Day 6 - Novosibirsk

28.08.09

Today is Igor's dad's birthday and so after a late wake up from the late night mosquito blood bath and vodka drinking session, we get up and have breakfast, wish him a happy birthday and drink some water!

We also have a walk to the shops with Igor's older brother Dimitri and between the three of us buy his dad a new fishing rod for his birthday, which he is very pleased about.
I also attempt to have a conversation with Igor's little brother Nikolaj, my Russian now consists of about 10 words so the conversation goes no where fast and we resort to the universal form of made up sign language.

I also get talking to Igor's dad today and he shows me his wounds from a grenade in Afghanistan and bullet wounds in his leg from another time. It turns out he was in the Russian version of the SAS and was a Colonel I think. He had his own men and was known to never lose anyone on missions. His knowledge of survival is astounding and he values his training highly, he now teaches survival at the local school. I'm guessing it's similar to having classes at school which are like being taught at the scouts except a lot more in depth and by an SAS Colonel.

Day 5 - Novosibirsk

27.07.09
The train network throughout Russia runs on Moscow time which means when we get off our train at 7am it immediately becomes 3 hours later and is Novosibirsk time. We get off the train and are greeted by Igor's dad waiting at the platform, him and his son both having a smile ear to ear for seeing each other for the first time in 9 years. We grab a lift to his flat in Berdsk, which is about 30mins or so across the river from Novosibirsk. We have what we have both been eagerly waiting for for 3 days, a shower!

After some food and a chat all in Russian so Igor is once again translating, we head to the beach on the river, which is only 10mins walk away. So we are well into Siberia and there isn't a bit of snow in sight. It's hotter than UK, you need sunglasses it's so bright and there isn't a cloud in the sky. We go swimming in the river and drink beer and Vodka on the beach. It's a lovely way to end 55 hours sat and doing all your activities in an area less than the size of a single bed. As the sun sets we drink away and some of Igor's dad's friends come and join us and play guitar and sing songs on the beach. A great night, the only downside is that I didn't think Siberia would be prone to mosquitoes so I left all my repellent in the bag at the flat. The next day I look like I have chicken pox on my arms and have fed about 50,000 flying blood suckers.