Today we proceeded very fast towards the city border of St. Petersburg, since we were expected to be there already at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Our Russian van drove ahead and started at the border between the regions of Novgorod and Leningrad. Vladimir started in the city and immediately after the city sign another runner took off.

Personally it gives me joy to be in motion. On the run it means constantly going forward. If I don't run I drive the car, take care of the torch, cheer the runners or work on what you read here - the reports and our pictures. To make the best of the time between the running sessions is the goal. To run and drive and eat is actually the only routine that we have in our life on the road.

The landscape and the roads keep changing and with it the possibilities to enjoy other activities. Alright, you can always stay in the car and read a book, or take a nap. Due to the world cup maybe, which unfortunately I haven't seen a single game until now, in the last days we somehow were keen on playing football.

Anyway there isn't much time left for any big undertakings, except maybe from time to time some sightseeing, which I consider to be good because it keeps the team under tension and makes them work together on our project.

I learned plenty of new words in different languages, and other things from my team mates. To constantly be together with people from other countries, gives you an idea of how different and at the same time how similar we all are. Very fascinating thing.

One day it gave us a good laugh, when after an interview where the reporter asked if I believe that the World Harmony Run will bring a change, one of us said: " What a question, of course! This is nothing else than an experiment. We squeeze 10 people from different nations in one van and make them live together and run through different other countries. And if they succeed and don't throw each other out of the car then we know it's easily possible to change the World." I guess that is somehow true....

As we arrived in Saint Petersburg we were exactly on time. A short interview, Torch lightening ceremony at the monument at Victory Square and off we went for the city run.

A group of about 30 people made their way to the Dvortsovaya Square. In English it is called the 'Palace Square' since it is surrounded by the beautiful palace where the Russian Tsar once lived.

A nice 'house' with about 300 rooms better know as the hermitage. It is used now as a museum showing the major art, containing among it's collections those began by Catherine the Great.

We were warmly received by the people waiting for us. Several people said a few words of appreciation, among them World War Two veterans wishing us all the best for the Run.

After spending some time in a Russian bath house called 'Banya' we went for dinner and stayed in a kindergarten for the night. A lot of fun to see all the chairs, tables and facilities in mini size...

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Distance: 190km

Team Members:
Alexey Egorov (Russia), Andrea Kevei (Hungary), Janos Derekas (Hungary), Martin Leitner (Austria), Nataliya Lehonkova (Ukraine), Olesya Ilyasova (Russia), Petr Machacek (Czech Republic), Peter Zuidema (Netherlands)

Harmonemail:
You can send a message to the runners or read the messages.

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