We stop at Taiga station for three minutes.
The dining car is, of course, my preferred spot on the train. In reality, I don’t even manage to open the book, let alone read it, for I am content looking out of the train window and seeing the world go by. I begin my journey arm in arm with Doctor Zhivago, believing that I will read it cover to cover during my days on the train. There are Soviet-era buildings, most likely remnants of factories and depots. We see small villages, little streams and few houses as the population remains sparse in Siberia. As the train leaves behind the city lights and enters rural Russia, the scene changes dramatically. This is going to be our living quarters for the next few days. There are reading lights and a huge window. For the rest of my life! The cushioned seats have bright green upholstery and clean, crisp sheets. But onboard the Trans-Siberian, there is a huge smile on my face at the thought of being able to boast about this. Life in most modern cities makes you forget what excitement is. In total contrast is the long Siberian odyssey in the second-class compartment of the legendary Trans-Siberian train, a journey that is set to take us across Russia and Mongolia. Here, we hire a boat to traverse the canals the way Peter the Great did, see the awe-inspiring Hermitage Museum, admire ornate Fabergé eggs, and people-watch on the bustling avenue of Nevsky Prospect.
After a few days spent gazing at the iconic sites of Moscow, watching the Bolshoi Ballet perform Swan Lake, and marvelling at the luxe chandeliered Metro, it’s time to board the high-speed Sapsan to St Petersburg.
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