Sirocco Overland 2013 Expedition: UK - Vladivostok (Siberia) Adventure
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Sirocco
Explorer
http://siroccoverland.com/2013/02/27/through-sweden-to-gransfors-bruks-axes/
blog entry on our visit to GBA. We are currently in Slovenia at Lake Bled. Heading south towards the Mediterranean tomorrow visiting Piran.
We have been on the road for 4 weeks now and covered 6000 miles across Europe. Yesterday was the 1st day we saw temps above 0 degrees C. This may not sound like a lot to people reading this at home but we are effectively living outside! Its been hard when your toothpaste freezes, water freezes, shower gel, shampoo, moisturiser cream, yoghurt, milk, butter, olive oil, all vegetables freeze. The only heating we have is in the cab, which is where I am sat now typing this. and Defenders are not spacious! (especially a 90).
Will get some more pics on facebook soon of Lake Bled and soon to visit some caverns/caves
G
blog entry on our visit to GBA. We are currently in Slovenia at Lake Bled. Heading south towards the Mediterranean tomorrow visiting Piran.
We have been on the road for 4 weeks now and covered 6000 miles across Europe. Yesterday was the 1st day we saw temps above 0 degrees C. This may not sound like a lot to people reading this at home but we are effectively living outside! Its been hard when your toothpaste freezes, water freezes, shower gel, shampoo, moisturiser cream, yoghurt, milk, butter, olive oil, all vegetables freeze. The only heating we have is in the cab, which is where I am sat now typing this. and Defenders are not spacious! (especially a 90).
Will get some more pics on facebook soon of Lake Bled and soon to visit some caverns/caves
G
Scott Brady
Founder
Awesome! Glad you enjoying the trip so far.
Great shot!!!!
Great shot!!!!
Sirocco
Explorer
Will write some more Blog posts tonight/tomorrow.
crossed into Croatia yesterday and thought we found the perfect wildcamp spot on the coast. We had not seen anyone in any direction for about 3-4 hours, miles of coast to ourselves. Then the police came by and rumbled us! We had to move on. I think someone must have seen us enter the '1 way' route and not return. As wildcamping is illegal here (and most places in Europe) its not surprising. Especially when you see the amount of litter and junk people just leave it makes sense. We found somewhere else along the Istrian Peninsula and it was beautiful.
Temps on the Mediterranean coast have been +10 to +16c which was a welcome change as everything has defrosted. We had some problems with condensation inside our Maggiolina on the ceiling and under the mattress but that is now sorted.
Today we made the push to Plitvice National Park where we plan to see the lakes tomorrow: http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/
Google images if you want to see what they are like. Summer pics look epic, not sure what we will get tomorrow and it looks like it will be raining so not sure what to expect out of the Nikon. We are also back into the snow here. 3-4ft lining the road and the temps have dropped due to the mountains but its not too bad.
Anyway, will get some pics up and hopefully a blog post tonight or tomorrow night
G
crossed into Croatia yesterday and thought we found the perfect wildcamp spot on the coast. We had not seen anyone in any direction for about 3-4 hours, miles of coast to ourselves. Then the police came by and rumbled us! We had to move on. I think someone must have seen us enter the '1 way' route and not return. As wildcamping is illegal here (and most places in Europe) its not surprising. Especially when you see the amount of litter and junk people just leave it makes sense. We found somewhere else along the Istrian Peninsula and it was beautiful.
Temps on the Mediterranean coast have been +10 to +16c which was a welcome change as everything has defrosted. We had some problems with condensation inside our Maggiolina on the ceiling and under the mattress but that is now sorted.
Today we made the push to Plitvice National Park where we plan to see the lakes tomorrow: http://www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/
Google images if you want to see what they are like. Summer pics look epic, not sure what we will get tomorrow and it looks like it will be raining so not sure what to expect out of the Nikon. We are also back into the snow here. 3-4ft lining the road and the temps have dropped due to the mountains but its not too bad.
Anyway, will get some pics up and hopefully a blog post tonight or tomorrow night
G
Sirocco
Explorer
Ok, a collection of pics from the last few weeks: Germany, Slovenia, Croatia. I will try to order these and explain where possible.
Lakes were good today but taking pictures was difficult. Snow has covered most of the paths and walkways so they have shut down a lot of it which is a shame.
Lisa managed to write a blog post on our time in Germany tonight, can be found here: http://siroccoverland.com/blog/
Some photos from the last few weeks...
Top 3 pics are Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Next 3 are Bavaria, Germany. In particular Neushwanstein Castle
Landshut, Bavaria
Axe throwing at Gransfors Bruks Axe Forge, Sweden
Soca River, Slovenia
Many more on our blog and on Facebook page
G
Lakes were good today but taking pictures was difficult. Snow has covered most of the paths and walkways so they have shut down a lot of it which is a shame.
Lisa managed to write a blog post on our time in Germany tonight, can be found here: http://siroccoverland.com/blog/
Some photos from the last few weeks...
