Novosibirsk - Krasnoyarsk

Their two opinions of Russia could not be more different. On the one hand Irina wants desperately to leave and move to Germany. Her trip to Novosibirsk was to get a visa stamp for that very purpose. Natalia on the other hand works for the Krasnoyarsk Kray tourist board and was in Novosibirsk graduating from her masters course in tourism. She could not love her country anymore. When Irina starts to bemoan the state of her country today Natalia is obviously visibly upset. I want to interview them both, but Natalia declines because of worries about how it will affect her work. Irina gives a very good interview in German however and tries to give some of Natalia's side of the argument too.

Before I left Novosibirsk Dimitry and I went out and we were joined by a friend of his. Before we left I gave Dima a thank you present, which was a large model train set with real working lights and steam. It was quite a crazy present but I hoped it would help him remember quite a crazy Englishman. We went to Pub Liverpool, which is shaped like a yellow submarine. On the walls there are posters of the Beatles, bizzarely placed against a New York skyline. The pub serves "English ale" but instead of a good pint of CAMRA approved goodness it turns out to be an utterly foul dark reddish black concoction tasting like a mix of wine, water, cats pee and beer. Everyone is drinking it. I feel like standing up and telling them the truth about English ale but Dima encourages me not to.

Irina is very helpful once we arrive in Krasnoyarsk, helping to buy an onward ticket to Irkutsk and constantly reminding of things like the change to daylight saving time in a motherly way. Her boyfriend in Germany is not happy with the delay in her getting home, as he has stayed up all night to check she's OK. He texts her on the bus to ask what is taking so long. I apologise too profusely and we miss the stop.