Who would win in a Tianamen Square v Red Square showdown? For those of you who have been wondering, the answer is firmly Red Square which is freakin awesome!!!
Yes people. I am in Moscow. Where is is sunny, warm and beautiful. I kid you not. I am wandering around in jeans and a hoodie. Very similar attire to our indie rock loving, lead guitarist Honcho on this leg of the tour. He's cool. He gave me a badge.
Anyway - I have many stories to regale you all with. Except Mum and Dad. Tune out now. Seriously.
STORY ONE
The train to get from Irkutsk to Moscow took 4 days. Yes people, 4 days on a train. Interesting. I am tempted to write a long and stream of conciousness piece about finding your essence when gazing into a Siberian wilderness and feeling the timelessness of the landscape and the harshness of the winter. Instead, I think I'll go straight to the Vodka.
We went to the dining carriage for dinner on night 2 of our trip after I asserted firmly and loudly that I would not be eating another pot noodle (especially since I accidentally bought Chilli noodles because I can't read Cyrillic). So Matt, Claire, Soey (not a typo) and I went to the dinign cart. Everythign was going swimmingly.
Until the two Russians at the next table bought us a bottle of vodka. The waitress arrived with it, pointed at them and they raised their vodka (shot) glasses at us in salute. 10 minutes later the whole bottle was gone. You can't refuse because it is seen as excessively impolite. I think they just wanted to see how funny it would be to get the Australians drunk. Anyway, we were all good. It was only 4 shots. Then the Russians got up to have a smoke. Just as we were about to leave, the waitress arrived at the table. The Russians had bought us another bottle of vodka. We considered escaping but instead, we stayed, did one shot and headed back to our carriage for the Quiz Adam had made.
My cabin won the quiz (of course).
BUT THEN we may have had a few more drinks. I ended up in a random cabin with 4 German boys and 2 Russians eating dried fish on a skewer. Which they added an excessive amount of salt to even though it was SALTED fish. And the German's names were things like Klaus and Wolfgang which I found to be hilarious.
That's not all. Peter (Irish lad) has a rather booming voice and was more than a little drunk. So it wasn't all that much of a surprise when the train police arrived to quieten everyone down. But more specifically, quiten Peter down. He was a hairs breadth from handcuffs and being abandoned at the nearest platform. I kid you not.
STORY TWO
This is really the story of two nights in Moscow. I have had a combined total of 6 hours sleep over the two nights. The night we got here there was a disaster with the hotel. Total disaster. They're still building the damned thing. I've got photos. People are sleeping on the floor. I am sharing a double bed with Sue.
Anyway. What does one do in these situations? Drink.
We went to this really cool bar that was underneath red square. It was a basement with graffiti scrawled everwhere and it looked a bit like a bunker. We sat there and drank vodka shots and cheap beer until 2am until we decided that the best possible thing we could do was to head to a club. We negotiated a fare with a passing cab driver (200 roubles or about 10 AUD) and spent the rest of the night listening to Michael Jackson in an almost abandoned hotel/club thing.
THEN last night, after a day of sight seeing(Kremlin = Awesome, Red Square is amazing) we went to the Bolshoi Ballet which was AMAZING. SO beautiful. It was a Soviet piece that celebrated farming and the arts etc. I really couldn't believe that I was drinking champagne (the 200 Rouble excessively sweet glass, not the 1600 rouble Moet) at the Bolshoi theatre. It blew my mind.
Headed back to the hostel, went to a pub called the Elephant where they gave us free nachos and bowls of snacks because we are such beautiful people. Then we decided to head out. We had met a Scotsman called David and he arrived with the girl from the hostel just before the bar closed. So we all got into cabs and headed to a place called Cult. I went with David and the Russian but our cabdriver got lost. I was worried I would never find my group again. Fortunately, Peter is 6 foot 5 and I found him out the window while we were driving past.
Cult was fun - more a pub than club. That was where we made the fatal mistake. We headed to a nightclub called 'Sorry Babooshka'. Which was an all out nightclub. The boys loved it because Moscow women seem to be genetically engineered to be gorgeous. I rolled my eyes.
