Passport back..with permissions to enter Mongolia and China!

Said good-bye to Anya today; she's starting her new job tomorrow...happy for her but sad..I miss my friend already.. She is a superstar!  Who you meet and who you are with makes such a difference how you experience and remember a place.. Sounds obvious..but I only understand it now! :P

I am not being left to stay though; finallt off to Siberia TOMORROW!! Picked up my passport today with the both visas stamped; China allowed me 15 days; it's entirely my fault for writing 15 days in the application form (I just assumed that the default was 30 days...so bear that in mind in the future!) Anyway, 15 days is probably fine for Beijing, Shanghai and Harbin maybe..

More new comers to hostel - 3 French guys; who are also doing the Tran-Mongolian trip (slightly different to my route); and we were amused that they and I will be arriving in Beijing on the same day.. must exchange contact details!

Gorky Park

Walls of tiny shops in subways underpasses - reminds me of Seoul

That's right, caviar flavoured crisps!! - yummy

Totally Russian - at Soviet style stalovaya (canteen) in GUM