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really captivating show! just £7/ticket. felt lucky to see these guys in such a small venue! her voice is sublime. reminded me a touch of london grammar :) Would love the chance to see them again!

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‘All The Time’: The Temptations Make A Soulful New Mark

Best 1984 albums: 63 records you need to hear, ‘pornography’: how the cure made one of rock’s most extreme records, the big music: how u2 led a league of righteous 80s arena rockers, ‘all star’: the story behind smash mouth’s hit song, ‘star wars’: how john williams helped created an epic, ‘rid of me’: pj harvey’s towering 50-foot masterpiece, petey returns with new single ‘the river’ ahead of acoustic ep, imagine dragons team up with j balvin for new version of ‘eyes closed’, shania twain announces vinyl release ‘greatest hits summer tour edition 2024’, alis huws, the official royal harpist, signs with decca classics, tomorrow x together, seventeen, and more to star on ‘now that’s what i call k-pop’, ‘stax: soulsville u.s.a.’ to premiere on hbo, billy idol performs ‘rebel yell’ on nbc’s ‘today’, arctic lake return with new single ‘fool’.

The track will be included on the duo’s forthcoming EP, ‘How Do You Make It Look So Easy.’

Published on

Arctic Lake have returned with “Fool,” another sterling single from their forthcoming EP, How Do You Make It Look So Easy .

The London-based duo—composed of vocalist Emma Foster and multi-instrumentalist/producer Paul Holliman—wrote the poignant track with Micah Jasper (The Revivalists, Channel Tres), who produced along with Holliman. Check out the track below.

 “One of my best friends was in a really volatile relationship; over the space of two years I watched her slowly disintegrate. She was worn down by it,” explained Emma Foster. “I started writing the song about that—‘Eating away at me/ Keep fraying at the edges’—and then the chorus: ‘I’m a fool to let you break me/ I’m a fool to let you change me.’ Then I wrote the pre chorus about loving someone who has a side to them that scares you or makes you question your worth.”

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She added, “I think it’s something a lot of us have experienced and that irrational excusing of the bad is something that is hard to see when you’re in it. So ‘Fool’ was born and I love it. Micah and Paul transformed it into a song that makes you want to move, it’s chaotic but there’s power and lightness. Now that my friend is on the other side of it and everyone I know is, it makes the whole thing a complete picture.”

Paul Holliman added, “‘Fool’ came together really quickly at the end of a session—we’d tried three different ideas that day and nothing was working. It was 5:00 p.m. so, in my mind, we were calling it, but Emma wanted to try something else. I started playing the guitar part, Emma had the vocals in about 10 minutes and Micah put a donk on it! So credit to Emma for pushing through because I was very ready to head to the pub instead, and we would never have made this little tune that we ended up really liking.”

Buy or stream “Fool.”

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Comprising of Emma Foster, Paul Holliman and Andy Richmond, Arctic Lake are a British trio who create reflective and thoughtful music which relays the more...

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Gates of the Arctic National Park

Arctic circle, native culture, wildlife viewing, tundra, anaktuvuk pass.

Home » Tours » National Parks & Forests » Gates of the Arctic National Park

Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park is a wilderness paradise. For over 11,000 years, Alaska Natives have lived and survived on the land now encompassed by Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska’s Far North Region , primarily by hunting caribou. The area’s cultural history is still visible today in the daily lives of the people living within the park boundaries. The beautiful Brooks Mountain Range spans the park and offers explorers an ultimate Alaska wilderness adventure. Backpackers sometimes spend weeks traveling through the park’s sub-arctic landscape. The wildlife in the park includes muskoxen, bears, moose, and caribou. Three different herds of caribou migrate through the region.

