I actually got some
story written this morning…… Am putting the hour between 8 &
9 aside for story writing. Not sure how it’ll go long term but
we’ll see.
Left camp about 11
with the changed plan of heading to Kiev. I had been in communication
with a tour agent/campground guy when looking for help for a visa. We
thought we could go to his camp ground for a couple of nights and bus
into Kiev for a look around. Something different.
However we took
yellow roads, some were faster than others. Had lunch just off the
road in the corner of a paddock and although the sun was warm the air
was cold. John sharpened the knives.
We have noticed
piles of turnip looking “roots” in paddocks. We saw some
machinery working in a paddock so stopped on the side of the road and
walked into the paddock. They were loading the roots into trucks with
a big machine. One guy came across to us while the others jeered him
on. He had no English but found out it is sugar beets for sugar. The
beets are harvested into tractor and trailers and heaped at the end
of the paddock then some time later this machine with an auger picks
up the beets onto a conveyor belt which dumps them in truck and
trailer. John took some photos and when the truck was full, he pulled
away then stopped beside John, wound down his window, and wanted his
photo taken. Victor then got out and gave us his number so we could
send him the photos…… The initial guy rang a mate who spoke English so john was able to understand what the process was.
We stopped at
Teofipol as we saw a fruit & vegie stall. Bought a little from
both stalls. There was live music behind the stalls outside a
restaurant with woman dancing. Back at the truck we were inundated
with interested men. One guy with 4 words of English told us that his
mate was a good father and had twins which had just been given their
names in church and there was a party (music and dancing). We met the
father who bought us a bag of cakes with the help of his older son.
John gave the boy a kangaroo but he was to shy to take it. We were
dragged over for a drink. I couldn’t drink I was driving so john
got the glass of vodka. I had bad vibes from the ladies. We met the
“mother” but she was not very happy, we took our leave. I am not
sure whether our being there caused problems or what.
Back at the vehicle more guys to look at it. Finally we departed it was now after 4pm and time for a camp. Certainly were not going to make our 200km today.
We passed a row of sugar beet truck and trailers waiting to drop their cargo off at the processing plant.
Had trouble finding
a camp but after a few more miles finally tucked in off a white road
near a dam and houses. People don’t seem to mind where we stop.