seventh...bye bye moscow

3.10.07.
9.30AM...OUTA BED...SHOWER/COFFEE.
10.15AM...STARTED PACKING...WANT TO DO IT FAST...GET SORTED...NEEDA ANOTHER CUPPA COFFEE...CANT FIND SLEEPING BAG COVER...EVERYTHING GOTTA COME OUT AGAIN...NU HAD IT!...START AGAIN...NOTHING GOES BACK THE WAY IT WAS.
11.05AM...PACKED AT LAST...IN A FASHION...HAD ENOUGH.
12.30PM...HEAD FOR SUPERMARKET...BREAD,CHEESE,LOO ROLL,SHAMPOO,VODDY,JAM,WATER,COKE,ENERGY DRINK,DOUGHNUTS AND CRISPS...THINK I AM GETTING A COLD.
2.00PM...BACK AT HOVEL.
3.00PM...SAID OUR FAREWELLS...HEAD FOR TRAIN STATION...TRAIN DOES NOT GO TILL 9.30PM,BUT IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE US 3 HOURS...EASY TO GET LOST...MOSCOW METRO IS A RIDDLE.
4.15PM...MADE IT...TRAIN NOW LEAVES AT 8.50PM,HAVING JUST HAD A ANIMATED CONVERSATION WITH AN OLD LADY ON THE INFO DESK.
5.OOPM...HAVING BEER...BACK ACHE...NEED A HAIR CUT...WILL THAT HELP MY BACK PAIN?
7.45pm...HEAD BACK TO RAILWAY STATION.
8.10PM...AT THE PLATFORM WE WERE TOLD OUR TRAIN WOULD BE LEAVING FROM...BOUGHT A CHICKEN WRAP...FULL OF SPICEY STUFF...YUMMY!
8.50pm...NO TRAIN!...HAD A LOOK ROUND...WE WERE NOT ON THE RIGHT PLATFORM.
9.00PM...FOUND PLATFORM REQUIRED...TRAIN JUST APPROACHING.
9.10PM...BLOATED FACED BUXOM MONGOLIAN WOMAN STUDIES OUR TICKETS FOR ABOUT 10 MINS.
9.20PM...LETS US ON...SHOWS US TO WRONG BERTH...CHECKS TICKETS AGAIN...SHE IS NOT SURE...SMILES AND THEN WINKS AT ME...EVENTUALLY MOVED TO ANOTHER BERTH AND EVERYTHING OK.
9.35PM...OFF WE GO!...COMPARTMENT SMALL BUT ADEQUATE...HAD A SPREAD CHEESE SANDWICH AND A VODDY.
10.15PM...HEAD DOWN.
10.50PM...CANT SLEEP...HAD SOME CRISPS AND ANOTHER VODDY.
11.30PM...TRY AGAIN...LAY ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE I FELL ASLEEP.


4.10.07.
8.00AM...WOKE UP...NOSE BUNGED UP...COLD KICKING IN...FEEL WEAK.
9.00AM...WALK LENGTH OF TRAIN.
9.30AM...SITTING WITH 'BALD THE MONGOLIAN',DRINKING BEER.HE OFFERED,I DIDNT WANNA OFFEND...HE IS VERY FRIENDLY...NOT BALD AT ALL...HE MAKES HANDBAGS IN MONGOLIA TO SELL IN RUSSIA...JOINED BY DOUWE,A MONGO/CHINESE MAN...ALSO ROB,A DUTCHMAN JOINS US...DOUWE SPEAK GERMAN AND ROB SPEAK GERMAN AND ENGLISH...SO WE MAKE GOOD CONVERSATION...A BIT DRAWN OUT MIND...BUT INTERESTING.
11.40AM...BACK IN MY COMPARTMENT...IT WAS REALLY TO EARLY TO DRINK BEER...MY HEAD A LITTLE CRAZY...WE CAN HAVE MEAT SOUP IF WE WANT...VERY NICE MONGOLIAN LADY IS SELLING A BOWL OR TWO...NU RELAXING.
2.00PM...SLEPT OFF MY 3 BEER BREAKFAST...HAVING POTATO SOUP...HAD A VODDY...TRYING TO QUELL THIS COLD...WATCHING THE WORLD GO BY FROM OUR BERTH...TREES...LONELY WOODEN HOUSES...FIELD UPON FIELD...VAST EMPTY SPACES...WARM WEATHER...JUST LAZING IN CARRIAGE.
5.00PM...TRAIN STOPPED...BOUGHT A TWIX...ITS GETTING EXCITING!
6.00pm...DRINKING AND GASSING WITH SOME FORIEGNERS...THE PLACE IS FULL OF THEM,
7.15PM...HAVING A VODDY WITH NU...FEEL TIRED.


