A couple of things

I have a feeling I'm going to be doing this combined post thing a lot. The hotel we stayed in for the first day here in Irkutsk has a business center, so that's where this is coming from.

I'm hoping to get a more lengthy post pre-written on my computer and posted here in the morning. But, we're going out to a Beer House for dinner, so we'll see what shape I'm in when we get back...

3:45 a.m.

At least that’s what time it is on my internal clock. Here in Moscow, it’s 12:45 p.m., so you’ll excuse me if this is some what discombobulated. It’s a cool 14 degrees C outside (about 60 F), but quite a bit warmer inside.

Well, you didn’t know it, but I just took a two hour break for Cognac, chocolate and Coca-Cola light. And, I’m actually feeling much better now! J It’s cooled off inside, a welcome relief. My phone isn’t working – despite T-mobile’s coverage map, but Tracy’s (on Cingular) is. She sent a text message to her brother and I sent one to G, so at least a couple of people state-side know we’re alive.

Songs I’ve heard while waiting include: Stupid Girl (Pink), The name of my band (Eminem), Ludacris, Backstreet Boys – I feel like we’re tuned into Kiss FM!

So, about five more hours before the next leg of our journey.

In Irkutsk.

Well, we’ve settled into the hotel in Irkutsk for a day of “rest and acclimation”. We got in about 5:30 a.m Irkutsk time, and had a wonderful drive through town. I don’t know exactly what I expected, but the city is very eclectic. The airport is very old, and very small. I felt like we were in a cattle barn after we got off the plane – all wood building, with something like large chicken wire... (BTW, in Moscow, we took a bus out to the tarmac to get on the plane. No pretty pics from the window of that plane, b/c here is my view:
We drove through the oldest area of town, were Irkutsk began. Very old, interesting buildings. We also drove by a new children’s hospital, which was a modern, beautiful building. There were also some old buildings that Vlad described as very typical structures from the Soviet era. Hopefully I’ll get to take some pics later today. We had about an hour to get settled in our rooms then met for breakfast. Now, we have five hours to rest before we go on a walking tour. I wish I had the energy to write more, but hopefully later I’ll get to do some back tracking and filling in. Going to try and get a brief nap in, despite the fact that my sleep mask disappeared on the plane shortly after leaving Moscow… Then, there’s an internet center on the second floor, so my hope is I’ll be able to log in and get these posts in before we head out, so everyone who checks here will at least know I’m alive and well!

It’s now 9:15 a.m. on Saturday here – 7:15 p.m. on Friday back at home.
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So, now in reality, it's 6:40 p.m. here, so the middle of the night back home. I was trying to get some photos uploaded, but am having some issues, so hopefully tomorrow... One thing of note - it was 80 degrees when we went out this afternoon! :)