Our day started early for a change with Sergio meeting us at 7:30 ready to take our luggage and us back to the compound. The goodbye was very difficult as we felt we owed Sergio and his family so much. Our Poorly spoken Russian frustrated the situation, as we were desperate to convey our true appreciation. Handshakes, kisses and hugs were going to have to suffice, but we think that Sergio knew how we felt. With a final wave we said goodbye and headed off, sad to leave behind our new friends. Maybe we'll meet again. We hope so but in reality probably not. We can only hope that life for them becomes easier in the future. Such wonderful people deserve so much more.

Our route was taking us to Vologda a major city, sitting in-between Moscow and St Petersburg. We arrived at 4:30. Our home for the next few days was the hotel Spasska. We initially booked two nights but ended up staying three, as after our first night we knew we were going to need a little more rest.

Vologda city offers sightseers a variety of churches and some very gory history for good measure. A quick walk into the centre last night had given us an idea to the days sightseeing. We arrived in the main square by St Sofia's Cathedral and bell tower to find hundreds of people leaving Sunday service from the three chapels that form the centre. Processions of richly dressed Russian Orthodox priests filed past us on the way to their next service on the other side of town. Bell chimes filled the air and we listened as intricate tunes were rung in well-practised fashion by hand. We wondered if this was a special event or whether this was simply every Sunday practice. We nervously took a few photos as we were unsure as to whether it was allowed or appropriate - especially as there were 20-30 armed police loitering about looking for something to do! This was our first big city since Murmansk and whilst Murmansk is a very heavy industrialised city, Vologda is much akin to Bristol.

After the throngs of worshippers had left the area we made our way into the town centre having decided to come back to the bell tower tomorrow in order to climb it - we were too knackered today and it was extremely muggy and hot. The day was getting hotter by the minute and we were both in need of food and water. 5 minutes stroll from the Archbishops courtyard we found ourselves in Vologda's main covered market. We found row upon row of vendors selling everything from fruit and veg and clothes to Russian handmade furniture. The market is busy and vibrant and a little while later we left having purchased lunch - two bottles of water and some really delicious cherries - all bought using Russian and we were understood!

Now window-shopping in Russia is an art in itself! As although Russia seems to be well down the Capitalist path, it has a lot to learn about PR and marketing. The outside of the vast majority of shops, large and small alike, are dull, disinteresting and give the shopper no clue whatsoever as to what's inside. But then again many of the premises are former soviet government buildings or accommodation, which have been adapted for commercialism. Having window-shopped for sometime we headed back to out hotel room to catch up on some well-needed sleep. This evening we ate at the hotel attracted by the wonderful smell of BBQ'd meat and easy flowing beer!

9:30 found us at the front of the hotel drinking far too much coffee than is good for us. The familiar hum of the BMW twin caught our attention as we turned to see a kitted-out BMW R1100RS pull up to the bar: Vladimir Tchaikovsky had arrived with all the panache of a world cup racer. As it turned out he was!! Before Vladimir's position with BMW as after sales manager for Russian and the Ukraine (so he's quite important J ) he was race manager for the Yamaha race team. A short while later found us weaving at speed in and out of the Moscow traffic trying to keep up with Vladimir, who, by his standards, was obviously taking it slowly! 20 mins later and we were at Autodom - one of the biggest BMW dealerships that either of us had ever been to. Before we knew it out bikes were unloaded our keys taken and our bikes whisked away. We were introduced to Alex, who runs Autodom, and the ever-smiling Marina, who's English was also very good. Autodom were absolutely fantastic. We spent the day talking to Alex whilst Marina interpreted and we got thoroughly spoilt and looked after - coffee, teas, fruit, lunch, all were supplied and they would not accept any money from us! At around 2:00 a problem had been discovered with the 650's sprocket and chain and Autodom had offered a warranty replacement. Unfortunately the bikes paper work was back in the hotel room. With the 1100 being prepped for service, Vladimir had offered to take me (Simon) as pillion back to the hotel to grab the paperwork, how could I resist. Bloody hell what a ride! This time Vladimir was not hanging about. Weaving in and out of Moscow traffic at 80 mph and at times using all the braking power the bike and ABS had to offer, we reached the hotel in record time and were soon off again back to Autodom. The ride back was even faster. Terrifying or fun, I'm not quite sure. Although things certainly got interesting as Vladimir was ordered to stop by the Moscow police and immediately accelerated away from them, knowing full well that they were not going to catch him! "Shit" I thought, they've got guns if they shoot they're going to hit the daft-looking pillion hanging on for dear life. Luckily they didn't and we arrived back at Autodom safely if not a little shaken.

