Waiting / Day 29 of 64 / 07 June
There isn’t much to write about today. It was my first full day on a train, and I woke up at 8.30am. Natasha and Gorsha had already left the train, and two new Russian men now occupied their former beds.
I’m in the top left bunk.
We stopped at Krasnoyarsk at 10.30am, and we left by 11.15am.
Krasnoyarsk Railway Station.
I killed time by binge-watching OCTB and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on my iPad. I also spent my time writing my backlog of blog posts and editing my photos.
I had a snack at 4pm in the restaurant car. Long distance Russian trains have a restaurant car, which can be identified by the “PECTOPAH” (pronounced “restoran”) markings on the exterior of the car. The food in the restaurant car can be a bit pricey, but I decided to treat myself. I ordered some eggs and ham for about 250 RUB/5 SGD. There are menus in English, so ordering shouldn’t be a problem: just go up to the restaurant car attendant and let them know what you want to order.
The warm and comfortable restaurant car.
Freight train passing through at Mariinsk Railway Station.
Novosibirsk Railway Station, my last stop before catching some sleep.
Perhaps to help lengthen this post, I’ll just share what it’s been like travelling on my own. I miss actual company. Company beyond explaining where I’m from and how I got here. I think people that enjoy solo travel aren’t really the kind that enjoy forming connections beyond superficial “traveller” or “wanderlust” talk. I miss home. I miss the people and all the other usual cliches.
But I’ve also discovered an agency I didn’t know I had. Agency to choose a destination, to choose how I get there. It’s pure satisfaction for me whenever I book a ticket to my next destination. More so when the journey takes almost 60 hours. It’s satisfaction in living out the choices that I make for myself. I can’t blame anyone else for my confinement in a metal box for almost three days. And I don’t wish to. I made the choice, I’ll endure the consequences, and I’ll do it gladly. I think I’ve always preferred the more difficult path. What’s the point if it’s easy right?
But for real though, split the Trans-Siberian into shorter segments. No showers on board mean you’ll start to stank after the second day.
– Ryan
Sixty Four Days 