Siberia, basically, is the huge mass of land in the centre of Russia. From the frozen tundra in the north, down to the cities such as Tomsk, Omsk, and the federal capital, Novosibirsk. Novosibirsk is where we go every couple of years.

Mrs. tyger’s mother is from Altai, a mini-state on the Chinese-Russian border.

In the summer, southern Siberia is glorious and on par with places such as Kazakhstan and western China.

When I had my toe done in Mansfield the consultant failed to correctly anaesthetise my toe. I felt every incision and every wiggle of the nail. It was the most painful experience of my life and much worse than any dental work.

In Novosibirsk the doctor was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. And all for a bottle of vodka…

The time is Siberia was infinitely better.