Home again

On the train I thought that I would not like Moscow that much after Siberia but luckily I had a good time there as well. The hostel was best I've ever been to - a good matress on the bed, nice shower, nice and helpful staff and internet that works. Spend some time with Austrian-Italian girls and ended up in a funk club with them. It got a bit too quiet there and we tried to find somewhere with more people but we weren't that lucky. (Some bits that happened in between I have to leave out - ask me later...) Decided that we'll get some food to cook at the hostel. But at the supermarket I couldn't find my credit card any more. Looked the bag thoughout, checked all pockets, nowhere. All I could do was to phone Finland to cancel the card. And off course in the morning, collecting my clothes of the floor the stupid card dropped out of the leg of my trousers. Highly annoying. Though I have to say that I like these baggy pant with legs tied at ankle. Ever so handy even if you are not going to give birth to another messiah. I did have enough money for the last day, but only if everything goes straight forward. And I never did one registration in Russia, so there was the risk of getting in to trouble in the customs. But all was absolutely fine. Where's your bag, do you have anything to declare and that was it.

I felt really sad coming back home, I fell so in love with Russia! A friend coming to meet me at the station with some flowers for me made it easier but this all still feels very unreal. And I won't have any money until I get a new card...

The last surprise I got when I did some washing. Hanging up the clothes that actually smelled good again I found a pair of men's pants... No idea how they got there. Hope I had fun. (Think they belong to the people who used my flat when I was gone, but that's not such a good story.)
I'll try to think some tips for people doing the trans-siberian as I promised to a Scottish girl who I met in Moscow, but that will be tomorrow earliest.

Never realized how white my home is. I need more colours! A bit of Russia.

A writers' walk

This time I did manage to see the Red Square. And it was worth it. Especially the Basil Church (or whatever it is called) was fun to see. I also did a writers' walk, really just to see the place where the book Master and Margarita starts. That one I really enjoyed. If only I have had an umbrella with me.
Moscow is not really being nice to me with these opening hours. Tomorrow the market and the Cosmonaut museum will be closed. Any ideas what to do? Maybe a little boat trip on the river?

Irkutsk - Moscow

All trips on trains have been very different. When I left Irkutsk the train was 45 mins late, and that's quite exceptional for trans-siberian trains. For the first two days I shared the cabin with and older alcoholic lady and I was quite fed up. However, on the third day three firemen jumped on board and I found myself sharing a bit too much vodka with them and the provodnitsa - that was all quite early in the morning. 5 or so hours after they left the train and I happily fell a sleep. Woke up as new people joined my cabin and still the next day I found some almost empty bottles lying all around...

The rest of the journey was more quiet again but I had good time. Met some Americans, played, listened to music, read books, solved sudoku's, ate, even had a bath! Now I've arrived in Moscow and don't quite know what to do. Maybe I should try to see the Red Square this time. And the Cosmonaut museum might be fun too.

People

This lady joined the train in Habarovsk, on my way from Vladivostok to Irkutsk. She didn't speak any English but we did ok, she managed to teach me some more Russian words. The last night was so beautiful that we turned off the lights and shut the door so we could fully enjoy the sunset on lake Baikal and the million stars on the sky after that.
Here's Max who I spend many days with somewhere between Jekaterinburg and Vladivostok. I do hope that he will come to visit me in Finland with his family!
This lady shared the cabin with me for six days. She and another lady took good care of me onboard. One night I was freezing as the heating did not work and the nights in Siberia can be pretty cold. I woke up under two blankets, the lady who would not look in my eyes for the first 24 hours had got me the extra one. It really takes some days to get to know these people. Like one lady, who spoke good English came to speak to me on the third day. And all the time she wanted to speak to me and knew that I was a foreigner because I smiled to strangers. Russian people never do that, I was told.
Cabin mates of Max's.
No idea who these are. The old man is looking at the timetable which tells when the train arrives to each station and how long the stop will be. You still have to check each time from the provonidzda as the driver might want to catch up if the train has been late. I was surprized how well the trains keep in schedule.
Playing Yatsi. It turned to be a big hit as it was easy to teach with limited Russian skills.

