Irkutsk

Irkutsk is a major stop on the Trans-Mongolian railway and a short distance from Lake Baikal. I stayed in a hotel for the 1st day and then arranged a home stay with a Russian family for another couple of days whilst I organised transport and a home stay in Listvyanka which is next to Lake Baikal the oldest and deepest freshwater lake in the world.

Listvyanka was wonderful and I spent 3 days there, walking, sightseeing, snowmobiling, taking saunas, ice walking and drinking vodka, definitely a place to have fun in minus 30 degree temperatures.

I then took the train from Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. On the way I met 4 girls from Finland who worked at the Finnish Embassy in St.Petersburg. They were great company for the trip.