Baikalling around

Moscow was like any other European city, and as such not that interesting
to me. Red Square, the Kremlin etc. all visited, but I'm not one for static
sights. My hosts were extremely gracious though, and so very eager
to help with informing me about the great city.

Spent the last night on the 34th floor of a decandently expensive hotel bar,
sucking in freezing Moscow views. Spectacular! Then we headed
to an underground bar: had the atmosphere of a pre-communist
conspirators meeting point. This impression was given creedence
by the Trotsky lookalike and his Bolshevik compatriots
on the table next to us. A very cool place.

The next day I got on the Trans-Siberian headed for a place called Irkutsk,
Siberia. Took four days, but we made it eventually. My thoughts turned
inward and I developed a kind of meditative
state throughout the journey.

Time lost its power and importance as I watched the timezones skip
by one after the other. Sleeping was hard, so I medidated at night.

I ate instant noodles everyday and felt happy for them. Intermittent train
stations gave respite to the endless repition of locomotive rythym.

When I got to Irkutsk ten thousand gold toothed taxi drivers greeted
me hungrily. With the golden wolf pack left behind I was free
to navigate myself to the IF Hostel, a wonderful place
run by a young Russian, Dimitri. Dimitri is creator of Baikal Сlub
and a fountain of knowledge for all travellers to this region.

Tomorrow I head to Lake Baikal, 20% of all the fresh water
in the world is there. It's more than a mile deep and heaven on earth,
so I'm told. I'll steam in Saunas and freeze
in ice cold water a million years old.


First day was joyfully uneventful, I just sat around mostly. My host,
Nina, and I struggled with English/ Russian language barriers for the most
part, trying to make one another understood as best we could.
Strolled onto the ice lake in the afternoon and enjoyed
a silent moment with myself.

The next day was pretty similar, although Yefghenny turned up.
He speaks english alot better, so this made communication easier
and the conversations soared. Sadly, we also said
goodbye to Nina.

On Thursday we headed to the ski slopes for some powder fun.
I've never skied before, so I fell over about 20 times, but my progress
was strong and fast, so by the end of the morning
I was navigating the smaller slopes masterfully. Not enough, however,
to manage the steeper stuff. This I didn't discover until it was too late
and I was already up in the danger zone.

By this time I was quite tired and didn't really have the strength
to control myself properly, so I fell harder and more often.
In all a very fun time, though my muscles
and bones ached severely.

Hitched a ride home with a very nice Russian girl.
She ended up staying with us for the rest of the night as we wound
down from a day on the slopes.

We wound down with food and Banya.
Banya is a kind of Russian Sauna, except super heated and as such very
intense. the idea is to stay in as long as possible, then run outside,
onto the frozen lake and into a small holed smashed through the ice.
The experience is invigorating almost to the point of spiritual enlightenment.
I must've taken the icy dive at four times in total,
and felt absolutely refreshed and exhausted
by the end of my last day on Lake Baikal.

In 15 minutes I get on a train and head for UlaanBataar,
Mongolia, where I'll be for about four days or so.
Takes about 25 hours or so.

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