us. We stay at the restaurant until midnight, then return to the hotel. Katarina has to be up at six again.