September 19th, 2008 ~ A Cybercafe in Irkutsk, Siberia

Hay Truck on the Bus Route to Irkutsk

I'm in the cybercafe in Irkutsk surrounded by people who aren't Russian. Next to me is a young Mormon missionary 18 months into his time here. "Just one more really hard winter to go," he told me, then it's back to Brigham Young University.

Another man teaches business at a university here and today is checking scores of the University of Georgia football team. "Go Bulldogs," he said. Then he asked how the Washington Huskies are doing, and I told him I haven't had the heart to ask. I've also not checked the news of the world, figuring a month-long break from all of that will be a good thing and that not much will have changed when I check in again the end of the month.

We had a good bus ride to the city this morning. Mischa came with us for an accupuncture treatment, then will catch the late bus home.

We have just a few hours to reorganize ourselves before catching the train tonight for the far side of the lake. We'll be looking at several trail projects completed by the Great Baikal Trail Association, and designing several new routes for work they want to complete in the near future.

On Sept 25 we will be at a park center on the southeast shore of the lake where we'll have a day to prepare for the two-day seminar that will complete our stay here. It will be attended by all manner of park administrators, trail workers, and the BGT staff. The schedule is packed with presentations, most of them apparently to be led by us. Which will be interesting.

Until then we may be out of internet range, so I'll keep good notes and report again when I can.

Cheers!

Bob

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