Chapter Three: Lake Baikal, Olkhon Island

The road to olkhon island was a bumpy one, on the island there are no flat roads, who cares. The beautiful scenary requires all my attention. For my sake I am driving in a limousine. Of course I am in a little Chinese bus which you hardly can call a bus, super mini van is more appropriate, made for the smallest persons on earth, just like me.
Together with the girl from Taiwan, Ching and my dutch fellow travellers, Rogier and Marjolijn we arrive in Khuzhir, the capital of Olkhon Island. I thought it was a little island, but we are in Russia, so with a lengte of 74 km you hardly can call it little. Baikal lake has a length of 640 km, and at some points 80 km wide. We arrive nearly at the sunset, I still chose the sunset before a shower, despite that I have the feeling that filies swarming around me. 
I sleep in a wooden hostel, but all the buildings have been made of wood. There's some nice craftsmanship in the wooden houses. All this creates a fairytale atmosphere.
And now first things first, a shower. Despite that it is little shower, it feels like I am under a waterfall.

The next day I decide to rent a mountainbike to explore the island, Ching is joining me. The landscape is very hilly, up to 700 meters high and with no single flat road, it has become a tougher challenge than I imagined. Although it is an excellent mountainbike course. After 5 km Ching is heading back, too intensive for her. I over estimated myself a bit and after 30 km I decide to go back, but not before I take a dive in the Baikal lake. I am in such a remote place, that I ran completely naked in the lake. With a temperature of 14 degreece, I am running faster out the lake. I heard the water of the lake is so pure that I can drink, ahh what the F*ck, Why not....I am thirsty!
Close to the place where I took my dive I chilled for a while, it is such a remote place that I hear nothing. Now I hear the sound of silence, this is why I made this trip, already looking forward to the Gobi desert: the combination of the sound of silence, the greatness of nothing, lying on the grass watching the milkyway....what else can I wish for.
 A bit further I hear something singing, the singing beaches, everytime when the water recovers from a little wave it goes through little polished stones, this makes a gentle sound and is nicknamed, the singing beaches. Just closed my eyes for 20 minutes and heard how the stones sang to me. Did I already thought about my future, not yet, just not yet..

On my way back I died three times on my bike, everything hurts; wristles, ellbowes, legs, knees you name it, halleluja to the flat roads in the Netherlands. During my physical  agony 3 vans of Chinese catch up on me, to them I am a kind of a an attraction. They are filming, taking pictures and yelling encouraging to me as only Chinese people can do. I would rather see it that they see me as a film star. I curse a couple times and my battle to cycle 'home' endures.
When I arrive at the hostel, my endurance were not unnoticed. A massage was offered by one of my female admirer along the road and so I still finished the day with a happy end.

The next day I am hiking with my spanish friend Jesus, who I met again on the island again. But first some quality time on the toilet, mmhhh it just took me less than 2 minutes, not good! Right, the pure water in the lake.. I thought my stomach was stronger, so I reach out to my little helper, my black pall, my friend in big needs: Norit.
We hike to the top of some hills which gave us a wonderfull view of the island and the lake, I almost get spirutual. A shame that I forgot my camera. A pity that I am staying here just 2,5 days, I could roam here for a week or more.

Next stop Irkutsk, Hehe finally....Irkutsk city of the Lada's and kamper wagons (pimped cars). I exaggerate of course about the lada's, but not about the kamper wagons, fast and the furious wanna-bees. Irkutsk is not that special, but the hotel is nice and a shower for myself is even more nicer. One day relaxing and than on the train again. The food in Irkutsk is delicious, especially the Omul fish, a fancy dinner for just 20 euro's. I meet some Russians in the restaurant, 1 guy, 2 ladies and we start drinking vodka. It became a late night and I wasn't feeling that well the next day. That's all I have to say about that night..

Mongolia and the Gobi desert are waiting, Genghis Kahn is calling.