Babushka

Day 14: Krasnoyarsk (RUS) – Irkutsk (RUS). “Checkmate!”, I exclaimed excitedly. Karen seemed less impressed than me at my chess victory. But it felt important to me. So far Karen had thrashed me at every game of Gin Rummy, Scrabble and also got the better of me at Fives and Threes (although we later discovered our domino set was missing three or four tiles and consequently I declared this result to be null and void!).

Prior to embarking on our trip, I did wonder whether I would find these long train journeys quite tedious, but the reality was very different: They were actually great fun. We would occupy our time playing games, reading, talking (loose term!) to our Russian travellers and watching the amazing, captivating scenery pass by our carriage window.

Every couple of hours of so the train would pull into a station to take on more supplies and clear the accumulated ice and snow from the bogies. This presented a good opportunity for Karen and me to stretch our legs and get a little fresh air. Our excursions however, clearly made Maryna nervous as she regarded us to be a bit 'out of control' and so we never ventured too far from the train.

These stop-overs were also the opportunity for the local 'babushkas' to peddle their wares on the platforms (and even on the train if they could get past Maryna!). No matter how rural the station or how cold the night, the variety of goods for sale never failed to impress. Bread, fruit, cigarettes, hats, jewellery & souvenirs. It was all there. “That looks appetising”, Karen joked as she gestured towards one old lady whose contribution to this mini-bazaar was a solitary fish that she waived in the air optimistically at any prospective buyer. We don't know how long she had it or where she got it from (we were 3,000 miles from the sea and all the locals lakes and rivers were frozen) but she was determined to sell it.

On this occasion Karen and I declined her kind offer.

Day 14: Total Mileage to Date: 5,723: Number of Time Zones Crossed: 9; Number of Countries Visited: 6; Number of Transport Modes Used: 10, Maximum Temperature Encountered: +8C, Minimum Temperature Encountered: -23C.