Modern communication can be a blessing - and a curse - but also a necessary tool .
While I am on cycling expeditions I rather revel in being on the fringe ofthe world- choosing to be immersed in the very here and now, and allowing the woes of the world to pass me by.
So - while we were hurtling on into North eastern Turkey, marvelling at the change of countryside to that of a pastoral people, admiring age old farming traditions -just a few hundred kilometres north of us, an old political grudge was flaring up into ugly open war fare. South Ossetia which is part of Georgia- somewhat reluctantly, was being subjected to the rumble of Russian tanks, and bombings in retaliation for an act of aggression by Georgia - the shooting down of 2 Russian Fighter jets. I am sure it has hit your papers and all the major players are now getting into the fray.
It seems that the situation is rapidly deteriorating to a point where a bunch of 16 cyclists would not be allowed passage through, or would be in possible grave danger from escalating violence. Refugees are also said to be pouring into Turkey and being on an adventure expedition amidst their anguish seems horribly wrong.
So - we are off on a new adventure. We made a south easterly turn and are now in Kars waiting to catch a bus to Ankara from where we will fly to Baku in Aberbijan - and hopefully continue from there. The truck will attempt to get to Turkmenistan via Iran, and after crossing the Caspian Sea - we will rendezvous. The logostics are a nightmare and the boss man from Tour dAfrique - Henry Gold- is flying out to assist. Travel insurance seems destined not to fork out for the new airfare and our bags and bikes will be overwight but we are determined to remain bouyant!
In a moment of reflection - it struck me that this is the second time in my life when a planned overland trip has been truncated by political upheaval. Pete and I in 1978 were stopped short at the Nicaraguan border on route to South America- and we had to do some really underhand moves to get back through Mexico. It seems that we dont learn from history.
But there are a few bonuses. Tomorrow sees us on an excursion to some ancient Armenian acheological sites, we will get to experience more of Turkey - and tonight I am sleeping in a bed!
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2 comments:
What lousy luck, Joano, there goes the EFI principle. And missing out on the Caucasus. Bloody Russkis haven't changed their spots, still out to cobble their old empire together again, that's at the bottom of it, not their tender concern for the South Ossetians. Next door they're brutalising Chechnya, where self-determination obviously doesn't feature. Bunch of scumbags.
Well, wishing you better luck from here on!!! Love F&L
Hello Joan - Back in Hong Kong - Sorry to have missed you in the Cape prior to your amazing expedition (we were pretty wiped out with three sick kids, flu for me, but a good holiday in the days that remained, nevertheless), but I am thoroughly enjoying following your progress through your website. Hope you've settled into the role of sweep rider and are not champing at the bit to be out front like down Africa! C'est la vie on the EFI story - hope it's just good cycling from Baku on. Keep the wheels turning and the blogs rolling. Lots of love,
Mark
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