At 5am Matt, Dave, Noel, Peter and I decided to leave (Will and Charlie stayed on to go to Propaganda which had been our original destination). In order to get back to the hostel, we entered into negotiations with an unlicesed cab driver who agreed to take us home for 500 roubles. All 5 of us. It turned out his car was older than Rom's, possible smaller and in worse condition. I spent the whole drive back with Dave's arse in my face. Delightful.
If you asked me 3 months ago if I would have got into an unlicensed Russian cab completely drunk and tired I would have said no. I still don't think it was the best idea in the world. But it was funny. And we were desperate. Sarah - pick mum up off the floor and tell her to calm down. I am fine.
STORY THREE
I don't want anyone to think I am just drinking my way across 3 countries and 2 continents. The things we are seeing are awe inspiring. This morning we went and saw Lenin's tomb. The guards grumbled at us for having our hands in our pockets. There were military trucks in Red Square. There were soldiers everywhere. And Lenin looked small and insignificant and waxy and eerily familiar. Apparently he wanted to be buried next to his Mother in St Petersburg. I think perhaps it is time to let that happen (apparently it costs a million dollars a year to keep him refrigerated etc). The Metro system here is also amazing and needs to be seen to be believed. It is deep underground, made of marble and totally ornate. There are chandeliers in the trains stations!
And today I went to the flea market on the outskirts of Moscow and bought a Chess set from a man who let me negotiate a discount if I gave him my one and only Australian coin - a $1. He was lovely.
Other things of interst:
Mullets are everywhere in moscow.
Vodka is cheap.
The McDonalds we went too was meant to be the biggest but I think busiest might be more accurate.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
But Baby It's Cold Outside...
I am in Siberia (Irkutsk) and it is snowing!!! Well, it was yesterday. Today it is just cold.
Back to Mongolia for a moment. You know how I mentioned that I went and saw a Mongolian band? Well, I later met the band and got a signed CD. You can be a groupie in any country. BUT only in Mongolia can you meet the band on a street corner, buy the CD out of a pram and have to be quick about it because a band member was actually on the way to thh hospital.
Russian border crossing wasn't too painful - about 7 hours. The scariest/funniest bit was when we got off the train and we were literally the only carriage there. Just perched on the railway. By ourselves. Anyway, we got our passports back from the customs officials and roamed the town. Surreal moment when, on a concrete wall in graffiti, there was a massive lot of spray painitn gthat said 'Kurt Cobain: Nirvana". Weird. Also found crazy Russian pastries thanks to Skye's nose for baked goods. I fed some of mine to a starving dog on the station platform.
Back on the train, drank Vodka and played word association games. Arrived in Irtkusk on the 24th (I think) and went out to Lake Baikal. We stayed in this AMAZING Swiss chalet style cabin with a wonderful view.
Went out to walk on Lake Baikal - I managed not to go arse up but I wasn't as keen as sliding on it as the boys. We did have a snowball fight though. I also dipped my hand in the water, which according to legend will give me a year extra life. Will and Pete actually fell in an we decided that for two hands and two feet that was 6 years extra life.
Then I went DOG SLEDDING. I actually stood on the back of a sled with dogs that pulled it. Apparently the smart ones are up the front and the brawny ones are up the back. It was absolutely freezing but sublime. I was a bit nervous when the dog handler said 'Stand like you are skiing and bend like you do when you ski." I wanted to yell "It was 40 degrees when I left home and this is only the second time I've seen snow. What do I knwo about skiing?" but by then we were moving. I managed to stay on - Adam and Matt both fell off a couple of times on their go so I felt a little smug.
Woke up yesterday and it was SNOWING!!! Opted to avoid hiking and instead tried out a local pastry shop and went to the market. And Daylight saving time started. I am losing all this time and not getting it back! Then in the late afternoon we had the most awesome sauna. 2 hours worth. We even did the hitting each other with birch branches thing. You get so hot and then rub yourself with snow. Brilliant! On the down side, the sheets were were wearing were kinda see through. Hmmmmm....
