After an 18 hour train trip we arrived at Novosibirsk at around one in the morning, we soon hunted down a taxi which was no problem but finding the Hostel was as no one had heard of it. We charged about the town center, down different streets and eventually called the Hostel and got met by someone who worked their a few streets away, he jumped in the taxi and guided us in, we dumped our bags and got some sleep.

Natasha from st petersburg had arranged for us to meet some of her friends so they could show us around (Natasha is from Novosibirsk) we met a chap called Sasha who was at law school with Nat, jumped in his car and he took us for a tour around the city showing us the sights, top sight was a steel bridge that one Gold at the world exhibition along with the Eiffel tower back in the olden times, also a massive statue of Lenin which can be found in most Russian cities.

After the tour Sasha picked up his girlfriend and we headed into the center of town to a blues club, we quickly grabbed some food before the music started which is a Russian staple bar snack fried bread. The first band came on and shreaded up some blues with the lead guitarist playing some great solos. We mentioned to Sasha that we played, he asked if we would like to play on stage we laughed and said yes thinking he was joking!! After the first band had been on the DJ came out and asked would Adam and Luke our friends from England come up and play some music, their was only one guitar so Adam got up on stage and played a blues version of an English folk song with the rest of the band, the Russian lead guitarist threw in some wild solos shreading things up. I think that was the first and last time blues and English Folk in Russia have come together, and what a noise it was!!!

After the Blues club we met up with some more of Nats friends and headed to a cocktail bar called friends, a great great bar, anyone who gets a chance to go should do. The barman brought out a guitar so we were singing with loads of Russians, they sang some traditional songs for us and we sang some traditional songs for us, Russian British relations are going well in Novosibirsk!! After the Cocktail bar, as if we hadnt sang enough we headed out for some karaoke, we then continued to sing the night away! At some time o clock we jumped into the smallest Larder possible and got dropped back at the hostel, just before bed Luke performed his best circus skills i have seen and passed out in bed!

The next day we did not need to catch the train until the afternoon to our next Location, "Krasnoyarsk" so we spent the day shopping and resting up. Later that day we boarded the train for a 16 hour train journey East.

It was a whirlwind stop over in NSK but we had a great time, saw lots of things, met lots of new friends and good people :)