Gates of the Arctic National Park’s summer season is from mid-May to mid-September. The main park ranger station is located in Anaktuvuk Pass Village. The village hosts visitors from around the world, and offers tours about life in the village. It is important to note that Anaktuvuk Pass Village is not a recreated model, it is a real Alaskan village, and the privacy of its residents must be respected during tours. Most visitors fly from Fairbanks to Anaktuvuk Pass for a day tour, though drive/fly combination tours to the area are also offered. These escorted van tours travel north from Fairbanks on the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot. From here, visitors then fly on to Anaktuvuk Pass. While this tour is longer, it gives the sub-arctic Alaska landscape a better feel. All these tours cross the Arctic Circle, and each visitor receives a personal Arctic Circle certificate for this accomplishment.

No overnight accommodations are inside the Gates of the Arctic National Park boundaries. Only day excursions are offered into the park. However, Bettles Lodge is nearby, located in the Brooks Range, and perfect for guests wishing to overnight in the Far North. You can take day tours or flightseeing tours from Bettles into the Gates of the Arctic.

Choose from 13 vacations in Alaska related to Gates of the Arctic National Park

Arctic Circle Fly & Drive Tour from Fairbanks

Length: 12-13 hours

Starting at: $479-499 / pp

This guided tour departs from Fairbanks in the afternoon with a local guide who will provide insights into Alaska's Arctic region. Travel by air, landing above the Arctic Circle and by land on the famed Dalton Highway "ice... Browse itinerary

Arctic Circle Flight Adventure in Summer

Length: 5 hours

Starting at: $569-669 / pp

Fly north from Fairbanks in a small bush plane and land across the Arctic Circle. The tour focuses on a 2.5-hour land tour of a local Alaskan community. Your return provides another opportunity to see the Yukon River,... Browse itinerary

An Alaskan Odyssey

Duration: 10 days

Starting at: $3989 / pp

This unique itinerary takes you from the North Pacific waters of Prince William Sound to the Arctic coast near Prudhoe Bay. This itinerary is for independent travelers seeking a chance to see the incredible diversity of Alaska, from... Browse itinerary

Gates of the Arctic Air Adventure

Length: 4-5 hours

Starting at: $709 / pp

This flightseeing trip from Fairbanks in the evening takes you to the Gates of the Arctic National Park and the Arctic Region.  You will first fly from Fairbanks to Coldfoot, 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle.  During... Browse itinerary

Arctic Circle Fly & Drive from Fairbanks (Morning Departure)

Length: 11-13 hours

Starting at: $459 / pp

This guided tour departs from Fairbanks in the early morning with a local guide who will provide insights into Alaska's Arctic region. Travel by land on the famed Dalton Highway "ice road," crossing the Yukon River and the... Browse itinerary

Arctic Ocean and Prudhoe Bay Adventure (Southbound)

Duration: 3 days

Starting at: $1199 / pp

Your Arctic adventure begins as you fly from Fairbanks across the Arctic Circle to Deadhorse or an area also known as Alaska's North Slope. Then embark on a guided overland journey from Alaska's arctic coastal plain through the... Browse itinerary

Arctic Ocean and Prudhoe Bay Adventure (Northbound)

Starting at: $1399 / pp

Travel from Fairbanks with an expert driver guide who will provide personalized insights into the history and current everyday life in Alaska's northern regions. The first landmark is crossing the mighty Yukon River, with its headwaters in British... Browse itinerary

Bettles Lodge Summer Experience

Starting at: $1350 / pp

Fly from Fairbanks along the Yukon River to the foothills of Alaska's Brooks Range. Bettles Lodge offers simple but comfortable accommodations and genuine hospitality for all guests. Included is a guided tour of Bettles and the small village... Browse itinerary

Bettles Lodge Winter Adventure

Starting at: $1500 / pp

Fly from Fairbanks across the tremendous interior region of Alaska, landing 35 miles across the Arctic Circle in the remote outpost of Bettles. The area surrounding Bettles boasts many clear sky nights and sits directly below the aurora... Browse itinerary

