A Trans-Siberian Diary: Day 1

After making our last blog entry and repacking our cases, we made our way to the railway station via the Moscow Metro, allowing ourselves plenty of time - the trains go once a week so we didn't want to miss it!

As soon as the platform was announced we made our way to the train and found our cabin.

Once inside we unloaded our bags and waited anxiously for our roommates, hoping we'd be able to share a confined space with them for a week. And waited and waited... until it was 9.35pm and the train pulled away. Either we've got the cabin to ourselves for the next week or we'll be joined at one of the later stops.

We bought a stash of food earlier in the day, ensuring we got a couple of bottles of vodka to get us through the trip. However, on drinking a toast to our first night, we realised it was of Finnish rather than Russian origin. Perhaps the label should have given it away...

Ah well, it only cost the equivalent of about £2.

By now it was pretty much time to turn in. The bunks proved to be unexpectedly hard and the night passed in fitful sleep as the train came to a shuddering halt at several stations.