Day 2 - Sunday 29th September - Moscow

The Kremlin: For someone born in the 70s the word has such strong connotations of nuclear threat and Stalinist military parades. These days, it's a Moscow's premier tourist attraction akin to The Tower of London, rubbing up against Westminster Abbey and St Paul's. 350 ruble tickets will let you through the metal detectorsand into the heart of Mother Russia. We visited three of the nine (?) gold onion topped Cathedrals in the square and viewed some stunning gold-leafed religious icons and faded frescoes by medieval artists such as Andrei Rublev. 700 rubles gains access to The Armoury in which you'll find incredible collections of silverware, jewellery, swords, armour, thrones, robes and carriages from the collections of the Tsars. 

Day 1 - Saturday 28th September - London-Moscow

Up to the roof to say goodbye to Fitzrovia. Then Addison Lee to Victoria and a very slow Express to Gatwick North for 14.10 easyJet to Moscow.  Touched down and through passport control and customs in a flash, way quicker than JFK for instance. Short sleeved shirts are not really sufficiently warm for late September nights in Moscow, so changed into merino for the ride to Hotel Lotte. Hungry, but it's too late and we're too tired to go out, so we snacked in the bar at quite a cost: 150ml glass of Chablis for ~£14. Pasta and burger for about ~£20 each. First night indulgences at Moscow's premier hotel - it was never going to be cheap, but it is as opulent, bling and vulgar as you might have heard.