17.08.2017

Around 10:30 a.m., I'm on the 'Minsk Beltway'. The Beltway is a ring road around Minsk. To see more of the country, I first drive on the M4 towards the southeast through Tscherwen and Berasino. In Berasino, I turn onto the P67 country road towards Babrujsk.

M4 is completely newly built, perfect to drive on but a bit boring. The P67 is great, a relatively good country road with many small villages and occasionally a smaller city.

Around 4:00 p.m., after about 220 km completely soaked in sweat - it's around 30°C now - I arrived at the hotel.

Just generally speaking: It's not easy to make contact with the Belarusians. As soon as it's clear that I don't speak Russian, many react cool to dismissive, for example at the supermarket or gas stations. Sometimes there's a friendly smile. Usually, only the young Belarusians speak English, but not all of them. Even in hotels, English at the reception is not a given. On the other hand, my motorcycle proves to be 'communication-enhancing' everywhere. There are many brief contacts. Usually, technical details and a deepening exchange of experiences are conducted using sign language (hands + feet) :-). 

In a smaller city, while looking for an ATM, I met a 'local' BMW rider. After a brief greeting and mutual appreciation of the bikes (intense thumbs up and pointing while he speaks Russian and I speak English), he signals for me to follow him. At the ATM, we give each other a high-five as farewell. Such experiences really make me happy!