We took the train to downtown NY today, alighting at the World Trade Centre. No 1 opened a few months ago and is apparently the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. It's really quite amazing (hopefully photo uploaded) and if you stand near the base and look up you can hardly see the top. We visited the memorials too, one for each tower, which are also incredible and very poignant. After a mooch around we bought tickets for a 'hop on hop off' boat trip around Manhattan and out to the Statue of Liberty. There was a very cheery chap doing a tour guide commentary which started with a request not to stand on the seats and included an invitation to buy refreshments from the on-board bar and start your happy hour early, because "...it's always ... read more

We arrived in America after a good flight. Bags dropped off at the Marriot Hotel in Newark and headed into downtown New York.... read more

The train pulled into to St Petersburg station as expected at 5am on my last full day. The holiday booking agent had warned me that the accommodation in St Peters was not great so I already had low expectations as I arrived at the hotel. Although I was keen to save money on accommodation booking into a young offenders bail hostel probably was not the greatest plan. The security guard greeted me as my driver pushed me reluctantly through the front door. My attention was drawn to a sign on the door "no alcohol on the premises after 11pm". I was given my key to room 306 and headed up the stairs with my rucksack to the fourth floor. I hung my jacket in the Formica wardrobe that was propped up on a folded city map ... read more

The weather in Irkutsk had steadily deteriorated over the weekend, becoming colder with the snow falling constantly. The homestay was gradually getting warmer and more uncomfortable as unregulated hot water flowed into the radiators, the only way to cool the room was to open the window. The final breakfast a vast improvement on the others, perhaps because two new guests from Switzerland had arrived. Pancakes, cheeses, ham, jams and real butter, Olga really had pulled the stops out for my final morning. Sad to move on I said my goodbyes and arrived at a cold station platform where I met the Aussie sisters, we boarded the 8pm train to Moscow, the start of our epic four night journey to the capital city. The first night was uncomfortable and incredibly hot in the cabin. The train rattled ... read more

I was met at Irkutsk station by Lena a local Russian lady who was to take me to my homestay accommodation. I thought that it would be a good idea to experience a piece of the real Russia and stay with a local family for a few nights, something at that moment I was regretting. The night on the train from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk had been tough, I had little sleep and we were woken at 5am by the attendant who wanted to get the toilets cleaned before we pulled into our final destination at 7am! I was leaving the Aussie sisters who had upgraded and were off to a hotel for a few nights before we met again. A short car journey later found me at the homestay. I was in shock as I studied ... read more