DAY 3/MONDAY 14th DECEMBER 2009

Top picture is of the locals selling food and the bottom one is of my wagon
I awoke at 8 (Moscow time) but at 11 Omsk time. The Great Siberian way covers 7 different times zones, it was hard to get used to. The Trans-Sib also passes though 89 cities and towns and 16 big rivers: Volga, Ob, Enisey, Oka, Amur, and others. The construction of this project started on May 19th in 1891 and it was finished 5th of October 1916. The main route: St. Petersburg-Vladivostok was already created in 1903 but there were many temporary constructions, so for 13 more years, the permanent bridges, tunnels and stations were added. This great railway enabled Russia to develop Siberia and the pacific shore. It is still very important nowadays; the route is the shortest way between Europe and Asia, and Russia is making money by transporting goods from China and Japan to Europe. The railway also attract many tourist, like me, to spend a vacation with friends, family or in couples or just for the different life style you will have during the trip; time to think, to meet many people, or just to relax and live in harmony with the rhythm of the train. Aleksei joined me to eat, I shared with him some of my many Pirozhki (A meal resembling ravioli, it is dough filled with ground meat, fish, potato, or stewed prunes, one of my favorites. They can be boiled or baked.) An hour later, bored with reading my book and listening to my i-pod, I went around the wagons searching for people to talk with. I didn’t have to search long as the Russians were very friendly with any foreigners and were willing to answer any of my questions. A part from Russians, I met many Europeans on the trains and had long discussions with them about what cities they were going to visit, and what areas I should visit. I rarely went outside of the train, but at the previous stop, Yekaterinburg, I had gone out to buy some food and even with my big sweater and coat I was still very cold. The temperature was of -19 °C. I was full of excitement but also apprehension as to my stop at Novosibirsk. I was impatient to go and visit the city and surroundings but also worried to leave the train that had become my second home and be alone in the cold Russia. I still had Tuesday morning to spend here and I would be back in no time anyway. I fell asleep with an optimistic smile on my face.