Vladivostok-Irkutsk Train #7

Tuesday, July 31st 6:30pm Day #2 on the Trans-Siberian

The LP warned that third class would start to look like a refugee camp after a few days, but so far so good. Although we look a bit like refugees--dirty, greasy, smelly, haven't changed or bathed in days. But we are well fed, entertained, and I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world except where I am. A few times a day the train makes a 30 minute stop in a po-dunk town literally in the middle of Siberia. We can get out and stretch our legs, buy fresh bread, sausage, hard boiled eggs, potato-dill salad and fresh berries. So far everything has agreed with me. Our American neighbors in the next carriage over weren't so lucky with the train stop food and there was a puke incident between the carriages, but he seems fully recovered now.

There was much pre-Russia speculation and warnings about sketchy men and vodka parties that we would be required to join. But so far it has been a quiet trip minus the disco fever on the ferry that resulted in a painful hangover while clearing customs and immigration the next day.

The big surprises thus far in no particular order:

1. Listening to the "blue" dance song being piped into the train carriages on repeat for hours!
2. Arriving in Vlad on a national holiday with the Navy out in the bay shooting off fireworks.
3. Siberia is rolling green hills, meandering streams and birch forests.
4. Finding 3 cars in the swimming pool on the ferry.
5. Crocs haven't hit Eastern Russia yet--they turn lots of heads (I eventually left them in Irkutsk with my new Russian friends to start the trend)
6. Russians don't speak or understand Japanese, but it's all that comes out of my mouth.
7. Instant coffee tastes great on a 3 day train.
8. We are 3 of 5 foreigners on teh train that we have seen! Maybe the others are in 1st class.
9. 3rd class is classy! We get pillows, futons, blankets, sheets and a towel--luxury!
10. I barely miss my cell phone or internet....it is so freeing to be out of touch!

But I miss showering. I think it is time to devise a system! Desperate times call for desperate measures--water bottle showers in a 3rd class bathroom! It never felt so good to be clean!