15/08/2017

Didn't sleep well last night, worried about crossing the border into Belarus. The question is, do I have all the necessary papers for myself and the motorcycle, and what do I do if they don't let me in? Do I go to Poland instead? How many hours do I have to wait...

40 km behind Vilnius, I'm at the border. Just a few cars ahead of me. The border guards are very friendly (I've experienced it differently before), even when I'm in the wrong lane. I have to fill out a lot of paperwork, for myself and for the motorcycle. All the forms are in Russian, but the officers don't speak English, so they can't help me fill them out. Unfortunately, the search for the English version is unsuccessful...

With the help of a Lithuanian woman, it works out in the end, and it only takes 2 hours. However, I wonder when was the last time a Western European tourist with their own vehicle passed through here before me...

In the late afternoon, I arrived in Minsk at Vadim's place. The ride was wonderful, sunny weather, good roads, and hardly any cars on the road until just before Minsk. However, the traffic in Minsk is a nightmare, 3 to 4 lanes in every direction, some without lane markings... it requires a bit of concentration.

After a quick freshen up, went for coffee with Svetlana and Nikolai, Vadim's parents. Spent the evening in Minsk at a cozy restaurant with Vadim and Liudmila.