Olkhon Island

(Irkutsk - Olkhon 300km/186 Miles)
Total distance traveled = 6126 km/3805 Miles

Surprisingly I woke up on time without an alarm. Actually I have a theory that if you are worried enough and think about the time enough, then your subconcious will wake you up in time...unless you're drunk that is. The bus driver was late though, so I guess he doesn't know that technique.

We finally set off at 9am, in a minibus with 14 seats squeezed in. I'm pretty sure it's not the standard layout and they managed to add a few extra by moving them around. I hadn't realised just how far the lake was from Irkutsk when I'd planned my trip. It was about 300km! Travelling in an old minibus along uneven dirt roads, this took us 6 hours. I don't mind travelling by bus, but this was testing my limits. Hot cramped, and very uncomfortable. I couldn't even read, as the bus was bouncing around so much. Crystal was making the same trip, so thankfully I could chat to someone.

We arrived at about 4pm after making the crossing to the island by ferry. The scenery on and around the island was beautiful. The town itself wasn't so aesthetically pleasing. It's hard to desribe, but think of a shanty town or a medieval village and you'll be close. Aside from a few nice wooden houses, most were made from corregated iron and concrete. Stray dogs were everywhere, but there were also a few cows, and the odd cockrell around. The roads had been eroded by rain and had massive channels running through them. There was also the problem of rubbish. Although there were bins, they were all overflowing. There seemed to be plenty of people who didn't bother walking to a bin either. Later we found out that the rubbish is only collected once a week and the infrastructure isn't really set up for the massive number of visitors (Russian and foreign) who come in the summer.

The place we were staying at wasn't really a hostel. More of a.....medieval Butlins, or a commune of some kind. It was enclosed by a wooden fence and had a hodge-podge of wooden buildings, ome looking like chalets, others with an arabian vibe. The room was very nice, and I was surprised that the cheaper shared room I'd opted for wasn't a dorm, but rahter a twin room. I was sharing with a Swiss guy called Daniel who had been studying Russian in St Petersburg and was taking a break before returning home. The room was very nice and cheap too. I was paying a similar price to the other hostels, but 3 meals a day were included! The only downside was the toilet. It wasn't next to the room, it was outside. And how can I phrase this....hmmm....basically, you shat into a hole in the ground. No prceline involved, no water, just a hole. There was a wooden structure around it, but the stench was incredible and the flies loved the place too. I didn't fancy trying to find it in the dark, so toilet vists were a daytime only affair for those few days.

As I mentioned, there was a strange feel about the holiday village/compound. The set meal times, polite but sometimes lumbering zombie-like staff, and organized activities gave it a religious commune vibe. This improved as I stayed longer....but maybe that's how they get you!

In fact, the island is considered one of a very few centres of energy by shaman types. We also found a tent nearby promoting 'ethno-drive' music. Kind of traditional music and trance combined. Pretty wierd. I explored the area a little, listened to some ethno-drive, and read more of my book before calling it a night.