Hello, dear readers of my blog! I’m very sorry that I haven’t updated since the beginning of the summer and made you wait for so long. It was because I spent all those months in different summer camps, where I was thoroughly preparing for the new season, and unfortunately had no time to write blog entries. I hope for your understanding, because now I’m back and ready for new experiences and new impressions.   

Of course, you could read about the camps and my new programs in my interviews. It surely wasn’t enough for you to take a dive into my summer, but I’m not really feeling like going back to that time. The new season has begun, and some skaters have already taken part in competitions. Now it’s my turn. By a chance I have found myself in Japan, where I will participate in the most cheerful and team-oriented event of the season, namely Japan Open. So, let me begin right from today. 

We’ve arrived in Tokyo today at about 11 in the morning. Though it was an untroubled flight, I managed to sleep only for two hours at most. It’s so hard to make yourself comfortable in planes! It took us about two hors to get from Tokyo to Saitama. It was a good thing that there were many unfilled seats in the bus, where we could sprawl about and have a sleep. By the way, besides Florent and Nikolai Alexandrovich, I was traveling together with A. N. Mishin and his pupils Artur Gachinski and Elizaveta Tucktamysheva. Liza is to participate in the gala, and as for the forth member of our team, it is Sarah Meier, who, as far as I can gather, either has already arrived or will arrive tomorrow.     

On arriving at the hotel we were met by fans armed with cameras and felt-tip pens. Having dispensed autographs, I hurried to my room, switched on my laptop and took a shower to wash off the weariness of the long flight.

After freshening up and having some rest I, Artur and Liza went for a walk. We took a stroll in the surroundings of the hotel, called in a shop or two and noticed that everything was much cheaper than in Russia. At the supper I found nothing I could eat except for the traditional rice and lettuce. After the meal, while we still were not sleepy, we sat together for some time, talking and playing a very interesting foreign card game called Uno. Then I felt drowsy and went to my room. I was very happy to find my mother in Skype, so I went to bed in high spirits and in anticipation of the next day, the day of practices and rehearsals. See you tomorrow!