Turns out I had booked a winner and stayed in an amazing place, with my own little stove. It's a shame it wasn't cold for me to put it on. I walked back to town and picked up some smoked omul (the local fish), bread, one tomato (the woman despised me for only buying one), a doughnut and went to look at the souvenirs. I would have bought some, especially one which was a magnet with a hologram changing between the face of Vladimr Putin and Dimitry Medvedev. Awesome but she wanted £5 for it, so I walked on. So I have bought no one souvenirs, not because I didn't think of you but because they were a rip off.
Walked back to my homestay and watched the sun set. There really is little to do in Listvyanka but sit around and do nothing. FInally finished The Count of Monte Cristo - enjoyed it but it bloody dragged on. Had the best night sleep since I left home.
Next day I went diving with Andrei. Very nice chap but I had forgotten from previous diving trips how relaxed Russians are about diving (smoking around the tanks, drinking vodka before a dive etc). Obviously I had no gear with me, and to cut a long story short when he tried to get me into the rib without a depth gauge I had to stop him. A week previous the visibility had been great (30metres) but when I was there it was pants. It was cold, I was over weighted and the only life exisiting in Lake Baikal is crabs. Small orange crabs. They didn't even wave at me. However, the people were lovely, and I would definitely go back (with my own gear) and do some ice diving.
Spent the rest of the day recovering on the beach, where would you believe it I got stung by another bumble bee about 2 inches away from the previous one! Little feckers! Must be something about my delicious body perfume that sends them crazy. Took the bus back to Irkutsk but not before watching a group of Russian police men wrestle someone who was not "caucasian" to the ground as he refused to stop. Turns out he was a tourist and it was all fine but reminded me where I was and that stop means stop.
Off to Ulan Ude very early tomorrow (1st August).
p.s. can whoever is sending me piss taking text messages please leave your name because I'd really like to know who you are. Cheers.
2 comments:
I get the distinct impression that you're a bit down on Blackpool. As a northener whose childhood highlight was our biannual trips (one for the lights, one for the 'summer' day-trip) to Blackpool I can only say, fair enough.
Anyway, back to Russia. I like your fire. I would have lit it anyway, just to feel outdoorsy indoors. And I have no idea what you're talking about with the diving, but it sounds like it's better to be safe.
I just looked up your next destination because I thought I'd heard of it (I hadn't, unless it was in the long way round). I hope you get to see the massive head, that looks great! There just aren't enough massive heads these days. Maybe I'll start a campaign for the fourth plinth.
Keep having fun Willers!
Hi Emm,
it would appear that the dream is still alive. I told you not to try bee keeping in Russia as they like good willoughby stock.
Still proud of you and still thinking of you.
keep the blog coming excellent stuff
the old geezer.
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