The Siberian train. In true Russian spirit my place on the train was impersonally named number two carriage nine berth 19. A host of Russian soldiers flooded the platform. They looked so young and it was hard to believe they are putting their lives on the line for mother Russia. Within each compartment there were four berths arranged in a European style of couchettes with two sleeping on the upper berths and during the day the lower berths were converted into seats. We were issued with clean sheets and pillow covers to last the journey. Blankets were also available. During the day a lot of people slept as the countryside became boring and many dozed so sleep at night was to some extent compromised but the movement and background noise of the train appeared to have a soothing soporific effect and the time spent sleeping was much longer than usual although the quality was less good. It was as if my brain went into suspended animation.
My wife and I had many discussions as to whether she would accompany me. I am so glad we decided against it as she would have hated it. The whole aspect of what I eventually realized was a commuter train was like going back to student days with roughing it, not her style at all. At the end of the carriage was the modern-day samovar producing boiling water day and night. This was in essence a boiler with no fancy decorations. At the other end were the washrooms. Only two for 36 people. Although there was both hot and cold running water there was no shower facilities. I was concerned because my bowels get upset with the change in water from country to country. I took Dukoral to ward off E.Coli poisoning which I suffered many years before. It was most unpleasant with severe abdominal bloating diarrhea and gas. I might also have contracted giardiasis (GEE-ARD-DIE-ASIS) which again is a stomach bug. I must have picked it up on my travels. The result was I had to pass huge quantities of quite objectionable gas. The most embarrassing time was in my private practice mode dressed in a collar and tie with a pinstriped suit. In effect Harley Street garb. Patients asked why I had several windows open in my office when it was snowing outside. I made some excuse about overheating in the office and as soon as they left I stood in front of the window and expelled the offending accumulated gas before the next patient. Most embarrassing. After about a year of this with several treatments of Flagyl which was supposed to be a cure I came across a former trainee who was working in Kenya. She recognized the problem immediately as it was common where she worked. The medication she suggested could not be found in the UK at the time but was found somewhere in Europe and eventually I found peace. Having said all that apart from a few episodes on the train I had little trouble. Perhaps the best solution is not to eat very much.
The suburbs of Moscow are somewhat depressing with the remnants of Communism reflected by the concrete high rise hen coops housing Muscovites. My initial companions were two soldiers of about 30 years old who were almost totally bereft of any English. I began to learn that communication is 90% body language and the time passed peacefully. My five words of Russian did not really cut it. Without exception on the trip to Irkusk, which lasted five days, I was shown absolute respect friendliness and generosity. All my fellow travelers were keen to share their food which I subsequently learned is customary on railways but not on planes. My only expressions for days in the light of my Russian and the lack of English from my new friends was “spasibo niet” which I think means “thank you, no.” I was embarrassed as I had no food to share thinking I could buy some on the train. I could only trade with vodka but to my surprise this was refused every time. These army officers got off at Novograd and were replaced by a 40-year-old economist, an engineer in his 70s and a store manager in his 30s. The latter used his iPhone to translate to ask me questions. The most uncomfortable one was ”do I think Russia is too hostile?” My answer was as diplomatic as I could think of at the time. I suggested the both East and West put their propaganda to the fore and the truth lay somewhere in between. That quelled his curiosity and peace reigned for the rest of their journey apart from heroic snoring from the economist.
