Sacred Sunrise in Siberia |
Warsaw
14,024 Miles GMT +1 Temp +4
We arrived safely in Warsaw. Aeroflot was an
experience, as was Moscow Airport, somewhere between Little Britain and
Spycatcher.
Natalia my Godaughter is disappointed I can’t speak
Russian, because I have been there. Oh to be 8 again.
I spent most of the flying time thinking about how
to summarise the trip. I have so many images running round my head, some I’ve
captured and some I might create.
I’ve thanked Lena for her patience and everything
else she has given me. I know that I wouldn’t have seen half the things or met
many of the people without her. I know I’ve been given a very honest view of a
much loved country, not just by Lena but by everyone we met and talked with.
The times zones created a paradox for me. The clock told
us we were moving forwards, the landscape and people reflect something else as
you travel east. St Petersburg and Moscow are so far removed from the rest I
saw in so many ways. For me the true spirit and beauty of Russia lies in
Siberia and it’s peoples; their simple yet harsh existence, their sense of
identity, the way they treasure and respect their land, their very strong sense
of faith/spirituality and of course their warmth and openness.
I hope we manage to return one day and see this splendid
country without the winter coating of snow.
I start my journey home tomorrow, by train, to
unwind slowly. I just hope for National Rails sake I don’t get delayed because of
snow, as it never happened anywhere else!
Afte this I think I can face the Brtish summer |