Next up is 4 days on the train which we are all pretty psyched for. At least there are no more annoying customs checks in the wee hours of the morning.
I can't wait to post some photos - probably won't be until London though. Sorry. You'll juts have to put up with all my boring writing a bit longer.
From Russia with Love.
PS. Sarah M - you totally know you're getting ripped off when the saleswoman says to your friend "You friend is good at bargaining". BUT I really couldn't get het up over what is essentially $2. Bought a couple of cool necklaces though. And I am loving the big red sunglasses I've got.
PPS. Paying real prices for things now which is annoying. Exceot for Vodka and beer which is still dead cheap.
Back to Mongolia for a moment. You know how I mentioned that I went and saw a Mongolian band? Well, I later met the band and got a signed CD. You can be a groupie in any country. BUT only in Mongolia can you meet the band on a street corner, buy the CD out of a pram and have to be quick about it because a band member was actually on the way to thh hospital.
Russian border crossing wasn't too painful - about 7 hours. The scariest/funniest bit was when we got off the train and we were literally the only carriage there. Just perched on the railway. By ourselves. Anyway, we got our passports back from the customs officials and roamed the town. Surreal moment when, on a concrete wall in graffiti, there was a massive lot of spray painitn gthat said 'Kurt Cobain: Nirvana". Weird. Also found crazy Russian pastries thanks to Skye's nose for baked goods. I fed some of mine to a starving dog on the station platform.
Back on the train, drank Vodka and played word association games. Arrived in Irtkusk on the 24th (I think) and went out to Lake Baikal. We stayed in this AMAZING Swiss chalet style cabin with a wonderful view.
Went out to walk on Lake Baikal - I managed not to go arse up but I wasn't as keen as sliding on it as the boys. We did have a snowball fight though. I also dipped my hand in the water, which according to legend will give me a year extra life. Will and Pete actually fell in an we decided that for two hands and two feet that was 6 years extra life.
Then I went DOG SLEDDING. I actually stood on the back of a sled with dogs that pulled it. Apparently the smart ones are up the front and the brawny ones are up the back. It was absolutely freezing but sublime. I was a bit nervous when the dog handler said 'Stand like you are skiing and bend like you do when you ski." I wanted to yell "It was 40 degrees when I left home and this is only the second time I've seen snow. What do I knwo about skiing?" but by then we were moving. I managed to stay on - Adam and Matt both fell off a couple of times on their go so I felt a little smug.
Woke up yesterday and it was SNOWING!!! Opted to avoid hiking and instead tried out a local pastry shop and went to the market. And Daylight saving time started. I am losing all this time and not getting it back! Then in the late afternoon we had the most awesome sauna. 2 hours worth. We even did the hitting each other with birch branches thing. You get so hot and then rub yourself with snow. Brilliant! On the down side, the sheets were were wearing were kinda see through. Hmmmmm....
Next up is 4 days on the train which we are all pretty psyched for. At least there are no more annoying customs checks in the wee hours of the morning.
I can't wait to post some photos - probably won't be until London though. Sorry. You'll juts have to put up with all my boring writing a bit longer.
From Russia with Love.
PS. Sarah M - you totally know you're getting ripped off when the saleswoman says to your friend "You friend is good at bargaining". BUT I really couldn't get het up over what is essentially $2. Bought a couple of cool necklaces though. And I am loving the big red sunglasses I've got.
PPS. Paying real prices for things now which is annoying. Exceot for Vodka and beer which is still dead cheap.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Beer I Had For Breakfast
We left Beijing on the 17th of March. What is the 17th of March? St Patrick's Day. Do we have Irish people on tour with us? Yes we do. So you can imagine how the first 30 hours on a train went. I have learnt some new drinking games.
The train carriages looked like my grandmother had been given an unlimited budget to decorate with. It was all paisley and floral. Just delightful. I can't wait to post pictures.
Would you believe I arrived in Mongolia on Mongolian Men's day? I only got off the train after I was assured that there was a Mongolian Woman's day that was equally as important and celebrated.