The carriage had a side corridor. At one end the inside and outside temperatures were displayed. Outside the temperature was reported from -5C in Moscow falling as we went North to almost -27C. However inside the carriage the temperature was maintained between 20C and 24C from a coal fire. I had not anticipated this and did not have the favored dress of T-shirt and shorts . Slippers would also have been useful. On this train in the washroom was a mat with open criss cross slats to avoid getting your feet wet from badly aimed male bladder excretions due to the movement of the train. I also bought a mug from the carriage attendant to drink tea. I never drink tea but in the absence of coffee, when in Rome…. What I would have given for a cup of strong black coffee. My itinerary stated I should be given a hot meal per day. When the meal was delivered I found it came on an airline tray with six small bits of chicken warm gravy more rice and a few carrots and beans. To call this a hot meal was underwhelming. On the third day I had new companions one being a middle-aged lady who accepted two meals from the food deliverer. One of the meals was claimed by a fellow traveler who was an Electronics expert and the other I assumed was hers. I asked her on 3 separate occasions it this was her meal and she appeared to answer in the affirmative. I then went to the attendant and deliverer and asked where my meal was. There was obvious confusion and I’m afraid to say I became a little agitated thinking I was going to be denied what I had paid for. Obviously the lack of language was acute so a translator was found in the next carriage who told me I would have to pay for another meal. Somewhat reluctantly I handed over the equivalent of nine dollars for this skimpy repast. Still the cuisine sat in front of this lady until she started producing food of her own and it transpired the meal was mine after all. Major diplomatic dustup narrowly avoided and my money was returned.
At the heavily industrialized Novosibirsk my new friends wished me luck and disembarked. I spied a small middle aged butter-ball lady on the platform. Knowing my luck she would come into my compartment. That was indeed the case although she had some difficulty because the door was not big enough. She brought with her a large polythene bag of rolls and pastries. However she turned out to be a delight despite the language problems. She even gave me her lunch when she realized I had none and refused payment.
Prior to coming on this trip I thought it would be appropriate to see if I could eventually read War and Peace by Tolstoy which I had struggled with during my student days. Perhaps the ambience of the country may make it alive. No such luck. My best endeavors lasted 4 days after which I got fed up reading about the nuances of so-called high society in Moscow in the 19th century. Subsequently I felt very humbled when I learned my son had read both Anna Karenina and War and Peace which he described as a soap opera. Perhaps I will try another time
The scenery was beginning to get somewhat boring as there were trees trees and more trees often birch and pine. These unserried ranks stood straight with their arms hardly bowed with the weight of snow. Siberia would not be the same without snow. Northern Canada shares the same type of vista. In passing the ghostly areas of stripped pines you almost expect a bear to appear or a group of Russian soldiers marching in knee deep snow and singing to blow off the stale fumes of last nights vodka. The scenery became flat and featureless and was only alleviated by a magnificent bright orange sunrise. I cannot imagine the thoughts, fears and hopes of those Jews being transported to the concentration camps in cattle trucks with communal toilet facilities among other dehumanizing treatments.
In all it took 5 days to get to our initial destination of Irkusk the capital of Siberia. The whole line was electrified so there was no reassuring classic interposing click and the ride was very smooth. There was no shower on the train so I solved that problem by not washing for the 5 days. I did not smell any worse than anyone else and no-one complained, mind you no-one could speak English which might have been the explanation. Sometimes ignorance or deafness have their compensations. Or it helps if your sense of smell is poor as is mine. No smelly feet either.
On the 4th day I was getting my 5th cup of tea for the day when I heard voice behind me ”Are you British?” My initial shock on hearing a British voice was like music to my ears. When I explained I was Canadian and British and asked how he knew, he replied.
“You are the only one in the carriage wearing a shirt, tucked in and a pen in your shirt pocket. You must be an academic “ This was my fellow traveler who I was supposed to meet in Irkusk but he got on the train before that. He turned out to be a Northern Irish 26-year-old laborer on his parents farm where he raised horses. He had visited 46 countries in his short life and his passport paid testament to that. I suspect he was funded by his mother. We chatted or rather he chatted a lot and I heard his life story within hours. Unfortunately this detracted from the experience of exposure to Russians. Five days is a long time on the train especially as trying to move into another carriage was somewhat dangerous because the linking space was covered with ice. My thoughts were to exercise as much patience as I could because there was nothing to do about the situation. We bypassed several abandoned warehouses with rather depressing small villages characterized by smoking chimneys and small lots. There were occasional cattle and stray dogs but very little else showing signs of life. Perhaps summer would see more animation.