Regułą jest, że polscy podróżnicy wyruszają na wyprawę, kierując się DO Władywostoku. W tym przypadku jednak jest zupełnie na odwrót – dla Michała Gintera oraz jego familii położony na brzegu Morza Japońskiego Władywostok będzie miejscem startu ich ekskursji, której celem jest... Sopot.  PRZECZYTAJ ZAPOWIEDŹ PODRÓŻY

SPOT TRACKING: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0akJmJrayb6gQipymzhXugLj68kHBml07

UPDATE Bayanhongor - Altai
Legenda do zdjęć:
(01) This residue is the leftover of two adults washing their hair after a sandstorm. Yes we had our shower ... in the end. As the town is experiencing an electrical overhaul nobody in town had electricity till 20:00. Unfortunately this meant that the water pumps didn't work immediately. We had to wait till midnight for them to fill the tanks and we warmed-up the water in the hotel-room tea kettle. (02) Bayanhongor at day. The electricians were very ambitious this morning and turned the electricity off 15 minutes earlier than supposed. The servo had its own generator, but it only served the fuel pumps - no credit card, sorry. We didn't have enough cash so we had to go to the bank. The queue was enough for 30 minutes waiting, so I decided to find an ATM, but didn't remember - no electricity. BAck to the queue. After an hour we were ready to leave the town. (03) The temperature dropped below zero at night so the surrounding mountains looked beautiful. (04) A kindergarten group was crossing the main street. Tymon and and Nina was waving to the kids. (05) Mongolian off-road in town. (07) Experience has shown that we sometimes it is better to drive off the road then on it. (09) Our guide turns around - now we know that we are on the right way out. (11) We follow the old rule of thumb: "Follow the electricity pylons". (13) This is one of the moments when I was talking to myself: "Michael, don't give up. This is the main road through Mongolia." (17) This is where (how) gher residents take their water from. (18) Two girls draging carts with water tanks. (19) The way out of town seems to run across the local garbage dump. (20) This springleft a lot of water damage to the roads. (22) We took the wrong 'lane' somewhere earlier and ended-up at the river bank with no option for a ford. We had to back-up 10 km and navigate to a point where an old track was crossing the river. (24) ...and we found this beautiful bridge with this excellent road... (25) ...which ended in 500 m as the rest got washed away. (26) Nearby a big collection of ovoos - means we must be on the main road. (28) Lunch break. Tymon is using the opportunity for desert exploration. (30) Water is boiling for lunch. (35) We were amused by this sign. (36) According to our GPS we were driving around a big lake. At some stage all tracks turned into the water. (37) So the pilot had to check-out the situation. The short-supply of trees (in case of winching) was what was stressing me the most. (42) We were lucky again. About 50 km before Altai a decent road started. This improved our average travel speed significantly. (43) The 'Service area for travellers'

UPDATE: Singing Dunes - Bayankhongor
Legenda do zdjęć:
(01) In the morning came a wind which was so strong that we had to pack our tent and seek shelter in one of the buildings. (02) It was sand-blasting everything in its way. (03) Thankfully one window was not shut properly so we organized breakfast in the canteen of the gher camp.(07) After I spotted the first chips on the windscreen I copied the method of locals. (08) It was -2 and for the first time we saw an icycle in our water hose. (09) Afer a while a local, who was responsible for looking after the camp, showed up and offered us to stay in one of his ghers. He explained that the sand storm will last all day. Remembering the warning not to drive in the conditions (low visibility and the air filter getting clogged within 3 hours of the engine running) we accepted the offer with relief. (12) The sons started-up a fire in seconds and within an hour we were sitting in t-shirts, enjoying the howling wind. I have to admit the gher construction works excellent. (14) The wind was so strong, that Tymon was almost unable to walk by himself. After the first time he almost took-off, he got so scared that he was holding the hand constantly. (15) We got a generous (for Mongolian conditions) supply of water to take a shower: 15 litres! (...for the whole family, not per person). (17) As predicted the next day we had good weather although with limited visibility. (18) And my dream came true: Our Land Cruiser drove on the sand dunes of the world's second biggest desert! (19) In front of us some of the highest in Asia and in the world: over 300 metres! On the top still some snow left after the winter. (20) We left the dunes on a road that did neither exist in our GPS nor on the printed map. (21) And suddenly we found a sign. In the middle of nowhere. The date on the back told us that it was put up 10 days ago. (24) After 65 km driving we found the dot on the map where we estimated the roads should join. (25) I was extremely proud of my estimation skills with a Letherman ruler in my hand. (26) We had to cross just one mountain range to get to the 'civilized' part. Our host told us that we will have no problems at this time of the year. (29) A friendly local 'living nearby' confirmed that we are on the right track. (32) And finally the flatlands. So suddenly changed the terrain. (but we were still above 2000 metres). (33) The exit. (37) The gate to/from the town - and the main road which is plain to see. (38) This is the '7 tons limit' sign and the gate that makes sure that nothing big passes the bridge. (39) The ford for the trucks is next to the bridge. (40) This dust on the horizon, ladies and gentlemen, is the long awaited main, 'Transmongolian Highway'. (43) Well. We found our big hope, now the challenge was to get on it. The trench next to it was to make sure that nobody is driving on the un-finished part. (45) We finally made it on it. The big surprise (disappointment) was that it is not a sealed road. It never was! (46) Well, it had streches which recharged our will to live and made us continue the torture. Unfortnately these were only tiny bits in the ocean of Mongolian off-road. Thankfully we didn't know that at that stage and we were hoping that soon we will find the highway we were dreaming of. (48) Yes, right guess. This is the signage saying that the road is under construction and the bypas road goes to the left. (49) Bayanhongor - A hot shower! A bed in a room where you dont have to wake-up at 5:00 in the morning to re-start the fire!

