Ural environs

Today I went out into the Ural countryside - I was led to believe it would be a good few hours of hiking/trekking/strenuous activity with a BBQ lunch but I was duped - it's now only 2-1 to McPoops versus Russia. It's catching up..... I will triumph though.

We went in a car with a driver, and guide - the skinniest man I have seen in Russia - about 1 hour out of the city. There were 3 of us, myself and a German Swiss couple (very nice). It's basically forest, forest and more forest - which is very lovely I have to say. But in terms of "strenuousness" I'm now not sure what Russians mean when they say that. If strenuous means walking on a flat path with no uphill walking and not breaking a sweat then yes they were honest but our definition is completely different to theirs. There were no ticks. Yippee!

We walked for a while and came across this talc mine (did you know they used to use Asbestos in talc? see all the stories have links!). They have stopped mining there and have flooded the old mine - the water was so clear you could everything in the bottom of it. The guide was trying to explain to us about the mine when a group of campers all started hyperventilating together - like lunatics. He explained that cults came here to cleanse the spirit and this "hyperventilating" cleansed the mind and gave you a spiritual closeness to your surroundings. My fat arse (not as fat as it was when it left the UK 2 weeks ago I hasten to add). It just deprives your brain of oxygen, and the sudden loss of so many brain cells means you can't think properly. They were so annoying.

Bear in mind I paid 50 of your English pounds, but after 1 hour of walking and lunch (cheese slices, satsumas, tomatoes, and cucumber - I am not kidding. Now I understand why the guide is so thin) we headed back to the car and subsequently left and headed back to Yekaterinburg. When we reached the Swiss couples hotel the guy mentioned tipping to them. I almost cracked him around the head but of course being Swiss they obliged. The driver (who reminded me of Mike massively - spoke nearly all the time with a fag hanging out his mouth) said he wouldn't accept tips because of his religion...? eh? Anyway, I then said I wanted a lift to the station, and they looked surprised but I got to the station and then the driver wanted to carry my bag wherever I went (which was nice - thanks Mike). The other guy looked expectantly at me, and I just said thanks and walked off. I hate that feeling of getting ripped off knowing you can't do anything about it, so there was so no way I was going voluntarily give this guy any more cash. The driver (Antoli a.k.a Mike) took me to a cafe and bought me a little memento of Yekaterinburg (a statue of the european/asian border marker), and also gave me his card saying if I come back his own tour company is better and they do more exciting things. So if any of you are in Yekaterinburg in the future let me know and I'll find his card!

So I'm now sat in the cafe waiting for the train which is due to come in about 5 hours from now. I was so hungry after my "lunch" I went to the counter of the cafe (like a cafeteria) and pointed at the grey slop and mashed potato - for only £1 who could argue after such an extravagant day? Turns out it was liver - ugg, ugg and ugg. So yes £1 was too much in the end. Back to the crisps and beer. So today has generally, I would say, not been the greatest of days. Please God let Irkutsk be better and the diving I have booked actually be in Lake Baikal and not a paddling pool.

See you in Siberia! Pa-ka!

CHRIST - I nearly forgot, I left the hostel this morning quite early and was sat waiting for the car to pick me up. I was going through in my head all my stuff to make sure I had everything - wallet, passport, tickets, registration, hmmm what else? Ian? IAN? I had forgotten Ian. What do I do? Wake up the owner to say "I've left my teddy?" - I did. Ian was very cross when I found him (in the inside of my duvet cover - I fell asleep with him in my hand last night) and is not speaking to me again. Phew though! You can't imagine the panic and  heart palpitations I had when I remembered him. It was like Wilson all over again.