Winter Arctic Circle Aurora Fly/Drive Adventure from Fairbanks

Length: 14.5 - 15.5 hours

Starting at: $569-609 / pp

Fly from Fairbanks to enjoy a northern lights winter tour with a small group into Alaska’s Arctic region by air and land. Land in Coldfoot, originally a mining camp but perhaps now more well known from Ice Road... Browse itinerary

Arctic Circle Winter Flightseeing Tour

Length: 3.5 to 4 hours

Starting at: $609-649 / pp

Depart from Fairbanks for a day trip on a small plane, land across the Arctic Circle ceremoniously, and receive an official Arctic Circle certificate. Enjoy a walk on the treeless Arctic tundra, which will give you a sense... Browse itinerary

Arctic Circle Northern Lights Adventure (Extended)

Duration: 6 days

Starting at: $1279 / pp

Guided journey by van along the famed Dalton Highway and across the Arctic Circle. This extended journey spends three nights at the remote outpost of Coldfoot, a rest stop for Alaska’s “ Ice Road Truckers”. The area... Browse itinerary

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Home of the Trophy Trout

On the edge of the tree line and hundreds of miles from civilization,  Great Bear Lake is the 4th largest lake in North America and is fished by only 300 lucky anglers each year. There is no better fishing in the world. Great Bear boasts the All Tackle World Records for  lake trout  and  arctic grayling , as well as dozens of line class records. Great Bear Lake Lodge is where our two turbine Otters are stationed and therefore is our only lodge that offers daily fly out opportunities. This is also our only lodge that offer anglers the opportunity of accessing any fishing for  arctic char , including the world famous Tree River. On your trip you can stumble upon caribou, moose, grizzly bears, muskox and even century old tee-pees. Great Bear is home to indescribable beauty only understood once you’ve seen it.

• Fully Guided Fishing
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• Thursday “Wine & Cheese” Night
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• Private Guest Cabins with attached bathrooms
• Flyfishing Packages available
• Tree River access

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32nd annual dental seminar: june 30 – july 7, 2024, annual fly fishing weeks: august 2-9 & august 9-16, 2024.

• 2024 Family Week at Great Bear Lake: July 26 – August 3
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Availability

• June 28 to August 30, 2024
• June 28 – August 30, 2025
• June 27 to August 29, 2026

Great Bear Lake Lodge books for 7-day trips for $7,495 USD/person. We also offer the option to add-on an excursion to Tree River with this package. We traditionally take bookings for 2, 4, 6, or 8 anglers. To enquire about an odd-numbered booking, or groups over 8, please feel free to call us toll-free at 1-800-665-0240.

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The Top 12 Things to Do in Omsk

Feel the love in the very heart of Russia

In Russia, all roads lead to Moscow , on account of the city's status as the national capital and its importance throughout history. If geography were the deciding factor, however, the Siberian city of Omsk would be the point where all Russia's roads converge—it's located literally in the heart of the country, approximately as far from Vladivostok as it is from the Belarusian border. Omsk boasts a spate of exciting attractions, even if you simply make a stop here as you ride the Trans-Siberian Railway eastward or westward.

Marvel at Assumption Cathedral

Chelsea Hicks/Flickr/CC BY 2.0

Orthodox architecture never gets old, even if you've been traveling in Russia for a long time. This is particularly the case when it comes to the Assumption Cathedral of Omsk, whose gold-and-turquoise domes look resplendent under the blue skies that bless Omsk during the warmer months of the year. The cathedral was built in 1891 under the orders Nicholas, the last Tsar of Russia.

Time Travel at Omsk Fortress

Ogg-omsk/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

The bad news? Much of what was once Omsk Fortress is now a residential area, with the only notable landmark that still stands being Tobolsk Gate (think Paris' Arc de Triomphe , but yellow and smaller). The good news? There's essentially no reason for a military fortification to exist in today's peaceful Omsk, which means you can stroll amid parks and cafés and imagine the area being war-torn—a small sacrifice to make in exchange for not being blown to bits.