Arrived in Mongolia to the most awesome honcho - her name is Toya. Went and saw a traditional Mongolian Theatre presentation (for tourists) and can I just say...Traditional Mongolian folk singing is the BOMB! They restrict their throat and make this vibrating sound...Gene or Coup you really need to get a sample of it for your next recording.
Later, we went to a restaurant where is cost $2 for a litre of beer (really good too) and watched a Mongolian band - apparently the next big thing in Ulanbataar. They were actually really good. They used all the instruments from the folk show but where the traditional instruments had sculptures of horses and birds on them, this rock band had skulls and painted them black! Very rock and roll!
Just got back from Ger camp - stayed there 3 nights, sharing a ger with Skye (a teacher from Melbourne) and Peter and Noel (the Irish lads). Ger camp was completely awesome. Nice tents (heated to about 32 degrees which was a bit excessive) and you looked out your door to an amazing view of snow covered mountains. Had a few snowball fights, but teh snow is now starting to melt (how, I have no idea, as it is still completely freezing).
Interesting moment came one evening in the dinner Ger when we were playing 'I have never' and Toya decided that her 'I have never' was 'I have never been a prostitute." I'm not sure if that was a lost in transalation moment or she just hadn't understood the game... either way, no one stood up to drink.
Went horseriding over frozen lakes and through forrest. Like being in Narnia. Although the horses were quite small and mine was a bit unco. Visited a Nomad family who I gave my Aboriginal dot painitng playing cards to as a gift. I don't think they were impressed. I think they liked the cigarettes and chocolates others gave better. I was just trying for a bit of inter-cultural bonding! And their tea wasn't very nice anyway. Now I have no cards for the train. Woe is me.
Also - Geghis Kahn? Prnounced Chen-gis. And he is everywhere. He has a massive square with a massive statue. Every street and building is named after him and I am lugging a bottle of Chenggis vodka around. Chenggis, Chenggis, Chenggis. I am so pleased I wasn't his younger sibling. Imagine having that to live up to.
Heading into Russia tonight. 2 nights on the train before we reach Irkutsk. Apparently the boarder crossing comes complete with its own machine guns. Something to look forward to. The lady on the Mongolian Border crossing was a total dominatrix - short skirt, knee high black boots and pink lipstick. With an army uniform. Noice.
Speaking of heels - both here and in China the women seems to be stuck in stilleto heels. I can barely stay upright in a pair of Docs yet they totter around on ice like they are wearing a pair of cricket spikes. And I still feel really tall.
Going for Mongolian BBQ tonight. We'll see how that goes.
They just started playing ABBA in the internet cafe. I think that is either a sign to get drunk or to leave the building.
The train carriages looked like my grandmother had been given an unlimited budget to decorate with. It was all paisley and floral. Just delightful. I can't wait to post pictures.
Would you believe I arrived in Mongolia on Mongolian Men's day? I only got off the train after I was assured that there was a Mongolian Woman's day that was equally as important and celebrated.
Arrived in Mongolia to the most awesome honcho - her name is Toya. Went and saw a traditional Mongolian Theatre presentation (for tourists) and can I just say...Traditional Mongolian folk singing is the BOMB! They restrict their throat and make this vibrating sound...Gene or Coup you really need to get a sample of it for your next recording.
Later, we went to a restaurant where is cost $2 for a litre of beer (really good too) and watched a Mongolian band - apparently the next big thing in Ulanbataar. They were actually really good. They used all the instruments from the folk show but where the traditional instruments had sculptures of horses and birds on them, this rock band had skulls and painted them black! Very rock and roll!
Just got back from Ger camp - stayed there 3 nights, sharing a ger with Skye (a teacher from Melbourne) and Peter and Noel (the Irish lads). Ger camp was completely awesome. Nice tents (heated to about 32 degrees which was a bit excessive) and you looked out your door to an amazing view of snow covered mountains. Had a few snowball fights, but teh snow is now starting to melt (how, I have no idea, as it is still completely freezing).
