Looks like I will have to save up for another trip to London - I totally overlooked the superb Salisbury Cathedral and the charm and sophistication of Salisbury itself. It is only one hour thirty minutes by train from London.  I think I will go twice.  Maybe the first time I will just go to the railway station and go back to London after a quick cup of coffee and a walk around the block. On my second visit to Salisbury I might actually look at the cathedral.

(Cathedrals are not really my thing I was impressed by Sacré Cœur in Paris and St Pauls in London - although standing under all that stone in St Pauls made me nervous, & that was before the Chch. earthquakes.)

Seriously, I think the Russians may be just giving the Brits. the middle finger with this amazing story. These guys will still have a good life in Russia, after all it is a vast country. In the winter they can go ski-ing. In the summer - take holidays in Crimea which has sea water temps far higher than anything in NZ.  If these guys ever get granted a visa to NZ they will probably head straight for the clock tower in the middle of Palmerston North!