I certainly know who Robert Conquest is, but I must confess I’ve not read any of his work. It’s time to do something about that, I think. He tells about a new “re-published” version of his work here, and also mentions some other things I maybe should read.
Coincidentally, today I got another e-mail from the Russian Cycle Touring Club, reminding me that there is still room on one of their August tours. And I see they’ve added a new type of tour to their repertoire, a “self-contained” tour in which there is no support vehicle. What they provide is a bicycling guide or two. The riders carry all their camping gear and take turns cooking. I think I’d like any of the means of accommodation they offer, from self-contained to staying in decent hotels, so long as I could see a lot of the rural countryside. But it probably won’t happen, unfortunately.