Go Green at Ptich'ya Gavan'

Forinrap/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0 

Or white, as it were: Omsk is covered with snow several months of the year, which means that its prized Ptich'ya Gavan' central park is often more of a winter wonderland than the green reprieve you experience in summer. The park is popular with local families, to whom you can say "Privet" (Hello) as you walk past.

Walk on Omsk's Artsy Side

G0rn/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0

Although the building that houses Omsk District Museum of Visual Arts is unmistakably Russian, the collection you find inside is surprisingly eclectic for a city deep in Russia's interior. Recent collections have included a revival of Van Gogh's great works, among others. This is a particularly enjoyable Omsk attraction on cold winter days, when temperatures can drop far below freezing and sunshine can be rare.

Shoot for the Moon

Worldwide Planetarium Database

Though Omsk is a relatively large city, the skies over it become dark enough in the evening for stargazing. While visitors are not permitted to use the expensive telescopes housed inside, exhibits inside the museum provide a fascinating look into the cosmos, narrated by expert astronomical guides.

Shop on Lenin Street

yykkaa/Getty Images

Lenin Street's name is appropriate: Although it's the high street of a city thousands of miles from Moscow, the European-style architecture and cosmopolitan vibe you feel as you stroll past its boutique and cafés evokes the capital of Russia more than its forlorn interior. Local specialties you can purchase here include rustic jams made from local berries (and even, in some shops, cedar cones), as well as handmade rugs from Kazakhstan, which sits just south of Omsk.

Sample Siberian Cuisine

Quynh Anh Nguyen/Getty Images 

Speaking of unique Siberian food, it's not just preserves made from the fruits of evergreen trees. Omsk is a great place to discover the flavors of Russia's wild interior, whether you eat zagutai and stroganini (Siberia's take on sushi) or classic Russian plmeni dumplings filled with decidedly Siberian ingredients, such as bear and rabbit meat. Vkusno ! (That's Russian for "delicious"!)

Enjoy Historical Houses—While You Still Can

Simon Richmond/Getty Images

The wooden houses that line Nikolskiy Prospekt aren't protected, but they should be. Historical structures that are unfortunately in a state of disrepair, these houses are slated for demolition at some unspecific point in the future. Be sure to catch a glimpse of these historical house before they're gone. There will, however, be at least one left standing for a long time. The Omsk State Art Museum is in a traditional wooden house.

Go to the Circus

Vladislav Domnich/Getty Images

Omsk State Circus is a popular spot for local families, whose children love the opportunity to see acrobatic performances and animals that wouldn't otherwise make appearance in Siberia. If you do attend a show here, keep in mind that ethics with regard to animal treatment might not match up with those in North America or Western Europe, to say nothing of the smell that can pervade the auditorium during and even after a show.

Be a Drama Queen

While there's no guarantee that any shows will be playing at Omsk Drama Theater at the time of your trip, a visit to this 19th century building is a spectacle in and of itself. While not as huge, say, as Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre, it's nonetheless an ornate architectural wonder that hearkens back to a glorious time in history. The interior of the theater is even open during the daytime; ask the person who's inside if any tours are available when you turn up.

Explore Cities Deeper in Siberia

Tuul & Bruno Morandi/Getty Images

Siberia starts in Omsk, even if you can't continue far into it. If you don't plan to travel on the Trans-Siberian Railway, take one of two day trips from Omsk. Travel to Tobolsk, whose hilltop Kremlin is one of the most picturesque in all of Russia, and whose beauty inspired a photo by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that ended up winning several awards. Or visit Tomsk, where you'll find a botanical garden dedicated to Siberian flora, and a museum that celebrates wooden architecture.

