We arrive in Saint Petersburg late in the afternoon, and check into our hotel. Kathy and Ingo’s wife Claudia arrive shortly after.
Saint Petersburg is a very large city by New Zealand standards, with a population of more than 4 million. Known as the ‘Venice of the north’, Peter the Great used architects and designers from Italy and France, and evidence of their work is reflected in the elegance of the buildings and the layout of the public gardens and canals.
Walking around the city with the girls was great, we even visited the famous Hermitage museum.
But honestly, the crowds just do my head in and it wasn’t long before my throttle hand was beginning to itch...
A few days later, we pack the girls into an airport taxi, and point our bikes east.