Olkhon Island (15-19 October 2008)

Arketa kourastika xiliometra boreionatolika apo to Irkutsk, pername me to 8thesio ferry apenanti sto nisaki Okhlon opou synantoume k tous prwtous European travellers pou kateythinontai gia to Khuzur, sto oikismo tou famous Nikita opou tha araxoume gia merikes meres. Mpainontas sto Khuzur mia eikona bgalmeni apo to parelthon, toulaxiston 70 xronia pisw, menoume kollimenoi sta idrwmena tzamia tou mini-van k syllambanoume eikones apo ntopious, ksylina spitia, palia rwssika aytokinita k trikykles Ural mihanes (kyriws prasines). Polles oi drastiriotites epi plirwmi pou proteinei o Nikitas, alla ws original travellers, xekiname to epomeno prwino meta apo xortastiko (ouou) traxana gia trekking sto dasos k ftynoume tis organwmenes excursions stin boreia pleyra to nisiou. Trelli bolta parea me enan elbeto, ton Herr Hofmann k kataligoume se mia aperanti anoixtosia me thea oli tin notiodytiki pleyra tou nisiou..
To brady oloi mazevontai gia fagito k mpla-mpla stin trapezaria tou oikismou, eytyxws den einai high season k eimaste to poly 15 atoma. Break gia rwsiko “banya” 100 metra pio pera, enas meraklis ntopios exei kanei to diko tou steam room k to apolambaneis me 350rub/hr (10€). An den eixame k tin kraygi tou Kolya pou eftase sto allo akro toy xwriou, mia koubadia kauto nero itan I aitia, ola tha itan yperoxa. Ananewmenoi loipon pame gia vodkokatanyksi..
Elampe tin epomeni mera o ilios k pame gia photos sto xwrio, afou exume noikiasei dyo yperoxa Mongoose!! (mountainbikes). Ateleiwtes eikones apotypwmenes se myalo k memory cards, ereipwmena spitia k naypigeia, ayloportes k kyriws idiaiteres fatses pou den zitoun $ gia na xamogelasoun sto fako.. Theklaki mou, esy mwro mou tha emenes mexri na teleiwsoun oles oi cards tis Pentax...

… an English approach ….
It was not until we reached the half way of the route Irkutsk – Khuzur, when we had a break for chai & soup in the middle of nowhere, that we first saw a bunch of backpackers. Somehow lost faces, quite European and they were a bit squeezed in a minivan. Indeed Nikita’s (ex-champion in table tennis) homestead is a meeting point for all those travellers that they head from Beijing to Moscow or vice versa by trans-Mongolian railway. Travellers, mainly from Europe, exchanging emails, websites, hostel cards, mobile numbers in the dining room every night. Locals speaking fluently English, German or French enjoy this entire Babylonian atmosphere, as they practice what they have learnt. Once again British were the kings of loudness, but excused, as it was Billy’s birthday. They run out of alcohol (How come?), for a moment only … :p This is where we met Victoria (an excellent ambitious masseuse) and Andrei (German teacher). Both of them are not average Russians of their age, have travelled a lot abroad and we hopefully we can host them someday in Greece. Thank you for making our stay more pleasant!
Khuzur settlement has less than 1000 inhabitants, but during the summer months they are doubled or even tripled by tourists. In October not many places are available for staying and definitely Nikita’s is the best choice. I am not sure though about the summer, as it is packed and of course service won’t be good enough. It’s a bit disappointing though to notice that all facilities are charged, at least in logical prices (except laundry 3 €/kg!!!!!). Homestead as a concept can work a bit better, at least during the off-peak months, like October. Anyway! Oxymoron is also the fact that they keep reminding you with notices to save water and there is not direct water supply to the rooms. You get water for your needs in a bucket, although you are only 100 meters from the 20% of the world’s natural water resources!!! Maybe the invented “sustainability” as a term …
Nevertheless, trekking, mountain biking, horse riding, fishing and other outdoor activities are highly recommended. The whole island has a unique micro-climate and dry atmosphere (forget Salonica) makes sleep sooooo enjoyable (10 hours per day … ho ho ho …). We were amazed with the daily life of local people, which brings us back probably many decades, the life that maybe our grandparents experienced. A tonne of pictures taken and some videos representative are needed to remind us in the future this paradisial island. I just wish it won’t be over-advertised and soon rich Russians build all over the places their summerhouses. It’s not a joke, if you consider that they are ideal beaches for swimming in the summer and just an hour away on foot you find yourself in a forest. Next summer with our hammocks and tents there …. Enough we had of Vourvourou guys …

..next post from Mongolia ... tsiou!