Got off the train in Moscow only planning to stay a couple days before I got on the trans Siberian railway. Toughest languages in my opinion so far from easiest to hardest are Czech, polish, Ukrainian, Russian. I'm now in the toughest language country I've come across. Nobody speaks English and nobody wants to. Getting to the hostel from the train station was an accomplishment in itself. As I exited the train w a dead phone no directions and and 40 lbs on my back I asked a dozen people how to get to my hostel w no one even remotely able to help. I walked the streets at 5am looking for anywhere to charge my phone. McDonald was there as always but closed, Starbucks closed, I found an ATM so I could pay for the metro but no clue which way to take it, finally I stumbled across an American themed coffee shop that was just opening. Got some decent breakfast and a cup of joe Americana of course and charged my phone. 30% charge on my phone, a decent grasp of where I needed to go and a back that stopped hurting for the time being. I loaded up and started the 1km hike back to the metro in the loneliest non English speaking city yet. Upon arrival at the metro I gazed at the metro map for 10 minutes not understanding a word or a direction. Now mind you in previous engagements this always results in an English speaking person assisting me and pointing me in the right direction. Not this time not in Russia. A city of 15million and 10million take the metro everyday. Everyone has somewhere to be and there late. I make what I think is an educated guess and get on a train. After 3 months of doing this same routine twice a week you'd think I had it down and usually you'd be right. This time was different. I made the first leg okay, then I needed to transfer to another line, this is where I hit a snag. You see the metro is color coded but the signs say the color instead of having the color on them hmmm. Educated guesses later I stepped on to a train headed to the west unknown to me I needed east and a different color. I wound up in suburbia Moscow but I had my phone a bit of a charge and found some wifi to check my map as it started to poor in the 30 degree weather. Got my barring and thought of hailing a cab but quickly kicked the quitting mentality out of my head. Back on the metro and finally on the brown line toward the hostel. At this point I'm practically screaming for someone that speaks English. No good. Get off the metro and realize I need to head east. The trusty iPhone compass got me going and I walked and walked strait passed the hostel ugh. Finally, soaking wet and freezing a guy asks me in English if I know where to get cash I quickly say where are you staying he says godzillas and leads me back to the hostel. Fwwww what a trek! Now at the hostel and exhausted from the ordeal they politely inform me that I can't check in till 2pm. Quite used to this I drop my bag in luggage storage and go to find a place to sit for a while. As I'm wondering the hostels communal areas the manger strikes up a conversation w me. A great guy Scott from Nevada. He's been in Russia 8 years and gives me some pointers and take me to the mini mart where they have stocked up on supplies for trans Siberian goers. I stock up on Russian Raman noodles and instant mashed potatoes and head back to the hostel. I meet a few people headed on a hop on hop off bus tour of the city that ask me to join. I'm to tired but pleasant surprise nearly everyone in godzillas hostel speaks English. I watch a movie and wait on 2 o'clock. By the time this magical hour came I had half a dozen new friends who weren't about to let me sleep. I sorted my trans Siberian route w reception who gave me pieces of paper w the trains I wanted to take written in Russian and pointed me towards the train station. Of course a different one from where I came. He also advised me not to wait as tickets go fast. I'm pretty sure I have the metro sorted now so I take off. Upon arrival I hand my papers to the ticket lady who yells at me in Russian, from what I could gather it went like this. " I can't book a train from mongolia to china because we are in russia not Mongolia." then turns off her light and walks away... Shaken, I head back to the hostel where reception informs me I must book that leg when I get to Mongolia ugh. I'm not going through that hell again today so I make plans to hit the bars for vodka and memories. I head out w Hunter, Berrie, Jordan and a couple others to (my bar) where we meet Russian girls who speak some English and are excited to show us around. We land at coyote uglys where I must throw my pocket knife away. Why it was on me I don't know but what will I slice my bread w on the train now? A couple hours of the girls dancing on stage and a few drinks later we head to a local bar. Decent music and good dancing only problem was Berrie. He is in his 50's and not unlike me grasping for his youth. This guy! He buys us 2 bottles of vodka and 8 red bulls, passing them out like water. He tells me I'm coming to stay w him in new Zealand as long as I promise not to hit on his daughter. Sounds like a deal to me! The next day Hunter and I attempt to see a soccer game as we've learned the local team the locomotives are favored and I still haven't caught a game. To my dismay we arrived 10 min before the game ended and of course it's Russia so the sky is pissing on us. We make our way to a local supermarket where she thought it a good idea to jump rope through the isles. I got a couple photos before we were politely asked to leave. Of course we didn't understand but got the idea. It's now 6pm and I'm feeling the vodka from the night before so we head back. I take it easy that night. The next day I meet up w Berrie and his son Jordan for lunch they take me to this "great" pizza place that's a 30 min walk from the hostel. I think if it's that good its worth the walk. As we stroll into a shopping mall I quickly notice the sign. It's Sbarro's only in Russian and I think really? I walked 30 minutes for generic American overpriced pizza? Yep, sure did. Make the best of it and head back to get ready for my 7 day train ride. On the way back we stopped off at red square (the only Moscow monument I actually saw) it was amazing and I got some pics of the onion topped buildings. The next day is Siberia.