March 19, 2008

About journey and the letter

Today Ulan Baator and day after tomorrow Peking. But why?
To remind also myself I'll post on to blog my original letter from January. Letter about my plans and dreams.

Dear storytellers and friends!

"The longest journey starts with a single step" - Laotse-

I have a dream to step on a path. The path trough the world of stories, journey from Helsinki to Uluru to the secret rock of the Australian aboriginals. Travel to border of the dreamtime, to old ages and awakening of the stories. My plan is to travel by land and sea, with trains, buses and boats. Trying to avoid rushing with aeroplanes. I'll leave Helsinki at time of Februaries full moon, take train to Peking via Moscow and Irkutsk. Then from Peking go south to Asia and Oceania trying to reach Australia and Uluru one day. Journey back to Finland I would like to go trough India, Pakistan and Iran to Istanbul and Europe. But let see I don't have so strick plans nor timetables.

On my journey I would like to listen story in side of me and seek stories from countries witch I visit and from people who I meet on my journey. Stories about our existence, fighting our way in a world and stories about our seeking of inner and outer peace.. Listening stories so that when I come to new country I would have stories from countries where I have been with me to tell.

You can follow my journey from my net blog:
www.helsinki-uluru.blogspot.com (in my broken English)
www.tarinoidenmaailma.blogspot.com (in Finnish)

You can also support and read more about journey by ordering a storyletter. You will receive the letter once a month to your old style mailbox. The letter will include my travel diary, photographs, stories, legend and fairy tales from countries where I visit. First letter will be posted on march probably somewhere from China.You can order the letter by sending about 10e once a month (or a amount you think is best. US dollars, English pounds and Swedish crones are OK also)
-more information on left side-

Net blog and the letters will be written in my broken English (or Finnglis), I'm sorry about all mistakes and hope my grammar will get better!

All ideas, stories, comments, interesting projects where to visit or volunteer and contacts for people will be thankfully received!

let the story goes on..

markus

March 14, 2008

21. day on journey

Hanging around in Irkutsk. Don't have knowledge to speak any Russian. Going to sleep in Luba's moter's place. Wandering, looking and seeking information.
Finally decission to go to Lake Baikal, sacret island of Buryats and shamans. Did't have enough information and to get a ride took three days. But finally got there!
Five days on island. Walking on clear ice, playing cards (some Tura moska) and trying to find best place to see sun rise. Great Olga from guesthouse helped us and organised a fishermans hut in north part of the island for us to sleep. Then we walked in darkness to see sunrise and we ended up to walk 40km in a one day. Could't believe I can do it. But it was great! Olkholn island is something special.

Now I'm back in Irkutsk. Try to organise things. Buy train tickets, do some laundry etc.. And prepare myself to new country and new culture. Tomorrow towards Ulan Baator, Mongolia and Gobi desert.

Oh Russia, siberian I will miss you. And gonna miss all these beatyfull russian girls and their smiles that melted me completely.

journey goes on..

March 4, 2008

Morning in Siberia

Irkutsk

I woke up in a train and jump out of my green wagon after sleeping ther five nights. I got out to clear sunny Irkutsk morning, new and unknown city. Stuff to the storage room, a map from shop, hot cup of black coffee and start to wander where am I?

But let's go back in time for a moment.

I started my trip from Helsinki 22.2. Took a russian minibus to Saint Petersburg and everything started great. Waiting two hours to bus to come. But finally got to Saint Petersburg with my friend Hanna who was also my great guide to St Petersburgh and for Russian manners and language. Int he city there was waiting Duynja and Dennis and their flat with a landlord. Warmnes, laught and soft bed!
Saint Peter is something fantastic. People selling flowers in the corners all night long, lovers kissing on bridges and somewhere I can hear a sounds of a streetmusican's quitar. Oh what life, what a city, I fall in love!