Fjällbonäs-FarAwayistan: 070613 Worries Changing money is a constantly recurring pleasure at every border passage. Some of the black-market dealers are entertaining. We met one lady who had so mch money in her handbag that I assumed she had robbed a bank. To see these people, in these inflation-ridden countries, count the money , makes you dizzy. It’s like watching ballet or ice-dance on a high level. We bought breakfast from a  beautiful woman by the road, bread, filled with meat and onions – more than tasty. We didn’t start early this morning because we had been told the border crossing would not open before 09.00. About 20kms before the border there was a poontoon bridge and it took at least 45 minutes to clear the papers and get permission to pass. It was already above 35 degrees and the day had only started. Cam wanted to ride the last bit to the border without jacket and protectors. He was last of our three bikes but when we had about 300 metres left to the actual border posting, the tarmac was broken up, because of bad foundations and heavy traffic. The edge was rough and the wheel tracks deep, so Cam crashed and the accident was a fact, wearing only a T-shirt, but a helmet. His collarbone broke and suddenly we had a problem. There are five of us and we have five vehicles. He simply has to drive the car through customs and then we’ll see. He’s a hard man and he will make it. When I write these lines i have suffered the worst from beauraucracy and been to ten places and do the same thing in six of them. Just to get out of the country. I know that Cam is in pain and wants to find a hotel bed, so when I’m finished I jump on the bike to pass, only to have one man step out and tell me it’s lunch. The heat is enough to prevent us from not liking the situation. The Sovjet Union has destroyed these countries. Not even Russia comes anywhere near these procedures for getting into and out of the country. It is now after midnight and we have been for a meal in Samarkand. Cam is a hard man and I suspect his ancestors must have lived in Lappland, among mosquitoes, Lapps, hunters and home-brewed spirits. He gritted his teeth and drove the Landcruiser 350kms and then went out until midnight, with a broken collarbone, its ends chafing against each other. Respect due! << Previous All chronicles Next >> High Performance Riding www.pgdakar.com Per-Gunnar Lundmark Fjällbonäs 15 933 91 Arvidsjaur Per-Gunnar Lundmark Eva.PG.Lundmark@swipnet.se Updated 2007-06-14