Moscow

12-18th September: Moscow is a dynamic city, I would put it as a must see (+ St Petersburg) in one’s life. For Australia, white mans history is so recent, here buildings and events are dated from the 13 hundreds. What I find impressive is that so much history is still intact.

We walked our legs off and metro’d (the underground train) for 3 days, and covered only some of the best. We paid our respects to Boris Yelsen, Khrushchev, Raisa Gorbachev, and Stalin’s second wife – Nadezhda at the cemetery. We walked the streets and marvelled at the upmarket shops in Arbat and the newly finished and remodelled GUM department store. Most impressive was viewing Russia’s Diamond collection of rough and cut Diamonds, and the hundreds of Gold and Platinum nuggets in the Kremlin. On top of our list were the old weapons and suits of armour in the Armoury.

Unfortunately Red Square was closed for the Military Tattoo Festival so we were unable to see neither the Square nor the embalmed Mr Lenin, not that he should be admired for the atrocities he committed.

We had an invitation to a local 4x4 club event some 180 kilometres north of Moscow towards St Petersburg, so we gratefully accepted. At club level the vehicles were not as well developed as our competition trucks, however their driving style was impressive. Using mostly UAZ 4x4’s, these were chopped, and lifted, and for tyres - Supper Swamper up to 36”x 14” but no lockers – yet! Power was not great but in the swamps these light weight vehicles and big tyres did well. Invariably on the hill climbs the small diffs often broke. With petrol engines well waterproofed, they proved their survival by driving through water that covered the bonnet.
At event presentation, I presented to one competitor an ‘Outback Challenge’ beanie. In a near standard UAZ with 33” tyres he drove with his brain through the course and I thought deserved recognition. He came 3rd in the competition, being beaten only by much modified vehicles. The club president also presented to the four of us club bandannas.
Now in an apartment in St Petersburg, we have two days to see the sights. Not really enough time, but we again have an invitation to see one of the top events in the 4x4 Competition World using highly modified vehicles. This is only 250K’s out of St Petersburg so we are going there, before we make the dash to the UK. We are unable to change the dates of our tickets as all flights are full for the next 20 days so we are confirmed to leave Heathrow on the 3rd October.

Camp 82-83: St. Petersburg private apartment

Highlights: Moscow Kremlin Museums, particularly Russian’s Diamond Fund and the Armoury, a local 4X4 Comp
Total Distance to Date: 21,300 Kilometres