Here we are after a great crossing outside the ferry terminal of Vladivostok! All smiles at this point because we’d made it, I could see my contact Ilya waiting for me and the ferry was only 2 hours late.

What I didn’t realised was that it was going to take another two and a half hours to get off the boat! Progress was painfully slow, with a massive queue and a strict pecking order of which nationalities can alight first. (Not us of course!).

Then onto immigration, where I stood for a whole 10 minutes with the official guy staring me down. Looking alternately between me and my passport photo, which I don’t especially resemble now I have a beard. Luckily I was wearing my “don’t fuck with me” big fur jacket. I stared back unblinking, until I don’t know who felt more uncomfortable!

Without a word, my passport was stamped and we’re in!