Ride the Trans-Siberian Railway

 lvinst/Getty Images

The idea of leaving Omsk behind can seem difficult, especially now that you've gotten to know this city in the heart of Siberia as well as you have. The mint-colored facade of Omsk Railway Station will make you smile, however, even if you're crying inside as you depart. Though it's not quite on the mid-line of the Trans-Siberian route between Moscow and Beijing , Omsk is a worthy starting place to begin a journey to either. If you head east make sure to stop in Irkutsk , the home of Lake Baikal and another underrated Siberian city.

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Long way home - Part II - Moscow to Lake Baikal on the Trans Siberian

The map of this leg of our journey

In April-May 2016, My wife Beena and I, traveled from London to Siliguri (India), mainly by trains. We crossed ten countries, 17,500 km, crossed under the English Channel, crossed the Aral mountains, the great Siberian plains, lake Baikal, the Gobi desert, the great wall of China and lastly the Himalayas to reach home. This is the second leg of the journey - Moscow to Lake Baikal via Siberia.

Read about our previous leg of the journey.

Red square where the Red Star still shines.

" There was once a man who dwelt in the forest by the Blue Mountains. He worked very hard but there was always more work to be done and he had no time to go home for his holidays. Finally, when winter came, he felt so terribly lonely that he wrote to his wife asking her to come and visit him with the boys. He had two boys: Chuck and Gek. They lived with their mother in a great big city far, far away—there was not a finer city in the whole wide world. Day and night red stars sparkled atop the towers of this city. And its name, of course, was Moscow. " - Chuk and Gek by Arkady Gaidar, 1939

Chuk and Gek was the first full length novel I ever read. I was probably seven at that time. It was a work of translation in Bengali. Thirty years later I was standing under that very Red star.

Moscow has changed a lot since 1939

Seventy-seven years have passed since the book was written. Moscow is still among the finest cities in the world. Two wold wars have gone by. The regime of the 'red' has gone away. But the star stayed back, and still shines every night. I was about to find out how much has changed in this part of the world.

A Burger King among communist built apartments

Blast from the past - now only in monuments

Gigantic communal living - legacies of the pre-1991 era

Winds of change have definitely swept across Moscow. Though, under the surface, the Metro is frozen in a time capsule. Hammer and sickle decorates the extremely ornate stations. Murals depicting the great October revolution decorate the entrances. On the ground, though, you see Volkswagen and Fords swarming the roads. There were many old trams and trolley buses too. As we stepped out of the railway terminus, a gigantic statue of Stalin stood facing a huge billboard of KFC. Demolitions of old building blocks were carried out at many places, and new skyscrapers coming up on other sites. As we followed the Moskva (yes, down to Gorky park), we could see the business district with chrome and glass towers dominating the skyline.

The Moscow metro boasts of opulent architecture

Under the street level, Moscow has a regal look

One of Stalin's flagship seven sisters (presently Moscow state University)

Communism has gone away, paving way for a fiercely capitalistic Russia. But what remained is the ideological gap with the 'West'. It is a time when there are many sanctions imposed on Russia. There are huge tensions, not only between the governments, but also among ordinary people. We met a British traveller who divulged that getting a Russian visa is a huge task for British people now. An American backpacker said she was denied a place to stay on a Railway property because American citizens are officially not allowed to stay on government premises .

The Sputnik Memorial

Monument of the working class

In three days we explored the sights of Moscow. The Kremlin, the Red Square, the memorials from the Soviet Era, the Sputnik memorial. We walked along the Moskva. We spent hours in the underground, exploring the magnificent stations. We met some interesting people, including a Diamond miner from the far eastern Siberia (Yakutz region) who offered to sell some black market diamonds. But ours being a whirlwind trip, time had come to move on.

The Red Square

GUM - world's oldest shopping mall

The church at the Kremlin

We found Stalin and Putin discussing about their beloved country

We shopped for the next leg of journey, four days on a train. We stocked up enough cup noodles, bread, cheese, canned food. And tea. And then, just before midnight, we reached the Yaroslavskaya station. At 12:31 A.M. the longest running train of the world, RZD #100 - the service between Moscow and Vladivostok left the platform 3. At the edge of the platform lies the 'Zeroth' mile post, marked the Centenary 1901-2001.

