Whew! Still exhausted I pack up and start my journey to Mongolia. Both Mark (house host) and Walter had given me good tips of what to expect, where to stop, etc.
With my wonderfully handy GPS, I navigated my way through the city and started south. The road for the first 500 km is rather boring and completely full of trucks puffing out big thick black smoke. They must have no emissions laws here. I turn into one of those wild women on a bike weaving around and passing truck after truck. I just want to escape their exhaust and it seemed never ending!!
Finally past my last largish town, Barnaul, and the trucks diminish... and still with jet lag and needing to make up on some very long lost sleep, I look into the GPS for closest accommodation around the half way mark (500 km).
I see Walter had listed Ust Muni Hotel .. I didn't see a sign that said this, but I knew the GPS was telling me I was there. I asked a lady at the gate, and sure enough, that was my stop! She guided me right in!
So this gorgeous little mini-hotel is a perfect place to rest... I put my bags in my room and asked for a cafe... "Niyet...no cafe here, only magazine". Bummer, I hadn't had a meal today either, and was looking forward to a proper dinner. Oh well, I'm tired, can't be bothered... "Douche?" My favorite Russian word for "shower?"
I took a shower in their little outbuilding, and felt so much better. When I came out, towel on head, the family motion me to come over to their door... take me inside and sit me down and serve me a most wonderfully large bowl of soup, bread and tea... I know!! I know!! I won't say it this time!! I want to pay them, of coarse, "no money Sherrdi"
Then another guest comes around, I look like a wet rat eating my soup alone at the table, she leaves and comes back with her donation of treats..
Vodka, red caviar, chunks of fat and meat!! To her shock I politely declined.. I felt so bad, but I was completely full and that sort of food just isn't my thing.. luckily I got her to at least sit down with me and took photos for fun. The others came in and all was good again.
Not a bad view from my room! A bit of morning river fog.. reminiscent of my Lena River barge days!!
The family and their guard dog see me off..
Right, I don't know how else to put this, but it is such a pretty autumn day in Russia, I'll just let the photos tell the rest of the story...
I took Walter's recommendation to stay at Kosh-Agach for the night before tackling the Russia/Mongolian border crossing in the morning.
With my wonderfully handy GPS, I navigated my way through the city and started south. The road for the first 500 km is rather boring and completely full of trucks puffing out big thick black smoke. They must have no emissions laws here. I turn into one of those wild women on a bike weaving around and passing truck after truck. I just want to escape their exhaust and it seemed never ending!!
Finally past my last largish town, Barnaul, and the trucks diminish... and still with jet lag and needing to make up on some very long lost sleep, I look into the GPS for closest accommodation around the half way mark (500 km).
I see Walter had listed Ust Muni Hotel .. I didn't see a sign that said this, but I knew the GPS was telling me I was there. I asked a lady at the gate, and sure enough, that was my stop! She guided me right in!
With her grandson to show me around and a very excited young man to have an Angliski visitor!
So this gorgeous little mini-hotel is a perfect place to rest... I put my bags in my room and asked for a cafe... "Niyet...no cafe here, only magazine". Bummer, I hadn't had a meal today either, and was looking forward to a proper dinner. Oh well, I'm tired, can't be bothered... "Douche?" My favorite Russian word for "shower?"
I took a shower in their little outbuilding, and felt so much better. When I came out, towel on head, the family motion me to come over to their door... take me inside and sit me down and serve me a most wonderfully large bowl of soup, bread and tea... I know!! I know!! I won't say it this time!! I want to pay them, of coarse, "no money Sherrdi"
Then another guest comes around, I look like a wet rat eating my soup alone at the table, she leaves and comes back with her donation of treats..
Vodka, red caviar, chunks of fat and meat!! To her shock I politely declined.. I felt so bad, but I was completely full and that sort of food just isn't my thing.. luckily I got her to at least sit down with me and took photos for fun. The others came in and all was good again.
I was well fed, clean and made my way upstairs to my very warm and smell of cedarwood room.. I love that smell.. I passed out almost immediately.
Next morning it was time to get up early and tackle another day.. It's so pretty here it wasn't a hard thing to do.
Not a bad view from my room! A bit of morning river fog.. reminiscent of my Lena River barge days!!
The family and their guard dog see me off..
Right, I don't know how else to put this, but it is such a pretty autumn day in Russia, I'll just let the photos tell the rest of the story...
I took Walter's recommendation to stay at Kosh-Agach for the night before tackling the Russia/Mongolian border crossing in the morning.
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