Days 185 to 201 - 17 days Perm to Australia and Return - 27 Aug to Thurs 12 Sept

Days 185 to 201 - 17 days Perm to Australia and Return - 27 Aug to Thurs 12 Sept
The itinerary involved long tiring legs from Perm to Moscow to Dubai to Brisbane to Melbourne, back through timezones, arriving on 28th - sadly though, BoyRob’s mother passed away enroute.
Two weeks later, following the funeral and the unexpected reunion with family, we returned the same route to Perm, this time avoiding jet lag by overnighting in Dubai (including a bus tour of the city where Arabian Nights meets modern money) and Moscow, where we thought we were being kidnapped by the illegal taxi driver who jammed up behind another car at barrier to avoid toll, then got lost in numerous back roads in the dark (our relief in suddenly coming up on the hotel only mitigated by Angelina's facilities not matching it's price!).

On the return we left Brisbane in Spring, got to Dubai in Summer , and arrived in Perm in Autumn temperatures – jet lag was nothing compared to the weather lag!!

Disappointing to fly down into smog rising in thick cloud from the coal fired power station. Found Ozzie safe and sound but hunched over leaning against a gatepost with one very flat rear tyre. By time this was changed, bags unpacked, interior cleaned of dust and mould, toilet functional, electronics reinstalled, it was getting dark, so we paid another night in impound yard and walked out to find a tasty (but cold) dinner. We toasted our first night back in our mobile ger: "and so it begins....”