No sleep in the hot, wierd, noisy hotel with its peculiar communal bathroom and space age, ridiculously complex communal shower. Breakfast is also wierd, exactly like a buffet but you may only choose up to 120 Rubles worth from a menu, which is then brought to you in random order at random intervals. But then we get back on the road, and it is stunning. Beautiful scenery getting ever more picturesque as we head closer to the Altai. There seems to be a lot of tourists here, probably all Russian. It’s a rafting / horse riding / outdoor pursuits type holiday resort, probably entirely unknown outside Russia. Early evening we find the perfect camping spot. Away from the road, a well worn track giving us access, right next to a fast flowing, clear, cold river, flat ground, surrounded by trees and mountains. We set up camp, start a fire, and spend the evening cooking cheese, sausages and pork steaks over the fire, drinking half-decent Spanish wine and cheap as chips Russian vodka. Brilliant.
Day 60 The Altai
3 Aug