Done and Done!

So after 7500kms (160hrs) on the train, the top of the great wall, riding horses in inner mongolia, marching through both Tiananmen and Red Square, running amok in the Kremlin, eating ice cream at the Hermitage, drinking at Dostoyevsky's front door and 900 photos later, its time to come home.

Tomorrow is my last day. I leave Saturday morning at 6:00am, so i will have to head to the airport in the middle of the night. I am really quite exhausted and looking forward to something other then the 3 shirts i rotated through within a 3+ week period (all of which will be auctioned off for charity by the way).

Hope you enjoyed my little blog and i can guarantee it won't be the last of the great adventures. I am sure Julia and I have an Africa trip to plan in the not too distant future - i'll make sure i bring more shirts....

Bye bye.

What would Chuck Norris do?

I brought my ipod on this trip.  Instead of bringing a bunch of cinematic masterpieces on it, i brought a collection of Chuck Norris films.  Nothing removes the international borders between travellers like Chuck Norris.  It's gone over well - we now refer to one of the guys as 'Lone Wolf'.  He is pretty excited about his new title.

Spent most of yesterday in the Kremlin.  I was lucky to get to bring my camera, but am happy i did.  It is quite the sight.  I also saw Lenin's body.  The russians love them some Lenin.  Hard to explain the body, but if you have been to see Mao or Ho Chi Min, you will understand.  It's pretty 'waxy'.  I also ventured to the sculpture park where many of the statues of russian 'VIP's' are now found.  You can google it, worth a look.

Going to wander around the city today before heading out on my last leg of the train which will take me to St. Petersburg.  It's only an 8hr ride which i could now do spinning on my head.

My ticket is booked back to Vancouver for Saturday.  I will fly to Frankfurt - wait there for a gross period of time and then straight to Vancouver.

There is a good chance this will be my last post, as i expect to be quite busy in old St. Pete's.  We shall see.  If this is i am sorry about the lack of enthusiasim, frequency of post and spelling.  These cyrillic keyboards can make life a little difficult.

I will post some pics this weekend, but you are all invited over for the 14hr slideshow.  I am sure you can't wait.

I highly recommed this route of travel if you are thinking of running away from your life for a month or so, it is certainly not lacking adventure...

McQuade out.

Henderson has scored for Canada!

Moscow.  Not much to add.  I guess history and years of sterotype can fill in the blanks. 

  I spent the day marching up Red Square which is quite the sight (i was only wearing a fur hat).  Took a boat around the Moscow river to get an idea on how large the city really is.  Ventured into the subway which borders on ridiculous.  But i survived.

  There are parts of this trip that can be hard to comprehend, Moscow is certainly one of them.  I am tired, dirty and my beer is nearly empty.  I have tried to limit my internet time to a minimum as it can eat up valuable exploring time.  Out of the corner of my eye i can see a bar with a pool table - it's time to explore.

P.S.  I did see the Luzhniki Ice Palace today - if that doesn't ring a bell check out the title of todays post.

Brother can you spare a dime?

There is expensive, and then there is Russia. Long gone are my .50/hr internet rates traded in for the $24hr rate here in Yekaterinburg, Russia. I said goodbye to Irkustk (home of the 'Decemberists' for you historians) and made my way ~50hrs west here (home of the murder of Tsar Nicholas II for you historians). Russia has far surpassed my expectations. Mongolia is what made me want to brave the trans-siberian, but Russia is certainly what this trip is all about. I have a couple of days here before heading to the 'Big Smoke' - Moscow (i don't really think its called the 'Big Smoke', but it sounds good).

I am not sure i mentioned anything about my homestay in my last post, but it was most interesting. Mikail and his wife were charming hosts and i was fed more food then you could pack in a car. The food in Russia has been a treat. Babuska's bring home cooked treats to the train stations where you can pick them up for nothing. My favorite train station treat is currently the 3L bottle of beer for $4 (yes, 3L bottle of beer). Something about strength in numbers - 3 is pretty strong.

Off for breakfast and then to photodoc (that is the proffesional term) the city. I am far underdressed and will probably have to stop off and pick up some clothes so i can actually venture out at night. The dry-fit t-shirt and patagonia pants just don't cut it in this country - although further east i know where all of the acid wash jeans and mesh shirts went after the 80's.

