Lies, damn lies and the next ferry

The 'lute' player expresses his surprise as Andy P begins to accompany him on the harmonica

The ‘lute’ player expresses his surprise as Andy P begins to accompany him on the harmonica

Well it is 7.45 pm and Andy P and I are in Starbucks, Baku, just across from the port, making use of their wifi, air-con, the toilet, and occasionally buying a coffee. Meantime, I’m preoccupied with wondering if I dare sneak into the loos and use the hand held bottom washer to take a complete shower. I’ll carry out a spot survey over the next hour or so on the frequency of WC usage so that I can make an informed decision on this.

It’s beginning to get a bit repetitive here but we have just spent another full day sitting in the sun and/or shade at Baku port with an increasing number of Mongol Rally teams, which now number probably getting on for forty. So far only nine teams have actually got on a ferry since last Friday so the strike rate is not particularly good. Still, if I’m still here on Saturday 6th it will be a memorable way to spend my birthday. Ha ha! Not much we can do about it and the atmosphere is good with lots of awnings and gazebos erected and today a couple of teams set up a portable croquet course. The British know how to enjoy themselves when the sun shines and there’s nothing else to do.

The reason we sit all day in the port is that we get told different information every few hours about when the next ferry will arrive and how many people/cars it can take. It is impossible to know what is true/half true or downright lies and we all fear not being around when one of the ‘lies’ turns out to be true and ferry tickets are scattered around on a buy one get one free basis.  As I say, there’s nothing we can do about it and so we have just got to take it on the chin. Trying to top up the tan in the meantime but I feel a wee bit overshadowed by some of the young fit things’ torsos that on view. However I have to say that there are also some rather large bellies in evidence amongst the younger generation about which I feel relatively smug.

I don’t want to go on too much but there MAY be one or two ferries tomorrow but we have heard that every day for the last three days so neither of us is holding our breath. Anyway today was not wasted and gave a chance for Andy P to catch up on some domestic chores and wash out a few of his ‘smalls’. Hanging them on a make-shift line to dry, the shade they provided was gratefully taken advantage of by five Mongol rally teams and an articulated lorry that was waiting to board one of the elusive boats that no one I’ve met has yet caught sight of.

Another positive development is that today the Port Authority took some pity on us because although WE are allowed to leave the port, our cars are all impounded by customs as we were only given a three day transit visa on entry to Azerbaijan in order to avoid import duties. So we HAVE to leave the cars parked where they are until they are sent on the ferry. If our transit visas for entry into Turkmenistan expire before we reach that country (by the 7th of August), I presume Bluebell 2 will have to be ‘buried’ somewhere in the Caspian sea and Andy P and I will have to spend the rest of our lives plying our wares and skills between Baku and Turkmenbashi as persons with no legal country of abode. At least we will have a lovely tan and won’t need to worry about home maintenance and repairs. As they say, every cloud ……

So today, the Port Authority provided free drinks and food for everyone and the CEO came and talked to us all and said that he hoped all would soon be resolved. The experience of all Ralliers is that the Azerbaijan people are remarkably friendly, welcoming of strangers and honest. One young Australian guy went out on a ‘bender’ last night and by some quirk of temporary intellectual impairment lost his wallet with all his credit cards and $800 US cash in it. This morning there was a message for him on Facebook from the person who found it and he had it returned with nothing at all missing. Which I think says a lot.

Today we travelled in a taxi along part of the Formula 1 Grand Prix road circuit and passed the pit area. It must be impressive when it is all set up for racing and Lewis Hamilton is powering down the home straight with the backdrop of the fabulous buildings. This afternoon I ran across that same home straight traversing seven lanes of fast moving cars (the drivers of which all appeared to be wanting to be the first to receive the chequered flag), in order to reach a supermarket to buy drinking water. It is not something I would recommend and fortunately on the way back I discovered the pedestrian underpass. The fact that I was the only person crossing and dodging in and out of the traffic should have given me the clue, and I have to say that the drivers did appear to deliberately avoid hitting me so one has to grateful for small mercies.

Tonight we have debated whether to get a taxi back into town and try and find a hotel for the night but we really can’t be bothered and so are going to blow our air beds up and sleep under the stars (the fluorescent lights actually) in the port car park with a load of other ralliers who had Cindy Lauper blaring when we left to come to Starbucks. What has finally persuaded me is the result of the survey I mentioned previously and so I’d better call a halt to this now as I’m just off to take that shower.

Cheers for now, Andy Coe

Baku

Baku

IMG_0191

Purple London Taxis

Purple London Taxis

I'll try here for my shorts

I’ll try here for my shorts

The 'Flame' towers

The ‘Flame’ towers

Baku town centre

Baku town centre

The cloisters at night

The cloisters at night

4 replies
  1. Mary Gollan
    Mary Gollan says:

    Hi Andy and greetings from rainy Plockton. Somehow I have missed your previous blogs. How can I look them up, please? Mary x

    Reply

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