One Steppe Beyond Across Russia in a VW Camper

by Wheeler, Thom

• ISBN13: 9781849531566
• ISBN10: 1849531560
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-06-01
• Publisher: Summersdale

Summary

Traveling across the former Soviet Union is a challenge at the best of times--doing so in a dilapidated VW is just that much more of an adventure A chance job offer at a timber yard in Estonia gives Thom and his old pal Jo a taste for the unknown. So when Uncle Tony asks them to drive to Vladivostok for another job, they can't think of a good reason why not. The result is a classic caper across the former Soviet Union in Max, a rusty old VW camper. Knowing little of the language or the geography ahead, they embark on probably the longest commute ever, encountering corrupt officials, film star mechanics, and over-friendly gangsters. Far off the tourist trail, they bear witness to the collapse of one nation and the birth of a new one during the free-for-all that was Russia in the 1990s.

Author Biography

Thom Wheeler lived in St. Petersburg for several years working as a guide and teacher before going on to live in several ex-Soviet countries, including Georgia and Ukraine. He continues to spend time in the ex-Soviet Union traveling, teaching, and writing, and he runs an annual theater workshop in Tzarskoe Selo, Russia. This is his first book.