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Managed to get a bit of a sleep in today before heading down to breakfast at 8:30am. Buckwheat and sausages cooked by Nicholai, which I actually like. After breakfast all the clients went out on activities and I stayed in my room, watching TV and doing paperwork.
At about 1pm however, I had to venture out to get food, I went down to Sury Mury's café and had my usual Siberian meat and dumplings in broth. I then stopped for a last look at Lake Baikal, again remembering the fun I'd had here last year with Valera, maybe I should have made an effort to contact him? Nah, it probably wouldn't be the same. I sat their staring at the ice that was just starting to break up and appreciating the amazing snow capped mountains that framed the lake. I found it hard to imagine, that such a small, remote place had been somewhere I had not only really enjoyed, but somewhere that had made a big impact on my life and given my lasting memories. I also reflected on the fact, that this would probably be the last time I would see it.
Theres that irony again that I love so much, Siberia, probably the coldest place on the planet, yet this is the place where I had felt the most welcome and the most warm and the most content.
I hiked back up the Chapaeva Street hill and back to Nicholai's for the last time, I hate that hill, I was glad at least I wouldn't have to walk up it again. I brought my stuff down to the balcony to prepare for the imminent transfer to Irkutsk, and had a last look at MY room, I would miss this cosy little place, which had felt more like home, than anywhere else on this trip.
At 3pm the transfer arrived and as everyone got on the bus, I gave Nicholai a big hug goodbye and took a photo of us to remember him by. We drove to a supermarket on the outskirts of the big town and stocked up for the train. On arrival at the station we had about an hour to wait before the Trans Siberian turned up. As soon as it appeared on the boards it was time to go, this wasn't the end of the line for this train which has come all the way from Vladivostok. I got everyone into the pretty blue, red and white carriages, the same as the Russian flag and got organised. On this trip, we had been spread out a bit more and there was only one cabin which only had my passengers in it.
I was in with Andrea and two strangers, both of us sequestered on the top bunks, oh well I'll probably end up in the cabin up the front for most of the trip with Dane, Nat, Maria and John or watching movies, don't need the bottom bunk for that.
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