A call from Mike Stanley enabled me to suggest that I pick up two young Russian leaders (from the Moscow area) from Youlbury, where they were part of the Service Crew for a few weeks under the watchful eye of Mike, and take them out for a day at Charnwood.

I decided to accept Mike’s invitation to stay over on the Tuesday night so that I could avoid the early morning rush hour around the M25. After a very pleasant evening, a sound sleep and a splendid breakfast I travelled the short distance to Youlbury to find the service crew sound asleep at eight o’clock,. At half past eight still no sound and, to my exasperation and following much ringing at bells and knocking at doors, I departed at quarter to nine on my own up the A34 / A43 / M1. Feeling very guilty, I arrived at Charnwood and managed to eventually get through the security and, with the help of Adam, found THE TRAIN TO TIMBUKTU the sub camp led by Gary and the gang.

The appearance of Little Bee (Nataly) and Victoria from Archangelsk started the round of hugs and kisses that is a mark of greeting friends from around the World. Little Bee was in charge of her Scouts together with Olga on sub-camp BOAT TO BARBADOS. Little Bee accepted to be my escort for the day and took me to the various activities being run on site. A visit to the very excellent International Marquee was a highlight of the day. Each International contingent had a display of their town / country that included pictures / maps / gifts and, more often than not, visitors book that were all very well used. Amongst the displays there was three from Russia, Archangelsk, Omsk and Saratov. However it mystified me a little when a display from Wiltshire was included for I had never heard of that country.

It was a great pleasure to meet Roy Walker again, our International Links Co-ordinator, who was "on duty" manning a very busy stand. It was good to see that Roy had a Network Russia application form on display – however we need to furnish Roy & Joan with an updated promotional form.

So off to lunch with Peter and Vera Relph, their two sons were elsewhere enjoying the camp, and Egor and more hugs. In discussion with Egor and Little Bee, I discovered that the next NORS Conference will be held in October (delayed from May) but it is not known where it will be held.

We went to find the Omsk and Saratov contingent in MOTOR TO MEXICO, both had been off site at the American Experience that day. The three from Saratov comprised of Roma

(video man extra-ordinaire at Volga 2000), Masha (interpreter supreme at Volga 2000) and Nikolay. More hugs and kisses. I learnt that Pasha, the Volga 2000 Camp Chief, has moved to Niznij Novgorod to take up a position in the Regional Government heading up the Youth Department. Following Charnwood, the Scouts from Saratov were off to stay with Dave Hollinshead in Crewe.

The six from Omsk were all young ladies and included Alina who is the daughter of Arkadiy Nikitchenko, the first President of FSR, the Federation of Scouts of Russia. FSR was the result of the first attempt to rationalise all Scouting in Russia.