Laundry and the Kremlin

We wake up to the sound of birdsong and the ringing of church bells. It is already almost unbearably hot in the vehicle. If only there was a cool river flowing by the Editourmobil where we could go for a dip, I think to myself. But I quickly banish such thoughts and take a shower instead.

Today I want to spend the day usefully, doing some things on-line, whilst Rolf and Felix busy themselves assembling the solar panels and electric motors for their SiStour project. During the afternoon the outside temperature reaches 35 degrees, inside it is a sweltering 45 degrees, and I quickly decide I need a break from the computer screen and go outside to see what my two colleagues are getting up to. As enjoyable as these tours are, I never cease to regret the fact that sightseeing in all the beautiful places we visit is all too often curtailed by the hectic work schedule.As the last few days have demonstrated, there is always something to be getting on with, even if appointments are postponed or cancelled. In my role as Marketing Executive of the publishing house, there are naturally a 1,000 other things to be done as best as I can whilst on the road. So inevitably, the days are very long as a rule, and they rarely end before midnight.

It is late afternoon when we set off north towards Tschertanowski. After several days on the road, we came to the conclusion that getting our clothes cleaned should be a prime objective, and according to the on-line information, there should be a launderette here.We arrive and park the van in a supervised car park. The subsequent search for the alleged launderette proves to be more difficult than expected. We locate a dry cleaner’s, but they don’t do underwear or towels. The woman at the counter tips us off that there is another launderette nearby but this tip turns out to be useless. If you are in an area of perhaps half a kilometre radius, with something like 10,000 houses, you need to be a local to find what you are looking for. Despite further inquiries with passers-by, which also prove fruitless, we give ourselves half an hour more, then, beaten and frustrated, Rolf and I decide instead to spend the rest of the evening investigating the centre of Moscow and the Kremlin. Fortunately, the Metro is right next to the car park. Felix, for his part, prefers to chill out for the evening in the van, meanwhile Rolf and I are off to the Kremlin. The Moscow metro system I find sensational especially the ticket prices (you pay per ride, whatever the distance, super cheap price) and in terms of speed. We stay there until midnight, exploring the area on foot. Words can’t describe how impressive it all is. My camera is constantly clicking away, so perhaps pictures will tell the story.