Listvyanka and dog sledding

We were packed and down at Tatiana by 7.30 where we had breakfast of egg and toast.  Still very dark and cold, her husband was busy getting the car ready and there was much activity and a little shouting and things sounded a bit stressful. After a few minutes we got into the car while the husband and his worker continued struggling with something on the back of the car. We realised that because of all the overnight snow they needed to grade the downhill road for their return journey. At the bottom they removed it again and drove us the rest of the way to the port where the worker carried my bag onto the old ferry for me. I wish we'd taken some pictures to show how authentic it was, but sure our fingers would have frozen off. It was still very dark and freezing cold. We climbed the metal stairs and tucked our bags behind a pillar as this was still outside. Then we joined the other 8 or so people huddled in the tiny windowless cab. The one person was the fare collector, which was less than 100 rubles for both of us. Fortunately the trip was very quick, 20 minutes at most, when we hauled our bags down the metal stairs and dragged them over the car platform off the boat. It fitted 4 cars. Temperature at minus 35, dark with a slight breeze. A boat and frozen water behind us, a hill and not much else in front. It felt pretty wretched. We dragged the bags up the hill where it was obviously not the town centre as we'd expected. This wasn't one of the holiday good moments. I waited in a bus stop, while Roy went into what looked like a hotel. My toes started to ache! This was almost unbearable. About 10 minutes, at least it felt that long he came out with good news. The receptionist was friendly and said we could wait in the foyer until it got light. Relief. I took my boots off and tried rubbing my toes while Roy chatted to her. When she saw that we were going sledding with Natalie and Oleg she called them for us, and said they would come fetch us. What a pleasure.  A few minutes later Oleg arrived with a young girl in the car and off we went. The sledding was up the next valley and he took us inside to the tack room. We left our suitcases there and he took us back to the main road where there was a coffee shop. We spent the morning here, warm and fed while we waited for the weather to warm up. It was sunny, but Roy said he could only stand outside a fee minutes before it just got too cold. About 1 o clock we decided to walk back to the sledding people where there were lots of people around,  going on horse sleights mostly. Eventually the crowds left and we were given dungarees to put over our clothes.

Getting ready for sledding

Outside there was a field with dog boxes and dogs attached. Two sleds were ready with 6 dogs each. Mine had 2 at the front to and back and 2 singles in the middle. Roys team included a very cold dalmatian, with a coat on. Later we heard from Natalie via email that she is called Happy and is the Musters dog. He rescued her from his brother in law who breeds them when she got burnt as a puppy and Natalie helped cure her. She didn't like sledding at first but now does and they send her on the shorter trips. Roy said that while the other dogs looked comfortable, she turned around constantly to check she was doing the right thing. We were given very brief instructions from Oleg in broken English, introduced to our mushers (mine was called Nikolai) and then told to stand at the back and steer while the Nikolai got onto he sled seat part. And off we went through the forest towards the mountain. It was cold but beautiful and the dogs were just magic! Roy of course whipped out his camera at this point, one hand holding the sled and the other his camera. A few minutes later he tried to put his camera back only to find he couldn't feel his hand at all. It was quite a shock and he had a hard time getting the camera sorted as he couldn't let go and not steer while driving the sled. Took ages for the feeling to come back. This really is cold. Wa streaming out my eyes from the cold, nose running, icing up around my face I was still loving every second. The sun was out and we were dog sledding in Siberia. This was magical.
After maybe 45 minutes Nicolai said he would take over. I was relieved as my toes had gone from sore to numb and sitting down felt good. At the back you stand on two ski's. We stopped and rested a little and were advised we'd need to walk a bit up the hill. I got pulled a lot further than Roy but eventually also had to give the dogs a break and just use them to pull me up by the arms while I walked. Problem with this method is that while they help pull you, you still have to go at their speed, which even up a steep mountain, dragging a 200kg sled is darn fast. But Nikolai insisted I keep this method and don't drop back. Nobody warned me what an energetic experience this was.

Pulling us up the mountain

Soon Nikolai said I can sit again and was I in for a bit of a surprise. The mountain just dropped below us and the dogs went diving off the edge, full speed. Terrified the sled was going to slam into them, breaking their legs I managed to slide right down the sled with my legs falling off the side. Nicolai managed to keep the sled from hitting he dogs while grabbing my arm and helping me to hang on with one arm being my head. Trying to peer over myself down at the dogs we had a thrilling run down he mountain. Roy had worked up quite a sweat climbing the Hill and had unzipped his tops. Also not given warning, he hurtled down the mountain and all the sweat instantly froze and he was just covered in freezing ice. But we loved it. Soon after we arrived at camp.

There were log cabins and we headed inside the kitchen one to warm up. Oleg produced some vodka and we produced some French red wine. Yugh, they pulled up their noses to that! Roy had some vodka and I had a little wine. They served lovely cheese and salami on fresh bread while the young girl who came on the skidoo with Oleg translated when our sign language didn't work. She was the same girl who was in the car when he fetched us.

