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well. I'm writing my blog off line whilst sitting on the longest train ride of my trans-Mongolian journey. it's 33 hours long and includes two nights sleeping on a tiny bunk bed in an open carriage with 52 other people!!
it's 34 degrees and there is no air con, the logical thing would be to open the windows. something which seems to have escaped the Russians!
most of the windows only open a few inches if at all. there are half naked children running around, a severe lack of air and a smell of wee and sweat. add to that a lack of sleep for two nights and the constant moving and rocking of the train and your almost there to imagining what this is like. we have five of these trains left! I'm trying to look on this positively as it's a dream journey but for the right here and now the temperature is more like hell!!!!
we are heading to Omsk if you can even locate it on a map. for two nights in a glorious ibis hotel!
Russia so far has been great. apart from the fact that no one speaks English. we have managed to get by with the basic Russian we have taught ourselves along the way. although there has still been an awful amount of miming. haven't really sampled too much of the food. as it's pretty bland and mostly soups and dumplings!! plus there are dozens of sushi restaurants in every city and town.
saint Petersburg and Moscow were wicked and totally mental. with so many rich and lavish people driving ridiculously fast and expensive cars and bikes. looking forward to getting out to the sticks and enjoying the countryside.
we did all the typical sights and some random ones too. including a night boat ride at midnight to watch the bridges of saint Petersburg open. walked around for hours in the hermitage seeing millions of pounds worth of art and sculptures.
- comments
Jennifer Gilder Hey Sarah. Great to hear from you. If it makes you feel any better the office isn't that much different from the conditions you described!! Enjoy the next leg of your journey. Take care. Jen x
Lloyd Hello Guys...great blog. You describe the trains very well. Although it was -20 outside when we passed through OMSK. Just to say, this is where they have the only Siberian marathon...probably happening around this time of year. Flies will be rife in the countryside so maybe the windows are shut for that reason? I'm smiling as I type as I am recalling China's trains...great great experience! Grab a dictionary if you haven't got one as you will be gawked at!!! Continue to enjoy, write updates when you can! x