Trans National Trabant Tour 2007

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Yellow trabant went over Asia

In this car is installed Direct Ignition.

After six weeks and 15 300 kilometres of ride is back

Mission complete! Tachymeter of little yellow trabant shows 15 000 kilometers. Under its wheels fade away half of an Europe even most of the states of middle Asia. After six weeks spent in its not very large interior Dan Přibáň, Vladislav Růžička a Martin Kozel went over middle Europe, Balkans, Turkey, Iran and Turkenistan. Their journey broke back to the west in Samarkand and through the Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraina it led them home.

Egu (as travellers named their trabant) left Europe behind himself during two days to went officially to Asia through Istanbul and Bospor. Highland middle and east Turkey was not quite easy for weak trabant engine and many hills forced him even to subordinate to the first velocity stage. But speed of holiday pensioner driver wasn´t the main thing which made trallevers worried. Worse were warnings of local people to beware on east. There were elections in that days and there existed possibility of problems from the separationists.

Luckily everything in Turkey went without complications, except one almost driven over soldier and few little defects. So after less than two weeks and four thousand kilometres Egu entered Iran. Unfortunately with oil crisis and quota system, which didn´t think of our travellers. After one week of vain fight with local offices trabant team enters Turkmenistan only thanks to help of local people and black market.

Inconsistent Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is the country full of contrasts and variances. It is country with villages made of clay and camels´ dungs, even with capital city ornamented with gold cupola. Country with laughing people despite of totalitarian regime. Country where you can find Ruhnama ("bible" written by Turkmenbashi) verses on every crossroads instead of roadsigns. Travellers expected from this country only the worst and they were finally surprised. Turkmenistan is police state in the right sence of the word, state with military roadblocks and police checks at every corner. But paradoxically police has so much power here, that they doesn´t need to promote it hard. So when you expect unpleasant inspection on checkpoint, they serve you up melon.

Beautiful and dry Uzbekistan

Voyage entered Uzbekistan after incident at Turkemistan border, which was simply closed since 6 PM. What now? Penalty highly exceeded our cash and banks in Turkmenistan doesn´t work normally. What could come? Confiscation of possession? Restraint? Fortunately we saw human face of bureaucratic system again, when cumstoms officers began to associate on border and whole procedure finished with putting all papers into their pockets. Without expecting of bribe.

Uzbekistan, the heart of silk way, amaze every tourist by beautiful blue mosque domes and by ancient oriental towns with tortuous streets. It showed us even the other side near the shores of desiccated Arallyan sea. Formerly flouring docksides changed into lonesome towns in the middle of waste land. Streets coloured by soviet scultures and old propaganda schedules. Rusty ship fragments decayed on staled sea floor left very strong feeling of ruin and hopeless in you. Likewise that this is not attraction for tourist, but real image of slinking destruction.

The hardest trial by Kazakhstan

Crossing from Arallyan lake to Kazakhstan is the biggest dilemma for the voyage. Which of contradictory maps has right? Is there a way or not? Light of hope is schedule points at target city. Unfortunately it is not way like other way and cultural different comprehension of what is and what is not a road is for our team and one twin-cylinder engine pretty surprise. On Uzbekistan´s side of crossing Egu rattled on road surface reminded corrugated iron. Beyond the border of Kazakhstan then disappered in big holes made by trucks. Ten thousand kilometres with minumum defects. But now came the trial by fire. Twin-cylinder engine stifled itself by dust and it was miracle, that all three screws holding it in car held.

North of Caspian sea infested with mosquitos chased voyage from romantic shores to extremely wet delta of Bolha. After short respite in Astrachan three adventurers packed off along the Russian roads farther to east. Asphalt was great, but on every corner waited cops hungry for bribe. Finally we resigned te fight with windmills and about the few thousand roubles lighter we lined up to the 15 hour queue beside the border´s ferryboat.

From Krym to Prague

Krym surprises us. Beautiful mountains sloping down straight to the sea are simply irresistable. Unfortunately steep streets leading up and down were much unscalable for Egu. After one hundred kilometres of looking and bathing we were warned by weirdly tapped sound in the engine and engine stroke dribbling out. So we turned the rudder away from the sea, by the shortest way to Prague.

Few long crossings, Slovakian border, European Union welcomes its lost citizens. Tatra Mounstains were the last question. For kilometer savings were decided to went accross them by main road. Trabant overcame even this last challenge, in spite of it wasn´t race exploit. Through all these obstructions our team overpassed Czech border and pointed to Hradec Králové, where ended lovestory of one of the voyage member, who finished in woman´s strong embrace. Solemn welcome in Brandýs over Labe completed by bread, salt and of course tidy draught of plum brandy is official dot. Friendly and family welcome on Vyšehrad is the right social dot.

We proved that we shall prove

15 300 kilometres rolled up on two cylinders of trabant is undeniable proof, that the true power of great acts doesn´t repose on technical devices, but on common human courage. This completely primitive car went across the whole middle Asia, looked into many cultures, managed hell in Kazakhstan and came back to home. This voyage proved, that trabant still definitely doesn´t rank to the scrap. According to the words of Egu´s driver, next voyage will lead to Africa. Adventure still exists.