Before I ‘gave up the day job’ to write full-time, I spent many years travelling around Russia and the former Soviet Union countries. I had some wonderful experiences, met some amazing people – and yet, there were times when the thought of yet another trip, yet more nights in strange hotels in strange cities, became a bit too much. This piece was written on one such occasion.
Today’s been such a strange day, starting with an absence of cold water this morning. I’ve stayed in many hotels in Russia where there was no hot water — and got used to washing my hair under an icy flow. Never have I been in the position where there was scalding hot water available from the shower and the sink but nothing else. Apparently, it was not just the hotel, it was the whole region and made the UK’s problems with over-running engineering works on the railways seem minor. Cold water came back at eight o’clock, just in time for a quick wash and brush-up before the eighty kilometre drive to the client’s site.
Once there, I discovered the factory I have travelled so far to audit is not yet open, nor are there any products registered and very little validation has been done. So how am I supposed to decide whether it complies to Good Manufacturing Practice or not? Apparently, the clients are okay with the idea that I send them a list of things to do in order to reach compliance. Presumably, at some point, I will get a note to say ‘done it all – are we now compliant?’
The second half was billed as music from the movies — but not familiar names like John Williams. These were Soviet composers and Soviet films. Very like classical music, but most evocative, it was easy to pick out the chase in the silent movie; the cold war spy thriller; the circus story. An elderly couple from the audience danced through most of the pieces. At one point, there were more musicians’ eyes following them than watching the conductor. I left the building with a huge smile on my face and strolled in the warm night air down the flower-lined boulevard with my friends. Now I remember why I love coming to Russia. Time to get the visa renewed, I think.”
Sheila
As always, you paint such a vivd picture that I definitely want to go and visit x