Warming up with vodka

 She showed us our cabin and Oleg said he'd finished in the banya and it was ready for Roy and I. It was wonderfully warm, too warm, crazy warm! We did the obligatory branch slapping (it was actually quite soft) and I'd had enough. Roy enjoyed a while longer before joining me for chicken supper. Oleg and the girl left and we finished eating. The dogs were all tied up individually to a long metal rope, each one given a jacket and bundle of straw. It wasn't enough. Happy and one other dog were the only two let loose and they were having a total party running around the forest. Between banya and dinner I went to change in my cottage and sneaked her in with me so she could warm up a little. She didn't want to leave! After dinner the mushers asked if we wanted to join them walking somewhere. Not being able to ask how far, we declined. I think they were taking Happy and the other dog to sleep somewhere else and they fetched them again in the morning. Roy and I snuggled into our beds in the forest, beautiful, cold dogs sleeping outside.

Frozen hair from banya to our cabin!

Port Baikal

We slept for 12 hours! By about midday we ventured out into the cold and went for a walk to the village.

Sweet dog we met on the way

A lovely black dog joined us most the way and enjoyed looking at the steam engine with us (and peeing on it for good measure)

Roy and dog exploring cold shores

The only restaurant was closed, so instead of lunch, we walked home, stopping to buy a beer and some goodies at a store we found. Roy got a smoked fish which was very nice.

Frozen eyelashes.

Let me try explain how cold this is. Walking back to my cottage from the shower, my newly washed underware was frozen solid. As soon as I'm in the cold my nose runs and I need to sniff. So I sniff and then wonder how the hell I got a pee stuck up my nose! I think the condensation from breathing catches and freezes on my nose hairs. It's just crazy cold. Exposed skin stings and goes pink when it warms up.

Walking up to our cottage

The closest toilet

Back of our cottage

Our cottage.

Writing the blog

Tatiana showing us her tea, which was delicious

 Tatiana would talk away to us in Russian and I'd wonder why she thought I would ever understand,  repeating the same Russian louder in the hopes that would help, but quite often I'd surprisingly end up getting the message. She had a wonderful cackle. 

Their lovely collection of samovars

In front of Tatianas interesting fireplace

We had dinner at Tatianas which again was very nice.

Irkutsk

We were woken early and Roy made some strong coffee, while I made myself some oats. We said a sad farewell to the train and
our friends from Holland and Berlin. I hope the Berlin lady does look me up on Facebook.

Saying goodbye to our Berlin friends

Train to Siberia

Watching our train leave. Sad. 

Our clocks were all a little out with the change in time zones. so we were taking the 8.10 train in local time, but the 3.10 in the morning, Moscow time. It was a three hour wait slightly stressful because our
train ticket had a train number which wasn't on the board. A policeman with very little English tried to help us, but as it turns out our ticket just showed the wrong number. Nobody seemed to notice or mind. We were happy to see day tourists arriving and we piled onto the train. It was part bus, part train, being powered by a diesel engine, not overhead electrics. It sounded like a car.

We were shown our correct seats and were the only people with proper luggage. Most had brought picnic lunch and warm clothing. Although we'd bought first class tickets it still felt a little like cattle class as it was full and crowded . There were two coaches with a dining shop in the middle. We shared a table with a young Russian
boy about 16, and a couple, her from Russia and him originally New Guinea. I kept wondering what he saw in her as he was a tall athletic looking man and she seemed interested only in eating. He spoke a little French and so I was able to work out from him how long the stops were.

Our first stop at Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal is the biggest volume of fresh water on the planet. It has been suggested that if all the rivers in the world drained into it they would still not have filled it in a year. We wished we'd come here a few weeks later when the entire lake freezes so that trucks drive over it . From pictures it looks beautiful, like thick glass.

Pretty village along the way

The only other English people on the train was an Australian lady with her children and her mother in law. Her husband worked in Moscow and they'd been working ail over the world for the last 14 years- Their boys seemed to cope ok with it.
The train ride was from Irkutsk, along the shore of Lake Baikal for the day, stopping at various spots throughout the day for an
average 20 minutes.

Our train/bus

There was an hour stop for lunch in a pretty village. It was a cold but beautifully clear day and we enjoyed the stop.

The cold shore of Lake Baikal

The family sitting next to us on the bus / train along with the Australians had pre arranged a lunch at one of the homes in the village, and the Russian family kindly brought Roy and I some left over Dumplings which were still warm.

I'd been feeling sad for their son, who looked like he could maybe have had down syndrome, but very slightly and got totally ignored by the family unless he was being told off, while the young 'normal ' child was showered with attention. I wonder if they realised they were doing it. I wanted to reach out to the young man, but he avoided eye contact with strangers and seemed so intent on trying to please his parents. We finally arrived at Port Baikal in the evening (Roy and I had a few naps along the way).

