Author:
Nathan
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Date Posted: 01:52:33 01/07/03 Tue
Hi there.
Hope you all had a blast over the festive season. Mine was certainly eventful.
I did manage to escape London over the festive break.
Went to Russia for Xmas. I knew when I saw a Coke sign soon after the airport that I was a bit late to see communist Russia. St Petersberg was first. An awesome city, even got to check the legendary Hermitage, but just had over an hour there. That's because of the dodgy tour company. It was 'On the Go' or maybe 'On the slo'. No tour managers, just local Russian reps. They had nothing planned so lots of waiting around, then frantic dashing. No info given out, so you can imagine my frustration along with everyone else's/ They dumped us on the overnight train to Vladimir. Very scary Russian ladies yelling at us for being in the wrong cabins. Even though we weren't told were to be by our reps. I shared a cabin with a Russian couple. Made it to Vladimir, but had quite an eventful Xmas eve.
That was the big dinner. Russian vodka is a bit stronger than normal, so let's just say I woke up Xmas morning and all I wanted from Santa was my two front teeth. I vaguely remember the night, dancing and cavorting as usual. I have some recollection of falling, but I don't know where, and I remember trying to get a glass of milk, in a vain attempt to save my tooth. I don't remember losing my mobile phone or calling my mother in Australia. It was either laugh or cry, so laugh I did.
Xmas was cool, I literally dashed thru the snow on a one horse open sleigh laughing all the way. And it snowed, so I got my white xmas. That night we visited a Russian Sauna, where you beat each other with Birch twigs, mmmmmm. And then sweat it out in the sauna.
It was then off to Moscow, they transferred us on the coach, with a bloody 10am departure, so a complete waste of a day.
We ran out and went to Gorky Park in the evening. The whole park is flooded, so you can ice skate wherever you like. Great stuff, the highlight.
Next day it was minus 26 in Moscow. MINUS TWENTY SIX. eeeeeeek. Of course we had to be out there to see everything as we only had the one day. So we crammed in the Kremlin, Red Square, Lenin's Mausoleum and St Basil's Cathedral. Had to keep stopping and duck into shops to defrost. It actually hurt quite a bit. We had to line up for the Kremlin for 45 mins outside!!!!! I'm surprised I still have toes.
Moscow is an amazing city, very vibrant. We stayed in an awesome hotel. One of the seven buildings Stalin had put up in the 50's. It looked as though Batman would come swooping dow from the top at any moment.
Last day we headed out to very cool markets. CD's for £1.80 and cheap Babushkas. And then it was back to London.
I spent a lovely night at Heathrow airport. I got back at 11pm, and had a flight to Edinburgh for NYE at 6:30am. So it wasn't worth going home. A great night of sleep, yeah right.
Edinburgh was fantastic, we had tickets to the Enclosure, so avoided the street party crush. Saw Culture Club and Ms Dynamite. Boy George was cool in a weird way. After that we strolled Princes St. and saw the aftermath of the street party, then we hit a club until the wee hours of the morning. A very big NYE, but lots of fun.
Now on the countdown til Contiki starts again
Nathan
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