Day 52 11 June 2013 Hello Moscow12 noon, tt is now a matter of counting down the kms. After being on the train for the 5th day running, I have had enough of it for a while. The Provodnitsa’s have been busy cleaning everything; even washing the windows while stopped at one of the stations. Perhaps they travel back again on the same train when it leaves at half past nine tonight. The weather is warm, in the high twenties. One of the Provodnitsa&...

Day 51 10 June 2103 Omsk-Perm The original carriage I was in is occupied by a group of Mongolian traders. They brought bags and bags full of clothing, blankets and whatever else they think they can sell. They are on their way to Moscow; during stops they quickly get out of the train and display their wares on the platform near the train, station hall or on one occasion just outside the station right on the street. Several times the police forbid them to tra...

Day 50 June 9 2013 Irkutsk to Omsk The saga continues, I woke up as the sun was shining in my face, my watch said 02.30 AM, I thought I had sorted it all out yesterday. Closing the blind and curtains I tried to get back to sleep. Perhaps I suffer from Train-lag instead of Jet-lag. Much later in the Novosibirsk I was able to work it all out. The train schedule runs on Moscow time regardless of where you are. The station clock attached to the electronic bill ...

Day 498 June 2103 Russian border- Irkutsk- ZimaWhere am I, what time is it? In Beijing I swapped my China Lonely planet for a Trans Siberian handbook by Trailblazer. I am glad I did, otherwise I would have had no idea where I was or even what time it was. This morning we made a stop in Ulan Ude where (If you would come from the direction of Europe-Moscow) The Trans Mongolian Express branches off the Trans Siberian Express which goes to the end of the world at...

Day 48 June 7 2013 Ulan Bataar to Russian borderIs silence really “Golden?” The lady of the house had made pancakes for breakfast which was absolutely delicious and whilst trying to have a conversation with her husband, who was showing me more archeological items plus some medals he had won for god knows what,… well I suppose you don’t get them for shooting rabbits, his wife kept on making more pancakes which she put in a plastic b...