Russia begins

We are currently on a train from Moscow to Yekateringberg (I'm writing this Old Skool, paper and pen). Although officially we are not on the "Trans-Siberian Express", it feels like we have really started the real trip now. This is a 24 hour leg on the train. We have met another couple from NZ and a girl from USA who are pretty much doing the same trip/tour as us. Having just had dinner in the restaurant car (expensive prices which the locals stay clear of) we started a card game only to disappointingly find that it was not allowed. So much for the literatcure which said that hte restaurant car was the hub of the train and a place where we can hang out! Unfortunately we are all in separate cabins that we are sharing with other people, so it will be difficult to be social this trip. Maybe the next leg which goes for 2-3 days will be different. We are in 4 berth cabins which are even smaller than i had expected. Still there's enough room to sit with a small table and then sleep. I am not sure that I really had expectations of what Russia would be like, but if I were to have had any I would say that the reality has been quite different...

to be continued...