January 14 - 16

We got off the train at 5.34am Moscow time, which we had been running off all week, but in fact we were five hours ahead in Irkusk.

We were met at the station by Costa and driven about hour North to a little town called Listvyanka next to Lake Baikal.

We stayed in log chalet and had private rooms and were provided with home cooked meals everyday.

Costa suggested a walk so we walked for nearly two hours up the side of a steep hill where there was an observatory. The view was breathtaking, I nearly turned back so many times because it was too much for me, but I was so proud of myself when I reached the top.. During the walk we saw a gold toothed Russian man in Lada run over a dog purposely. He sped up and seemed quite chuffed with himself. I thought all those who drove Ladas were quite nice fellows.

Walking down the hill Costa took us the scenic, more dangerous way down. It consisted of lots of drops and falling and slipping down into Adam a lot. I had already fallen flat on my back that day in the middle of the road, but it didn't hurt., but it was very funny.

Walking, he took us down to the edge of the lake, it was one of the most astounding, thought provoking scenes I have ever seen. The sun setting orangey/red a few hundred miles away on the other side of the lake and massive newly formed plains of ice gently crashing into each ohter upon the shore. In the distance huge sheets of ice were forming and in three weeks we were told it would be covered. The most impressive thing of all? Silence, pure undisturbed silence. All I could hear was the ice gently pushing past each other as a wave attempted to reach shore. I felt so small, so insignificant, but it did make me appreciate the wonders of nature.

We slowly walked back to the chalet and once back we got back we got ready for our Russian massage. This consisted of wearing what looked like a bed sheet over our naked torsos and heading into a small, cramped sauna where temperatures would hit over 120 degrees F. We stayed in for five mintues, had a cup of herbal tea and then went back in and then did the same again. On the third occasion we had to run outside and on the fourth we had to make snow angels... I jus rubbed myself in snow. I was too much of a p**** We were then beat with pine branches until we could take no more... it was actually pretty pleasant :)

The next day I woke up with a terrible cold and chest and spent half the day in bed whilst the others went dog sledging (very jealous) and skiing (not so jealous). At about three we went to a cafe down near the local market, where they sold nothing but smoked fish and necklaces. I had a meat pasty and what I thought was jam donut, but turned out tobe filled with potato. It was very strange, but very pleasant.

We came back to the lodge and hung around with Nichola and John discussing plans for new year in China and tea and took silly photos of ourselves jumping up and down in various scenarios. We then headed out for tea, which was one of the worst meals I have ever had. Russian food is pretty bland, but oh my god, I had fried mutton with onion, it tasted like fried tires covered in oil. We then went back to the chalet and had an early night. Well earlyish!!