Cruise to Kazakhstan on the river passenger ship
For the third year in a row, I opened the navigation with unique cruises and passed through new routes for river tourists. For example, in 2013 I made the first ever cruise in Vyatka on the ship "Vasily Chapaev", and in the spring of 2014 went on a cruise on the ship "Rus Velikaya" on the route Samara-Yeysk-Samara and visited the Azov Sea.
May 2015 was no exception. I again became a member of an exclusive trip! From May 12 to May 24, 2015, an amazing cruise took place along the Volga and the Caspian Sea, and thanks to the invitation of the KF Rusich, I took part in this unprecedented trip on the ship "Rus Velikaya" and reached Kazakhstan.
01.
"Rus Velikaya" is the first cruise ship, which for the first time passed in the spring of 2015 along the Volga and the Caspian Sea and traveled from Samara to the port of Bautino (Kazakhstan).
02.
So. Our cruise will begin in Samara, but I live in Moscow. Last year I traveled from Moscow to Samara by train, and I did not like this idea at all. Today I decided to fly on an airplane. The night flight of Aeroflot brought me from Moscow to Kurumoch airport.
03.
By the way, from food on the plane of this flight I was not delighted: do not eat, and tasty it can not be called.
04.
Arriving at the airport "Kurumoch", suddenly suddenly in one social network my Samara acquaintance Peter appeared. As a connoisseur of local customs and the situation on the roads, Peter kindly recommended the optimal time of departure from the airport and the phone number of the checked taxi, and also announced the number of his card, on which we received a discount.
Peter, thank you for your help! We arrived from the airport to the river station of Samara for only 710 rubles.
05.
On the way from the airport the taxi driver drove us past the Zhiguli mountains (they were from us across the Volga, but we can see them very well). What a beautiful place! There necessarily it is necessary to carry tourists. But through the glass of the car I did not photograph anything, and my eyes were already starting to stick together after a sleepless night.
We got to the river station quickly, without traffic jams, but we could not get to the ship immediately. "Great Russia" was not at the pier, but on the passenger roadstead of Samara. A few hours later we peered into the distance, but did the movement begin there? :) On the roadstead our motor ship "Rus Velikaya" and "Semyon Budenny". The time is 4:40 am, and landing on the ship is planned only in 8 :)
06.
In order not to fall asleep at all, I walk along the morning river station of Samara. Of the sights - diesel-electric ship "Peter Alabin" at the dock.
07.
While we were waiting for our ship, OM-142 managed to bring passengers from Rozhdestveno three times from the opposite bank of the Volga River to Samara.
08.
Finally, at least some movement of cruise ships began. There was a hope that we did not have long to roam along the shore. "Semyon Budenny" was anchored and began to approach the piers of the Samara river station. It was curious to observe the river giant running without passengers. Look how he sticks out of the water. It is immediately evident that the ship is empty.
09.
Observed after the traditional show of throwing a special mooring line. At "Budennovtsev" times from the fourth nevertheless it turned out to bless her to the shore.
10.
The river station is slowly coming to life. Here already SEC "Voskhod-08" somewhere was going.
11.
"Rus Velikaya" finally leaves the raid and heads to the pier. I run down to meet. At the same time I make one more photo of the Petro Alabin. Few left them, 785's.
12.
Hooray! We will soon board our ship! :)
13.
"Voskhod-08" is a side view.
14.
And small waves from him.
15.
Funny moorings in Samara. Can take ships at different water levels in the Volga.
16.
Our motor ship approaches ever closer and closer to the pier. Here on it we will go to Kazakhstan.
17.
"Rus Velikaya" stands the second side to "Semyon Budyonny."
18.
Let us go to the ship, we are ready for the cruise! :)
19.
Quick check-in, get the keys to the cabin. And then I meet my friends: Maxim and Julia, who came to conduct "Rus Velikaya" in Kazakhstan.
20.
Together with us, Maxim looked at the cabin, walked along the ship, and then went to look for Julia, who had disappeared somewhere :)
21.
Before departure remains 10 minutes. Julia, where are you? It's time to go out!
22.
Just before the departure, they were all found. Maxim and Julia, was glad to have an unexpected meeting, and I'm sorry that I braked. I really wanted to sleep! :)
23.
That's all. The things in the cabin are spread out, the cruise has begun. We have to go 1600 kilometers from Samara to Kazakhstan and as much in the opposite direction.
While we are seeing Volga river landscapes familiar to many river travelers, and "unknown lands" will begin only on the fourth day of our cruise. We pass the city of Oktyabrsk.
24.
Syzran (Alexandrovsky) bridge over the Volga River (opened August 30, 1880). In 1949, it was decided to create a second track on the bridge, the construction of which ended in 1957. In the photo (top right) was a concrete block in 1950.
25.
The second (new) path on the bridge is located upstream.
26.
And we are going down the Volga to the Caspian Sea and the mysterious lands of the Mangyshlak Peninsula.
27.
"Loophole" on "Rus Velikaya" :) If the wind in the bow of the boat deck is cold and cold, then directly from the corridor through the open nasal door one can observe what is happening ahead. It's warm here :)
28.
In the second half of the first day of the cruise there was an organizational meeting - acquaintance with the crew of the ship and the cruise direction.
29.
Demonstrated the proper putting on of the life jacket.
30.
They told us about the rules of behavior on the ship.
31.
They told about the work of the restaurant and the ship's medic.
32.
We discussed the excursion program.
33.
And the day was already over.
34.
It was already dark, and suddenly an alarm sounded - seven short and one long beep. It is interesting, but who will be knocked off the account of short beeps, he will not understand that it is necessary to be saved? :) The training boat alert began. We grabbed the life jackets, descended into the main span and stood on the port side - so the rules of action were prescribed in the event of an alarm for the passengers of our cabin.
35.
I write everything: "We, we, we". It's time to introduce the second member of our blog-cruise group. Meet Vadim. Together with Vadim we visited the first cruise of the ship "Rus Velikaya" to Kazakhstan.
36.
In general, nothing further happened. We were counted and released to our cabins. In the central part of the frame, our guide Catherine helps one tourist correctly put on a life jacket.
37.
That's how our first day passed on the ship "Rus Velikaya".
And this morning is May 13, 2015, the second day. We approach the first stop on our route. In the next part of the story of the cruise to Kazakhstan you will find a story about Saratov and its sights.
38.
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Wow, excellent photo story!
@makishart It's a long story. There will be 18 parts in total :)