Have I said that Siberia is stunningly beautiful? Three days of trees. Leaves shining in the sun, mainly what look very like silver birch for the first day or so, then with scotts pines creeping in and now more prevalent. Its just glorious. What a landscape and it just goes on and on – yes there are occasional big cities, some small towns, some scattered smallholdings, the odd road but mostly just unadulterated, glorious, forest. Around the towns there is evidence of some cultivation of the areas of grassland in the clearings – huge areas, all unfenced, presumably cut for hay or silage. They must have cattle somewhere, they eat inordinate amounts of meat, but they aren’t out grazing anywhere we have seen – we’ve seen 2 small herds of cattle in 3 and a half days. Well they couldn’t let them loose there would be nothing to stop them wandering to the artcic or to vladivostok.

I never thought it would be beautiful. Daft really, after all, I have read – and am reading – Tolstoy (and LOVING it) and he portrays the Russian landscape with such love.

And now when the train stops we are accosted by lovely women selling wonderful food on the platforms which they make themselves, its still hot, and delicious and unbelievably cheap! As so often happens when travelling its the unexpected impromptu no frills meal which delights so much more than yet another restaurant however rave its reviews.