On the Chuisky Trakt

This road was built by slave labour in the 1930s on a route which had been used for centuries by Mongolian camel-drivers to connect south-western Siberia with Mongolia and ultimately China. Here we were 500 kms closer to Beijing than to Moscow.

At the highest point of the route, the Seminsky Pass, I breakfasted on one of the most delicious shashlik I have ever tasted, straight off the charcoal brazier. Looking up at the snow-covered mountains on either side, and drinking a bottle of Barnaulskaya beer, I wondered why people go on holiday to places like, well, you know... (and I don't mean Oban or Tighnabruich.)