131. We found the source of the Japanese cars

Friday 16 May 2008

Marina met us at the hotel just after breakfast, with her friend Slava and he drove us out to the huge Japanese car sale yards. There were acres and acres of cars parked waiting to be sold. We spent an hour walking around and we learnt that 1,000 second hand cars, shipped from Japan are released from Customs each day.

**This is where you come if you want to buy a second hand Japanese car**

**Dick Smith Car Radio – in Vladivostok!**

We got a lift back to the city in a private car for 200 rubles ($8 AUD) and we were dropped off at the lookout at the top of the funicular railway. We had a great view of the Golden Horn Bay with the ships lining the shore. We caught the tramway down the hill and walked back to our hotel.

Looking across to the two trams passing on the funicular

**View from the lookout down to Golden Horn Bay**

**The Korean Car Ferry coming into dock**

Marina joined us for lunch and we gave her all the paperwork necessary for exporting the Earthroamer to Japan for safe keeping. She volunteered to visit the Customs next week on our behalf to keep the process moving. We also paid the guards in the parking office 6,300 rubles ($278 AUD) for a week’s parking for the Earthroamer. We were given free parking while we stayed in the hotel.

We caught a taxi to Vladivostok airport and flew home via Seoul.

We are flying back to Vladivostok on Friday 23 May and plan to take the Earthroamer onto the car ferry to Japan on Monday afternoon 26 May for the two day crossing to Fushiki in Japan.

Click here for the next entry – We returned to Vladivostok.

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