Top 3 pics are Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Next 3 are Bavaria, Germany. In particular Neushwanstein Castle
Landshut, Bavaria
Axe throwing at Gransfors Bruks Axe Forge, Sweden
Soca River, Slovenia
Many more on our blog and on Facebook page
G
Scott Brady
Founder
beautiful work.
I wish you continued safety
I wish you continued safety
Sirocco
Explorer
Thanks Scott.
We got a heads up on a Land Rover Forum last night about the Mali Alan (Harran) Pass in Croatia and looking at our route seems like a possible one. My only worry is the ice/snow coverage in the area at this time of year and the number of hairpin switchbacks with the sankey trailer in tow. I think we will take a look and see. Not worried about going up, its the coming down I don't like! The pass may well even be closed. From Southern Croatia we will visit Mostar then Lukomir before Sarajevo and then east to Serbia.
G
Sirocco
Explorer
Blog entries for Slovenia and Croatia
Slovenia ? From Lake Bled through to Skocjan Caves and the Mediterranean Coast. | Sirocco Overland | ??????? ????????
Croatia ? The Istria Peninsula and Plitvice National Park | Sirocco Overland | ??????? ????????
Currently in Visegrad, BiH and leaving for Serbia tomorrow morning.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a great place to travel with a very emotive (recent) history. The hospitality received has been exceptional and we have enjoyed our time here even if it has been too short. After everything I have read recently I'm not sure what travelling in Serbia is going to be like for me personally. We will see. We have visited Mostar and spent the day in Sarajevo as well as driving through the countryside.
Either way we need to get a move on through Bulgaria and into Turkey to start getting our Visas sorted for Central Asia.
Whilst in Bosnia we travelled to the most remote mountain region within BiH, Lukomir. Whilst not reaching the village itself we made it to within 6km before turning around on the advice of a friendly local man. The route is closed off for 9 months of the year and Duran, the local sheep farmer told us we were the 1st people to visit for the last 9 months! He invited us in for coffee and a bite to eat, speaking no English we conversed for a few hours with some basic phrases, hand written text, and gestures.
The photo below is of the track to 1400m.
Slovenia ? From Lake Bled through to Skocjan Caves and the Mediterranean Coast. | Sirocco Overland | ??????? ????????
Croatia ? The Istria Peninsula and Plitvice National Park | Sirocco Overland | ??????? ????????
Currently in Visegrad, BiH and leaving for Serbia tomorrow morning.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a great place to travel with a very emotive (recent) history. The hospitality received has been exceptional and we have enjoyed our time here even if it has been too short. After everything I have read recently I'm not sure what travelling in Serbia is going to be like for me personally. We will see. We have visited Mostar and spent the day in Sarajevo as well as driving through the countryside.
Either way we need to get a move on through Bulgaria and into Turkey to start getting our Visas sorted for Central Asia.
Whilst in Bosnia we travelled to the most remote mountain region within BiH, Lukomir. Whilst not reaching the village itself we made it to within 6km before turning around on the advice of a friendly local man. The route is closed off for 9 months of the year and Duran, the local sheep farmer told us we were the 1st people to visit for the last 9 months! He invited us in for coffee and a bite to eat, speaking no English we conversed for a few hours with some basic phrases, hand written text, and gestures.
The photo below is of the track to 1400m.
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Scott Brady
Founder
Istanbul is a nice place to do that and most of the Central Asian countries have offices there. I am not sure of the current status on the Wakhan Corridor visas. They were stopped for a while. Are you looking at Iran still? I hope you go - that was my one regret from my Silk Road trip, missing Iran.
Sirocco
Explorer
I heard Iran were not issuing visas to UK citizens a while back so always planned around it. Since the Georgia/Russia border is now open we will go this way and clockwise around the Caspian skirting Chechnya on the way. I think we will be stopping in Istanbul and Ankara for Visas. Hopefully be there in 10-14 days time if all goes well.
G
if all goes well.G
Scott Brady
Founder
Our experience on the Caspian was interesting - certainly a sense of adventure. You will really enjoy Georgia, Tbilisi in particular. Beautiful city.
AeroNautiCal
Explorer
What a great adventure, and lovely pic's.
Did you equip yourself at Gransfors?
Did you equip yourself at Gransfors?
Sirocco
Explorer
Sadly not
I all ready own a small forest axe and couldn't quite justify a splitting maul or big axe. Shame really. If they were cheaper than elsewhere I may have been tempted. I left with a diamond sharpening tool so I can keep my axe in good, sharp condition. After speaking at length with one of the guys there that does the end product sharpening, this tool is the best thing (over the sharpening stone).
Eastern Serbia now, Bulgaria tomorrow and the Rila Mountains.
G
I all ready own a small forest axe and couldn't quite justify a splitting maul or big axe. Shame really. If they were cheaper than elsewhere I may have been tempted. I left with a diamond sharpening tool so I can keep my axe in good, sharp condition. After speaking at length with one of the guys there that does the end product sharpening, this tool is the best thing (over the sharpening stone).
Eastern Serbia now, Bulgaria tomorrow and the Rila Mountains.
G