Lyndi has been with me during some of the most exciting moments in my life! It has been a real joy to be able to share my love of travelling with her! In fact, Lyndi is a world-class traveller! She has visited both the European and Asian continents twice apiece! She'll have to relate some of her own viewpoints from her travels in her blog, but I'm going to add one for the time being.

This past summer, Lyndi came with me, Marina, Mom, and Dad to meet Marina's family in Russia. After a quick week-long layover in France, we were on our way towards unchartered (well, just unexplored be us heretofore!)terriroty: Siberia!

I know what you're thinking; isn't it cold there!? Luckily, we were keeping to southern Siberia, and we made the trip during the summer months, but it did indeed still manage to feel a little chilly... It seems all the colder when compared to our time in Moscow, where we happened to be during a record-setting heat wave! Nonetheless, the temperatures were not too bad. No polar bears roaming the streets, people were wearing wind breakers as opposed to fur coats, and we even went swimming one day! The swimming was admittedly in a hot springs, though :)

It was honestly remarkable watching how quickly and easily Lyndi was able to adapt to the Russian culture and language! I don't think that she'd ever studied a lick of Russian before our trip, but by the end of our time there she was understanding quite well! I bet that if you asked her she'd still be able to tell you what phrase Russians use after you've taken a shower, how to say "belly button," and maybe even how to let you know if your feet stink (or at least how to tell you if that's the overall impression you are giving)! I'll stop my rant for now and allow you to ask her all of these things yourself, but I really enjoyed being able to spend that time with you, Loo. We hope that you'll be coming out here to live Spring 2009! We love and miss you!