Hello and welcome to today's independent travel podcast with me, Simon Corder. It's Tuesday the 19th of May.

Travel Desk Tuesday and I'm delighted to say that back in the hot seat is Global Travel Editor Annabel Grossman and Annabel.

The reason we're talking today is because of a conversation you and I were having in the canteen about your most recent trips to both Poland and also to Finland and how you got very, very close to Russia.

Just remind us how close you were.

Yes, so I somehow found myself on my last two trips,

about as possibly close as you can be to Russia, without actually crossing the border.

Firstly, when I was in Finland, I was travelling in the south-east and I went out to the town of

Imatra, which is right by the border with Russia.

And I climbed up on a ski hill to look over into Russia and see the town of Svetagorsk in the distance.

And then most recently I've been in Poland.

And I found myself driving out to the border of Klinningrad, which is a Russian

ex-clave. And once again, I saw myself gazing on Russia. And it's kind of occurred to me that I

do have a bit of a longing to visit Russia, which as a journalist, I'm afraid, and I really fear

that I won't be able to do. First of all, can I complete a trio for you? So you've been

talking about looking across to Svetogorsk, and yes, you might remember if you were

listening, what, three weeks ago? Annabel was also describing

her encounter along the beach with a big sign, say, beyond here is Russia. But I'll bring one more

to the party, which is the fascinating town of Narva in Estonia, where there's a beautiful river,

quite a steep ravine, and you are right on the border,

and in fact just below you is the bridge, which is still extraordinarily busy, full of Russian

trucks going in and out, so crossing between the European Union and Russia, but very few people

who are making a match crossing. What is it, Annabel, that

...