Yaroslavskaya terminus

Our departure board

TRANSSIB - 0 th milepost

On the first night the train was rather empty, our only co-passenger was a businessman travelling to Baku. Our berths in the 3rd class Passazhirsky (open plan sleepers) seemed comfortable enough to be our home for the next four days. Soon after the train sped up, leaving Moscow behind, we slept off on our berths.

Beena having some fun in the train

Next morning we woke up in a tiny station called Sharwa. We were surrounded by pine forests and wooden cottages. As we traveled the whole day, we past countless similar villages, small stations. Small rivers, overflowing into the pine forests. The snow from the winter had partly melted, leaving a huge marshy land - the great Siberian slush. We feasted on mashed potato and sandwiches we made. Russian trains have abundant supply of hot water, to make tea and to cook pot noodles.

The train stopped on a few large stations where we could get down and stretch our legs. Adding to the delight we found some stray huskies. We bought some sausage to feed them, and made friends with a few on each station.

A typical Siberian village

Some villages have apartment blocks

Oil is one of the major cargos

A stray husky looking for some food and petting

Our train conductors (Provodnidzas as they are called)

We made friends with a few fellow passengers, and the conductors of our coach - the two sweet ladies. In the evening a big group of school students boarded the train, they were on an excursion. We ended up playing some games and singing some songs together. It was late in the night when we finally slept. The moon was shining high up, above the pine trees.

Dusk fell soon as the day went fast - we were moving east!

Partying with the Russian school kids!

Yekaterinburg

Marshy lands surround the villages

Miles after miles, villages after villages ... we moved slowly across Siberia

One of the countless villages

The lifeline of the region, everything moves along these tracks in Siberia

By the morning, we had crossed over to Asia. We stopped at the first Asian city- Yekaterinburg - also the fourth largest city in Russia. Even though the name may not be too familiar with many, this is a major hub for business, transport and industries. The school children got off here. And we managed to convince the loco pilot to let us get into the engine!

Our train at Yekaterinburg

We managed to get on to the Loco

The view from the Pilot's seat!

After the children left, we got a new friend - and the only person we met in the journey who spoke fluent English. Sergei, in his late twenties, is someone living the life I could only dream of. He has worked in the Russian special forces - Za Spetsnaz- and we got the privilege to see the bat-on-moon tattoo on his arm. After leaving the special forces he studied geology and now works for Gazprom, drilling in the Arctic circle. It is a tough job - “Up in the north, we don’t get any good food. For thirty days we work for twelve hours a day. Every day. There is no internet and no mobile signal. But we get one month’s leave to go home”. We realised that he spends half of his month long holidays travelling on these trains as it takes him eight days to reach home!

A real life Spetznaz tattoo!

By the night, we reached Omsk - another large town. In the meantime we learnt a lot about the life in Siberia. Firstly, most jobs here are for men - Logging, farming, oil drilling, coal and diamond mining and heavy engineering. Although there is a big presence of women in most other jobs - like the police and railways, shops and offices, there is still a big gap of employment. On top of that, most men work at very far off places, usually days or weeks away from home. The man with the bat tattoo - was a very soft spoken gentleman, who kept calling home, asking his mother to cook all the favourite food he has. He was also looking forward to meet the girl he has been messaging over the internet. Usually most young women are left with very few choices of jobs, and men. They keep waiting for them to come home! Often there are eye wetting scenes of goodbye kisses on the Trans Siberian. It all seemed like the novel from the childhood!

Love in Siberia

At Omsk, a few slip coaches were added to the train. Lot of people left, a lot more got on. It was busy as ever. We were in the middle of a parallel world! Geographically we were exactly north from New Delhi, we were at the same time zone as India.

