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| Home 1993 Trip Russia |
Russia - Trans Siberian Railway 9/1993 September 9th 1993 Boarded the train – said goodbye to In Stockholm we had to ask 2 policemen for the direction to Silja Line – they suggested that we took a taxi & we did. The ferry is big – like a floating mall. WOW! But being backpackers we were shown down to our cabins on deck 2 (we entered the ferry at deck 7) – down here under the waterline – it’s party zone. Our cabin is smaller than small – we took a walk around the ship & found a bar with cheap beers. Now we’ll try to sleep. October 10th 1993 Arrived in Finland at the ferry terminal – when we finally got out of the ship the train had left – met 2 other “toolaters” Mette & Frederik (from Vejle) together we found a bus to Turku – the bus driver explained how we catch a train in Turku & easily catch the train in Helsinki. Mette & Frederik are also going on the Trans Siberian Railroad. We already have some friends now. Later – Trees – rocks - wooden houses & rain – this is what October 11th 1993 Woke up stiff & sore – the Russian everyday life rolled away outside the windows. Birch trees & old worn down wooden houses. It looked so sad. Packed our belongings & had breakfast & sad down & “inhaled” the suburbs of Moscow rolling by. Our guide Tania waited at the central station for us – Mette & I decided it looked like a movie from the 30’s – under the great depression – we entered a bus & it took us to hotel Belgrad 1 – number 2 is on the other side of the street. Annemette & I got a huge room with shower – I had a very needed hair wash. And then we met up with the rest of the “clan” - we ate breakfast & then we had a tour through Moscow – Stopped outside Kremlin & saw the Red Square or Krasnaya Ploschad as its real name is – it really meant the beautiful square – outside the pretty St. Basil Cathedral I gave a beggar 1$ - she almost wouldn’t let go of my hand. Then we drove up to the Moscow University – from where we could see all over town – bought some souvenir t-shirts & was taken back to the hotel. Had a real shower & met the Danes & took a walk up the Arbat street – found a $$ store – but went out again – wanted to buy a beer in a café – but they didn’t serve for tourists – so we found a local beer & champagne shop & brought some bottles back to the hotel. Had a small room party – with all the girls. Annemette & Sussi went down to the bar – I sorted clothes to leave for the caretakers - little old worn out ladies – who make sure you get towels & soaps – now I’ll sleep. October 12th 1993 Woke up early – Annemette had a shower & packed her stuff – then I had a shower – my last one for the next week or so. We left our left over clothes on a shelf in the wardrobe (we brought the scarves - gloves & shawls along to give away in an extra bag) then we went down to eat breakfast & met 2 newcomers Morten & Dan (from Høng) – they were going on the Trans Siberian too but flew to Moscow. After eating we went on a bus tour to a museum & saw wonderful paintings – then Tania took us through the metro – that metro station we came down to was super fancy – with beautiful mosaic tiles – (like paintings) in the ceiling. We met some other Danish travelers – a whole family (from Holme Olstrup). We bought postcards & stamps & send the whole lot from a small post office – Back at the hotel the caretakers had collected our left behind stuff in plastic bags & it took a while trying to explain that we didn’t wanted the things – it was for them to keep. They were almost in tears – Tina – Sussi & Mona wished they had brought something to leave behind too. Then we said goodbye to Tania & was transported down to the train wagon 13 – 29 – 34. Annemette & I share compartment with Tina & Sussi. Dan & Morten lives next door – together with 2 Chinese guys. The toilet is out between the wagons & it does NOT smell of roses – though we tried to wash the floors with Silja Line shampoo & spray it with Annemettes deodorant. We got a samovar with boiling water outside the toilet door We just had a small get together party in our compartment – with Vodka & Chinese beer – rolling through the Russian night. October 13th 1993 We stopped at a train station 30 min ago & on the other side of the platform a Chinese train pulled in. The whole - very empty train station - came alive – The Chinese in the train sold their goods out of the windows & the Russians outside bought & traded & jumped & crawled around trying to get the best bargain – it was hysterical funny to watch. We tried to make our compartment home alike – glued “Gocards” up on the
