Russia: Lake Baikal to Irkutsk

Wed 23rd August

We were at the hyrdrofoil at 7am as suggested by our hosts and 40 minutes later we were flying across the middle of Lake Baikal, down towards Irkutsk at the southern end. It occurred to me during the trip that the time it took from North to South was the same time as my initial airflight from SA to Europe ie: 12 hours! That's a long way on a lake and what a stunning lake it is. The relatively sparse and barren landscape at the northern end soon gave way to some amazing mountains and sheer cliffs dropping straight down into the icy blue waters. Being on the lake you get a really great perspective of just how huge it is. We hugged the western coastline and looking across to the other side you could hardly see the mountains there. This is one huge lake! A couple of times the hydrofoil 'put on the brakes' [or whatever they do] and we seemingly just stopped in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by huge swells!! Then we noticed 2 speed boats approaching. We were at a mid-lake "boatstop". An entire group of backpackers boarded our vessel at the back, the speed boats disappeared and we suddenly took off again!! 11hrs later we arrived at Port Baikal and were all told to get off the boat! Where to now, still an hour away from Irkutsk. But then we were all hustled onto another boat, which took us up the river tributory towards Irkustsk. We were never sure why the hydrofoil ended here as all the announcements were in Russian and there was obviously some explanation. We eventually arrived and luck of luck, a bus was sitting there waiting to transport us to JUST where we needed to go - our hostel! We checked in and guess what? Still no hot water!! It seems that in Russia this just doesn't exist! Thank goodness for our banya yesterday. I reckon we'll have to have another one here - or stink some more!!

The Blue Eye Of Siberia

Thursday 24th August

A good night's sleep made up for no hot water! Also Irkutsk is much warmer weather-wise than up north. Today we did our orientation walkabout and managed to book train tickets for the next leg of our travels - to Mongolia. We ran into some luck, as a Russian speaking Australian in the hostel, came with us to the station and translated all our requirements to the ticket seller. Such a relief as buying tickets here is NOT EASY! We leave here on Sunday and discovered that we'd chosen an excellent train. An early start and a faster train. This section has great views and everyone's been saying NOT to take a night train - which we succeeded in doing.

Irkutsk is the main hub and meeting place for Trans Mongolian train travellers, in both directions, and we've picked up some valuable hints from those who've just been to where we are about to go. This swopping of advice and assistance is such a crucial and valuable element of travelling the way we do. We met a really great American couple who have been living in China teaching English and had spent a few weeks doing the Mongolian Gobi desert, camel-riding, horse-riding and 4x4 adventure thing. If our timings co-incide in the next month or so we may just hook up with them again and arrange an overland adventure in China as they have been living in Chengdu, Western China, a town we intend visiting before heading onto Tibet....

Friday 25th August

A total do nothing day as it was raining and pretty miserable outside. All that grabbed our attention were reading books, watching DVD's, doing internet and drinking beer!!

Saturday 26th August

Again, not too much to report on today apart from some walking around the town to see all the interesting wooden houses that make up the place. What was so fascinating to us, is that life here doesn't appear to have moved on since the early 20th century. Parts of the city look like western cowboy/movie sets complete with the saloon bars and public water pumps in the middle of the streets, where all the local housewives gather to fill up their buckets. The only thing missing are the tethered up horses - these having been replaced with rusty old bangers and buses spewing out horrendous and nauseating exhaust fumes! A funny old place with a strangley appealing vibe. We then took a wander along the river before returning to our hostel to get ready for a 5am departure tomorrow morning for the continuation of the Trans Mongolian train...