As we rolled into Khabarovsk I stopped to take a photo. Like a lot of the Russian infrastructure I’ve seen, the gardener needs the sack! It seems they’re prepared to spend a fortune on new infrastructure, but nothing on maintaining the gardens. It’s a smashing sign but with the bush in the way you can’t read it!

We rolled into the city and found Lena after the usual navigation and traffic issues. I lost Chip and Ken in the city and they found the place first. Lena was just about to drop her husband at the airport, so she threw Ken the keys and said make yourselves at home. Considering I am a friend of a friend and she didn’t know Ken at all, that was an astonishing act of trust and generosity.

We all freshened up and when Lena returned we went out for a Chinese. Her friend Phil came along too. He showed us the huge bridge on the way to Moscow and a park he was responsible for architecting. It was all very impressive. Back at Lena’s place we had too much home made spirits and this morning (or should I say this afternoon) we’re definitely struggling!