A rock concert I went to see in Moscow. Some girls had dressed as in We Love Helsinki -dance events, and there were some really good dancers.

Lake Baikal

This morning one Austrian and three Germans arrived here and I joined them for a trip to Listvianka by the lake. The bus journey was a bit exciting, it was crowded and I had only half a seat to myself. And the speed was a bit too much for me. Saw one accident on the road, hope they all survived.
The weather was not better today. It's pouring wet snow and the wind makes it really chilly. And I only had summer shoes with me. Luckily I managed to wear woollen sock with them. A true Finn never travels anywhere without them, not to Siberia anyway! I'm still amazed how different today is compared to yesterday. Vladivostok with people sunbathing seems so far away now.
One day left here, I might spend it in museums if it stays as cold and wet as today.

In Irkutsk

This time the train trip was very different. I shared the cupe with a nice russian lady, who did not speak any english.



I arrived in the nicest hostel late at night. Slept for a few hours and when I woke up there was no-one else there. Got myself some breakfast, washed clothes and heard the phone ringing. I let it ring a few times and then aswered. No, I don't think there's any staff here, yes you will phone later. Hung up and as soon as I had that done, the door opened and no, I never was on my own there. Apparently it was the manager phoning, and I actually might have caused some trouble to the nice girls here. They tried to convince me that it's alright, I do hope so!



As there was no other guests left in the hostel I went to see the town on my own. It's a nice city but I think that there's not really much more to see here. Hope I will meet some people who would like to join me in a trip to the lake. That is if the weather get's better. The day was nice and warm but now it's raining with really strong wind. They say that it might snow later. I'm going to be in trouble with my summer shoes here... Well it is Siberia, what did I expect!

Unfortunately you won't see any more pictures yet as there's some problems with trying downloading them.

Last day in Vlad

I felt a bit better today. Met a Dutch and two Swedes and went sightseeing with them, had quite a nice day! But the internet in the hostel, nje rabotajet. A very useful phrase in many situations here in Russia. So had to come here to the post office for internet access and you will not see any more photos until I get to Irkutsk.

The train there leaves at 3 am, I will hardly be able to sleep before that as I'm very good with worring about early wakings and bad with sleeping without earplugs in strange places. It is highly confusing with all the timetables as the long distance trains always run in Moscow time and, well, it's not quite Moscow time here. Actually all my departures and arrivals are in extremely unpleasant hours. If only I had taken the train no. 1... Would be meeting more turists as well.

It was a little easier to stock up food for the train this time as I quite new what I wanted. Fruits, hot chokolade, bread, butter, cheese... I'm still short of coffee as I refused to buy Nescafe and not that convinced on these local instant coffees, and I couldn't find this local thick milk and sugar -thing that proved to be very handy on train. But I will survive, I just won't share the coffee that's left, haa. The russians usually refused anyway as they prefer tea.

Here I go again!

A short but sunny day

Today I went to the local market. Bought a little bag - one got broken on the train - and some cute kitchen towels. And that was it. Oh, I did go the pharmacist as well and managed to get some Strepsils, Ibuprofen and a saline nasal spray, it really is much easier to communicate than I thought. The biggest problem was trying to get someone to tell how to get to the market as everyone seemed to be tourists too, from all over Russia. I feel much worse than yesterday so I quickly came back to the hostel. And soon got the biggest surprise; met a Russian guy who's been living in Helsinki for 10 years and is now hitchhiking through Russia. It was really nice to be able to speak Finnish! Had a nap afterwards and dreamed of my friends in my choir. I'm missing you!

Tomorrow will be the last day here, I do wish I will feel a bit better. Now it's obvious that I will not be able to swim in the sea but at least I want to soak my feet there a little.

Sore throath in Vlad

I got ill. Woke up and felt really bad. Luckily I got some ibuprofein with me, saved the day. I managed to get myself out doors and wandered around the city. The smell of the sea is really good. Somehow it seems to me more like a little English harbour than a big Russian city.
I also managed to get everything a needed in a local supermarket with my russian! We cooked together at the hostel, had the best chicken soup ever. It really is the best thing to eat when you are ill.

