We set off relatively early by our travelling standards, just at eleven in the morning. Today the menu for the day was once again purely automotive, but luckily the road here is excellent, the tarmac is impeccable and we were able to make progress at a very brisk pace.

We only stopped a couple of times on the whole journey to stretch our legs, and we took advantage of a strategic stop in Denisovka to do some shopping at the supermarket and fill up the camper’s fuel tank. In one of the lay-bys on the road, we saw a most shocking scene: there was a huge lorry parked with the entire gearbox completely dismantled and spread out all over the ground. The poor driver had a monumental mechanical challenge ahead of him to put such a puzzle back together in the middle of nowhere.

With the logistics sorted, we set about looking for our nest for the day and, truth be told, Papi Edu had a spectacular eye for it. We found a magnificent spot right on the shore of the Upper Tobol reservoir. The place is absolutely stunning; if there had been a tree to give us a bit of shade, it would have been absolute paradise, but to be honest, we can't complain.

The best thing about it is that we are enjoying incredible peace and privacy here, so we spent the whole afternoon lounging in the sun next to the camper, just letting time go by. Papi Edu, who sometimes acts like a bit of a daredevil, walked down to the shore and dipped his big toe into the lake to test the water temperature. The verdict was unanimous: it was so bitterly cold that he lost all desire to swim in a millisecond. Just as well, as I’m not exactly a fan of taking a dip either.

We have stayed right here for dinner and the night. Our nearest neighbours are in a cemetery situated half a kilometre away. It seems they are following us in this country, but look, at least these ones don't make any noise, don't play loud music and let us enjoy the peace of the steppe to our heart's content. Now that the sun has gone down, we are wrapped in darkness that is total and absolute; there isn't a single glimmer for miles around, which makes this corner feel even more magical.