One Long Train Ride

On the 14th November Ben, Jen and I boarded the Trans-Siberean train from Irkutsk to Moscow. We alighted on the 18th November, 82 hous later!

We decided to travel in Plaskart (third class) as it was cheaper and we thought we would meet more people. It turned out to be the best idea! We boarded at 11pm, were setting up our beds when three boys from the next cabin began talking to us with very little English. They were mechanic students on thier way back to university. We soon got told off by the scary prodvista (attendent) for being to loud and had to got to bed. The boys came back in the morning to try and teach us a russian card game and drink vodka made in thier home town. They had to get off the train later that afternoon so after saying goodbye we all had a little nap.

As I woke up from my nap, a Russian army boy was sat on the end of my bed! He was very eager to intoduce himself and ask questions. He also had little English so it was difficult but we got by with the help of a Russian phrease book! He then went off for a bit and came back with a spcial forces army issue vest which he gave me as a present!! We were soon surrounded by more army boys and drinking vodka and beer! Another one of the soldiers gave Jen a belt as a present too which she then had to wear for the rest of the night! Again we were told to be quiet by the prodvista! The next day when Ben asked me how my book was going I said I had only read a page as I'd been too busy!

Another night on the train brought another group of people to drink vodka with. This time it was an 18year old Minor Belarussian celebrity and an old man with 14 children and five wives! The Belarussian taught us the card game that we had been trying to play with the students. He had less English than they did but was still, somehow better at teaching us. The game was called Russian joke and Jen and I became pretty good by the end! The belarus guy also gave me 2 rocks from Lake Baikal, where he had been to visit his grnadma, as another present!

Day Three and the cabin was full again! We played the card game and had vodka shots with two older men who transported fuel, a random man with gold teeth, who Jen met at the hot water tap, and a crazy old lady who decided she was going to hepl me play the game. I became pretty good at introducing myself in Russian and the crazy lady could speak a few words of English so we became friends!!

It was finally time to get off the train in Moscow and after saying goodbye to everyone we waited for the metro to open. Having a shower in the hostel after four days on the train was amazing! The train was lots of fun and an experence none of us will forget! We also learnt a card game in Russian, how to drink vodka Russian style and that a phrase book really comes in handy!!