Interesting moment came one evening in the dinner Ger when we were playing 'I have never' and Toya decided that her 'I have never' was 'I have never been a prostitute." I'm not sure if that was a lost in transalation moment or she just hadn't understood the game... either way, no one stood up to drink.
Went horseriding over frozen lakes and through forrest. Like being in Narnia. Although the horses were quite small and mine was a bit unco. Visited a Nomad family who I gave my Aboriginal dot painitng playing cards to as a gift. I don't think they were impressed. I think they liked the cigarettes and chocolates others gave better. I was just trying for a bit of inter-cultural bonding! And their tea wasn't very nice anyway. Now I have no cards for the train. Woe is me.
Also - Geghis Kahn? Prnounced Chen-gis. And he is everywhere. He has a massive square with a massive statue. Every street and building is named after him and I am lugging a bottle of Chenggis vodka around. Chenggis, Chenggis, Chenggis. I am so pleased I wasn't his younger sibling. Imagine having that to live up to.
Heading into Russia tonight. 2 nights on the train before we reach Irkutsk. Apparently the boarder crossing comes complete with its own machine guns. Something to look forward to. The lady on the Mongolian Border crossing was a total dominatrix - short skirt, knee high black boots and pink lipstick. With an army uniform. Noice.
Speaking of heels - both here and in China the women seems to be stuck in stilleto heels. I can barely stay upright in a pair of Docs yet they totter around on ice like they are wearing a pair of cricket spikes. And I still feel really tall.
Going for Mongolian BBQ tonight. We'll see how that goes.
They just started playing ABBA in the internet cafe. I think that is either a sign to get drunk or to leave the building.
Friday, March 16, 2007
There Are 5 Million Bicycles in Beijing...
And I swear I've encountered half of them.
It has also taken me 15 minutes to figure out hose to post because everything is written in Chinese. Ah Well. Also - I will post pictures later. I will never be as good at this as Gene et al.
Day One -
Could be summed up with just one thing - me being sick. Seriously.
I got off the plane, got to my hostel and felt sick. I didn't have to time to eat or drink anything in China and I spent the night vomitting and wearing 5 layers of clothing in a hostel room heated to 30 degrees. Nice starting image for you all.
There are others aspects of this story I can't be bothered going into but needless to say, I didn't have any tissues (Wanda should chime in about now), there was a squat toilet in the restaurant and vommitting from a great height should be avoided.
Got up the next morning and went to the Great Wall. Very cool. Couldn't climb all of it due to aforementioned sickness. At this point I would like to say that the wall is built on a VERY big hill, or many big hills, and the sheer size of the mountains would be sufficient to put me off if I were a hoarde. We went to a part of the Great Wall about 230km out of Beijing and some of what I saw was intense. Some farms etc look like they belong in history books!
Also - the Drivers in Beijing...very interesting. They use their horns a lot - usually to tell you that they are about to do something illegal.
Today - went to Silk Markets (where I got better at bargaining as I went along but am absolutely sure I got ripped on the t-shirt I bought first. Actually probably got ripped on everything, but I can live with that). Cool stuff, very cheap. Wish I was here last to shop!
Went to The Forbidden City - HUGE - and Tiannamen Square where I almost bought a Mao watch but the guy trying to sell it to me got accosted by a policeman. Rode the Beijing subway. Very interesting. Tiannamen is amazing! It really is just a big flat pad of concrete but what surrounds it makes it feel like you are in the centre of something great. And the People's Monument is cool. Although the people aren't actually allowed anywhere near it.
I could write more but I have a feeling this is long enough already. We leave for Mongolia at 6:30am tomorrow.
The other thing I should have mentioned was the surreal mometn when I was at a bar in Beijing and, after playing Fiddy Cent and The Black Eyed Peas all night, they suddenly played Belle and Sebastian.
Weird.
And Chinese Beer is about 50cents for a 600ml bottle.
And Jon - Coke tastes different in China.
It has also taken me 15 minutes to figure out hose to post because everything is written in Chinese. Ah Well. Also - I will post pictures later. I will never be as good at this as Gene et al.
Day One -
Could be summed up with just one thing - me being sick. Seriously.
