In true A & G style departure was not as smooth as it might have been! A last night of hedonism in London Town ended at 4am in the morning with our lift due at 6am. Huge credit to Sarah and Hugh who picked us up and brought us a bottle of champagne for our journey to the airport! It was probably all that kept us going through check in at which I realised I had left my sleeping bag at Olly's! Ah well haven't needed it so far! First stop St Petersburg. Russia welcomed us with a red lada, Europop and a smiling moustached taxi driver fella. Class! St Petersburg certainly is. Its possibly the most beautiful city we've ever been to with amazing grand avenues, venice style waterways and incredible squares and colourful buildings. It has a very European feel but with a Russian twist. On our first night we wandered along the main street and suddenly came across a club playing loud russian dance music with bikini clad girls hanging from the balcony above. All very funny. Have to say though our first impression of Russia was totally wicked -people, language and place totally fascinating. We knew we were starting with the easiest part of Russia though. Next stop Moscow. Moscow had such a different feel and perhaps much more of the Russia you imagine. Much more sprawling, urban and soviet influenced. It is initially underwhelming after St Petersburg but very quickly you realise it is very f***ing cool. It was so much fun to see red square, the kremlin and Lenin's Mausoleum. The latter was actually pretty moving and eerie when you think of the influence Lenin has had on the 20th century. Our favourite bit though was perhaps a walking tour through this amazing cemetary of writers, poets, musicians and politicians of Russia given by this new yorkan stlye muscovite who gave us not only an incredible insight into russian history but her own and family's life story. Totally fascinating. Also witnessed for first time something of russian mentality which is that they appear hard and stern on the outside but actually are really friendly and open once you break the ice. The seriously good vodka and bars in Moscow also help! After a few days in Moscow it was time to board our transmongolian train for the journey of a life time. Our first leg was four nights on the train to Irkutsk in Siberia. The train itself is just superb. Really russian looking and so much fun just sitting in the cabins and watching the world go by. We were lucky to share with a fab russian couple on their 25th wedding anniversary who were just brilliant, spoke little english but had the best vodka we've ever had in our lives. We also managed to play hangman with them for which their words were 'Windows' as in Microsoft! and Sexshop!!!. Genius. 5 days later we arrived on Irkutsk and travlled on to a pretty little village by Lake Baikal. We stayed in a homestay with a mummy type lady who kept feeding us pancakes, biscuits and dumplings with a you will, you will, you will attitude. Never eaten so much food! Very good though and she had a fantastic sauna which was great to come home to every night. Siberia and Lake Baikal itself was stunning. All the way on the train journey we passed vast autumnual forests of reds, yellows and oranges and scattered amongst them idyllic wooden villages with people working off the land. Guess its not so idyllic though at minus 35 degrees! For us the weather was amazing though. Beautiful hot sunshine all the way and sunsets to die for. Who'd have thought we'd get a suntan in Siberia. Russia was a land full of suprises and we already felt like we had had an amazing holiday with so much more to explore but for us it was time to move on to Mongolia...