I managed a decent sleep and then met our guide Helen at 10am for our guided tour of the Kremlin. We got the metro and then I had to get some of the passengers to store their bags before we went in. I couldn't believe how hot it had gotten in just five short weeks! Last time I had been here I had five layers on and my scarf held in place with my sunglasses and still been cold! Now I was in a short sleeved shirt and long pants and I was boiling. The differe...

This morning after a rather chaotic breakfast, as the Gamma Delta hotel was at capacity, I took my group on their orientation tour of Moscow. I began by taking them outside the hotel into the sunshine and explaining the history of Moscow, I then explained that while we were on the tour I would give out a few facts on the sights we were passing but by no means am I a guide and if I get caught guiding with out a license I could be arrested. So I wouldn't be spea...

I woke up this morning after three and a half days on a train, in my makeshift seat bed, still moving. Rocking from side to side, bouncing up and down, slowing down and speeding up. Thank goodness we were getting off today, this is starting to get old. We reached Yaroslavysky station in Moscow, bang on time at 1:58pm. I was so relieved to see the giant Moscova sign on top of the station, Beijing to Moscow another epic journey completed. I walked my group int...

Three days on a train, never ever thought I would do something like this and still don't really know how to describe it or how to begin writing about it. All three days have meshed into one long day of random jumbled events and anecdotes, so I think random is the way to go. Carolyn and Carol have a bit too much to drink and attempt to convince me that one of the guys working in the dining car is a vampire. I look up at the man, who is pale as the new moon, g...

I love little towns like this in the middle of no where. I really don't understand people who say, What are we supposed to do here for two days? Relax. Chill out. Appreciate the quiet life. Breathe the fresh air. That's pretty much what Kate, Gen, Moy, Andy and I did today. We started off our day with breakfast cooked by a very enthusiastic Nikolai, we had traditional Russian pancakes. We then all trooped down to the tourist information to attempt to org...