Legenda do zdjęć:
(01) Ex Caltex pump working well at the MT servo (petrol station) in Dalanzadgad. (02) In town you can't miss the fact that this is the gateway to Dino-Land - The Gobi Desert. (08) We are leaving town direction west. (09) This is just a few kilometers of sealed road in the few hundred to travel. (10) Back to reality. Asfalt is over and plenty of options arise. Intrestingly the sign's layout is in map format - north in the top (although facing west). (11) A VW Amarok is 'overtaking' us on the 'other lane'. (12) Heavy traffic in the desert. (14) The entry to the Yolyn Am National Park. (15) UAZ mini busses are very popular. (16) We are entering the mountains... (17) ...and snow shows-up as the elevation is rising. (18) The pass to the 'Blue Ice Canyon' - Yolyn Am Canyon. (19) 2404 metres over sea level. (20) Pretty easy to understand. (22) Please don't ask the name of this species. (25) We are choosing a shortcut out of the park which leads us over another pass. (26) And another ovoo. (27) Snow is blocking the river bed, but we manage to bypass all obstackles... (32) ...until we come to this canyon. The creek is covered with 30 cm thick ice which partly already melted. Three hours of driving wasted. We have to return and go the way around. (33) The kids are using the lunch break to 'wind-up some kilometers'. (34) Look at the two spots in the top-LH part of the picture. (35) The lunch-break scenery. (38) The source of water for the willage. (39) Heater elements acting as the indicator where the local stadium starts. (41) A tiny sandstorm starts. (41) Should we return without seeing the dunes of the Gobi? (44) The tracks of other parties we are using to support our mapping go south, so we have to correct our mistake by cutting 8 km through 'virgin land'. (46) Sometimes crossing dried-out creeks. (48) I don't know why this camel is wearing a jacket. (49) In the end we manage to mind the lake in a safe distance. (50) A sign! Hurray! And it is not just in Mongolian! Yippie! (51) It turned out that we got some blood sucking bastards on board when struggling in the canyon in the morning. Thankfully all were thrown over board or executed. (52) The first sand dunes start to show-up. (53) More creeks to cross. (54) The navigator is checking out the danger. Thankfully no crocodiles live here. (56) This is what most westeners struggle to understand - no road means dozens of them, sometimes spread for many kilometers wide. (57) The dunes are getting bigger and bigger. (the area is about 20 km wide and 200 km long). (61) 'Excuse me? Do you know a place to overnite?' (63) The sun sets over Gobi dunes. Unfortunately no operating Gher Camp found (it is to early into the season). (64) So we seek shelter in one of them. Our tent is being used for the firs time. It is 16 degrees at night which will turn into +2 in the morning. And a terrible wind will start to blow... (see next part).