Night at Omsk - a few slip coaches added

The longest running train in the world

Night at Omsk

Next morning, when I woke up, it was still very early morning. We had stopped on a station named Barabinsk. I hopped out to take a stroll and stretch my legs. I had made friends with some Russian soldiers the evening before. One of them nodded and smiled at me as we passed each other. Suddenly an old man emerged from nowhere, and with a frown on his face he asked me – “Hindi?” (Indian?).

“Da!” (yes) I answered.

A smile spread on his face, and he almost giggled as he said “Aaah, Hindi! Mazboot mazboot!”

Then he walked away, wobbling. He was not sleepy. He was high on vodka! Yes, it is perfectly normal for men (and women) to be drunk on Vodka at 7 a.m. on this train. All along the day, whenever we met, he slapped my shoulder and exclaimed " Mazboot! Mazboot! "

Old Trans-Sib engine mounted at Barabinsk

Novosibirsk

Our train at Novosibirisk

Novosibirisk

It was our third day on the train. Through the day, we travelled across the legendary pine forest of Taiga region. It was always a dream to sled across the forest in the snow, drawn by dogs. That dream still needs to wait. But simply stepping out on the Taiga station gave me enough goosebumps. After crossing the forest of Taiga, we bode goodbye to our Spetznaz friend Sergei. We got to meet his father, who was eager to meet his new Indian friends. Everyone is well connected over 4-G network now. Gone are the days of Chuk and Gek when telegraphic messages crossed the snow covered Siberia over weeks, to reach Moscow.

Taiga, the station of my dreams!

An Elektrischka - Russian EMU trains for short journeys

A goods train in Taiga

Taking a stroll along the tracks

Krasnoyarsk Krai

Life along the Trans-Siberian

It was turning out to be another routine day on the train. But just like an action movie, we ended up witnessing a fight. One of our upper berth neighbour was always in a vodka saturated state, and he went around annoying pretty much everyone (including us). And he started an argument with a bunch of teenagers who had boarded the train on the third day. He had taken a fight with the wrong people, we learnt they were the regional kick boxing group travelling with their coach. Once their coach turned up at the scene, a few professional punches landed on this man's jaw, and we saw his teeth flying away. We were the witness and we gave our official statement to the police, using our mobile phone translators. They decided that the respectable coach did the right thing, teaching the drunkard a lesson. We soon became very good friends and took some pictures together while the defeated man lay on top.

Posing with the kick-boxing team!

Beena's new bodyguard - Katya, the champion kick boxer!

In the evening we threw a going away party for the train staff! After all we had become good friends, and a great journey always call for a good celebration. We were joined by some more who were already there in the dining car. And our Mazboot friend from the morning, dropped in, and took some pictures of ours (I am guessing he has his own travel blog!). He checked the pictures and nodded, and after saying " Mazboot Mazboot " he walked back to his cabin. The manager of the restaurant car was from Uzbekistan. She sang a few lines of 'Indian song' for us - Goron ki na kaalo ki ... Duniya to dilwaaalo ki...

The retd Army general - we named him Gen Mazboot

Beena's new found friends - Our conductor

Beena's new found friends - Manager of the Restaurant car

Sharing tea with Elshan from Baku!

Some more friends we made!

Next evening we reached Irkutsk. This was only half way for the train, which left us and continued towards the far eastern port of Vladivostok. After four days in a train, without a shower, we were a bit hasty to reach our hostel. As two friendly looking Russian guys approached us and offered the metered taxi, we did not have anything to suspect. However the 1.2 mile journey seemed way longer, the guys did not speak Russian, but in the end we reached our hostel on Lenin street. And that is when their spurious Chinese meter showed us 5000 Rubles, and they refused to open the boot if we do not pay up.

" Give dollars, dollars " - one of them shouted. By that time I asked Beena to walk into the reception or look for a police car, while I blocked the car from driving away. I managed to give away most of the money to Beena as she walked off, and I managed to bargain it down to 1500 Rubles.

