I miss English computers is my first comment! Have loads of great (boring for everyone else) photos and videos to upload, but stupid Russian computers keep getting confused!

Anyway...

Survived the longest journey ever on a train...just about! The cabin was beyond minging and I wouldn't call what we got...a bathroom! If i ever see another packet of fake noodles again...I might just be sick on the spot!lol. I knew the train wasn't going to be easy and up to my standards..lol...but seriously... it was beyond what anyone can imagine and everyone would be shocked that i survived! 4 days people...4 days! :( But I made it out... and again...its all part of the experience!lol. Apart from sleeping (did alot of that)..chatting..and taking at least 1 hr each time to pluck up the courage to go to the loo...its pretty much a very boring lllooonnnnggg journey!lol. And just to top it off..it was the wrong time of month! (girls will understand).

The weather forecast is wrong on EVER wevsite and in EVERY book...it was NOT warm! We were all so cold through out...that we resorted to some bad fashion disasters! i.e...see picture to come of black socks and flip flops.lol..(Yes you were all right...being fashionable is out of the window when travelling). as a result of the bitter cabin temperature...I now have a cold...and we all know i don't handle being sick well!

When we finally got off the train...we were met by our new honcho and driven 1hr straight to Lake Balkal...again not summer here! Dominc I am so glad for my jacket my the way!! The temp actually hit 2oc!!!...and there was def no swimming taking place!lol. we were all looking forward to a clean warm room and a hot shower...sadly again..our dreams were shattered! Instead we get an old wooden cabin (don't be thinking the nice type)...with a loo down some life threatening stairs...and a shower...about 10 mins walk down and up a killer hill..whilst trying to miss the cow pats and puddles of mud up to your ankles...but the best bit EVER...wa sthat the 3 course b'fast, lunch and dinner meals we had each day were amazing!! Stomach has now been strected to its orginal state!lol.

Not much to do at the lake in these tempertaures...but we did do LOTS of walking! In total we walked in 2/3 days a total of 20 miles...get in!...and not on flat ground...up some mountains so big, I thought at one point i was going to drop dead on the spot coz I couldn't breath! It is a really beautiful place and can imagine it would be perfect in the summer...and even in the winter with snow..but we just hit the wrong time... Did learn some stuff though...1st. lake Balkal is the biggest fresh waterlake in the world 2nd...It has over 3500 species of plants and animals...3rd...its over 25 million years old...and finally in years to come it will eventually become the 5th ocean and split Russia and China apart....ha...I know something you don't know...John!lol.

In conclusion...I'm glad I came to Russia to see it finally!...and experience all that I have...but I don't think i'll be making another visit unless I marry a Russian oil Billonaire...and eat caviar and drink champagne all the time.

Next stop...Mongolia...over and out from Russa!xx