http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Russia , Siberia , Tomsk en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:42:26 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:42:26 UTC Hei igjen Jeg proever igjen innlegget mitt ble nettopp slettet. Greit aa vaere en taalmodig sjel i blant.Vi er naa i Tomsk en hyggelig liten universitetsby i Sibir 270 km unna Novosibirsk hvor vi sov i natt. Dagene etter forrige innlegg har stort sett vaert preget av vodka og tog. Utelivet i Irkutsk ble grundig sjekket og etter noen flasker vodka havnet vi et sted som like godt kunne vaert i http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-298411.html Deadtired after a few rough nights on trains and only two hours of sleep the night before I arrived in Tomsk a charming university town in the middle of Siberia. I desperately needed a break from my exhausting overnighthopping so I decided to stay a while. This was by no means easy The first four hotels I went to all across town were booked out so I had to settle for a place well out of my p http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-277827.html I arrived in Tomsk yesterday at 230pm and my friend Artyom was waiting for me at the train station. It was very nice not to have to avoid the nagging taxi drivers who charge an insane rate or to navigate my way around another strange city. I have been spoiled with the royal treatment since I got here. By the way I met Art and his mother on the train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar where we share http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-270201.html Tomsk Russia is a very inviting and friendly place in Russia It has been said that it is the Oxford town of SIberia. I totally believe that. The town was a mix of old and new culture and people there were the most friendly and helpful people that we have encountered in Russia. We arrived in Tomsk very late in the afternoon. We had taken a bus into town because the train we had wanted did not pa http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-203363.html Nice pleasant city with some wonderful wooden architecture open parks and an attractive and impressive War Memorial. On the downside the OVIR visa registration office is useless... they couldn't believe we'd come to Tomsk just to visit. who are you here to see he kept asking NOONE Get the impression most go straight past Tomsk. Oh and the internet cafe stunk and full of young swe http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-170637.html After elaborate early morning birthday celebrations for Nico doughnut with candle in Novosibirsk train station we take the bus to Tomsk where we are spending a few days with Grigory couchsurfing again and his family. We entertain ourselves on the 4 hour journey by singing crap '80s songs and eating. Nico's incredible effect on the average Russian girl is again in evidence as while I am buying http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-156618.html Well folks I've made it to Siberia. After 55 long hours the train pulled into Tomsk railway station yesterday morning just before the smell of 54 sweaty sleepy travellers got the better of us. The ride was great fun I was in the 3rd class compartment with 5 other backpackers and to be honest we made the most of the cheap beer for sale on the platform and the plentiful noodles although I http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/Russia/Siberia/Tomsk/blog-74343.html