Vladivostok Here We Come

Sunday 30 July

We made breakfast by 7.00 a.m. as requested and a harpist played Lloyd Webber and music from other British musicals to accompany our meal. It felt like being back in the 1920’s/30’s, we just needed the cigarette holders and the fringed dresses to act the part – anyone for the charleston!

We took an early visit to the Kremlin which means “Fort” and it is like a small town in a walled enclosure - and the walls happen to be red here (red means ‘beautiful’ in Russian). There are cathedrals, churches, palaces and residential quarters all in the Kremlin – likea small town without shops. We had a tour of yet another “Treasury” displaying all the gifts received by the Russian rulers since time began – well the 14th century anyway. We saw the dresses, robes and thrones used at the coronations of most of the Tsars from Ivan the Terrible to Nicholas II - the one whose whole family was murdered (1680s to 1918) well as many carriages ordered from Britain and Europe (the oldest one was British and had no springs and the windows were open to the elements!). When we left the Kremlin there were alarming queues trying to get in.

We had a quick reccy of the city of Moscow, which is quite flat, except for one hill where the ski jump for the 1980 Olympics protrudes from the top at a quite frightening angle downwards. It is still used today and seeing it close up makes you realize you probably down want to take part in this sport – well done Eddie the Eagle.

We eventually arrived at Moscow Central Station to join the train! - 18 carriages in all plus engine and generator. Sure enough our names are on Cabin 5 in Carriage 17 – Gold Class. We have plush furnishings, lots of mahogany and a shower room bigger than mine at home! Can this be right? – no other Mr and Mrs Harris has arrived to claim it so far. I am not sure how, but we are here trundling through Russia towards Siberia, like royalty. Any clues?!?!?

Guess what – we’ve had another Lunch (yet again a delicious four course meal) accompanied by a very good Shiraz (appears to be train plonk – but is very good – white wine was Mouton Cadet). This train is quite smooth running – unlike the Berlin to St Petersburg train, but then again it is not traveling at the same sort of speeds. We’ve unpacked and managed to stow our belongings in weeny cubbyholes and small wardrobe around the compartment (notice, it’s not a “cell” now – we’ve moved up market!!) and we are just relaxing before finding the bar area. Only a couple of hours to go till Dinner!

WEATHER REPORT: When we arrived at Moscow yesterday it was a measly 10 degrees C and overcast – it felt very cold – not the summer sunshine we had been expecting. But today has been blue skies and warm sunshine until an hour or so ago (its about 17.30 our time), and now it has has clouded over and rain is forecast for tomorrow.

COLIN HAS NO COMMENTS TO ADD AT PRESENT!!

We have now had a chance to see and speak to some of the other passengers on the train. Thank goodness for Millie and Jim – although they are now right at the other end of the train to us – Carriage 3 - and it takes a good five minutes to walk to their compartment.

About half of the party is English speaking - quite a few Americans, some Irish and lots of English and a few Australians. There are numerous other nationalities, but we don’t see much of them. A few men have left their wives – at home I think – but I am not sure when listening to them – and one lady is on her own. Most people are in their 60’s and 70’s (we aren’t yet) and mainly retired – a lot of the women seem to be ex-teachers and the men ex-executives (is that another name for sitting at a desk all day?). No doubt we will find out more as the trip goes on.

Another early start tomorrow – 07.00 for breakfast and 08.00 off to Kazan and the River Volga. This train journey alone is 9288 kilometres or almost 6000 miles. I must work out how far we have traveled so far and how far we expect to travel by next April – I could almost take a sweepstake on it. But now it’s back to getting used to sleeping whilst the train rocks a little and clanks a lot.