Belarus Day 1 - Bournemouth to Minsk

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It’s time for a little trip. We usually go away in October and in recent years have been to Mexico, Cuba, Israel, Greece and Turkey – all places which delay the inevitability of having to deal with the cold, damp British Autumn. This year, as the old man attempts to notch up 100 countries and our destinations become more obscure, we are heading for Belarus. The weather forecast is for minus 3 degrees and snow.

As I return home the night before the Great South Run, I get up early and go for a run before setting off for Gatwick.

We’re flying with Belavia Belarusian Airline, which isn’t bad, apart from the in flight meal – chicken sausages which taste as bad as they look.

We arrive in Minsk on time, immigration and baggage reclaim is quick and we are soon in a taxi into town.

We are staying at the Hotel Minsk, the hotel of choice back in the day, built in 1959 in Stalinist classical style. It’s a bit jaded but clean and friendly and festooned with old photos - it’s like staying in a museum.

It’s already dark (and cold) by the time we check in, so we don’t venture far. We planned to go in search of a bar but discover that the hotel is built on top of an underground shopping centre, which is useful. So we buy some beer and return to the hotel. Further exploration of Minsk can wait until daylight.

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