Downshifting took place!

So – Downshifting took place! Fresh air and ringing silence at night, storks in nests, pheasants and foxes, wood peckers and turtle-doves...Though if to be objective, it's necessary to call such move not Downshifting, but UPshifting. Why? I'll try to tell and show our trip COMPLETELY, and the switch of the words will become clear.

We were driving for three days and two nights with five animals and a trail car, so it was difficult to take any pictures. From the the pictures that we have, however, you still can have a clear visual of what was going on. Let's go!

On the day of the departure, Chelyabinsk stood out as if wanted to convince us once again: Yes, that's RIGHT, it's TIME to go. In addition to the habitual and poisonous emissions from millions of pipes of different diameter, there was an opening in connectors with hot water in one of the oldest and highly populated area of the city. Well, since there was a leak of hot water, especially on a cold Ural day, the effect of it was corresponding.

Busy squirrel made the situation a little bit easier to bear.

She organized a pile of supplies directly on the chopped-off poplar right under our kitchen windows.

And every day she would come to count the nuts she already got and to add some more.

During the pass through the Ural Mountains, the road was quite tolerable. Very cold, clouds, everywhere was knee-deep snow. On the other hand, we didn't get into any accident, though accidents happen quite often near Zlatoust. Nervously, we passed through the pass; the edge of the eye noticed a market with toys, knives, and samovars near Yuryuzan. We nearly were pounded in powder between two oncoming trucks. One – going uphill, and another – going downhill from the mountain, and nobody wanted to notice a small compact car with the trailer. We successfully passed.

We weren't able to take pictures of the pass because there was a traffic like during a rush hour in a million-people city. Though, instead of small compact cars, there were fully loaded trucks. By the entrance to Sim, the animals fell asleep because of the tiredness and stress, but we tried hard not to fall because you, kind of, shouldn't sleep behind the wheel... :))))

The federal highway was in terrifying condition. Especially, I'm impressed about the condition near Sim. Jees. Slowly, we left the place, almost killing the break system. Guardian angels weren't asleep: the break system stopped working in... Tolyatti:))) straight next to VAZ repair shop. Replaced the system, started moving further.

On the other hand, if we hadn't seen this so-called route, we wouldn't get surprised in Bashkortostan. Here the roads are so expensive! Those are just like a mirror! Very broad, clean and even shining. Ran around passing Ufa, quickly went to a cafe to buy small Russian pies for us and the fluffy brothers, and – hit the road again.

By the way... Totally forgot. After going along the federal highway, there was a failure of not only the brake system, but also of the system that was responsible for work of back running fires on the trailer. Because of the shaking, the contact burned and the fires went out:)) Due to this circumstance, we got fined in Bashkiria. Very polite police officer stopped us and a lot of other cars that probably came the same way. And all of the cars had the same problem with back headlights. Perhaps, it would be cheaper to fix the road? Anyways. The police officer gently handed a penal piece of paper, told us that everything was being recorded on cameras, and what's left for the officers is to only catch the violators and hand out the papers. Actually, we tried to pay the penalty at in SberBank, but they couldn't sort the requisites. 5 minutes after that, we successfully paid online on the site of the Bashkir electronic government(I could be mistaken about the name). Excellent site, works perfectly. Good fellows! Though, the money absolutely weren't in excess for that. Getting close to Kamyshin, there was this hardworking darling. Doesn't waste time at all: the oven smokes, cooking asphalt. Good girl!

After spending a night at the place(named “Hotel Elena”), almost reminding me of a homeless shelter, on the entry to Kamyshin, we quickly took off by the horrible road with holes in the direction of VOLGOGRAD. A row of Moscow people(according to the plate numbers), who cheerfully jumped on the road bumps, were passing us by hundreds of times. They would overtake, went somewhere far to the mountains, and then... overtook again and left. Where they were hiding all this time is unknown, but at some point there were no more cars overtaking us. Maybe they got to their destination or stayed somewhere for resting. There was one outstanding car that we decided to take a picture of. It's funny how cylinders could remind us of...:))) By the way, those guys spent the night at the same “Hotel Elena”. While we were trying to park, their trailers were already there, and in the morning we were the first ones to drive away. Poor guys.

But the car that was going from the pass, decided to park a few kilometers away from it. The engine got stuck. The first truck on the way decided to help us to get to the private garage(hooked), where our car started to get fixed. We got fixed right there, across this gas station we were at.

As a result, the guys saved our engine, but broke some essential parts of the motor. That was the shape of the car we brought to the new house – half-working engine. We got a little fixed again on the way, near the 947 km of Moscow South Highway. It's funny that the number of our plates is, too, 947. The full repair was going to be here, at the place.

