The maps for the route to Mongolia arrived today, well they actually arrived on Saturday but someone, the only one at home, was a bit too hungover to get up and sign for them. Now that the route has changed to alleviate the problems getting into Georgia and/or Azerbaijan from Russia I'll have to start researching Turkey too. The Black Sea coast provides an interesting route to Georgia, I had considered taking in the Azerbaijan/Iranian border in order to see Mount Ararat but it would take us too far out of our way unfortunately. The website Horizons Unlimited contains an absolute wealth of information regarding doing anything (that's probably literally true) on two wheels. On reading my post someone suggested we take a look at 'The Gateway to Hell' in Turkmenistan, check out this video.
Evidently an exploration rig drilled into a massive underground chamber releasing a gas pocket. To stop an explosion they set fire to it, sounds a bit daft to me, in order to burn it off. Forty years later it's still going!
On a different note.
I've bid, on ebay, for the first of the Cubs. In fact I've been a tad over enthusiastic and bid for two. At the time of tapping away, I am winning both auctions. Never mind we need two.
All of these plans seem a long time in the future but, bearing in mind that Timbuktu seems only five minutes ago, time has a habit of creeping up on you. When it was time to leave for Africa just before Christmas last year it did suddenly strike me that leaving my family back home whilst I disappeared to foreign pastures was precisely why I left the Navy. I guess that's why I need to ensure that in swanning off to do something new I can justify my actions by supporting worthwhile causes. Also, this time, I will ensure that all costs are understood and covered before we leave. Will be updating the website this weekend and maybe, if I get the chance, get some video up from the Timbuktu trip.
Time to go and look at some maps I think.
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