At 7:30 the 650GS was now finished and ready to roll and the 1100 was now on the ramp - during the summer Autodom service department runs 24 hours a day in order to meet both the work load and the incredibly high expectations of its VIP clients who range from high-flying business men to the current reigning political party members. To our amazement not only was the 1100 being worked on it was now showroom immaculate having been cleaned within an inch of its life by Autodom as part of their service. Some time earlier we had been invited by Vladimir to spend the evening with him and his friends at a local restaurant. We were now feeling a little awkward as it was fast approaching 10 o'clock and the 1100 was still being worked on and Vladimir refused to leave us. By 10:20 all was complete and the bill paid. The 650 had had a major service and the front and rear sprocket and chain were replaced under warranty. The 1100 had had new spark plugs, new rear brakes and new oil filter and a new back tyre (Metzler Karoo). Autodom had also given us a large discount for which we owe them another very large thank you. With the bill paid we were off and after a quick shower met up with Vladimir, his wife and friends. We had arrived too late to eat but after a couple of beers it was decided we would all go back to our hotel and one of the many restaurants, which we were informed was Mafia run! We were ushered to a private room and the curtains were drawn and the conversation quickly turned to travel, politics the strange humour of the English and also to football! Where it was decided that as neither of us knew anything about football, we couldn't possibly be English. Adrian, one of Vladimir's friends, took great delight in extolling the playing prowess of Chelsea - perplexed with his fascination with Chelsea we asked why not follow Manchester United? We were told quite categorically that Chelsea had recently been bought by a wealthy Russian businessman and therefore been adopted by Russians as 'their team'! Several Vodkas later and conversation was …….er……nope can't remember too many vodkas - time to go to bed!

Sightseeing day - Having been frustrated at our earlier attempts to get into the Kremlin, today we were on a mission. As we walked through the gardens that skirt the exterior of the Kremlin we were approached by a guide, who asked if we needed her services. We quickly agreed a price of $35 and off we went. As it turned out this was money well spent? Our guide had been working as a guide for 20 years and was known by all the Kremlin staff. We were happily waived to the front of the already large queue, where an inspection guard who was on instruction to be extra vigilant following the recent Chechen bombings halted our progress. After searching us thoroughly he decided he definitely did not like the look of the camera mini tripod, but after a demonstration and explanation from our guide he begrudgingly let us through. We headed for the diamond fund, one of the Worlds largest collections of diamonds and precious stones. Once inside the large dark room having passed several more security checks, the site that awaits you, simply leaves you dumb struck. The walls of the room are made of case after case of glass made display cabinets, each one full to overflow with sparkling jewels of every description and each case seemingly more fantastical than the last. Aladdin's cave can't have been more magical. The collection is incredible.

Of every type of stone, there are examples of cut and uncut. Diamonds of every colour, sapphires, Ruby's as big as your fist, Emeralds so huge! There was one black diamond that put all the others into insignificance. Alongside them were examples of the rocks that they are extracted from - these were also huge and really just great big lumps of the precious stones. We'd never seen anything like it.

Other cabinets displayed handfuls of diamonds all showing different 'grades' and then all sizes in grades of carats. Our guide knew them all and also the special names that had been given to some of the largest and most perfect diamonds - some had been named after the first Russian astronauts , others after heroes of the USSR. Our guide (we wish we could remember her name but we do remember that it was difficult for us to pronounce!) then took us to the cabinets in the centre of the room that displayed all shapes and sizes of gold and platinum nuggets - many were known by the shape of the animals they looked like - one was 'the camel' another 'the bear'. Alongside these were great lumps of the rock that these nuggets are extracted. It really is just too difficult to try to explain the feeling you get looking at all of these precious stones and nuggets other than to say it is all to overwhelming.

If this wasn't enough we then went into the 'historical' room.- the previous room had, compared to the jewels and stones in this room, been nothing! There were four large display cabinets, each one stuffed full. This room contained hundreds of pieces of the most exquisitely crafted jewellery. Each one with its own unique history and fairytale like story. Pieces owned by conquering warlords, kings, queens, Tsars and of course beautiful princesses. There was a massive ruby shaped like a strawberry that had made its way into the family of the Russian Tsars but had originally been owned by Cleopatra! The centrepiece of this display however, was the State jewels, including coronation crowns and sceptres so big that the weight must have been unbearable. After finally being able to pick our jaws up off the floor we made our way outside still feeling overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of what we'd been privileged to see. The rest of the afternoon passed all too quickly as we toured the private churches of the Kremlin. Intricately decorated walls and gold lined ceilings decorated every room and so did a variety of stone coffins. These coffins were members of the Royal family a long way prior to the revolution, dating from around 1235 to about 1675 It was just all too much to absorb and with the constant information being given to us by our guide we left the Kremlin with a sense of amazement and awe! WOW- we had just been into the very heart of the former Soviet Union!Unable to face any more sightseeing we left the Kremlin after saying goodbye to our guide and staggered the few hundred meters to our hotel. That night after an extremely expensive Chinese meal (the prices were very confusing in both Roubles and Euro for different weights and portions!) we went back into Red Square only to find that it was now no longer possible to walk across or even get that close to. The Chechen suicide bombers had the whole of Moscow on alert - we had (for once) timed it right having been able to wander freely only just the night before.