I had a terrible nights sleep last night. We had a Korean bloke in the dorm and he kept most of us awake with his snoreing.I met a pom named Tom in the hostel and we came to Listvyanka together. The Mushrutka only cost 100 rubles for the 1hr trip. Two young Singaporean girls were on the same Mushrutka and coming to the same Eco lodge.
If I was on my own and not booked this is the last place I would have stayed. It is 1/2hr walk ALL UPHILL to get to the place. The place is serene, right on the shore of Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world. It is over 600 miles long, 100 miles wide, over 1 mile deep. Home of the Nerpa seals, the only fresh water seals in the world, and contains 1.5th of the worlds unfrozen fresh water. The water is turguoise blue, crystal clear and 2 degrees.
Tom and I were gonna leave our packs at the Eco lodge and hike over to Bolshi Koty for a night. It is only accesable by foot (6hr walk) cos the ferry doesnt run again toll next week. That means we would have to carry all food and water for the 2 days. The walk up the hill changed our mind.
Tom and the girls went walking and I stayed for a rest and to work on my itinery. ( it changes every day) After my nana nap I went down town. It is a real holiday town, everyone is walking around with beers. Men and a few women are stripping to their undies ans going in the lake. There is a fish market where you can buy fish, fresh or smoked, and all along the road women are smoking fish. also at the fish market is some Uzbeks cooking Plov and shaslik's. I had almost forgotten the taste of mutton fattill the first mouthful. It bought back memories. MMMm the shaslik was supposed to be pork but I have never had pork soo tough.
The second morning I was up early so decided to walk to Port Baikal & try to get onto the Circumbaikal Railway. This is a tourist train and you can walk along the tracks if you want. I walked about 4 hr and there is not very much to see. I had a fish for breakfast. I would have prefered it cooked a little more but it was OK.
In a couple of years this is a place you will not want to come. There are 5 star Dacha's (Russain weekenders) being built everywhere. Im glad I came but Ive had enough now so Im going back to Irkutsk this arvo and gonna try to get train to Krasnoyask tonight. If that happens will be in Krasnoyask tomorrow arvo and stay for a couple of days.