Russia 25 Leaving Moscow by train

July 22-23, 2008
All too soon our visit with Igor and Olga came to an end. We left with the feeling of being well fed, well sped and well read: Well fed on French, Italian and Russian cusine, well sped through Moscow, Noginsk, Chernogolovka and all points between, and well read on American music, American politics and Russian etiquette.


Igor and Olga broght us to the train station in Moscow and waited with us late in the night. we learned about the train board: where to find the platform number and track number. Olga and Igor made sure we got on the train safely, thank goodness. Kathy showed the wagon lady, each car is called a wagon and has a stewardess that takes care of the passengers, her ticket and passport. she then boarded the wagon followed by Olga and Igor while Will showed his ticket to the wagon lady. Inside we found our compartment, a little room with four bunks: two on the bottom and two on the top. The couple in the compartment had the bottom bunks. They looked at Kathy and spoke to Olga. Will had not yet arrived. Olga went to see where he was and had to show the wagon lady who was shaking her head no to Will, where passport number versis the visa numbers were. She had to explain that he was the owner of the tickets. After much back and forth he was permitted on board. Introductions were made. Our compartment mates were from Siberia traveling from St. Petersburg home after a wedding. The father traded compartments with his daughter so that Kathy might have the bottom bunk.
One of the things about leaving at midnight is that it is very easy to loose a day. We had some how thought we were making the land speed record from Moscow to Ekaterinburg in just 8 hours. Olga had to laugh as she informed us we would be on the train two nights! We waved good bye and we were off to ...... And so ended the first chapter of our Russian trip 2008

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