When you enter a strange town in the evening after a long
day it never seems that nice. But after a nights sleep and a good breakfast you
start to walk around and explore and these towns come to life. This has been the
case with both Ulan Ude which while planning this trip was just a point at
which to turn left or right and is in fact a lovely town.
The Opera House
The Kings Gate Arch
Some fantastic period wooden buildings are around the city
The main shopping mall
After a days rest there I moved on and after looking and not
being able to find anywhere marked on the map with a hotel decided to do the
650km to Chita in one hit. I figured either two normal days, or one big one
followed by another rest day. The ride was rather wet with a few thunder storms around but I got there OK and lost another hour, so now I'm back on Melbourne time!! The second choice has turned out rather well.
Again a wander round this morning revealed a city with a lot going on. It’s not
something you think of when you say Siberia
but today has been very hot here. People everywhere in there summer clothes and
the parks and public places full of colorful plants which have obviously been planted
out by the city, and everyone takes pride in it and enjoys it for however short
a time until the winter returns.
The main square in Chita
Vladimir again but in Granite
The Cathedral
Public places full of colour
I also managed to buy a Russian SIM card for the phone today
which should improve communications somewhat. 3 Euros to buy and a call cost
1.5 euro cents a minute. Oh it was that cheap at home!!
The next few days are going to be big as well 900km to the
turn off from the Federal Highway . Then 250km to Tynda and 1000km to Yakutsk, all on gravel roads. I’ll catch up when I can.
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