Was shown a newspaper article today with pictures of New Year celebrations from around the world. One was of fireworks exploding over a packed Red Square - with a byline that was something like, 'thousands of Russians braved temperatures of minus 25 to celebrate the New Year'... minus 25?! That's a bit excessive! When I was out in Russia last year we had one brief cold snap where the temperature fell, for a few days, down to about minus 20 and that was cold enough for me. Although having said that, I did miss the worst of the weather last winter because it happened to fall during the month or so round Christmas when I was back in England. And I think it was a very mild winter as well, by Russian standards. Still, the weather has a week to warm up for me!

Still on the New Year theme, I asked Kostya today (via SMS) what his own celebrations were like. I am sure he won't mind me repeating his response, which I think really illuminates the Russian attitude to partying: '...extremely awesome. I nearly got into a car accident, got drunk like shit... felt almost everything one could feel during an entire life!'