Russia > Farewell to the car

Yoeri arrives at the hotel at nine o’clock. Although the ferry doesn’t depart until tomorrow, we are bringing the vehicles to customs today. We follow Yoeri through the city. First, we stop at another hotel where the Motortrails motorcyclists are staying. They, too, have made the journey from Amsterdam to Vladivostok in stages. Some have completed all four stages, while others joined later. In a convoy of motorcycles and one Land Rover, we follow Yoeri to the port, where the vehicles will be stored. It feels strange to leave the car behind. We are not allowed to drive our car onto the ferry ourselves.

Russia - The Russky Bridge in Vladivostok

Yoeri takes us back to the city center in a van and brings us to the Russian customs office. Svetlana, one of Yoeri’s colleagues, is already waiting for us. She has a stack of papers that all need to be signed. After that, nothing seems to happen for a long time. We wait in the reception area as people come and go. After more than an hour and a half, Svetlana returns. The customs officer wants to check our passports. Once it turns out that my passport is part of the documents, everything is fine—well, almost. I left my vehicle registration in the car. Not a problem for Russia, but it might be for Japan. The Italian couple also needs to return briefly to their vehicle. Yoeri drives us back to the port, but first, the others need to be returned to their hotels. We first drive to the “Eagles’ Nest,” a viewpoint over the city. From here, I have a beautiful view of the city, the port, and especially the Russky Bridge. This bridge was built in 2012 and connects Vladivostok with Russky Island.

Russia - An old submarine now a museum

After that, we drop off a few people at their hotel—a nice little city tour. Back at the port, it is just lunchtime. The lot where the car is stored is closed. Yoeri suggests we first stop by the ferry company to get tickets for the Italians. In the port building, I also buy a sandwich for lunch. When I return to the storage area, I see the car is open. Someone is inside—it’s Svetlana. She has already taken out the vehicle registration and international driving license. The permit Yoeri was arranging to access the lot is no longer needed, though it still is for the Italians. Once they are done, and after visiting Yoeri’s office and dropping off the Italians at their hotel, we head back to my hotel. Near the hotel, I stop to buy Russian caviar, and Yoeri helps with the selection. In the hotel garden, we enjoy the caviar with toast and white wine. In the afternoon, as the sun softens, I walk into the city. Along the central square, I come to the submarine museum. It is now open. The front section, with photos of officers, I skip. The second section is more interesting—the narrow sleeping quarters, the engine room, and the control room. The round passageways between compartments are narrow, and I have to bend down to get through. I return to the hotel via the station building and the Cathedral of the Intercession. In the evening, we eat along the boulevard by the bay.