Whilst Liz (Carl's Wife) was in Kiev in the Ukraine they stayed in a hotel which she says was rather expensive, but very nice with nice gardens. Whilst there they walked along a river and even managed to find a McDonalds (yum yum). The weather whilst Liz was in Kiev was very warm luckily she brought it back with her judging by the recent heat wave.

She told me that Carl and Andy arrived a couple of days early at the hotel and unfortunatley had a brush with the law. Whilst camping one night in a local woods the police arrived to see who was there and why and abviously decided that there was a reason to take both of them to the police station. Carl and Andy explained about their trip and they were released but not until they both had to pay £40 each which was the amount Carl managed to get them to agree too, as the police had orginally asked for far more. Luckily not all the people in the Ukraine are like this.

Carl and Andy were held up in the Ukraine longer than was envisaged. They both needed new tyres which thanks to Speed Demon's owner Shaun he posted some out to the hotel in Kiev. But upon arrival with customs there was a release fee, this fee was more than the tyres actually cost. So thanks to a local biker more tyres were found. Shaun is now trying to have the tyres which are stuck at Customs returned to the UK as they do belong to Carl who has paid for them. When it became time to leave Kiev Carl and Andy headed towards Russia, on route the pair became lost and after seeing a word that looked like biker on the back of a car they asked the owners for some help.

They were riding through the city of Voronezh in Russia caught up in a traffic jam ( just like home) and using simple English they were told how to get to Tambov. The car owners did email myself wishing Carl and Andy well and added "No spike, No Baton" which is what Voronezh Bikers say ( and no before you ask I have no clue what this means)

Since arriving in Russia Andy has come to blows with a car no one was hurt and I think his bike faired well. Carl has had to replace wheel bearings, I did ask them to take bearings with them Carl has added that his bike as he puts it is "Falling to Pieces" Thanks to Natalie Haynes (as mentioned in the Thank You section of this blog) manged to source a bike shop in Russia that the bearings could be purchased (the internet wonderful invention). Carl and Andy are travelling through Russia on the Trans Siberian Highway. Carl and Andy have said the Russian people are alot more friendly.

The pair have been a wonderful source of food for the local mosquitoes, ants and I think anything else that has managed to lunch on them both. They have slept in nurmerous forrests and I think by now they both wish they had taken their lovely soft beds.

Hello every one just a short note not spoke to Carl or Andy for the last week  waiting for Liz to come back form Kiev with the gossip about Andy Carl and the police yes the police !! and I will tell the truth the hole truth and nothing but the truth.

I have just discovered that if people wanted to leave any comments they would be unable to unless they have a google account.

If you wish to leave any comments you can email them to myself and I will add them to the blog.

 

mtonkin97@hotmail.com

BRITON    FRANCE 

calasis,,,lile,,,cambrail,,,reins,,,bar le duc,,,nancy,,,st die,,,colmar,,, freiburg,,,ulm,,, augsburg,,,munich,,,linz,,,vienna,,,bratislava,,,nitra,,,lavice,,,sahy
just some of the places that carl and andy have rode through ,The start of the journey went well but both got a little wet ha ha,, in france, As you can see they have both stopped in a small campsite. In the pictures "Europe part 1"

Getting both Carl and Andy to send pictures and info as they travel on is becoming very difficult due to lack of signal, lack of time for Carl that is and generally being so ingrossed in what they are doing.

In one of the pictures there is a photo of a grey haired guy in a white T-shirt. This one of Andy's friends they stopped with him in Austria. he is the first to sign the T-shirt.

Sorry for the photo of Andy in his boxers, not a pretty sight poor Carl who has to see that more than we do,lol

So from Austria they went through to various cities, towns and villages on their way to Slovakia where they stayed with family members of yet another friend. Time for a proper meal and a hot bath, about time they stink.

Luckliy Tesco was on hand so Carl could buy a new tent as he has broken his already. God they aren't even out of Europe. He has busted one of his boxes, Andy bike carburretor's is playing up, so I had my head in a maual trying to word lots of info into a small text.

I have the feeling this trip is going to be very eventful.

They should be arriving in the Ukraine on Thursday whre Elizabeth Carl's wife is going to meet them for the weekend, she is travelling with a friend,ie set of nobbly tyres, new carburettors, new tent, told him he should have gone in a car with a trailer,lol

p.s comments would be appreicated, and please sign up to be followers on the blog.

Carl and Andy should have left their overnight stop at a friends in  Kent today to board the ferry to France. But unfortunatley they were held up with a couple of issues.

One of them being Andy has caught man flu and didn't feel well enough to ride. Hopefully a day in bed will have him back in the seat ready to catch the ferry.

Andy and Carl started their trip round the world today. Firstly they met some friends at Cafe Racer and Speed Demon and had their last decent cooked brekfast for some time courtesy of Ian and Sarah.

Then about 10.00am a large group of bikers and some cars left for Hard Rock Cafe Manchester.  On arrival they were greeted by Hard Rock Sales &  Marketing Manager Emma Livingstone seen in the photo above. More drinks were consumed tea and coffee of course supplied by Hard Rock and and don't forget the sticky buns (yum yum).

At about 11.30am Carl and Andy left us all in the pub and set out on their adventure.