The Raven Brothers' Trans-Siberian Adventure




The Raven Brothers drove Russia's new Trans-Siberian Highway eight years before it was completed. During the journey to Vladivostok, their beat-up saloon crashed through endless rivers and canyons. It has been quoted as the most epic Russia road trip adventure ever!

Have you ever wanted to get into your car and just keep driving? To abandon routine and commitment in favor of adventure? That's precisely what The Raven Brothers decided to do while stacking boxes of frozen oven chips in a -30°C freezer. The UK travel writers, who were not petrol heads and knew nothing about internal combustion engines, started their rusted Ford Sierra Sapphire and headed east. 

Not expecting to reach Poland, the pioneering brothers miraculously arrived in Vladivostok, Siberia, on the Sea of Japan. They had driven the entire length of the new Amur Highway before it was finished, which spans Russia and Siberia over a 6,200-mile stretch of cracked tarmac and potholes. They also crossed the notorious Zilov Gap on the border with Asia. This 400-mile (640-kilometer) swamp was long considered impassable.

Along the way, our faithful heroes drink vodka with Chechen criminals, avoid highway robbery, trade banana-flavored condoms with Russian cops, meet the eccentric and plain weird at truck stops in darkest Siberia, endure torturous road conditions, and race to the finish with the Germans.      

In this toe-curling comedy about extreme road trips, The Raven Brothers must confront their worst fears after barely making it through this insane journey.            

ROUTE

The United Kingdom.

France.

Germany.

Poland.

Lithuania.

Latvia.

Estonia.

Russia -

St. Petersburg.

Ivanovo.

Nizhny Novgorod.

Kazan.

Yekaterinburg.

Omsk.

Novosibirsk.

Kemerovo.

Krasnoyarsk.

Irkutsk.

(Lake Baikal)

Perm.

Chita.

(Zilov Gap)

Mogocha.

Khabarovsk.

Vladivostok.

Eight time zones.

VEHICLE 

1989 Ford Sierra Sapphire. 

Miles on the clock: 120,000. 

Previous owner: A businessman from Wolverhampton.

Vehicle cost: $500 in cash from a used car dealership. 

Condition. Rusty bucket. The engine refuses to turn off, and the tracking moves to the left. Positives: Sunroof.

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES 

Spare tire.

jack.

oil.

a box of string.

fuses.

rope.

an old bicycle inner tube.

a squeaky foot pump.

tin foil.

exhaust paste.

compass.

sellotape.

Their grandad's screwdriver from the 1930s.

phrasebook.

and the brilliant John "Lofty" Wiseman's SAS Survival Guide.

RISK FACTOR 

Seven possible dangerous situations:

1. Break down in the middle of nowhere and get eaten by a pack of wolves or bears.

2. Chased by a group of enraged Siberian forest men. 

3. Accidentally skinned alive by nomadic reindeer herders. 

4. Robbed by bandits. 

5. Cooked in a forest fire. 

6. Hit a deep pothole. 

7. Get lost in the wilderness forever!

Popular posts from this blog

TWIN BROTHERS TAKE THEIR OPEN AIR EXHIBITION THROUGH THE STREETS OF INDIA

Image
Framing Life. The Raven Brothers from the United Kingdom launch their open-air exhibition on the bustling streets of India. The NO RUSH photography exhibition is the combined work of twin brothers from the UK. 50 prints taken over 20 years crossed India at the beginning of the year (2024), displaying the vibrant tapestry of life as seen through the eyes of two talented photographers.  "This one-of-a-kind exhibition aims to transform the world's public spaces into a gallery wall," Chris Raven told reporters on Monday. Simon Raven, fraternal twin brother and fellow photographer, stated. "We believe that the exhibition 'No Rush' is unique in its depiction of life slowed down in a fast-paced world. Each of the 50 portraits contain a sense of calm, and we believe that when displayed together, these frozen moments have real power." Chris Raven added. "Si's concept of using locations in India as the backdrop for the exhibition sounded colourful and fun...
Read more

5 Stories You Can Trust Are Real

Image
The Raven Brothers. They weren't raised in New York or Paris, Istanbul or Bangkok. They didn't go to Harvard or Oxford or Peking University. The hill behind their house in a small suburban market town in the East Midlands, UK, was their playground, and the council estate in the valley was their urban jungle. Why should any of this matter? Well, until about a year ago, it didn't mean very much at all. Then ChatGPT arrived and suddenly AI driven news articles started to flood the media, and lazy journalists began to use the machine to craft opinions without any heart at all. The mass producers of content won awards for the simple reason that their junk clickbait was being seen. Introducing a new counter culture, where books written blind (wi thout the help of technology), are t he only sure way you can guarantee that what you are reading is real, that it was produced by a human and is not random plagiarized thought. When The Raven Brothers wrote their first book in 2005 it wa...
Read more

Cafe Colombia | Intrepid

Image
9 Days | Sip, Sway, and Savor the Heartbeat of Colombia Ready to experience Colombia in all its caffeinated glory? Start your journey in the lush, rolling hills of the coffee region, where you'll discover the country's sweeter side (no, really, it's all about the beans). Master the art of coffee roasting on a working plantation, then slow down to the charming pace of Salento — a town so laid-back, even the mountains seem to take a siesta. When you're done with the tranquil vibes, hit the nightlife of Medellín, a city that's as dynamic as its transformation. But wait, there's more! Switch gears and swap coffee beans for ocean breezes as you make your way to Colombia's stunning coast. Finish in Cartagena, a UNESCO gem that pairs cobblestone streets with Caribbean sunsets, offering plenty of romantic moments to cap off your adventure. Click HERE for more info >>
Read more