Legenda do zdjęć:
(02) Till the very end we haven't figured out what the blankets were good for. We just guessed it was some kind of anti-freeze protection. (4) Yes, this is a 'bull-shit-hut'. (5) And this is where we hit Mongolian road/mapping reality - at the end of every town you are given the full liberty of choosing a track most exciting to you. 6) It was great to see that there is at least somebody else that chose the same way. Unfortunately it was very rare we met others. (7) We were on a pretty major road (A030) so we were rewarded with some kind of signage. (8) The heavy wind was joined by snow. (9) First Yaks on our trip. (10) The wind carried snow mixed with very fine dust creating mud on our car. (13) An Ovoo at the mountain pass. According to Mongolian/Tibetan tradition one shoud circle it three times thinking of his wishes. Then leave some treat (sweet, food, alcohol) and this will give luck for further travel. Those in a hurry just sound their horn. (14) 2170 m above sea level. No big deal in Mongolia.(15) In these circumstances Tymon decided to visit the toilet... (16) The view from the pass on our road down. (17) Back in the valley a truck didn't make a river crossing. The driver was not in sight - probably gone searching for help. (19) Back in the valley a truck didn't make a river crossing. The driver was not in sight - probably gone searching for help. (22) And another 'End-Of-City-Limits' (Ayvakheer). (23) The airport fence did help on the first few kilometers, but then... (24) ...it was back to absolute freedom. (30) We are on the 'road' into town. (31) The kids enjoyed the lunch break. (33) This is the magic stuff we got in Irkutsk, which was meant to protect our engine from dodgy fuel. (34) In town we were told to 'stick to the first electricity line from the left'. (37) On the outskirts of the next town there was a ford we had to cross. Joanna didn't like that idea. (38) She walked across the pedestrian/motorbike bridge and took pictures. (40) This container is not going to be picked-up soon. (42) German perfect organization meets the Gobi Desert. (43) The reality after the sign is still pure Mongolian. (48) Another ovoo. (50) The 'surface' was that good that Joanna was comfortable driving up to 120 km/h. Unfortunateli this was the one and only one time during our trip. (51) We started entering the south Gobi - pictures we kept in our imagination/expectation. (54) Just passing. We had another 100 km left to Dalanzadgad which we had to drive at night.

Legenda do zdjęć:
(02) The main road leaving UB direction west. (03) Coal traders on the outskirts (05) We didn't know that we should memorize this view... (08) Cowboys in action. (17) Pigs are a very rare sight in Mongolia. (19) Not really the 'Hell's Angels' but this is motorcycle country. (20) Here it comes! The 'on-sealed-roads' off-road starts. (26) ...and proper 'gravel-road' off-road. (27) Kharkhorin - the ancient Mongolian capitol (28) You better keep your eyes on the road... (30) We are topping-up water. (31) It is a pleasent 21 degrees! (Just today - don't get too excited). (44) The fountain replica (45) and the stone penis out of town (47) One of the four stone turtles that were marking the borders of the ancient capitol. (49) Our hotel for tonight (50) The complicated one-tap-chinese-showering system (fill the boiler, let it warm up and then switch over to draw the water for the shower).

Legenda do zdjęć:
(04) who needs more information? (05) The border crossing from Kyahta (Russia) to Mongolia. (06) Our first Mongolian restaurant experience (just after the border crossing). (08) A road sign. So obvious - in the next few days we were to learn what an unusual sight this will be in Mongolia. (15) Yep! This is exactly what you think it is. Outside temperature +4 degrees (Celsius) (21) The altitude is rising, so the quantity of snow. (24) Welcome to the capitol of Mongolia - Ulaanbaatar. (27) Police checkpoint at the entry to the town.

Legenda do zdjęć:
(01) A little bit out of order - this picture was taken at the end of the day at Olkhon Island. (02) Irkutsk (05) The dam and powerplant. (06) Irkustsk Railway Station (15) More mariage locks (19) The symbol of Irkutsk - the tiger with a beaver's tail. (25) Leaving town on the way to Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal. (31) In summer a ferry crosses the straight in winter... you drive... (32) This is how the 'highway' starts. (34) ...and this is supposed to hold the car... 1.5 meter of ice. (42) This is the 3 km gap where the ferry crosses. (44) "Ice Crossing" (47) The 'Rocks of Power' (50) ...and the beach.

