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Published: June 19th 2009
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Unlike the previous mornings, on our new locomotive home, we awoke after a pretty terrible nights sleep. There may have been a number of contributing factors. It was possible that the inevitable train-lag that we had been anticipating was upon us or perhaps it was our serious lack of physical exertion. It also could have been due to the air conditioning, over which we had no control over, pumping out what felt like sub zero temperatures all night. I stepped out of our cabin to check the kilometer sign posts at the other side of the train and bumped into Claus, one of our German neighbours. Claus doesn't speak English and my GCSE German has been in retirement now for over a decade(I should point out that I wasn't that great to begin with). However, we able able to share a moment of comical back and forth banter with Claus speaking in German while making hand gestures and me speaking in English and sneaking in the odd, and mostly likely incorrect and most certainly misspronounced, German word. What I was able to take from it was that he found the fact that we'd slept in to after noon quite amusing.
By now we had got ourselves into a pretty good routine of larthargically procrastinating, reading and working our way through our dwindling supply of noodles. At each station we passed we had a look about for an ATM machine but to no avail. We did come across a sign which was sure to lead us toward fresh cash supplies but after frantically running through underground station passages had to call off the search for fear that our train would leave us behind. We resided to the fact that it was likely that we would have to make do with what we had until the Chinese border crossing which meant a change of dining car and a change of currency; a currency which we had.
The next day we found an ATM!! It was glorious!It meant that we could not only eat but also enjoy some Russian Vodka Trans Siberian style (a must on the trip). At the same stop as the ATM miracle we bumped into another pair of Germans. These Germans spoke English quite well and could understand ours; certainly better than my German-glish anyway. Stefan, 32 was travelling with his Grand Mother's friend. An odd combination but
it worked well. Rosmary, his Grand Mother's friend, had done a lot of travelling through the years and was a real inspiration. Stefan called to our cabin later that evening and invited Sarah and I for a few beverages in their cabin. We couldn't resist particularly seeing as Sarah and I had just returned from the Russian dining cart; where we had sampled some fine Russian vodka. We were joined by Claus and a two guys next to Stefans cabin. We played cards and had a couple ore beverages; having to hop out of the train mid way to replenish supplies from station vendors.
Wednesday was not a great day to choose to be our only Trans Siberian hangover day. Today we prepared to leave Russia and enter China. We were woken early by our 'provinista' (cabin attendant)telling us, in not so many words, to be ready for the border crossing. We were then ejected from the train and left by the station for 6 hours. We both felt pretty rotten but fortunately there was a shop across just outside the station. We took on board some liquids and savory snacks and waited impatiently for our train to return
with a new set of slim line undercarrages for the Chinese rail network.
As we crossed into the Chinese border the architecture totally transformed and it felt hard to believe that we were now in China. As train weaved its way through Chinese industrial towns and paddy fields it becaem all the more real that we where in Russia no more.
Thursday
Well we actually thought that today was Wednesday when our bubble was shattered by Stefan, and confirmed by the train timetable, that today was indeed Thursday and our last night on the train. We enter Beijing at 5am on Friday morning. That mant we had just enough time to sample the amazing chinese food in the dining car; a welcomed escape from a standard meals of dried noodles!
Chinese food consumed we were summoned by Claus and Peter our German train enthusiasts who proceeded to take several pictures with us, then them, then us outside the train holding a nail that Claus had found on the railway. They then invited us for a drink of 'scnappes' brough from their local town that evening along with Stefan and Rosemary to celebrate our last night on the
train.
Like every other part of our trip so far we can't believe its over and that we will soon be stepping off the train and into Beijing.
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Lucy o rawe
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Friday night in belfast!
Wow! What a mish mash of adventures so far! Really enjoyed reading them. Lake Baikal looked stunning and I almost felt as if I was listening to opera myself in Moscow. Even the noodles looked appetising!I loved reading about your adventures on the Transsiberian Express, even if there were no murder mysteries in sight! All well here and I know you'll be so homesick when I tell you you're missing Big Brother eviction night! Erin is away to celebrate Hannah's 18th at the union (her first visit there) but she has no id so I don't know if she'll get in or not. We're all so glad it's Friday night and we have a few days to relax. Spoke to your mum earlier tonight and Eve was away to her first official sleepover with someone up the street. She wasn't sure if it would be over in a few hours once bedtime hit! Nothing else of interest to report from here. Tim and Jess got engaged in case you didn't know with another wedding next June some time. Tony and Josephine are having a break in the Algarve. Anyhow, when I finish next week, I'll be in touch again. For now, guys, have fun and enjoy your adventures. Take care. Love from all the O'rawe clan. xxxxxxxxxxx