At the Wave I have been working on the data base of English books in the Environmental Library, and transcribing environmentally educational videos to be translated into Russian for the video library. Apart from these main on-going tasks however, other jobs are always turning up at the Wave- translating the film about the danger of dioxins which went on to be nominated for the Princes' Award, translating application forms for project funding, helping carry all the journals up to the office when they come from the printers! Just being at the Wave, getting to know everyone there, I have learnt an incredible amount about the environmental problems in the area - and that there is no shortage of them. There is a sense of purpose at the Wave which envelops all who work there and inspires them with enthusiasm, not only to battle with the problems they are facing, but also not to lose sight of the raison d'etre of it all - a deep and sincere love of nature.

Spending a period of time here in the Baikal region offers opportunities to travel which cannot be missed. In February I was in Kultuk at the South of Baikal. I'm not sure what made more of an impression - the campfire in deep snow in the forest, with vodka and salo (salted fat) to keep warm, or seeing the Lake for the first time which is a seemingly endless white field at that time of year, or staying in a real Siberian wooden house heated by a wooden stove for the first time - but it was a memorable introduction to  Baikal. On a visit to the old railway track that runs from Kultuk up to Port Baikal later in spring, we flagged down a passing engine and hitched a ride in the open air for a few miles with spectacular views of the Lake. Once Baikal has thawed and the weather is warmer, boats and hydrofoils are an easy and scenic way to travel to the villages of Bolshie Koti and Bolsoe Goloustnoe amongst others. You might choose hiking along the shore of the lake, or prefer to stay in a village, sampling fresh curds from your host's cow, and wandering through fields of scented grasses and herbs. Personally I'd advise that neither are to be missed. Further afield, it is not difficult to travel to Buryatia on the Eastern shore of the Lake, or to explore other parts of Russia if you have the time, money, and inclination. Springtime is the time to start spending weekends at the beautiful village of Katchergat, where Jenny and Tanya are building their wooden house. There is no shortage of work planting the vegetables, but Tanya cooks good kasha which always tastes so good in the cool of the evenings after a day's digging!