Because we had spent 6 hours waiting while the care had been repaired, we had to look for a place where we could put our butts. For this purpose, there was a perfect choice of an old truck tire, which worked as good as a chair for us. Not really comfortable if to be picky, but it was awesome if to come down from the sky into the given circumstances. This way we waited up until our car was done.

While waiting, there was flock of sheep passing by. In about half an hour an old sleepy man started to run around with a question: “Have you seen the sheep?”
“Yes, we have!”
“Was it long ago?”
“About half an hour ago!”
“Oh, sh....” - and the man ran away for the flock:))))

We had passed Volgograd very quickly. Despite the rush-hour, the road was almost empty. Or it seemed that way to us after the six-hour waiting. I had time to take a picture, on which you can find the “Mother Nature”. Really-really! You can see! Try to find it:)))

After the repairs, we had decided not to stop until the end. It was a lot of time that we lost. We passed the Saratov area so fast that we hardly noticed it... Not really an outstanding place, except for some of the view.

The animals bravely bear the trip. Each of them deserves a medal!

Finally, we are almost there. Drove onto the “Don” highway and went 300 km to Rostov. Darkness, it's almost night, but we need to get there. In the morning of the next day(after reaching the target place) we managed to take some pictures of the surroundings. Beauty!

The areas under the bridge are painted in “checkers”. Looks very well next to clean road; it's pleasant to the eye and gives excellent mood.

It's amazing that there are many monuments that are devoted to the battles of the Second World War. Probably, it wasn't even hot in here. There was a hell during the war, and it is very good that citizens protect the memory of the heroes. A bit later I will take better pictures since right now I shoot with my smartphone and while moving.

But, moreover, there are a lot of not military kind, but simply historical monuments around here. Original aggregates standing in different places of the area on pedestals along the road. Real. The ones that plowed, sowed, harrowed... So far we could take a picture of only one of them – a tractor fom the thirtieth years of the last century. Some say that the tractor was parked on this place by the person who was actually working on it. Can you believe it?

Each area has its own colorful, elegant, entrance gates. On the front side there is information about the area where you are entering, and on the back side – of course, a wish of luck on the road. Along the roads there are sets of steles of the old times when we all were united in the idea of communism, and were endlessly happy. All these constructions are in an excellent shape which tells us about the respect of the locals. No graffiti or destroyed pedestals. Surprisingly.

Separately, I will tell you about the roads. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. But I saw:))) Roads(so-called country roads) are like a mirror. Not any hole! Comparing to the federal highway where we “killed” our car... No comparison.

There are no words to describe the landscape, but I'll try. Wavy, endless horizon. Fields are multi-colored-green with black “feathers”, pyramidal poplar... wild creatures are almost not afraid of the human presence.

Pheasants roam all over the place where they want. They feed themselves on the fields. They walk along the roads. Very big beautiful bird, but, however, they don't let anyone close to them:)))) Probably, they have an experience with people. For now we got to take a picture of one of them, but right now we are on small business trips – no really time for taking pictures. Surely, later we are purposefully going to take pictures of all local flora and fauna.

Still, numerous swallows and wild pigeons came across the camera. Haven't taken a picture of the hoopoes yet. They are here, too. Surprisingly, the swallows are sociable. They would sit down on a branch or a wire tell you something. If you talk to them – it seems like they listen to you silently, and then they would start answering. Unusual:))

People are busy. Ones are at home, and others are at work. Nobody sits still for a long time. Farmers... All of them. They even find time to play soccer on a well-equipped field(even with a judicial cabin and places for fans).

Do you recognize? That's a regular grig, here is a whole lot of those!

Here are lots of the hillocks like that. I suspect that those are from moles, but I will need to check on it. Looks very beautiful!

On the second day after the arrival, our cat got the first fighting scars. He came home all in dirt, with muzzle scratches, and bunches of the other's wool in claws. The opponent, obviously, was skilled, because it was clear that he aimed the eyes. Our cat escaped. It was a very important experience! Right now the cat is following me everywhere:)))) And today he decided to check out the part of maple where sparrows suspiciously rustled. We managed to make some photos, and even videos were made, but I will put it in public later. Generally, there are martens, foxes, and even wolves, so it is necessary to think how to get them as far away from the pets and ourselves as possible.

Near our house we found a family of storks. Or rather they occupied the upper part of the nest, and a little lower there is the whole colony of sparrows who settled down there:)) Came out very noisy place, but the storks are very lucky. Let them live!

And...
I don't even know how to end my first story of this many-many-many events on moving and first impressions. Maybe, I should just say that that was one of my most important and correct decisions that I've ever made. Time will show if I was right, but for sure EVERYTHING WILL BE JUST FINE!

PS
Neighbor looking at our Vaz-6 car, gladly pointed out: “Judging by your car, you are good people!” That is true.