TransMongolian Railroad

First off, the train left Moscow on August 28 at 9:30pm local time and pulled in to Beijing's Main Train Station (there's also a West station) on September 3 at 2:30pm local time (5 hours ahead of Moscow). That is 5 and a half days. On a train. Trapped in a space made up of tiny little sleeping compartments, narrow halls, and minuscule (not to mention filthy) bathrooms. If you are at all claustrophobic, do not take this trip.

That said, I was locked in for the duration with an eclectic and interesting assortment of people - admittedly, most were drunk for the entire trip, but that added to the interest factor. I also passed through some of the most beautiful scenery that I have ever seen. The trip was an adventure, a wonder, and an experience that I am so glad to have had. That said, I would NEVER do it again! :)

Yes, the scenery was beautiful, but it also never ended. It just kept going - being gorgeous and interminable. The inmates got a little rambunctious. There was a water fight; singing; noodle-eating; experiments in chucking things out windows; itinerary exchanges; kissing (my swedish roommates met some very nice polish gentlemen); card playing; reading; drinking; drinking; drinking. Anything to pass the time. We generally didn't sleep more than 7 hours a night. Strange, you'd think that sleeping would be the way to make the time pass, but it seemed difficult to sleep with so many awake and partying people around.

I read 4 books, yes that's not very many for me, i was too lethargic to be bothered by the last couple of days. The most interesting was Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov which I had never actually read. Very strange. Very very strange. I wrote in my journal; stared out the window; planned my itinerary in China (I'd left it for the train deliberately); chatted with new friends; got drunk once and abstained for the remainder of the journey; contemplated life; learned to shower in a tiny (filthy) toilet stall using only a water bottle; and banged my psyche against the walls. I had recurring fantasies about getting out at one of the stops and catching a flight to Beijing. I went so far as to look up flight info in my TranSiberian Railway Lonely Planet Guide. It was possible.

At the end of it all, I never want to see a train again - with the full knowledge that I will be riding the iron rooster throughout China; and I am so glad that I went. I met people that I'll never forget, and saw things that might not exist in another ten years. I fully expect that if I repeat this trip in ten years, it'll be a vastly different experience. The days of eating dried fruit, bread, and hard boiled eggs, drinking instant coffee made with the water from the samovar, were all worth it.

Here are some excerpts from my journal:

August 29th 4pm - "I just ran into a couple I'd met in St Petersburg. Small world. They showed me around their 1st class compartment. Nice. 2 bunks, an armchair, and a SHOWER en suite. There is wood paneling in the hallway, etched glass on their door. They have plush mattresses. I should have paid the extra." Note: my compartment had 4 bunks and that was it - no armchair and definitely no shower.

August 30th 2pm - "I am so hungover. I miss Greg."

August 31st 11am - "I washed my hair in the sink and gave myself a manicure. Much better. Unfortunately, the food situation is a bit dire. I have eggs and potatoes and bread in the restaurant car; fruit, bread and soy jerky in my berth. That's it. I'm going to be seriously unbalanced when I get to Beijing."

August 31st 1pm - "Beautiful wood houses with pool cue chalk-blue shutters and panes. There are trees everywhere. Birch and fir. Some are starting to change colors. There are meadows with tall grasses and bursts of wildflowers. Streams and ponds. Marshes with pussy willows...It's so gorgeous - the land. However, it's over 100 degrees and full of mosquitos in the summer and it's buried in snow in the winter. Beauty is something I'll travel to see. Comfort is what I look for in a home."

September 1st 4pm - "The Swedish ladies seem to have gone the non-bathing, no-wet wipe route. They're starting to smell a bit ripe. Make that rank."

September 2nd 12:35am - "I think that we just crossed into Mongolia. We spent 3 hours at Naushki on the Russian side of the border. Now, it's the Mongolian border patrol's turn to inspect our passports and look us over. I think that we're not supposed to go to sleep 'til after we get done... I'm sleepy. All of the excitement (excursions to the shop, exercising on the platform, missing Swedish roommate who'd been dragged into customs by the Russian military) wore me out! Now, I just want to sleep."

September 2nd 9am - "We're just outside Ulan Baatar. I'm checking out the new Mongolian dining car. Yummy breakfast. Bread with soft butter and jam, an omelette that's scrambled egg with onion, juice and coffee. Perfect. So much better than the Russian car." Note: each country had its own restaurant car. The Russian car was the worst, as well as being with us the longest. I had the choice of bread & butter, olives, eggs (fried in about 1/2 a cup of oil in a metal plate which was also the serving dish), potatoes (see description of eggs), and that's it. The Mongolian car was the best, but was quite expensive. Really expensive - not cheap backpacker expensive. He wanted $25 for a set lunch menu. The Chinese car was free and good for meat eaters, I just enjoyed the rice with soy sauce.

September 2nd 12:30pm - "Mongolia is lovely. Rolling grasslands with herds everywhere. The herders might be on horseback, motorcycle or car. I'm still excited to see the occasional ger (yurt). Maybe in a few hours I'll be bored, but so far, this is a nice section of the trip."

September 2nd 3pm - "We just stopped at a station. I bought 'Russian ice cream' from an adorable little girl. So cute! I also bought king chips (odd) and 'Number One Most Softness tissues'. I skipped the surfing baby Buddha chocolate crisps."

Septermber 2nd 3:30pm - (written in Mongolian dining car) "I ordered rice and made the mistake of asking if he had soy sauce. He said yes. He then brought back my rice covered in meat chunks and broth. I shrieked, NO! and repeated soy sauce. He brought the bowl back with the meat still on, just now with ketchup squirted on top. Finally, I got him to understand that I don't want meat and he brought me back plain rice. I had that and coleslaw for lunch. Oh, and the ice cream. I'm still hungry, but that wasn't too bad."

September 2nd 5pm - "We've hit the Gobi. Huge dust clouds. My hair has turned to straw and my hands feel mummified. Maybe I should've waited 'til tomorrow for my big shower."

September 2nd 8:42pm - "Approaching Chinese border."

September 2nd 9:30pm - "Still on the Mongolian side of the border. I really need to pee and am not allowed...I'll hold it 'til 10, then I'm demanding a toilet."

September 3rd 1:39pm - "We were held up at the Chinese side of the border for 4 hours."

September 3rd 2:24pm - "I think we're here!!!" Note: we had arrived in Beijing. I was off that train like a shot. No dilly-dallying saying goodbye. I'd gotten the emails I wanted earlier. Now was the time to flee that mobile prison!

To learn more about the trip, please see my Picasa web album, TransMongolian Adventure at: http://picasaweb.google.com/christine7world/TransMongolianAdventure