My last diary.

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All that I have to do today is say goodbye. There is a train to Moscow at 10 this evening where I will stay with Helen for a day, buy some books, take a last look at Russia and get on another train to Lugansk in the east of Ukraine.

I'll spend two days there with Ana, who I'm really looking forward to seeing again, then we'll go to her village, Popasnaya, for two weeks. Hopefully there will be one of Mrs. Kovalchuk's apple cakes waiting for me when I get there! It will be a chance to relax and let what has happened this year sink in. On the 3rd of June I'll find a town in the middle of the country to spend three days on my own there, before meeting up with Helen and Ana in Kiev on the 8th for my 21st birthday. My Dad will arrive to join us the next day.

On the 12th I plan to set off on another huge train journey, this time from Kiev to Tallinn. From Tallinn I'll take a boat to Helsinki on the 13th, and go to Karin's island - Kemio - straight away to stay with her. When I leave there I will find some friends from Tver to stay with somewhere in Finland for a week, then I'll fly home from Tampere on a date I haven't decided yet.

My diary has been my impression of Russia, perhaps the first of many. I hope you have enjoyed reading.

I will miss her.

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Photos

James Joyce.
I made it to the very last word without making a mistake - does "чем у меня" sound better perhaps?

Comments

[Bobsie]

Thanks
Hi Jon, I've been following your journal through most of your year in Russia as I'm going to be doing a similar thing next year. It was great to have an insight into what life's going to be like and you've taught me to watch out for bad babushkii and that it's going to be an amazing trip! Cheers for your thoughts, Rob (/bloggers/bobsie).

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