On Thursday, September 24, we had our media day. Journalists were invited to spend a very busy day watching how quarantined astronauts live (with our doctors standing close by, of course!). As a result, they got a peek of our meetings, video presentations, simulations and so on. It actually gave me the opportunity to do a docking on the simulator as my two shipmates watched attentively and proffered sound advice. The journalists then looked on as we played pool and ping-pong, and saw us agonize through the tilt table and rotating chair.

In the afternoon, we planted a tree along the garden path—a tradition that started with Yuri Gagarin. Since then, every cosmonaut has planted a tree before launching into space. I planted one made of clown noses, to add a little colour to the path! We then had a series of interviews with the press. All in all, our day was packed, but nothing out of the ordinary.

We ended the day with a BBQ (with both crews). I don't know if it's our fresh astronaut blood or the smell of the shashlik, but there was a mosquito infestation as the sun set. Maybe our doctors had something to do with it. . . Either way, it worked! We were back in our room and to our regular routine in no time!

A little anecdote about the rotating chair: This week, I told my doctors just how deeply I hate this exercise. I don't understand why they insist on putting me through something that leaves me feeling miserable and sick. It won't stop me from being sick in space, so why even bother with this on earth? I was told that I need to be prepared mentally, but believe me, this exercise does nothing to lift one's spirits! To my great pleasure and relief, they've taken the rotating chair off my schedule.