Yekaterinburg to Vladimir - Trans Siberian

Morning, July 2nd

I boarded the train From Yekaterinburg to Vladimir first thing in the morning for a 24 hour ride after a nice 30 minute walk from the hostel to the station.

Somehow, somewhere in the country of Russia a vandal, likely jacked up on vodka and beer, threw an object as hard as he could at a train window causing the safety glass to crack like a tightly woven spider web. The glass remains intact thus creating an undesirable kaleidoscopic affect obscuring any kind of a clear view. What are the odds that I would wind up on carriage 17 in a four person cabin with that very window?

Train 109 bound for Moscow is a long one with 18 coaches and carriage 17 has seen better days. The person who manages the carriage (usually a woman) is called a Providnista. Most run a pretty tight ship and keep things reasonably tidy. The more entraupenural ones sell food and drinks on the side or even rent out their own bunk to those who may not have been able to get a ticket at the ticket office. The Providnista on carriage 17 today wass pretty much worthless this morning. The good ones clean the toilet regularly and might even bug you a couple of times with the vacuum cleaner. I don’t think carriage 17 has seen a good cleaning in quite some time and it smells like an old World War 2 submarine.

I debated going through the process of using English, Russian, and a combination of hand signals and facial expressions to move to a different berth but there’s only one other person in the cracked window cabin I’ve been assigned. She’s a nice quiet young woman going to Moscow and I noticed other people in the carriage I’d probably prefer not to share a cabin with. My gut feeling says to stay put so I have. Fortunately the window opposite the cabin is big and clear so I do get one good side with a view. I tend to roam about the train walking through the other cars anyway.”

Afternoon July 2nd

“Where are you from?” asked the strolling vendor selling something when the train stopped at a station for 25 minutes. The man questioning me really wasn’t interested in selling me anything. He was just curious about an American from Texas traveling across Russia. He asked me how I liked Russia and why I was traveling by train.

“Why don’t you fly? This train is old. It’s hot”, said the man. He also commented about some other foreigners traveling by train who were not having much fun. I strongly disagreed with him and said the train wasn’t too hot and I liked it. I then went on to comment that I wanted to experience the real Russia. I posed the question to him, “This is the real Russia. Right?” He responded with a smile..

Late Afternoon July 2nd

The word from First Class carriage 12 is that the Providnista punched an unruly passenger who came over from the dining car to use the toilet. The scuffle was followed by an argument with the Providnista winning and two men succumbing to a mop and bucket while the Providnista oversaw a cleanup. This story was relayed to me by the French/American couple I keep running into. I joined them for awhile in their First Class cabin, with a nice clear window, as they generously served me fine aged ham with cheese with crackers.

My cabin is now full with three very quiet passengers who all seem to be wrapped up in books and the cracked up window doesn’t seem to be bothering. A clear gut feeling never lets me down.

Night July 2nd & 3rd

I was approached by a curious half drunk 30 year old persistent Russian with decent broken English wanting me to join him for a drink in his cabin. He seemed friendly and harmless enough but I really didn’t feel like drinking so I declined. He seemed particularly interested in the young woman staying in my cabin who I found out is only 18. He insists I join him for a drink but I’m really seriously tired.

Got up in the middle of the night to use the toilet and opened the cabin door to, “Hello”! It was the persistent Russian at 2am. I avoided any questions by giving him a disinterested glance and proceeded to the bathroom. Upon my return he appeared to be having some luck with the 18 girl in the hallway as she halfway resisted his advances.

Moring July 3rd

Arrived in Vladimir on time at 6:47 AM. The morning was clear and cool. Walked across the street from the train station and easily purchased a 7:30 bus ticket for a 45 minute ride to the medieval village of Suzdal. Arrived in Suzdal at 8:20…. Checked into a hostel and went for a run amidst numerous Onion domed churches… Smooth and easy trip… I seem to be managing well with just a few Russian words.