walls (Gocards are free postcards you can get in cafes in The toilet is still something else – the Chinese are use to “eastern style” toilets & they stand up on the toilet seats while peeing – this is a real bumpy train ride so most of the urine ends at the floor – we joke & say – “well!!! I’ll get my Wellingtons & go to the toilet”!!!! (these boots would have been handy). Endless brown fields – woods & telegraph poles rush away outside the windows. They (the windows) are not tight – so the wind & coldness crawls in. The food is “enjoyed” in wagon 4 – (tomato salad - rye bread & some terrible grease soup.) I buy kefir at the stations from little old women in thick over coats. We also buy vodka – it’s good for everything. October 14th 1993 Somewhere east of Omsk. We met our Chinese neighbors – a very tall girl & her tiny little husband. I gave her a “topsy tail” thing for her long hair – they both said I was pretty (did you hear that???) – we’d been down on a platform to buy bread while we had a 7 min. stop – somewhere. The view had change now – endless plains – birch trees & cute little towns – with wooden houses painted in bright colors – life hasn’t changed out here. October 15th 1993 Yesterday we stopped in Novosibirsk - & we all got down on the platform & jumped
up & down – it was SO cold .We had a party last night & Annemette & I
had made some very strange candy vodka – instead of Turkish Pepper hard candy -
which we didn’t have anymore of we had to use something else to melt in the
vodka & the only thing else we had was “Cloak Slam” (another hard candy
– tasting of caramel & salty liquorices in the same time) after some
sips one got use to the weird taste & I got drunk – so my head is ruled
by King Hang Over today. Annemette & the guide went down to the conductor
to hear if we can get a separately ticket – when we get off in Mongolia –
we can’t – so we’ll have to figure out our self how to get from Ulan Bator
to Beijing. Now the conductor is worried too – like the girls we’! re traveling
with. Why do you want to get of in The Siberian cold is crawling in – the ground is full if snow outside. What will life be out there?? Tomorrow we’ll be in Irkutsk & Sunday Annemette & I will jump of the train & be on our own for a couple of days. Told the rest to meet us on Tianamen Square next Saturday. If we were not there something awful had happened to us – if we are there - we have had fun. Annemette & Sussi went to a vodka party in Runes compartment – Tina & I stayed back & talked. October 16th 1993 I slept through Irkutsk & didn’t wake up until we drove up & around the Bajkal lake – It’s the greatest fresh water lake in the world – it was breath taking – turquoise blue – small fishing villages along the shores – the birch trees & the mountains behind. What a memory. We found our warm winter clothes – ate rye bread & kefir & a Russian cola . A Russian man makes about 22000 – 37000 rubbles pr. Month (1000 rubbles = 1$) 1 kilo sausages cost 8000 – 10000 rubbles – but 1 liter vodka cost 2000 rubbles – no wonder why they drink so much. We had a stop in Ulan Ude & while we went down on the platform – a thief sneaked in & stole Sussis daypack – Dan saw him & ran after him – wearing no shoes - & got the daypack back – we saluted him & named him “the hero with the dirty socks”. The nature changed again – the trees are gone – it’s brown grassland out here – hills & small villages are hiding in the frost. The rivers are full of ice – the winter is on its way. It’s a pretty – but in a lone suffering way. The night between Saturday & Sunday. Goodbye CCCP – hope you’ll make it in the new times you’re heading into. In Naushki the boarder town – we had a stop from 9:15 pm – until midnight. – first the passport police came & went through our passports (they were very young guys) then the custom police came & they took Dan & Mortens Chinese with them. Our Chinese friends are smugglers – Annemette & I had some of the tall girls goods stuck up behind my backpack – it’s so big they guys could drag it out of the hole it was stuck in – Morten had 6500$ in his boots for one of his Chinese – Our tall girl didn’t get to explain herself – but Dan & Mortens Chinese had to pay a fee & finally our train could move back into the cold starry night. In Suhr Bator – it’s 01! :25am and the border police woman had just been here – got our forms & stamped our passports & we’re all so sleepy & wants to move on. |
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