Now sure if I got it right but I understood that this is some kind of house of local midwifes.
Are my hand in some midwifery position?
Would make a rather large newborn. With a head that is not quite engaged yet...
Feel free to guess.

Ja sama suomeksi. Tama on siis jonkinlainen katiloiden kokoontumisajopaikka, jos en nyt suuremmin tullut huijatuksi. Vaan mita ihmetta kateni tekevat, ja liittyyko se jotenkin katilotyohon? Pa vaikuttaisi ainakin melkoiselta ja noissa korkeuksissa paa tuskin on kiinnittynyt... Arvauksia vastaanotetaan kommeteissa.

Eating

Russians are very goot with guests, and I was always considered as one. All their food was shared with others in the room. I had plenty of food brought from Finland and in Moscow I got some more. Theres babushkas and kiosks at the stations selling food and drinks but what you get and when is highly unpredictable.

Oh this red caviar (or what ever it is called) was very fresh and good!

Me enjoying my first cold smoked omul fish.

This was fun. It's some kind of pine with seed to eat. Kept me busy for a long time.

In the train

The provonidzda of our vagon.
Takes care of the passengers, hot water, cleans and sells tea.

The windows opened, at least some, sometimes.
At the end you can see the samovar providing hot water. Well it usually did.

First feelings after the Trans-Siberian train

It was absolutely great! I totally lost the track of time, hardly new which station stretched my legs in and time flew incredibly quickly.
There were only a few people - two actually - who spoke good english, but especially the other one I made good friends with. So changed the language so that they can also read how I'm doing here. And you would be amazed of how much conversation you can make with the poorest Russian skills.
Now I arrived here in a hippy hostel with russian hosts and two european guys. I really should be going to bed but I'm far too excited about all that I've been going through.
Vladivostok by night is really beautiful and I heard that there's Vlad by night -tours here. Seriously thinking of taking one as I'm not too happy to just wander around on my own when it get's dark. See, the spare brains offered by my friend at the fare-well dinner did not get wasted.

Moskovassa

Nyt jo olen kauempana idassa kuin koskaan.

Ensimmainen yo junassa meni hyvin. Rajalle asti oli hytti tyhja, ja senkin jalkeen leppoisaa. Junissa ei pussilakanoita tunneta, ja loysin lakanan aamulla mytyssa vuoteen reunalta. Taidan joutua viela ostamaan oman lakanan taalta. Joku ottiainen pisti yolla makeasti, mutta muuten nukuin junan jyskeessa oikein hyvin. Itse asiassa koko junamatka tuntui aika hataiselta, vaikka kesti mitalie 14 tuntia. Taitaa olla ajatukset jo niin vahvasti seitseman paivan junamatkassa.

Moskovassa olen vain ajelehtinut. Yritin nahda punaisen torin, mutta se on ensi viikolle asti suljettu - tai niin mina olin ymmartavani. Vanhojen patsaiden puistoon en viitsinyt maksaa sisalle, mutta tulipahan kaveltya. Antikvariaatista ostin viime hetken paniikissa viela muutaman englanninkielisen kirjan. Minulla ei tainnut olla kummempaa ennakkokasitysta Moskovasta, koska kuva siita ei ole jarkkynyt suuntaan eika toiseen. Ihmiset ovat akkiseltaan saman oloisia kuin Pietarissa. Kovin moni ei englantia puhu, mutta viela olen tullut hyvin toimeen. Yksikin vanha herra opasti minut vilkkaan risteyksen yli. Dangerous, here safe.

Jotenkaan en usko nayttavani kovinkaan paikalliselta, mutta ihmiset ovat hakeltyneet joka kerran, kun olen englantia puhunut. Jopa amerikkalaiset turistit.

Toivottavasti junasta loytyy englanninkielista seuraa. Jos ei, niin sanakirja ja valokuvat kotomaasta varmaan helpottavat tutustumista. Ja suomalainen suklaa.

Juna lahtee vasta puolenyon jalkeen, nainkohan saan itseani viihdytettya Moskovan illassa?