Bargaining with Russian hooligans - checked.

Neil - Another traveller from London - we met at Irkutsk!

Our accommodation was basic but comfortable, we were only to sleep for the night and then set off for Lake Baikal in the morning. After days we were sleeping in a bed that was not rocking along with the train.

Minibus stand in Irkutsk

This way please - Lenin in the town square of Irkutsk

Irkutsk seemed to be frozen in the USSR era. Every street was named either after Lenin or Marx or Stalin. There was a large statue of Lenin in the central square. It also boasts of great wooden architecture. Streets are filled with Soviet era rickety trams. We took one of those to get to the bus station. We saw more Japanese and Korean cars than European ones. Funnily, most cars were right hand driven here, as they are imported as second hand cars from Japan and not intended for Russian roads. No one seemed to care. The market surrounding the bus station seemed very Asian in nature. Flowers and spices were being sold along with Chinese jackets and hats.

However, Irkutsk is distinctively European in looks. Even being 5300 km from Moscow, the place was European in almost every aspect. Although the western aspects were fewer than Moscow. We saw more Ladas than Volkswagen for example. We saw more Soviet trams and Trolley buses in the City of Irkutsk than we saw in Moscow.

The history of the city goes back to the seventeenth century. Back in those days, it was a centre for fur trading. By the mid-eighteenth century, it was a bustling city. A major stop between the Russian and Chinese empires, it was strategically located to be a trading hub. Gold, diamonds, fur and timber came from Russia. Silk and tea came from China. A vibrant economy existed here. And it still does.

Near the bus station of Irkutsk

A trolleybus in Irkutsk

A tram in Irkutsk

A trolley bus in Irkutsk

On our way to Lake Baikal

Our minivan soon left the city limits, and we followed the beautiful road amidst the pine forests to Listvyanka, our end point for this leg of the trip. In an hour we were relaxing (read: Freezing ourselves silly ) by the lake Baikal. The lake was still semi frozen on the other side ( which is on the next leg of the journey ). On the eastern side we could see snow capped mountains, which we would travel to in a few days time.

On the shore of Lake Baikal!

Lake Baikal @ Listvyanka

Lake Baikal is the favourite of quiz masters and geography teachers. Because it is the deepest lake in the world and they love asking you that. However, it also contains the maximum volume of fresh water among all the lakes in the world. It actually holds 20 percent of world’s liquid fresh water. This lake formed 25 million years ago, making it world's oldest freshwater lake. These are the facts rarely asked in quizzes. We were deep inside North East Asia, and we were further east than Bangkok. Did your geography teacher ever tell you that Lake Baikal is located to the east of India and not to the west? Perhaps not.

An old lady selling 'Omul' the famous fish from Lake Baikal - Listvyanka

A kebab seller in Listvyanka

Wooden huts in Listvyanka

Supermarkets have section called 'Arsenal' - nothing to do with Football, they sell arms!

Russian pancakes and Salmon Caviar!

Listvyanka was a sleepy village, we had a marvellous rustic wooden cottage right by the lake, where we lazed for a day. We decided to have a celebratory meal - so ended up in a upmarket restaurant and ordered pancakes and caviar! The lake looked deep blue, the other side looked enticing, and our feet were already itching to move on! We spent some time in the local markets, and the Baikal museum.

Officially the border of Europe and Asia is 17 km before (west) the city of Yekaterinburg – which is only 1800 km from Moscow. Realistically speaking, Asia starts only after crossing the Lake Baikal. We spent a day by the lake in the village of Listvyanka, on the western shore of the lake. The place was closer to the Russia I had imagined from the books from my childhood. Pine trees in snows, wooden huts with smoke billowing from the chimneys. Huskies barking at strangers (us).

The snow on the shores of the deepest lake of the world glistened that night. We were to set off again the next day. We had come a little over 8300 km in twelve days. We were only half way home.

You can read about our next leg of journey from Lake Baikal to Mongolia