Siberia
Our last day in Siberia (transport services willing), and there's obviously some catching up to do...
Prior to taking the train from Moscow to Irkutsk in eastern Siberia, our main fear was that we would be sharing our carriage with a number of large, vodka swilling men, and forced to drink with them for the entire 4 day journey. Instead, our carriage was filled to the brim with 10 year old ballet dancers, returning from a trip to Moscow, and the train was filled with nail polish fumes rather than alcohol fumes.
We soon got used to the routine of the train - twice a day the carriage attendant would vacuum the carriage, which was spotless. Someone would wheel a trolly full of snacks and cigarettes up and down the length of the train. People would read books, eat and sleep, and every day would get an hour shorter as we headed east.
Twice, we made the trek to the restaurant car for a meal. To get there involved walking through about 10 carriageds, and in this car could usually be found a couple of solitary diners, and a waiteress who could barely bring herself to speak to us, let alone bring us any food. On the third night we decided that 2 minute noodles were preferable, and ate in our carriage.
The ballet girls left after the 2nd night and we got new neighbours, a woman and her granddaughter from a town near Irkutsk, who were amazingly friendly and spoke quite good English. We shared snackage with them and had an all round vodka free time.
Outside was covered in white - the trees looked like they were made of ice crystals. We got off the train at some of the longer stops and walked up and down the platform.
We were met in Irkutsk by our host where it was -26 degrees and the footpaths were thickly coated in ice and the vast Irkut river billowed vapour into the cold air. It was quite beautiful in an apocalyptic kind of way.
Prior to taking the train from Moscow to Irkutsk in eastern Siberia, our main fear was that we would be sharing our carriage with a number of large, vodka swilling men, and forced to drink with them for the entire 4 day journey. Instead, our carriage was filled to the brim with 10 year old ballet dancers, returning from a trip to Moscow, and the train was filled with nail polish fumes rather than alcohol fumes.
We soon got used to the routine of the train - twice a day the carriage attendant would vacuum the carriage, which was spotless. Someone would wheel a trolly full of snacks and cigarettes up and down the length of the train. People would read books, eat and sleep, and every day would get an hour shorter as we headed east.
Twice, we made the trek to the restaurant car for a meal. To get there involved walking through about 10 carriageds, and in this car could usually be found a couple of solitary diners, and a waiteress who could barely bring herself to speak to us, let alone bring us any food. On the third night we decided that 2 minute noodles were preferable, and ate in our carriage.
The ballet girls left after the 2nd night and we got new neighbours, a woman and her granddaughter from a town near Irkutsk, who were amazingly friendly and spoke quite good English. We shared snackage with them and had an all round vodka free time.
Outside was covered in white - the trees looked like they were made of ice crystals. We got off the train at some of the longer stops and walked up and down the platform.
We were met in Irkutsk by our host where it was -26 degrees and the footpaths were thickly coated in ice and the vast Irkut river billowed vapour into the cold air. It was quite beautiful in an apocalyptic kind of way.
posted by Wednesdays at 5:39 PM
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