I got off the plane, got to my hostel and felt sick. I didn't have to time to eat or drink anything in China and I spent the night vomitting and wearing 5 layers of clothing in a hostel room heated to 30 degrees. Nice starting image for you all.
There are others aspects of this story I can't be bothered going into but needless to say, I didn't have any tissues (Wanda should chime in about now), there was a squat toilet in the restaurant and vommitting from a great height should be avoided.
Got up the next morning and went to the Great Wall. Very cool. Couldn't climb all of it due to aforementioned sickness. At this point I would like to say that the wall is built on a VERY big hill, or many big hills, and the sheer size of the mountains would be sufficient to put me off if I were a hoarde. We went to a part of the Great Wall about 230km out of Beijing and some of what I saw was intense. Some farms etc look like they belong in history books!
Also - the Drivers in Beijing...very interesting. They use their horns a lot - usually to tell you that they are about to do something illegal.
Today - went to Silk Markets (where I got better at bargaining as I went along but am absolutely sure I got ripped on the t-shirt I bought first. Actually probably got ripped on everything, but I can live with that). Cool stuff, very cheap. Wish I was here last to shop!
Went to The Forbidden City - HUGE - and Tiannamen Square where I almost bought a Mao watch but the guy trying to sell it to me got accosted by a policeman. Rode the Beijing subway. Very interesting. Tiannamen is amazing! It really is just a big flat pad of concrete but what surrounds it makes it feel like you are in the centre of something great. And the People's Monument is cool. Although the people aren't actually allowed anywhere near it.
I could write more but I have a feeling this is long enough already. We leave for Mongolia at 6:30am tomorrow.
The other thing I should have mentioned was the surreal mometn when I was at a bar in Beijing and, after playing Fiddy Cent and The Black Eyed Peas all night, they suddenly played Belle and Sebastian.
Weird.
And Chinese Beer is about 50cents for a 600ml bottle.
And Jon - Coke tastes different in China.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Leaving on a Jetplane
Last post from Australia. Less significant because this is only my second post generally.
After having sat in Exomod and read emails for the last week, I will now be accessing my internet from a different locale. Excellent.
Tonight, in less than 6 hours, I fly to Singapore and on to Beijing.
Thanks to everyone who I caught up with/talked to/emailed before I left. I really appreciated it and I will miss you!
Thanks to Jon for the poem. Nothing like a rhyming couplet to say goodbye,
Catch you on the flipside folks!
After having sat in Exomod and read emails for the last week, I will now be accessing my internet from a different locale. Excellent.
Tonight, in less than 6 hours, I fly to Singapore and on to Beijing.
Thanks to everyone who I caught up with/talked to/emailed before I left. I really appreciated it and I will miss you!
Thanks to Jon for the poem. Nothing like a rhyming couplet to say goodbye,
Catch you on the flipside folks!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Wither Must I Wander
First blog post.
I leave the country in 5 days.
I have a whole table full of stuff to fit in a very small backback. I think 4 pairs of shoes may be excessive.
My blog is named after this photo by Duane Michaels, who I love because he mixes his photography with interesting captions and poetry:
The writing at the bottom says:
This photograph is my proof. There was that afternoon, when things were still good between us, and she embraced me, and we were so happy. It did happen, She did love me, Look see for yourself!
So, this is for everyone to see what I am doing, prove to my parents that I am still alive and to prove to myself that I really did do those things I can only recall with vague detail.
Comment when you can. It might make me miss you all less.
I leave the country in 5 days.
I have a whole table full of stuff to fit in a very small backback. I think 4 pairs of shoes may be excessive.
My blog is named after this photo by Duane Michaels, who I love because he mixes his photography with interesting captions and poetry:
The writing at the bottom says:
This photograph is my proof. There was that afternoon, when things were still good between us, and she embraced me, and we were so happy. It did happen, She did love me, Look see for yourself!
So, this is for everyone to see what I am doing, prove to my parents that I am still alive and to prove to myself that I really did do those things I can only recall with vague detail.
Comment when you can. It might make me miss you all less.
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