I posted this on Facebook mainly as a middle finger to all of the haters who said I couldn’t do it and as very useful information for those needing it but I figured I’d post it here too because y’all would find it useful and entertaining hoping to have a full Vlog and Blog on my amazing experience in Belarus by next week or the following.

Just dropping in with an update for those actually looking for real-world info—and, of course, a little fuel for the basement dwellers planning their “once-in-a-lifetime” Trip for their next reincarnation. 

-Yes, you can drive from Poland through Belarus and into Russia as a foreigner (With either a valid Russian or Belarusian visa new Jan 11 union agreement) 

-Yes, you can use Western bank cards in Belarus at various places.(Swiss and US at least) 

-Yes, you can cross into Russia via Belarus or vise versa if you have a valid visas for one or the other.

-Yes, the Exchange rate is better at banks in Belarus when bringing polish Zloty, euros, usd

-Yes you can get border insurance at the both Russian and Belarusian border as well as the road tax in Belarus, which can also be done through their app. They’ll give you a card.

But, since the internet is full of self-proclaimed experts who’ve never left their zip code, let’s talk about what actually happens when you do it.

• You will be interrogated at both borders. (I perhaps less than others because they knew who I was but still questioned nonetheless) 
• You will have to hand over your phone. (Basic check some photos or messages they make sure it’s current phone really and they photo of IMEI and sim data) 
• If you have a drone, leave it in Poland or get creative. They won’t let you destroy it, but mine went on a scenic detour with a Polish bus driver back to Poland.
• You will be photographed and fingerprinted entering Russia.(At least they do it inside where it is warm 😁)
• You will be stopped within the first half kilometer and asked for a “fine” (with a smiley face emoji in the translator app) (if you show them your a blogger with YouTube they will quickly tell you to leave after asking not to be put on the internet…)
• The entire process took about seven hours going into Belarus from Poland, thanks to Polish border guards trying to scare me out of going. Spoiler alert: as soon as you cross the bridge, the vibe completely changes. Belarusian border guards? Friendly, professional, fun, and some really good looking. Maybe it was the car. Maybe it was my personality. Either way, we were joking, laughing, flirting, and swapping social media contacts by the end of it.

Belarus was wild, I made national news. Not just one outlet—all of them. Thousands of people reached out inviting me to events, meetups, and gatherings. At the Presidential palace the Military saluted me (I was working on getting a photo with their president). The streets were cleaner than almost any European country I’ve been to. Their forests are also much cleaner than most European countries. Few spoke English fluently, but everyone was incredibly kind, helpful, and welcoming.

Crime? Basically nonexistent. Women walk around freely at night without a second thought. It’s a strict society—rules are followed(I watched someone ticketed for J walking), and those who don’t make problems are very happy. I’m not here to debate political systems, but I can at least acknowledge the reality I saw.  I felt safe to leave the car unlocked with keys on the hood.  No one had even heard of pickpocketing, at the restaurants and clubs all the ladies leave phones, wallets, and drinks on table without any issues.   If you follow the rules, Don’t bring drugs, don’t speak out against the way they do things, you will have a great time there.

And the cops? Coolest police interactions, They were so polite & respectful when asking to take photos. 

Lots of nice cars rolling around without front plates. Seems like when you roll through a police checkpoint with a V8 roaring, they give you a nod of respect rather than asking for a bribe. (Another benefit of the car I am overlanding in)

More updates to come as I head across Russia to Kazakhstan and down to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

For those cheering me on—appreciate you.

For those hoping something bad happens —you might have to find another hobby.

Also forgot to mention 

You will get a little transit card instead of a passport stamp. This is your key to crossing the border from one country into the other. Here is the link for the Jan 11 agreement: https://mfa.gov.by/en/press/news_mfa/e90f53f504e4694f.html 

Update after hundreds and hundreds of comments back-and-forth on the Facebook post the administrator of the Overland Europe group removed the post who knew Overlanders could be so sensitive and at the same time not interested in the only source of up-to-date relevant information because they want to be little politicians and get in arguments instead.  I also posted this on a couple of the Lamborghini forums. Guess what all I get there is love! It's interesting a group of so-called Overlanders proclaiming to explore the world by vehicle turn out to be so toxic, maybe I'm not a real over Lander because my idea of over landing is a community of like-minded people gathering behind each other to support aid and promote safe passage throughout the world absent of politics.   More on this later...

Join me on my adventure! Follow @Camperghini on social media and subscribe to my YouTube channel :))