Day 14 - Where locals glow in the dark!

Late breaking excitement ... Car 72 gets its photo taken ... and posted on the official P2P website ... if you listen really carefully ... you can just hear Clive shout ... "now, now, pull up the hand-brake!!"

Clive Dunster and Cecilia Agger - Chevrolet Fangio Coupe

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Today was a very long transport leg ... as Clive put it "mile after mile after mile after mile through nowhere" finally reaching Semey in Eastern Kazakhstan.   On the positive side, the day was uneventful and the border crossing from Russia into Kazakhstan was a dream ... taking only one hour in total.  

Unfortunately, the car run like a pig all day ... virtually no brakes ... virtually no gears ... and a throttle that kept jamming wide open.    Just as well that there were no timed stages ... although the jamming throttle might have given Fugly some inspirational times.

Once they arrived at the hotel (of which more later), he set about trying to fix some of these problems.   As soon as he stepped out of the car, he noticed the puddle of oil.   No, not another problem.   Of course, when in doubt about what to do, always but always, open the bonnet and stare intently at whatever is in there ... whether or you have any idea of what to do.

In this case, looking under the bonnet was an inspired decision ... because it was quite obvious to our driver/mechanic that an oil pipe related to the airfilter has become detached.   Not only was it spewing oil everywhere, but it was sitting on the throttle preventing the return spring from doing it job.   Fantastic, two apparently serious problems fixed in a matter of moments.

Encouraged by such a feat of engineering brilliance, Clive of Kazakhstan moved onto the brakes, the fixing of which was a simple matter of adjustment.   So life is very good at the end of today ... and beers are in order.

Which brings us back to the hotel, called Hotel Nomad.  Clive described it as "quite special ... quite unbelievable ... like social housing ... with no bar, no restaurant".   Apparently they have to head to a cafe down the road for something to eat ... just as well that this wasn't last night when crews were arriving, hungry and tired, for many hours after midnight.   Oh, and the cars are just parked on the street.

Needless to say, there's no wi-fi, so photos will have to wait until they get to Almaty on Saturday evening.   In Almaty, they're all booked into the Intercontinental Hotel, so they're assured of all luxuries including wi-fi.   They might even be able to charge their drinks to their room.   And they have 2 whole restdays in Almaty.

For and on behalf of CD and Ces


PS:  But before we leave today's adventure, let me explain an interesting feature of the Semey region that Clive didn't mention in his despatch.   In case I didn't get an update from Clive today, I had done a bit of reading about that part of Kazakhstan, so that I would have something to say to you readers (although as an Irishman, that should never pose a problem).  

I discovered that Kurchatov, a town some 160 kms west of Semey, is much more famous (or infamous) than Semey.   Kurchatov was the ultra-secret city where all Soviet-era nuclear testing took place.   It was named after the USSR's nuclear physicist who was leading the development of nuclear weapons.

Igor Kurchatov ... friendly looking chap, don't you think

Between 1949 and 1989, 456 nuclear tests (340 underground, 116 in the atmospheric) took place here.   Is it any wonder that there are few tourist facilities in Semey.   It problably also explains why the cars are just parked on the street ... their headlights will probably stay alight all night ... of their own accord.  And they'll be easy to find in the morning!!