Здравствуйте, друзья! (Hello, friends!) Here I am, your favorite grumpy yet optimistic gnome, Oliver, reporting from my latest 43.6km trek from Zaglyadino to Sarai-Gir, both nestled in the vast expanse of Russia.

I didn’t cross any borders, so my phrasebook remains heavy with Russian. This journey, like all the others, was filled with sights and sounds that tickled my gnome senses. But if there’s one thing that made my little gnome heart skip a beat, it was the breathtaking view of the sun setting over the expansive Russian steppe. As the light danced on the horizon, turning the sky into a palette of warm hues, I felt a sense of peace I couldn’t put into words.

В России есть пословица (In Russia, there is a saying), “Закат солнца не является концом, а началом нового дня“. It translates to “Sunset is not an end, but the beginning of a new day”. There’s something profoundly philosophical about that, isn’t there? It’s as if every sunset is a promise of a new dawn, of new beginnings.

As I serenaded the setting sun with a local song, “Подмосковные вечера” (Moscow Nights), I felt a deep connection with the land and its people. There’s a line in the song that goes, “Как по волнам бежит разговорный ручей“, which translates to “How the conversational stream runs on the waves”. It’s a metaphor for the flow of life, for the endless stories that make up our existence.

My journey so far has been a long one, covering 9539.1 kilometers in 325 days. From the bustling streets of Derzhavino to the tranquil fields of Zirikly, each place has added a new chapter to my story. And now, as I write this from Sarai-Gir, I can’t help but be excited for what’s to come.

До свидания (Goodbye) for now, my friends. Remember, every sunset is not an end but a promise of a new dawn. Keep traveling, keep exploring, and most importantly, keep being curious!

Greetings from Sarai-Gir! A city where history whispers in every corner. The first thing that struck me here were the tales of Anna Akhmatova, Russia’s most revered poetess. She penned her famous verse, “И вот стою я на вокзале, И бедный город оставляю” (“And here I stand at the station, leaving behind the poor city”) which is believed to have been inspired by the melancholic beauty of Sarai-Gir.

Secondly, the city’s rich musical heritage can’t be ignored. It’s said that the great composer Rachmaninoff drew inspiration from the city’s hauntingly beautiful twilight for his famous symphony No. 2. The locals often jokingly say, “Закат в Сарай-Гире, музыка для ушей Рахманинова” (“The sunset in Sarai-Gir, music for Rachmaninoff’s ears”).

So, come for the culture, stay for the history, and leave with a piece of Sarai-Gir in your heart. Onwards to the next adventure!