....Baby it's cold outside.....

But not as cold as it's going to be for the two staff and eight pupils who left today for their visit to Omsk, Siberia, Russian Federation.

A long drive down to Heathrow....a flight to Paris.....a second flight to Moscow....and a third flight to Omsk.

Omsk is six hours ahead of us....they are due to arrive at about midday local time so about 6.00 a.m. tomorrow here. They set off at 11.00 this morning, so travelling time of about 19 hours!

When I went in February 2009, we left early morning and flew to Heathrow then Moscow and then Omsk, arriving at about 4.am Omsk time. Changing in Moscow was an experience....getting through the security and passport checks.......sitting in the airport drinking Baltica beer....meeting an off duty police man...."no smoking "rules where by the smoking area was 5 feet from the seating/drinking area....being surrounded by Russians all wanting to try one of my Lambert and Butler.....in return for several brands of Russian cigarettes....I must have smoked about 8 in an hour!

Seeing off the police man with huge hugs and swapping a pack of cigs with him....you'd think I'd given him a million roubles! Sitting on the plane to Omsk and watching the ground crew de-icing the wings before we taxied onto the runway.

Eating a meal on the plane at about 1.00.am...... and being given vodka to wash it down!

Stepping through the door in Omsk...into a temperature of -35 celsius...you can't imagine how cold that is. Meeting the few brave souls who had turned out to meet us.....more passport checks...even though it was an internal flight. Getting to our hotel at 5.30 a.m.....falling into bed...then up at 9.00 to begin the first day.

Meeting Vladimir, who had stayed with us in November 2007, and carrying on as if it was yesterday...and Sergei...and Marina...and Larissa....and Leonid..and Valerie....and Katya....and Tatiana....and then a week of amazement......ice skating and a fall that took me into a Russian hospital..in an ambulance.... for stitches and a scar that's a permanent reminder...the Russian General drinking vodka with us.....the day in the park in the snow......tour of the city....the Ice Hockey stadium being opened up one evening especially for me as a birthday present.....gifts of vodka....honourary membership of Omsk Martial Arts Club....the fish(head) soup....dinner with Katya...the most amazing pickled mushrooms (different varieties) and a kilo of vodka....yes they sell it by the kilo!....1 kilo is 1 litre...the incredible performances of dance and gymnastics...the parent who phoned me at 3.00 in the morning to wish his daughter Happy Birthday...the cathedral...and then the journey home, travelling back through time....two breakfasts both with vodka...and seeing my family again...and the presents I brought back!

Oh they are going to have such a time, they'll never forget....and Oh, how I wish I were with them.

Das vidanya moy padruga.