 

Legenda do zdjęć:
(01) Our private icicles. (03) For not Cyrillic reading: Ulan Ude (the capitol of the Buriat Republic). (04-06) The first snow on our car. (07) ...and on the road... (08) The funny and exciting part is over. (09) This was the winner for 'The picture of the day' prize. (20) Leaving Zabaykalskiy Kray... (21) ...and entering Buriatya. (22) Buriat cowboy

 

Birobidzhan - the capitol of the Jewish Autonomous Republic


Lots of snow but still above zero degrees


Almost all rivers are still covered with ice


The famous Moscow-Vladivostok monument:


Shortly before Blagoveshchensk:

A new stage of the main road is being re-constructed. Trucks getting bogged are hauled up-hill by buldozers.

"Gone camping" (Australian translation: 'Grey nomading the Far-East way')

We made it to Vladivostok. On Tuesday 02.04.2013 we received our car. For today the plan is to make 730 km to Khabarovsk. The temperature during daytime is around 5 degrees plus, but we know it won't be that nice one we start travelling north/south. We got the satelite tracking device but we still have to register it so the web site will start showing it on the map. As promissed, I will sent the link once it is working.

data		dzień	start	tranzyt	meta	km	total
24-03	7	1	Melbourne	Singapur	Pekin
25-03	1	2	Pekin		Władywostok
26-03	2	3	Władywostok		Władywostok
27-03	3	4	Władywostok		Władywostok
28-03	4	5	Władywostok		Władywostok
29-03	5	6	Władywostok		Władywostok
30-03	6	7	Władywostok		Chabarowsk	772	772
31-03	7	8	Chabarowsk		Belogorsk	669	1 441
1-04	1	9	Belogorsk		Skovorodino	567	2 008
2-04	2	10	Skovorodino		Czita	941	2 949
3-04	3	11	Czita	Petrowsk Zabajkalski	Ułan Ude	668	3 617
4-04	4	12	Ułan Ude		Irkuck	448	4 065
5-04	5	13	Irkuck		Olchon	250	4 315
6-04	6	14	Olchon		Irkuck	250	4 565
7-04	7	15	Irkuck		Kyakhta	665	5 230
8-04	1	16	Kyakhta	Rosja/Mongolia	Darchan	126	5 356
9-04	2	17	Darchan		Ułan Bator	225	5 581
10-04	3	18	Ułan Bator		Ułan Bator	0	5 581
11-04	4	19	Ułan Bator		Dalanzadgad	631	6 212
12-04	5	20	Dalanzadgad		Bajanhongor	600	6 812
13-04	6	21	Bajanhongor		Chogno	381	7 193
14-04	7	22	Chogno		Tsetserleg	259	7 452
15-04	1	23	Tsetserleg		Uliastai	534	7 986
16-04	2	24	Uliastai		Chowd	637	8 623
17-04	3	25	Chowd		Olgij	216	8 839
18-04	4	26	Olgij	Mongolia/Rosja	Gornoałtajsk	623	9 462
19-04	5	27	Gornoałtajsk	(Gornoaltajsk-Semiej 680 km)	Nowosybirsk	449	9 911
20-04	6	28	Nowosybirsk		Omsk	686	10 597
21-04	7	29	Omsk		Astana	764	11 361
22-04	1	30	Astana		Astana	0	11 361
23-04	2	31	Astana		Karaganda	217	11 578
24-04	3	32	Karaganda		Karaganda	0	11 578
25-04	4	33	Karaganda		Ałma-Ata	1003	12 581
26-04	5	34	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
27-04	6	35	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
28-04	7	36	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
29-04	1	37	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
30-04	2	38	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
1-05	3	39	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
2-05	4	40	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
3-05	5	41	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
4-05	6	42	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
5-05	7	43	Ałma-Ata		Ałma-Ata	0	12 581
6-05	1	44	Ałma-Ata	Kazachstan/Kirgistan	Biszkek	238	12 819
7-05	2	45	Biszkek		Barkson	349	13 168
8-05	3	46	Barkson		Barkson	300	13 468
9-05	4	47	Barkson		Biszkek	349	13 817
10-05	5	48	Biszkek	Kirgistan/Kazachstan	Ałma-Ata	238	14 055
11-05	6	49	Ałma-Ata		Szymkent	725	14 780
12-05	7	50	Szymkent	Bajkonur	Aralsk	915	15 695
13-05	1	51	Aralsk		Aktobe	623	16 318
14-05	2	52	Aktobe		Aktobe	0	16 318
15-05	3	53	Aktobe		Atyrau	616	16 934
16-05	4	54	Atyrau		Atyrau	0	16 934
17-05	5	55	Atyrau		Uralsk	511	17 445
18-05	6	56	Uralsk	Kazachstan/Rosja (Samara)	Penza	670	18 115
19-05	7	57	Penza	54° 54′ 40″ N, 39° 30′ 45″ E	Sielce nad Oką	515	18 630
20-05	1	58	Sielce nad Oką		Moskwa	208	18 838
21-05	2	59	Moskwa		Moskwa	0	18 838
22-05	3	60	Moskwa		Kursk	555	19 393
23-05	4	61	Kursk		Charków	218	19 611
24-05	5	62	Charków	(Simferopol)	Jałta	741	20 352
25-05	6	63	Jałta		Odessa	625	20 977
26-05	7	64	Odessa		Odessa	0	20 977
27-05	1	65	Odessa		Kijów	475	21 452
28-05	2	66	Kijów		Kijów	0	21 452
29-05	3	67	Kijów		Lwów	542	21 994
30-05	4	68	Lwów		Milanówek	425	22 419
31-05	5	69	Milanówek		Sopot	417	22 836
1-06	6	70
2-06	7	71
3-06	8	72
4-06	9	73