VIEW OF MOSCOW.
THE GIRLS TRY TO LOOK ATTRACTIVE.BUT LOOK AS IF THEY SHOULD BE STANDING ON STREET CORNERS...THEY LOVE FANCY SHOES...THE MEN LOOK SLEAZY...MAYBE WE DID NOT GET A GOOD LOOK AT MOSCOW BECAUSE WE GOT LOST TO MANY TIMES...MAYBE IT AS MORE TO OFFER...THE STREET WE STAYED ON WAS FULL OF STREET SELLERS AND MUSICIANS.BUT ALSO MANY BEGGARS...THE SUN SHONE...THE FOOD WAS OK...MAYBE WORTH ANOTHER LOOK...IF ONLY THEY COULD GET THERE ALPHABET SORTED...ACCOMADATION WAS POOR...SAY NO MORE...RUSSIAN CHEESE...TASTELESS...RUSSIANS ARE LIKE ITALIANS...CANT COOK AND NO DRESS SENSE.

5.10.07.
8.30AM...DREADFUL NIGHT...HARDLY SLEPT...NOSE WELL BUNGED...PUT HANKIES IN SOAK...RELYING ON LOO ROLL.
10.OOAM...KEPT OUYA BALDS WAY...DID NOT FANCY ANOTHER BEER BREAKFAST!WE STOP OFF AT ANOTHER STATION AND MANY MONGS GET OFF TO SELL THERE WARES...RANGING FROM JEANS,LEATHER JACKETS,WOOLIES,TIGHTS,SOAPS...ITS ONE CHAOTIC MASS OF HUMMING PEOPLE...BUT THEY ARE MAKING A LIVING.
11.00AM...MEAT BALLS IN A SUET CASING...VERY TASTY...NOT SURE WHAT MEAT.
11.30AM...DONE WASHING UP...GOD WAS THERE GREASE ON THOSE BALLS!
12.20PM...STOPPED AT STATION...ENQUIRE ABOUT VODDY...WE ARE RUNNING SHORT...NU GETTING SHAKES...NO LUCK...BOUGHT BEER INSTEAD.
2.30PM...THE TRAIN SEMS TO BE GOING SLOW...A LITTLE BORED...HAD SOUP AND BREAD...VERY SALTY...THE SUNS GONE IN...IT LOOKS BLEAK.
4.10PM...ITS GETTING COLD...FINISHING OF VODDY...I CANT GET MY HAT ON...BELIEVE IT OR NOT...THEY DONT SELL VODDY AT TRAIN STATIONS!...THIS IS RUSSIA MAN...WHATS GOING ON?!
7.30PM...WAITIG FOR NEXT STATION...GETTING LOW ON FOOD.
9.00PM...GOT LUCKY...GOT VODDY!...PASSED TO ME KINDA SECRETIVELY FROM BEHIND COUNTER...HAD TO HIDE IT UNDERNEATH MY COAT...CLOCK GONE ON BY 2HOURS...SO NOW ITS 11.00PM.

6.10.07.
10.00AM...STILL GROGGIE...BUT COLD RECEDING...NEED A SHAVE BADLY...2 CUPS OF COFFEE AND 2 BISCUITS...SUPPLIES SHORT...LAST STOP HAD NO BREAD.
12.25PM...FOUND OUT WE GOTTA ADD ON ANOTHER HOUR...NOW 6 HOURS AHEAD OF ENGLAND.
1.00PM...SCRUB UP AND SHAVE...PATCHES OF SNOW...LOVELY SCENERY...SUN SHINING...BUT AIR COLD.
2.00PM...VODDY AND GAME OF CARDS.
2.50PM...NU WON BEST OF 3...BIT OF SKULLDUGGERY MIND!...SURROUNDING THE 2 OF DIAMONDS...WHICH SHE SLIPPED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PACK HAVING APPARENTLY PICKED UP 2 CARDS ACCIDENTLY!?
4.00PM...TRAIN STOPPED...GOT BREAD AND CRISPS...GETTING SHORT ON ROUBLES.
6.30PM...FEELING FAT...WONDERFUL FRESH BREAD ROLLS.
8.45PM...TRAIN STOPPED...BOUGHT WHAT I THOUGHT WERE JAM DOUGHNUTS...ACTUALLY FILLED WITH MUTTON...NICE THOUGH...GETTING COLDER...-3.

7.10.07.
6.30AM...WOLE UP TO SE THE SUN RISE OF LAKE BAKIEL...COFFEE AND WASH...A BIT OF A SLEEPLESS NIGHT.
10.00AM...TRAIN STATION...LAST FEW ROUBLES TO SPEND...3 CANS OF BEER AND BAR OF CHOCOLATE...BORDER NEXT STOP...READ MOST OF THE DAY.
5.00PM...RUSSIAN BORDER...SERIOUS FACED CHAPS...PASSPORTS TAKEN.
9.00PM...STILL ON RUSSIAN BORDER...WAITING RETURN OF PASSPORTS.
9.15PM...MANAGED TO GET HOT WATER...HAVING POT NOODLE.
9.50PM...PASSPORTS RETURNED...NEXT STOP MONGOLIAN BORDER...YAWN.
10.25PM...ARRIVED AT MONGO BORDER...YAWN.
11.10PM...STERN FACES APPEAR...BUT SEEM A BIT MORE FRIENDLY...HAD LAST BEER...COULD DO WITH A WHISKEY...WELL TIRED.
MIDNIGHT...EVERYTHING OK WITH THE MONGO BORDER FOLK AND OFF WE GO!


DECOMPRESS HOLD BUTTON.

BYE FOR NOWZ.