Stage Tour II: from Cypres to Volgograd - Entries for: Cyprus
20° | cloudy | km 0
The great reunion!
on 2013-03-30 in Cyprus
Getting up this day was as easy as it could be. We had a date with our bikes and we knew for sure we would miss it!
After what felt like an eternity, we got picked up and drove to the bike's location. On our way we discussed our upcoming border crossing. We were a bit worried, but our Friend told us that we would be fine! The fact he told this to us numerous times didn't comfort us as much as he might have wanted it to.
All was forgotten once we saw our beloved Africa Twins again! They were incredibly dusty, but also beautiful as ever! We tried starting them right away, but sadly neither Fabi's nor Basti's sprung to live. The battery was flat, but Denis managed to get his started and with a little help of his bike we got ours started as well.
Glad and grateful we gave our bike's keeper the white sausages and four of Munich's finest beers. He was happy he could help us.
The rest of the day we planned our border crossing and the oil change we had to do. Thinking about crossing the border still made us a little sick...
After what felt like an eternity, we got picked up and drove to the bike's location. On our way we discussed our upcoming border crossing. We were a bit worried, but our Friend told us that we would be fine! The fact he told this to us numerous times didn't comfort us as much as he might have wanted it to.
All was forgotten once we saw our beloved Africa Twins again! They were incredibly dusty, but also beautiful as ever! We tried starting them right away, but sadly neither Fabi's nor Basti's sprung to live. The battery was flat, but Denis managed to get his started and with a little help of his bike we got ours started as well.
Glad and grateful we gave our bike's keeper the white sausages and four of Munich's finest beers. He was happy he could help us.
The rest of the day we planned our border crossing and the oil change we had to do. Thinking about crossing the border still made us a little sick...
22° | sunny | km 198
Used oil removal?! Who cares!
on 2013-03-31 in Cyprus
The batteries were charged and the Bikes fueled, it felt great to be on the road again!
To get across the border as quickly as possible and with the least amount of risk we decided to take the highway! We had heard too many stories about impoundedbikes and even prison that we were very nervous while riding. After we passed a police car our heart raced like crazy and we all had different ideas how to escape if he had followed us. Much to our relieve he didn't and after passing another police car we were able to cross the border without any problems. So we headed towards the harbor to find out when our ferry would leave.
Because of our ingenious planning it wouldn't leave until the next day, which at least gave us enough time for our oil change. After we finally found a gas station, which was willing to let us change our oil. The nice owner told us just to empty our oil onto the ground. we didn't feel comfortable doing this, which is why we grabbed some old oil can that was lying on the ground. One of us forgot whilst filling in the new oil to put the oil cap back on and so some of his new oil spilled on the ground. We tidied it up as much as we could and were back on our way soon.
So we just needed to find a place to stay the night and after three Hotel owners discussed with each other who would take us we found a nice room. We went out for dinner at the harbour and once we got back to the room we went to bed right away.
Our night didn't quite go as planned since our sleep was interrupted by a ton of mosquitos once again...
To get across the border as quickly as possible and with the least amount of risk we decided to take the highway! We had heard too many stories about impoundedbikes and even prison that we were very nervous while riding. After we passed a police car our heart raced like crazy and we all had different ideas how to escape if he had followed us. Much to our relieve he didn't and after passing another police car we were able to cross the border without any problems. So we headed towards the harbor to find out when our ferry would leave.
Because of our ingenious planning it wouldn't leave until the next day, which at least gave us enough time for our oil change. After we finally found a gas station, which was willing to let us change our oil. The nice owner told us just to empty our oil onto the ground. we didn't feel comfortable doing this, which is why we grabbed some old oil can that was lying on the ground. One of us forgot whilst filling in the new oil to put the oil cap back on and so some of his new oil spilled on the ground. We tidied it up as much as we could and were back on our way soon.
So we just needed to find a place to stay the night and after three Hotel owners discussed with each other who would take us we found a nice room. We went out for dinner at the harbour and once we got back to the room we went to bed right away.
Our night didn't quite go as planned since our sleep was interrupted by a ton of mosquitos once again...
24° | sunny | km 207
Off to the ferry
on 2013-04-01 in Cyprus, Turkey
Today we were going to board the ferry to get back to Turkey. At the harbour they needed a yellow sheet of paper which Denis and Fabi had thrown out last year and which is why they had to race back to the Greek border to try to get it back!
At first nobody really got the urgency of our predicament and so they told us it was impossible to write a new document. Luckily we got to talk to two very nice and curious customs officers that were able, after some vivid phone calls, to get our papers faxed to the harbour. Thanks to them, we were able to ride back to the harbor and board the ferry. On the last checkpoint they noticed that Basti's papers had expired, which is why he also had to go to the harbor official to get his papers changed!
It is hard to believe how much bureaucracy is involved in all these matters, an important lesson we learned is that no matter what happens you will probably be able to solve it anyways.
After three and a half hours delay the ferry left the harbor and went on its way to the Turkish mainland.
We arrived at about 11 o'clock pm at the turkish harbor. Reentry went without a hitch and even finding a place to sleep went better than we had imagined. We were finally able to sleep at around 2 o'clock am.
At first nobody really got the urgency of our predicament and so they told us it was impossible to write a new document. Luckily we got to talk to two very nice and curious customs officers that were able, after some vivid phone calls, to get our papers faxed to the harbour. Thanks to them, we were able to ride back to the harbor and board the ferry. On the last checkpoint they noticed that Basti's papers had expired, which is why he also had to go to the harbor official to get his papers changed!
It is hard to believe how much bureaucracy is involved in all these matters, an important lesson we learned is that no matter what happens you will probably be able to solve it anyways.
After three and a half hours delay the ferry left the harbor and went on its way to the Turkish mainland.
We arrived at about 11 o'clock pm at the turkish harbor. Reentry went without a hitch and even finding a place to sleep went better than we had imagined. We were finally able to sleep at around 2 o'clock am.