Kungur here I come - 17th July

Left Moscow on 16th from Kazansky station - talk about a nightmare. I had had the squits for a few days but of course the worst bout arrived whilst in transit to the station. When I finally get to the toilet in the station, it's one of those squat toilets, and there was no toilet paper (of course I'd had to pay 100 rubules to even enter the toilet). It was so rank, and I couldn't fit in the cubicle with my bag..... ugg, lucky for me I had my wet wipes (Simon chastised me before I left for taking them! more fool him!). Got to the train and again I'm with 2 Russian women who do not speak English (1 space left empty), so I was dreading the journey. By the way Mark, if you're reading, I have not met any foreigners on the trains - I'm not sure who you were talking to while inter railing but either they're hiding or that person was lying.

We left Moscow and I went to sleep, (some bloody Americans were up until 8am drinking in the hostel the night before). We arrive at the first stop and a guy comes into our carriage, speaking Russian. He's having the spare bed. I sit there and wish quietly to myself with all my heart that the guy speaks English. I am on the top bunk, and so is he so I help him with his bag. He speaks in Russian, I say "I do not speak Russian, English?". He says something in Russian, really disppointed I go back to reading my book not looking forward to the 24 hours ahead. About an hour later, he blurts out "where are you from?" in broken English, and so it began. His name was Alexei, he is a lawyer at the Vodka plant in Chelyabinsk. He was born at a city in the South Ural which used to be a secret city, as it had a massive nuclear plant during the cold war. It is closed now. He also used to work for the KGB - which was quite exciting. He was the nicest man I could have hoped to have met. We couldn't really communicate very well but we got by. He kept phoning a friend to get the right English, and invited me for a beer in the dining carriage (he told me the Russian toast is "Behind you!" whatever the fork that means..... a hangover from the cold war and the KGB? "Look out someone is about to stab you in the back as you drink vodka!"?). You know it's incredible how all Russians change from being intimidating (especially the guy with USSR tattoed on his knuckles) to welcoming and friendly once you're with a Russian (we knew that with Mikhail but I'm still surprised". I spoke to loads of people and they were all incredibly interested in me and my travels. There were no other English people on the train, I was like the freak in the freak show. Alexei bought us beer and whilst we chatted people came up and offered us food - the best was smoked fish from Baikal, the worst the tongue which had not been peeled - yuk! (I smiled and nodded). When I tried to pay, he kept telling me " you are guest of Rrrrussia". My opinion of Russians has entirely changed, I just wish I could speak more of it. The next day the two old ladies left and a new younger girl came in to the cabin. She spoke really good English and we had a great time all chatting with her as a translator.... they were so wonderful. I only wish I could have offered them something in exchange for their unlimited kindness.

In the hostels the limited people I have spoken to doing the trans-siberian all seem to be doing it as part of a tour (The Vodka Train is one of them - I could think of nothing worst). I've actually realised even though I get scared on my own and lonely sometimes, it's undoubtly the best way to do this trip because if I had been in a group I would never have spoken to Alexei or Natasha, and what a tradgedy that would have been.

So I arrived in Kungur on 17th, waving bye bye to Alexei and Natasha, and again I was on my own. However, I heard someone speaking Engligh and so immediately went up to them and asked them where Stalagmit was? He smiled and in very broken English, said he had just come from there, and thought for one moment and asked me whether he could give me a lift? My London side recoiled but I couldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and the thought of saying no, lugging my bag to the bus station, asking the bus driver for a ticket, was all too much and so I said yes. It was fine, he was lovely and I got to the infamous Stalagmit Tourist Complex. It's a proper shit hole. No one speaks English or even a hint of English, I spent 30 minutes at Reception trying to tell the woman what I did for a living - Scientist and government elicited laughing from all around me, I have no idea why, maybe Mike can enlighten me when I get back. Nice people though.

 The fabled Stalagmit Tourist Complex - it looks just as shit as in the advert doesn't it?

However, it is difficult here and I feel very lonely. Having been with Alexei and Natasha, and now being back on my own proper with no phone, no internet, no communication skills I feel a bit down. I also once again am without proper food. And I have really bad guts, so spent the afternoon laying on the bed in a room which was probably last decorated in 1950. There is a fridge and TV - so I have cold water and Russian telly. I watched Shanghai Noon in Russian and some other odd film with Richard Gere. I am a bit of a channel surfer so was watching two films at once but between them there was a full on porno Russian-styleee. And they say the youth of today are not affected by what is on TV! Ha what do they know? There are about 30 beer adverts in each break. I decided my favourite beer here is "Baltiker 7" - the series runs from 1-9 - 9 being the one with Vodka included in it! Horr-i-ble. I also watched the news where I saw a story about something (I dunno it was in Russian) but it was about a man who was being celebrated and there was a video of him accepting an award with a child in his arms, who he then offered the cigarette he was smoking to - can you imagine the outcry there would be if that was on UK TV? I then went for a walk and saw the entrance to the Ice Cave, and that cheered me up a bit! So will do that tomorrow, lets hope its worth it.

Before I left London, Simon gave me a letter to only be used in an emergency. Well, I caved today and opened it (and proceeded to weep like a baby). Thanks to everyone for reading the blog and especially to those who have left comments/emailed me, keeps me cheered and makes me feel a bit closer to home.
Sorry for the low key post, will try and pick things up again for the next one.