Samarkand Bound: European Russia and Ukraine.

In Russia at the border. Beautiful day, and I'm finally heading west.

Near the city of Chelyabinsk or as they called it in Soviet times, "Tractorville" for self explanatory reasons. In the photo above I am finally crossing the Urals, thus entering Europe from Asia. High rolling hills rather than mountains, lush green farmland. It's about 2900 km. from Petropavlosk to the Ukrainian border.

A Subway Restaurant at the side of the road near Ufa. I stayed out of the cities and stayed at truck stops and country motels where I could find them. At the end of the day one always seemed to turn up.

The Volga Region is a vast agriculturally rich area, much more populated than the far east and Siberia with plenty of large cities. Often in the distance you can see the large hulking smokestack remains of failed Soviet industries.

At a rest stop near Samara where there is a Lada factory. A truck load of Ladas off to the dealerships.

Decent roads compared to the far east and Siberia. I only met four bikers coming the other way, but it was still early in the season for Europeans heading east.

On the edge of Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, where the Russians fought an epic battle with the Nazis during the second world war, the beginning of the end for Hitler.

Turn off towards Rostov on Don with Moscow to the north. It's about a days drive south to Chechnya where the Russians are still having political problems. I am heading to the Ukrainian border crossing north of Rostov on Don.

Near the Ukrainian border.

I had some problems leaving Russia. The customs slip I had for importing a vehicle into Russia that I had filled out when entering from Japan a year earlier was out of date. After about a five hour wait and lots of pleasant conversation, they allowed me through. I could have left earlier if I had come across with some cash, but I decided that I had already payed plenty for the visa (it's expensive) and that I could wait them out. I spent my time reading up on the Ukraine and charting my trip on the map. Finally they came down with my papers, we shook hands, and I was on my way. It's all a big game!

In the Ukraine, finally. As much as I enjoyed Russia (I would go back), it was refreshing to get out from under the the bureaucratic blanket that seemed to be omnipresent, perhaps a throwback to Communist times. Also from here west there are no more visa problems. They are easily available at the borders.

Ukraine is like a big garden, the largest country fully enclosed in Europe. Not without reason is it called the breadbasket of Europe.

Green and lush, with pretty little country churches.

The roads and the level of prosperity seemed to be a little better than in Russia.

I did run into a little problem with a few guys trying to rush me for money at a gas station, and with a quite ignorant cop looking for some easy money, but was able to deal with both cases without much problem. God there are some stupid people around! Luckily they are a very very small minority.

Lviv, Ukraine's loveliest city, in the Ukrainian speaking western heartland. In the eastern area of the Ukraine, Russian is the working language.

The old town is a world heritage site and the city of 745000 as yet remains one of the continent's best kept secrets.

Ladies enjoying the moment.

Overview of the city and surrounding countryside.

The Hotel George, the best value hotel I had on the whole trip. Thirty-one dollars a night, all you can eat breakfast included. I parked at the front door.