Most corrupt country? Vainest dictator? Grimmest Long-Drops? These are the Olympic medals that no country wants to win, but I will hand them out anyway. Welcome to The Silk Road Olympics! Having completed a three-month road-trip along a large section of the fabled Silk Road, I deem myself worthy of conducting the most crooked awards ceremony since Russia last hosted anything.
Last week, Yugyeong and I escaped the KGB in Transnistria, crawled through catacombs in Ukraine, before being denied entry to Belarus. This week, is our last - and we still must get from just-outside Kiev, to just-outside Kidwelly, my family’s house to be exact, in less than eight days. The race is on.
Last week, Yugyeong and I met with god and the devil in the Bulgarian countryside, crossed the Danube into Romania, before surviving a freezing Transfagaraʂan Highway to reach Bran. This week, we begin the journey north, through some of Europe’s darkest, and most surprising corners.
Last week, Yugyeong and I drove the length of Turkey, stopping by the mosques of Istanbul, before finally arriving at the E.U frontier. This week, we delve deep into the Bulgarian countryside, celebrate my birthday in the ‘oldest city in Europe’, and cross the Danube into Transylvania.
Last week, Yugyeong and I visited the birthplaces of the Kardashians, and Stalin (still coming to terms with that myself), before bellowing “Das Vidania” to the Caucuses. This week, we shadow the Black Sea across the length of Turkey, transit Istanbul, before coming face-to-face with a familiar flag.
Last week, Yugyeong and I were allowed into Iran; driving up to their highest peak, and down to cave-like abodes carved in rock, before waving our invisible guide goodbye. This week, we drive through Armenia and into Georgia, keeping our wits about us around land-mined borders and hair-pinned highways.
Last week, Yugyeong and I crossed the Caspian Sea, and spent a few days putting our feet up in the Azeri capital, Baku. This week, we head South, to a country famed for its tea, hospitality, and the difficulty of obtaining its visa: Iran.
Last week, Yugyeong and I crossed the width of Uzbekistan: from cities being transformed in the East, to towns proudly displaying their past in the West. This week, we await our ride across the largest ‘lake’ in the world, towards a new adventure in an oil-rich state undergoing a radical transformation of its own.
Last week, Yugyeong and I observed Afghanistan (from a distance), left the arduous Pamir Mountains far behind, and entered the dry expanse of the Uzbek desert. This week, we take a tour around our new country: visiting a vibrant capital in the East, and the stunning historic towns and mosques of the West.
Last week, Yugyeong and I crossed Kyrgyzstan, getting pulled over by the police countless times in the process. This week, we find ourselves following the border of one of the most ‘dangerous’ countries on earth, before making a visit to a Tajik hospital in the capital…
