Stranded in Port Baikal

22.10.06

We have come through half of Siberia and our longest continuous stretch of Trans-Siberian train journey. Three days on the great railroad was fun, but glad to be on 'dry land' again and have a proper shower etc!

The train was pretty basic, I would say the carriages dated from at least the 1970s if not earlier - dim lights, 4-berth cars in our section, a coal-fired Samovar for hot water and pretty basic toilet etc. Food in the restaurant car was decent but quite exxy and since we were in carriage 3 and the PECTOPAH was at about car 10, it was a long and arduous journey past many other people's beds, luggage, scents and lifestyles to get there. So we only ventured once. Plenty of food to be bought at stations from Babushkas, mostly pirovskis (savoury onion-cabbage-filled donuts) kartushkis (same but with potato) and enough Russian beer to make it bareable.

The only bad thing was really the scores of drunken Russian soldiers. All at the grand old age of 20, just completed their two years' compulsory military service and heading back home on the train from Vladivostok. Some were to be on there for 6-7 days, none could really speak English and most were quite disgustingly drunk while, unfortunately, we were a novelty... Ewh. Anyway, we dealt with it and the Provodisnas (conductresses) were very effective at kicking them out when they came to bother us, thankfully!

So we find ourselves at beautiful Lake Baikal. Although I've never been to Switzerland it reminds me of how I'd imagine the lakes around Geneva, surrounded by Alps/mountains and quite peaceful, but also obviously a fairly popular tourist spot.

Today we thought we'd try to catch the circumBaikal railway, so we caught the ferry accross to Port Baikal, where it leaves from, only to find the train was booked out and we couldn't get on. Not *that* upset as most of the other travellers were more drunk Russians, particularly of note a fat dude stinking of beer in a brown leather Ferrari jacket (stylish).

So we went back to the ferry and asked, in broken Russian and sign language, when it went back to Listvyanka - the town we're staying in. "We don't go back to Listviyanka". oh good. "But there is a ferry at 3.50. It was about 11.30am at the time and there is NOTHING to do in Port Baikal... no shops, no cafes, no nothing, just train tracks, stray dogs, a few goats and some locals charging around on their motorbikes. Plus we weren't even sure that ferry would definitely come. So we spent a few hours mooning around on the shores of the lake, mournfully staring across at our hotel separated by a mere body of icy cold water... but lo, the ferry did come, we got back and had an absolutely delicious Russian meal to reward ourselves for the stress.

So now, with the strength of Beef Siberia-style in my belly, I will sign off!