In about 100kms i will be leaving Asia and crossing into Europe. I have about 55hrs left on the train, which will take the grand total on the train to somewhere around 160hrs - or so. Not bad over 3 weeks - do the math, its sickening.

I also think i will be cutting the trip a few days short and heading home from St. Petersburg. Missing the girls like mad and will save some of the other European countries for another time. This is still not concrete, but i will see what flights are available. I am sure you all miss me beyond words and will be lining up to pick me up from the airport with flowers and hand baked goods.

By the way, i just noticed people were posting comments, i hadn't noticed before, but when i next sit down i will take a look. Again, i am at the mercy of a highly inflated hourly rate - and last i checked i didn't have a job....

Did you say Kopeck?

Quick update.

I am currently in Irkustk, Russia (southern siberia). Spent the last day near Lake Baikal staying with a russian family that spoke no english. My russian is getting better, but it was tough. Pretty amazing place though.

Off on a 49hr train ride this evening.

If anyone wants to compare horror stories of border crossings, i can throw mine in the mix. I am sure you can only imagine trying to cross into Siberia by train. Lovely.

Not going to miss mongolia. glad i went, but i can pretty much assure you i won't be going back, makes Cambodia look like Disneyland.

Dasvidanya.

4 Jacks and a Turtle...

Just arrived back from the countryside. Quite different then the madness of the city - quite beautiful in fact. The landscape tends to look fake for some reason - probably all of the vodka.

Spent the night in a traditional ger camp. I am quite anxious to convince Julia into purchasing some land and building a yurt. I can grow potatoes and grow a beard. sounds lovely in theory - except for the beard part. Rode horseback (yes i piloted the mighty steed - make your own jokes) for 2 hours to Turtle Rock, quite an experience. I was invited into one of the local yurts by some elder who shared his cookie crumbs and broke out a bottle of vodka - i was a little scared as the dirty cup kept being filled over and over. No worse for wear i managed to get my horse back to the camp in on piece.

I was lucky enough to particiapte in some archery this morning - archery, wrestling and horse racing are the 3 biggest sports here. I wasn't able to wrestle anyone which was probably for the best. There are some big lads here, most of which could put me in their pocket. I pretend to be injured - or slightly dim and they take pity.

2 hour journey back into the city for a quick clean up and to pick up some groceries for the next leg of the train ride. 40hrs by train to Irkustk, Russia. The stories are endless about this leg of the trip, told not to expect much but wonder how much less there can be then the 'regular' train. I guess i shall find out this evening. There is however hot water on the train so noodle soup it will be for the next couple of days. We are more concerned about how much beer to bring - its a slippery slope here. You don't dare drink too much, it would be similar to spending a night in hell, as a few have already found out. I politely smile and nurse my drink and watch the younger guys on the train spend an evening in a toilet that most prisoners would choose not to use. I guess it's all part of the charm.

See you in Russia...

Where is my hat?

I am even at more of a loss today. Trying to explain this city is not an easy task. Unsettling, Cold, Hot, Chaotic and so on. I have been warned multiple times about my safety (more about my stuff) and there are certainly no lack of 'suspicious' folk walking the streets. Taking pictures has not been easy as flashing my large camera around is like waving a salmon in an Alaskan forest. But i venture on.

Spent most of today seeing the sights. Lots of broken down 1930's Russian built apartment blocks and stores with signs that don't really reflect their business - but they look nice i guess. Going to go to a traditional Mongolian music show tonight - not entirely excited about it, but figure there might be some interesting parts.


The weather here is also hard to describe but even harder to believe. The weather can change 35 degress during a day, and so far today i have had intense heat and two snowfalls. Just plain crazy. I was going to dump all of my warm clothes in Beijing thinking i would never need them, thank god for the voice in my head telling me 'don't you dare!' - that voice being Julia's.

Tomorrow morning i am heading out to the ger camp and will spend the day and night there. Back on the following day as i wait for the evening train which will cross the Russian border (which i am sure will be brutal) and head towards Lake Baikal - the largest freshwater lake in the world.

Off for a nap.