Rambling Rosa: The Train

Snow. This is the word to describe much of what you see out of the window when you take the Trans-Siberian journey in December. The 26-hour train ride from Yaroslavl to Yekaterinburg has been full of snowy scenery. Some pretty villages (some charming-some not so much) dot the path along with lots of industrial scenery too. I stretched our legs in the city of Perm during a 20 minute stop and got some fresh air but otherwise it has been me and the train.

You start to feel a little gross by hour 20. No shower on this train and I have the same clothing on that I have worn since the train trip started. It feels a little like camping. I have brought along all kinds of instant soups, instant coffee and granola bars. Not to mention baby wipes and Ziploc bags-I packed for this trip much like I did for Machu Picchu!

For this leg of the trip I am on an older train. It’s not terrible but it’s very basic. There are bottom and top bunks. You get a mattress, pillow and sheets. When you’re ready you make your bed, but until then, the lower bunks are used as couches. It is actually kind of comfortable and cozy. It is clean enough - it doesn’t traumatize me in any way and I haven’t seen a bug, so I’m comforted. Sleeping would not have been that bad if not for the smoking. People are allowed to smoke in the area between cars-which is outside. But since it’s cold all the smokers are smoking near or in the bathroom, which is not very far from our cabin. I am not one to complain about smokers, but when you are confined to a small space, it is really infuriating that people would invade your precious space with their smoke.

Each train car is controlled by the powerful cabin attendant - I don’t know her official title but that’s what I’m going to call her. She is the all-powerful woman who watches over us, sells us tea and manages the maintenance of our car and bathroom. For all her power she has yet to yell at a smoker. We’ve made friends with our attendant, though, and her name is Tamara. She has a tattoo on her hand that may or may not mean she has spent a little time in jail. She is a tough cookie and I really like her. But I wouldn’t be surprised if she had been in prison.

There is a serious food car with less than amazing food but not nearly as bad as it could be. I have been surprised that the menu is actually in English and Russian - a pleasant surprise. Like all Russian fare, most things just have a lot of dill sprinkled over them so that masks most of the unpleasant tastes. The drink menu is grander than most large nightclubs. There is amazing 70’s style disco music playing on repeat with a little Gypsy Kings phased in every once in awhile. My favorite of all might be the guy in his early 20’s who we thought was just a drunk passenger but turns out to work in the food car….selling beer.

My fellow passengers and I are getting a lot of quality time together. You talk, you read, you get on your computer until the battery dies…. The other cabins are full of people just resting and getting to know each other. Most of the cabins on the old trains are 4-person cabins. If you are travelling alone or with just one other person you are likely going to share with strangers. This system has been part of Russian travel for many years so everyone seems very used to it and they seem to sort of enjoy it. So far the first 24 hours have been enjoyable for me, if a little disorienting. It is easy to forget what day it is and even easier to forget the time. We have travelled through two time zones during this journey so by the time I get to Yekaterinburg it will be two hours ahead of Moscow. I don’t think I’ve yet gotten my head around just how long this trip is and how far we’re going, but I’m on my way.