10 Sep 13:50 to 14 Sep 13:50 (101 hours, 6266km)
Day 1 18:00
I have been spending 4 hours sitting on the train doing nothing but to watch the mongolian landscape. I could not take my eyes off the window. After the Gobi it was nice to see the greener side of Mongolia. I enjoyed watching the tiny spots of cows, sheeps, horses and people wandering on the green hills and vast land, the colorful villages and trees shedding their yellow leaves. Everything is in such a slow pace.
21:38
Before boarding I was expecting to meet people on trains. But now I seem to quite enjoy being alone in my room. Privacy is not easy to have while traveling, especially when sharing a ger with 5 men and women you can only change your pants in a sleeping bag.
I just had my calculation on the past 3 weeks' expenses (well this is my profession) assuming I will not spend much on the coming 5 days, my travelling expense for this month is around 800 euros, including unexpected spending on clothes and gifts. Not bad. I spent much more last year on 2-week trips. I wonder how I could have done that.
I'm now in the border of Mongolia and the train was stopped for inspection. All of the passengers are mongols and russians. The Russians next door greeted me with vodka. I guess this is how they say hello.
And by the way the Russian train attendant was so nice though I don't understand a word from him. I recalled from a friend that they gave you sheets but asked you to pay later when you have used it. They refused to pay and almost involved the police. But during the border check the attendant passed by and helped me made the sheets. How can I not pay for such good service? (Ps they never asked for money)
The border crossing took a lot of time. They checked every corner of the room like we are smuggling something into Russia. And I did not understand a word from them.
Day 2
So far I feel quite comfortable on this train. I had a very good sleep and nice breakfast. Compared to the train from Hong Kong to Beijing this is paradise. I wonder how I could have lied on the upper bunk for 24 hours eating only the same loaf of bread and still felt okay.
I guess the trip to Gobi prepared me quite well for this train too. I still had my wet wipes, dry shampoo, toilet paper and food stuff with me. They are life savers! Even better, the toilet is clean and I have water to wash my hands! What more can I ask for?
I can't tell the time now. I just know we have passed through Irkutsk and the Baikal Lake. The station time is in Moscow time but we are few time zones from Moscow.
Day 3
Delicious though, I can't have just bread for every meal (and cup noodles running out!) So at what I believed to be lunch hour I went to the restaurant on the train.
I was in the first compartment and the restaurant should be in the middle. I had to pass through 40 doors to get there. Not fun.
I ordered chicken with potatoes. Delicious!
A Russian man in the restaurant handed me an orange. So far I found Russians are very nice.
I learnt a Russian card game from the German girls. But have not had a chance to play. The laughter of the 3 Russian men next door was just too threatening I dare not to invite them LOL. I know they are nice though.
Day 4
I WILL NEVER HAVE BREAD WITH CHEESE AND TOMATOES AGAIN!!!
Day 5
Today I had a guest. A Russian girl moved into my little kingdom in the middle of the night. After a long while of guessing and body language, I learned she was traveling back home after a night of beer (not vodka). Is it normal to travel for 5 hours back home from a drink? I don't know. But she looked sober and invited me for beer again in the restaurant. (It seems beer was one of the few important English words that she remembered) After a long while of misunderstanding and confusion, we went for the restaurant. And of course the restaurant was not opened, not to mention the painful doors we went through.
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