A Once-in-a-Lifetime Unforgettable Holiday
Dreaming of driving our cars across borders to foreign lands is a common aspiration for many. In 2017, I received an invitation like this, launching a journey that my parents, and frankly, nobody in our family, had ever considered.
Originally, we were planning a trip to Tibet and Altai, with five vehicles. However, due to various reasons, three of the vehicles couldn't make it, and a local in Shanxi Province named 'Ji Ge' (Wine Brother) in Jincheng invited us to a self-drive trip on Lake Baikal in Russia. Without hesitation, we adjusted our plans and handled the international customs procedures. Finally, on September 9th, we departed from Linfen, passing through Zhangjiakou, Xingqinle (Silinguole), and Alshan before arriving at Manzhouli on the 10th, and then on the 11th at 4 AM, we headed straight for the border. We officially stepped onto foreign soil for our self-drive journey.
It's worth noting that Russian efficiency is incredibly low. With ten vehicles, the inspection distance was less than 100 meters, yet it took us a staggering 19 hours. It wasn't until 1 AM the next day that we finally crossed the border and set foot on Russian land.
Throughout the trip, we were filled with excitement and anticipation, forgetting the fatigue. In Russia, you need to park your car at a fueling station, then go to the cashier to pay a deposit, report your fuel gun number, and finally, adjust for any overages or shortfalls. The food in this foreign land was decent for a couple of days, before we completely ran out of our favorite home-cooked noodles.
We had a very memorable picnic by the shores of Lake Baikal, with our vehicles. We went to a supermarket to purchase ingredients, brought a barbecue grill, charcoal, meat, and vegetables. It was a truly feast, costing no more than 200 RMB in total – incredibly cheap!
The campfire picnic was a really joyful experience.
What was most exhilarating was driving our vehicles to Olkhon Island, a paradise for self-drive off-road enthusiasts, featuring a variety of terrains including grasslands, deserts, slopes, and craters.
If Lake Baikal is the jewel of Siberia, then Olkhon Island is the heart of that jewel.
Olkhon Island is in a largely undeveloped, pristine state, with rustic wooden buildings that evoke the unique Bryansk (Briaht) style of Russia, blending rural charm with distinctive aesthetics. The island's inhabitants live a secluded lifestyle, building wooden houses, fishing, feeding horses, and drinking vodka in a uniquely authentic way.
Irkutsk, the second-largest city in Siberia, possessed her own unique beauty. The 'Kazan Madonna' is considered the protective deity of the Russian people, and has been revered for centuries. It's a central figure in Russian Orthodoxy. The Kazan Madonna Church can be found in many cities across Russia.
In just twelve days, we covered over 4500 kilometers, gaining a preliminary understanding of this country, Russia. It was remarkably friendly and authentic, offering a truly approachable experience!
September brought vibrant colors and poetic landscapes. We suddenly understood why Europeans love oil paintings – because there was beauty everywhere!
We deeply cherish this holiday. It was the first time a Chinese-registered vehicle entered a foreign land's incredible journey!