Our host was waiting and easily identified us by our luggage, but the only English he knew was the name of his lodge, 'Fort Baikal '. I recognised that, and after giving left over food from the train to a local dog, we climbed into his car and did the short trip to the lodge. Here we met his wife, Tatiana, a short dark haired lady who also spoke not a word of English. We managed our way through introductions and that dinner would be served at 8. I can't

remember the husbands name but he is quite a character and showed us where the various communal showers and toilets 

were and then carried my heavy bag up all the steps to our cute wooden cottage in the forest.

The main house, taken the next morning when it was light

Looking up to our cabin.

One of the other guests we met at the communal kitchen could speak English, a lady with a young baby, and she helped with translating. We relaxed in our warm cottage for a bit before going down for dinner. It was delicious, and just what we felt like. A coleslaw and tomatoe salad, and fried potatoe with onion and chicken. We took a small gift as is custom, but all we had was a fridge magnet we got on the train. It didn't feel enough. We also took a bottle of red wine, but nobody liked this! When the husband popped in we offered him some, but he pulled up his nose and insisted we have some vodka instead. Roy happily agreed and was most impressed. Using our phone translator I asked if he made it himself, which he had, using pinenuts to flavour. I stuck with the wine and we cheered to good health.

Homemade vodka with Pinenuts

Dinner. See Stalin on the wall behind - bizarre

Tatiana insisted that I look through her whole book of guests comments before we had to get the full tour of the place a second time. Eventually we were free to retire to our cottage and have a nice warm shower in one of the communal buildings. I needed to pee in the night and went to the little loo behind our cottage only to find it was just a whole in the ground. Did the job though.

Day 3 of the train to Siberia

Our last day on the train today.

Coffee with breakfast

The weather is increasingly cold and the last station showed it was down to minus 14.

Typical village we'd see

We took a walk to both ends of the train. The drivers area at the front and the dining car at the back.

Getting cold between the coaches

Roy chills his beers by placing them between the carriages.

We have lost quite a few hours along the trip which is quite confusing. My watch and the timetable is on Moscow time, so it will say midday, but it's actually 5 hours later and already dark. But we had such a beautiful sunset.

So at 4 Moscow time we packed our bags and soon after tried to get some decent sleep. The train was going through a hilly section so made some violent bangs when the coaches knock against each other. At some stage during the night I woke up with the numb ear from the pillow which felt like a rock and wondered why on earth I'd not made a normal pillow using my down jacket. I suppose after the first inebriated night I'd not thought further and from then on just taken the Chinese torture as normal. Did I mention that it seemed there were Russian and Chinese coaches and we were in a Chinese one. I only realised late in our trip that this was our only luxury train journey with a shower. The future ones are all shared. It was indeed a lovely experience!

Day 2 of the train to Siberia

Another relaxing day. Roy made boiled eggs for breakfast and I had some oats. Reading, sight seeing, eating and drinking.

View most of the day. It looks cold.

At the station stops, the coal supplies are loaded from a tractor. The coal is put in a fire in each coach for heating and there is an urn attached with hot water to use.

Loading up our coal.

Every stop, a guy walks the length of the train, knocking off ice. I think it's from the toilet.

It's cold now.

We had beer and chips and relaxed into the journey.

Look Judes, the Ale you gave Roy for the train

At one of the stops, where the temperature measured minus 7, I took myself for a run to the end of the train and back. I could feel the cold air go deep into my lungs and by the time we were back in the cabin I was coughing like a TB patient. Guess the cold is not good for the cough I thought I was over. At the next stop, after dark, it was snowing properly for the first time and the station thermometer this time showed minus 10. Getting colder! We snuggled back into our comfortably warm cabin and watched 'From Russia With Love
on my phone/tablet.

Day 1 of the train to Siberia

As described in yesterdays blog, after a bottle of red wine, I climbed into bed (I got the top bunk) at about 2 in the morning. The 'mattress' felt like a rock, and it was warm in the train so I put both our duvets down and lay on them with just a sheet covering me. I got cold in the night and found something to cover myself only to find in the morning it was a floor rug.:) Worked out later it was for on top of the Rock mattress, but didn't help much. The pillow was also made of rocks, solid. We'd wake up all night with numb ears or no feeling in the back of our heads. Roy called it Chinese torture as our conductor was Chinese.

Our luxury coach

I woke up feeling a little worse for ware, but a strong coffee went a long way to fixing that. We had a relaxing day, watching the cold weather pass by our window. Snow covered trees and forests was the general view, occasionally stopping in towns on average every 4 or 5 hours apart for about 20 minutes. There is a schedule on our carriage wall. Our Dutch neighbour would rush out for a quick cigarette and they would often buy some food or drinks. I read a lot and caught up on some sleep. We had canned tuna with bread, cheeses and cold meat along with fruit, chocolates and various other goodies we'd brought along. This is a most enjoyable way of travelling.

At one of the stops