In February and March 2013 I traveled across Russia by train for one month Couchsurfing (www.couchsurfing.org) along the way. I wish it could have been longer! After traveling around the Baltic's (Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia) I entered Russia from Estonia and made my way to Saint Petersburg. From there I made my way to Moscow and then east stopping at Nishny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Irkustk and Lake Baikal in Siberia, Ulan Ude, and Vladivostok on the far east coast. The highlight for me was definitely staying on Olkhon island in Lake Baikal. Just getting there in winter is a real adventure. I caught a local bus to the island full with people who live on the island. The only problem is that in winter the lake completely freezes over, so to get to the island the bus had to drive over 6km of the frozen lake! I was feeling quite relaxed as I had heard that the ice is metres thick during February, but was slightly more nervous as the bus driver stopped the bus and jumped out to make a short prayer on the ice as we first made contact with it! This seemed to work as we easily made it across. The island is huge and stunningly beautiful. The bus driver kindly helped me to find a place to stay in the small town of Khuzhir where I stayed with an old extremely welcoming and kind lady. Luckily her little house was lovely and warm thanks to her log fire going all day. So I spent my time exploring the island in the -29 degree cold. Beautiful place especially during winter with the lake covered in a blanket of pure white snow. Will definitely have to come back to see the lake in summer!
Thank you to the warm people in Russia who treated me with such kindness. I only have great great memories, and meeting the kind people in Russia was definitely the highlight for me. I want to come back many times :)
In Moscow
Ice skating in Moscow with Polina!
On Olkhon Island in Lake Baikal, Siberia. The deepest lake in the world. Apparently scientists don't know how deep it is as no one has ever been to the bottom.
Walking on the frozen surface.
With An na and her family in a Buddhist temple near Ulan Ude.
In Ulan Ude with the Biggest Lenin head in the world!
In Vladivostok on the far east coast and 7 time zones away from Moscow!
People fishing on the frozen sea at Vladivostok. From a distance they look like Penguins!
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