*****

Michał Ginter – znany Wam z roli Traskowego pilota, a także polskiego zawiadowcy na rajdzie Drezno-Wrocław – na co dzień żyje sobie ciepło i przyjemnie w australijskim Melbourne. Zgadza się – u nich jest teraz lato!!! Tym większy podziw i zdumienie budzi jego pomysł wyruszenia w trasę o długości 18 tysięcy kilometrów przez krainy, w który normą o tej porze roku są raczej minusowe temperatury. Jakby tego było mało, nie mówimy o zorganizowanej ekspedycji kilku profesjonalnych wyprawówek, ale o wyczynie indywidualnym – w jeden samochód i z dwójką małych (2- i 4-letnich) dzieci!

Ekipa podróżników składa się z Michała Gintera (lat 42 – sprawowane funkcje: kierowca, mechanik, negocjator, nawigator, szef kuchni i zaopatrzeniowiec), Joanny Ginter (lat 39 – 2. kierowca, główny nawigator, superniania, stewardessa), Tymona Gintera (lat 4 – asystent mechanika, rysownik, chodzące wcielenie chaosu) i Niny Ginter (lat 2 – ps. „Księżniczka”, współkreatorka chaosu i bałaganu). Drużyna jest mała, ale zgrana i panuje w niej świetna atmosfera!

Zastanawiacie się, jakim autem ktoś decyduje się na samotną podróż przez pół świata? Jakieś typy? Musi być sprawne, niezawodne, komfortowe... Godne absolutnego zaufania. Michałowi wybór nie sprawił problemu. Toyota Land Cruiser VDJ76R z 2009 roku z aktualnym przebiegiem 80 tys. km to jego zdaniem najwłaściwszy pojazd, by bezpiecznie przewieźć rodzinę do Polski. Auto wystarczyło jedynie odpowiednio doposażyć: w akcesoria ARB (osłony, zderzaki, bagażnik dachowy), zawieszenie Old Man Emu, blokady, wyciągarkę Warn 9.5 XP, tylny zderzak Kaymar i 167-litrowy bak Long Ranger.

W podróż Ginterowie wyruszą 24 marca. Samolotem przelecą z Melbourne z przesiadkami w  Singapurze i Pekinie do Władywostoku, gdzie w kontenerze powinien już czekać na nich samochód. Tam przywita ich zima czy raczej przedwiośnie z temperaturami spadającymi nocą do -22 stopni... (Michał i Joanna budzą dziś niemałe zdumienie w australijskich sklepach, szukając odzieży „na narty”). Kierując się na zachód przez Mongolię, Kazachstan, Kirgistan, Rosję i Ukrainę, odwiedzając po drodze znajomych i przyjaciół, sukcesywnie zbliżać się będą do letnich temperatur w Polsce...  

Znajomych i kibiców The Ginter Family zapraszamy na stronę www.GlobalOffroadTouring.com, gdzie na bieżąco będzie zamieszczana relacja z podróży. My również będziemy starali się przekazywać aktualne wiadomości. Trzymamy kciuki za odważną rodzinę!

Text: Arek Kwiecień, fot. Michał Ginter