October 1

We got the receptionists at the hotel to call and arrange a driver, a guy called Victor turned up who looked like the sort of guy you don't double cross and he got us to Novosibirsk in typically reckless fashion.  We spent the afternoon checking out the city, quite an amazing place for something which was basically nothing more than farming country prior to the industrialisation push.  After a while we met a couple of Russian guys who spoke some English and had a few beers with them.  One was a rapper and one was a tennis player who has played against Kafelnikov and Safin.  We seriously doubted these claims the longer we talked, particularly seeing the condition of his racquet and skills with it, however they made it an entertaining evening.

Novosibirsk.  As good as it gets

Purple trams.  The way to get about town