On the train from Moscow to Irkutsk (three and a half days)...

DAY 1: So, we've spent the last 27 hours on a train and we're running out of things to do! Having answered people's criticisms about the status of my sanity after spending three days on a train with 'don't be silly, I can just look out the window' - I realise how wrong I was. I guess if you count trees, the occasional Soviet-style apartment block and more trees as loads to look at, then I guess I was correct. But the lack of change in terrain over the last 26 hours is becoming depressing.

I am, however, very thankful for my caving to people's advice, to take lots of books, and subsequently visiting Hasting's finest British Heart Foundation and raiding it of its trashiest novels. I've already finished one and am steaming through my second. Aside from keeping me sane, I'm additionally pleased as it means less to carry!

Oh, I sound so ungrateful! The scenery in fascinating but I realised, having disturbed everyone in the compartment to look at the, err.. lake, that perhaps so far, we've not seen the best of Siberia. Although, it has started getting lusher with birches and pines enveloping the hills as we near the Urals. I presume I've still much to see and learn during my journey across Siberia and I can't wait.

As for now, I will continue to devour 'The Toyboy Diaries' which, yes, is pretty much what it says on the tin - a raunchy expose, chock-full of tips for how to attract and entrap the golden youth of society. Perhaps not all that appropriate, but a much more satisfying read than Anna Korenina - thanks to the limited selection in Hasting's finest charity shop!

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DAY 2: Another day passed trawling through the steppes of Siberia. Although only things of little interest amounted within the train (aside from harassment ranging from subtle to the downright blatant by sweaty Russian passengers), we finally encountered a change in scenery outside!

We passed an obelisk marking the Europe/Asia continental divide, just before stopping at Yekaterinburg - a significant historical city that we failed to even exit the train to see (it's surprising how doing nothing makes one even lazier). And have found it odd acclimatising not only to the dramatic rise in temperature, within and outside the train (indeed resulting in an abundance of smelly Russian men) but equally to the change in time zones. You wouldn't believe it, but we're almost eight hours ahead of GMT already.

Furthermore, the endless green outside has been replaced by monotone plains that stretch as far as the eye can see - so although I think I preferred the trees, I can't complain about the change!

Trying to escape the stifling heat in our compartment this afternoon, I perched at the end of the corridor next to a rare open window; only to be accosted by a Russian man who refused to believe I couldn't speak Russian, so considerately slowed his speech for my benefit. My nervous giggles attracted the attention of what turned out to be his accomplices - Igor, Alexx and Ignat. Thankfully Kate and Jenny came to join in the fun, and much to our dismay, we soon became the subject of many a photograph. And much to Jenny's dismay, she acquired a particularly keen admirer. We later discovered that this wasn't all bad as, although he felt he had the right to barge into our compartment unannounced on more than one occasion, he later delivered to Jenny, a bar of chocolate and a telephone number - perfect ( well, more the bar of chocolate than the telephone number)! Let's just hope that an equal melange of events prevail tomorrow - our final day on our journey to Irkutsk.

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DAY 3: I feel that, coming to the end of my Siberian adventure, I should commend the oddities that have, of late, become home comforts.

To start - Dorshov, our thumb-sized, snoring Russian deserves a weighty mention. Having spent the last three nights peacefully in slumber less than three feet from him, I don't know how I'll ever sleep again. Although, I do pity him rather, stuck in a 6 foot square cabin with three noisy English girls, speaking not three words in English, nor having bought any form of entertainment besides his mobile phone for a three day journey. But he seemed happy enough!

Equally, I feel our alternative dietary habits acquired whilst on this train could not have been achieved otherwise. Surviving solely on granola bars, Dora the Explorer spaghetti hoops and hot water, we deserve medals (if not just a hearty meal).

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IRKUTSK

I am finally clean! And so is our hostel - thank goodness! After nearly a week without a shower, the first thing we found in Irkutsk, was our hostel's bathroom! We arrived early this morning and it was snowing so I'm very glad I came equipped with my cosy Berghaus body-warmer (although lacking a handy Rohan packpocket). We spent the afternoon exploring the city and trying to find somewhere reasonable to eat. It's a very strange city with dusty, run-down streets but extremely elegantly dressed dwellers. We felt particularly scruffy as we were possibly the only females in Irkutsk not wearing ankle-breakingly high stiletto boots. Equally, I'm positive that the town is Mafia-run as the town is overrun with huge 4x4's with menacing blacked out windows. Very Mafia-esque!

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LAKE BAIKAL

Today we visited Lake Baikal, and I can see what all the fuss is about - it was beautiful. Being still amidst the winter months here, the lake was frozen over in most parts, aside from where the Angara river (running from Irkutsk) flows into the lake. The lake was a stunning subject for photographs and many a picture was captured whilst walking on the ice, although, we did get an unwelcome shock at on point, following a discerning 'crack' underfoot!

We scouted a bus to return us to our favourite Siberian city - Irkutsk, only to be joined by three men who were outrageously drunk. They chose seats that effectively boxed the three of us in. They proceeded to pass foul smelling liquor over our heads and incessantly aimed probably equally foul words at us. Fortunately we'll never know what they were trying to say, but unfortunately, this shameless harassment carried on for a good hour whilst the remainder of the passengers didn't bat an eyelid.

However disconcerting their jibes became, their slurred demeanor did give us all something to giggle about - notably when the bus stopped suddenly, hurling one of the men backward over his seat. His alcohol fueled state contributed to the unnecessary amount of time it took him to resurface.

It soon became clear that these drunks were just a trio footnote of a widespread Russian culture - something I'd read about, unbelieving, yet now understand firsthand the extent of. To get a purposeful insight into the loves and lives of the Russians, we returned to out hostel clutching our very own bottle of Lake Baikal vodka - when in Rome and all that!

Later, after saying goodbye to the city after our short stay, we trudged back to the train station, awaiting our onward journey. We came to the conclusion that Irkutsk railway station is the best building in the city - in terms of its adequately pleasing architecture and in the fact that it's one of the only ways out!

So, we're back on the train and cursing, having taken Dorshov (our previous compartment companion), for granted. I think the man sleeping in the bunk opposite me this time means business. He appears restless when five minutes pass without a swig from his beer can or the solitude of his surely-too-regular fag breaks. And he has a skinhead. And a suspicious looking scar on his face... Lock up your valuables!