Feeling somewhat down with all the news of escalating hostilities between my country and Russia and wondering whether a) I will be able to go and b) it would be wise to go, not helped by lots of people saying “you’re going WHERE??? RUSSIA???? Are you mad?” or similar.

So I rang my lovely England-inhabiting Russian friend who said it will be fine and the ordinary person in the depths of Russia is no more interested or supportive of their powers-that-be’s anti English activities than we are here of our powers-that-be’s various activities which do not seem to represent the general population of this country AT ALL.

She invited me round to spread out a huge map of Russia on the floor and talk traveling!