Travelling from  Hotel Erzbebirge to Russia

If I had a magic lamp, I’d ask my genie for two things: time and money. It’s often the case for many people that when they have the time, they don’t have the money - and when they have the money, they don’t have the time. Having a combination of the two is when a holiday becomes more of a possibility.

So my genie grants me my two wishes. The first thing I’d do is wake up in the German town of Erzgebirge. I’d ideally go in December, for I long to see miles and miles of pure-white snow, its picture-postcard snow-capped mountains and its winding valleys and rivers - to simply stare at the view for as long as I can with my jaw wide open in awe.

Then I would climb to the top of all the Erzgebirge Mountains (Erzgebirge), like a fairy at the top of a Christmas tree. I’d leave a piece of silver on each peak to represent and honour Erzgebirge’s history of centuries of mining ore. I’d leave a rose to symbolise the region’s beauty. And a wooden toy to represent the region’s ability to adapt and redefine itself.

I’d stay at Hotel Erzgebirge Mountains (Hotel Erzgebirge) where I could enjoy exquisite views of the landscape and see skiers whizzing down the ski slopes and snowboarders having a whale of a time.

Then I’d wave goodbye to the lovely Erzgebirge, its snow-capped peaks and billows of forests, its winding valleys and mesmerising meadows, and head for Russia.

Russia: a country that’s so vast, it has 11 different time zones; that’s inhabited by more seas, rivers and lakes than any country; that has so many forests that it plays a big part in helping the world breathe. Russia: home to the first human to ever set foot in space, home to the famous writer (Leo Tolstoy), one of the famous female tennis player, Maria Sharapova, and the oldest school of film in the world.

Why wouldn’t I want to go there?

I would first visit Russia’s nature not only to enjoy it, but to see how different and similar it is to Erzgebirge. As such, I’d visit River Volga (deemed to be the longest river in Europe) as it winds itself from North Moscow to Volgograd. I’d also visit the many lakes of Karelia. Apparently, nature has blessed that particular area with over 60,000 lakes – that’s an amazing amount of lakes - I definitely won’t be spoilt for choice (neither would any other tourists who adore nature).

I’d stop by Lake Baikal as well. Similar to some waters in Greece, Lake Baikal is said to be of the clearest bluest waters. It’s also considered to be the deepest lake in the world. Not only does Russia contribute a significant amount of oxygen (via its vast forests), but up to a fifth of the fresh water in the world is contained in its Lake Baikal.

I’d love to visit St Petersburg. I’d click my fingers and it would be summer, because it’s during summer that the light of the sun doesn’t fade away altogether (called White Nights). I’d love to see that -- the closest I’ve ever come to complete sunlight is Britain over the summer when the sun goes down for 6 hours or so.

After visiting the nature side of Russia, I’d visit the architectural side, particularly the Kremlin with its many cathedrals and palaces; and the Red Square to see Lenin’s Mausoleum and St Basil’s Cathedral.

Time and money. That’s all I ask.