Omsk, Tomsk, Minsk and Smolensk

In Silverland Dervla Murphy writes that she once had four cats called Omsk, Tomsk, Minsk and Smolensk. Well, it sounds better than Slough, Reading, Basingstoke and Fareham.

To Tomsk by train

Did you know that the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Tomsk only departs on odd dates? Neither did I. This gem of trivia came to light as part of the planning for the Tomsk part of the book. The idea is to include the TSR Moscow-Tomsk on the outward route. More news as and when...

Mud, mud...

According to the Evening Standard, the Wombles are reforming for this year's Glastonbury.

My mind-boggle-o-meter just went off the scale.