Problems in Saratov

Day 122  Sunday 31stJuly 2011  

The night watchman released our bikes from the courtyard and then, after loading, we had to wait around to exactly 7am before the doors to the breakfast room were opened and we were allowed to fill ourselves for today’s journey to Saratov. Being Sunday and relatively early we found ourselves on empty city roads, the very same roads that had been full to bursting on our arrival two days previous, and our progress out of Samara was swift. We went north towards Tolyatti where we crossed the Volga and started our route south west following the river on its journey to the Black Sea. We also encountered being stopped by the police at a checkpoint – our very first in the whole trip across Russia. The DPS policeman was rather stern as he said “machina dokumenta” and I handed over my V5 translation and an International Driving Permit. They cast their eyes over them and rattled something in Russian to each other and then handed them back and waved us on. I am fairly certain that they had no idea what the documents were and they never asked to see our insurance either.

We went through the industrial city of Sizran and carried on our way south west along roads that varied in quality depending on how much abuse the surface had taken from the heavy trucks that use the way each day. Deep ruts and the occasional big pothole meant that we had to stay alert and avoid being complacent because just one hit and we could either be thrown off the bikes or cause serious damage to wheels or suspension.

We arrived in Saratov in good time. It was around 3.30pm when the sat nav finally got us to the Sokol hotel. It was a strange place as it seemed to sit within a factory complex and things got even stranger when we went to reception to book in. The girl took our passports and immigration cards plus the all important visa registration document from our previous hotel in Samara and then telephoned someone and after a long conversation she relayed to us (using Google translation on her computer) that there was a problem. I managed to collar two Belgian workers who were staying at the same hotel and they told us that this wasn’t a proper hotel but more of a place where people are sent by their companies to relax. Between us we managed to work out that the problem was that they could not register our visa today in Saratov because it was Sunday and they were not allowed to let us stay without a registered visa. All of our pleadings fell on deaf ears but the Belgian guys suggested we try the Hotel Slovakia and the receptionist managed to find an address which I hastily put into the Sat nav and we set off again – this is the second time that booking.com has led us a merry dance with hotels so I will be more cautious when using them again (if I use them again !).

The Hotel Slovakia was found and it was a good location, right on the banks of the Volga, all that we needed now was a room. The receptionist spoke a little English and the all important “yes, we have a room” was music to my ears. We booked in, showered and had a (very expensive) beer in the bar before taking dnner on the terrace outside – all very civilised. However, with all positive things inRussia there is always a negative to counterbalance everything. Our registration papers will not be ready until after midday tomorrow so our journey time to Volgograd will be severely hamperd – can’t have everything !