Novosibirsk to Nowheresiberia

Had ourselves a couple of long days heading into the wild of Siberia. On the good news we have yet to be eaten by bear, savaged by mosquito's but have had the longest stretch of bumpy unpaved roads yet. On the down side Anthony had to don the blue hat (UN) to mediate between one of the inevitable buss brother melding. Basic plot of the battle: You're wrong, I'm right, way, way way. In the end Anthony showed excellent Kofi Annan skills, and has brokered the peace. We have taken to calling him Our little pigeon as a thank you.

First night out of novosibirsk we managed to have a tourista experience, which involves paying western prices for a room furnished and finished by colorblind carpenters with no arms. We did happen to be brought to a floor with velvet curtains, a stunning coat check girl, and a bar right off the elevator. Hmmmm....hotel room...velvet....liquor...beautiful women....russia..... Only one thought passed through my mind and it wasn't that we were on the religious themed floor. Not to worry, only the hotel casino. two hours later, we were able to walk away from the blackjack tables up a couple of hundred roubles thank to Tom's ability to walk away when we smelled money. Might have been an ugly night otherwise.

Managed to pound back miles till we hit the junction of the BAM, the northern trans-siberian line, finished in 1991 at a cost of 25 bln USD, done entirely because the original line was considered too close to china. Bad timing, i'd say. Tawauash (name lost in a blur of cyrillic) distinugished itslef solely by its absolutely miserable feel, an apocalyptic rain, and a stern warning from our babushka at the hotel not to go out to the bar by making faces and pretending she was being punched in the face. Turns out she wasn't so far off, as Tom saw a clearly drunken man walking into a shop holding nothing but a giant kitchen knife. Perhaps he was only looking for cheese. More from Anthony to follow