Georgi Hristev: Irkutsk to Vladivostok

Part four. Reading time: 7 minutes.

For the second half on my Trans-Siberian journey in Irkutsk, I boarded a train coming from Novosibirsk.
It wasn't as nice as the first train I used but I was hoping it will get me there eventually.
For quite a long time we traveled along the lake Baikal so the scenery was very picturesque.

As we were moving, the villages didn't look anything impressive but the landscape remained beautiful.
It changed from vast fields of gold to endless birch tree forests.

Along the railway there are signs showing the distance to Moscow but I was struggling to capture one on the move with my camera. Finally, we stopped at Shilka station
and I took a picture of the sign-6444km. Now,that's a big country! Still, a lot more to go.

6444 km away from Moscow

I was sharing the 'kupe' with another lady Natasha from Krasnodar.We were trying to have some conversation but my Russian was soo poor and I was struggling to explain myself. She offered me some 'pirojki' and blinii-pancakes. Sharing food on the train is quite common in Russia, so make sure to have more to give something back.

Alcohol is prohibited on the train,so if you buy any, you have to hide it from the provodnik/tsa and sip when they are out of sight. You can always drink in the Restaurant car.

Bathroom-the taps on the basin are operated by pushing up the little lever located under the tap outlet.I think it's to prevent water waste in case someone forgets to turn off the water on the train. If you forget to buy food, they normally sell on the platforms or you can buy some instant meals from the Provodnik.

Every car has got a timetable with all the stops and waiting time . After kilometer 7000 is where the landscape becomes flat and border with Far Eastern territories.

Apart from Natasha at some point on the second night on the train got a young lad who was in his early 20s.

I didn't like him from the beginning, he looked stupid. On the next day, he started drinking in the morning. By 2pm he was so drunk he came and started talking to me something in broken English and Russian. I couldn't understand exactly but it was something like: "I want to kill you " or "Do you want me to kill you?"

I got a bit nervous and angry at the same time. I had just taken a nap and told him I was going back to bed. I didn't want to interfere as he was so drunk he probably didn't know what he was talking. He laid down on his bed which was below mine and passed out.After 2 hours he pissed himself completely in his bed. It was a total disgrace.When Natasha saw him she went to tell the Provodntza, an elderly seriously looking lady .She got really angry,came in, woke him up and made him change all the bedding and himself.Luckily he had to get off that same night at 2pm around Khabarovsk,so I was glad that he left.

On the next day at 2 pm we arrived at Vladivostok train station.

The final destination for my train:)

I arrived with mixed feelings .I was happy that I completed it since it was a bit tiring but at the same
I really enjoyed looking through the window along the way and knowing that we are somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Syberia. Looking at all that wilderness was a beautiful and magical experience.

When we arrived in Vladivostok Natasha had to meet her friend Viktoria.
Viktoria is a beautiful 24 years old girl .They tried to help me find a hostel but after a quick search I decided to let them go and continue searching on my own.We swapped phones and decided to meet on the next day.

I found a hostel called Rus which was quite small and had some interesting rules but I met some nice people there and later on I happened to be with them on the ferry to South Korea.Vladivostok is really nice and quite a big city so plan a few days to spend there if you want to see it properly.

The train station in Vladivostok

View from the hostel

Vika on the pier

Vladivostok center

There is a viewing point Орлиное Гнездо ,Eagle's nest and a light house which I saw only from the ferry.

On the next day me,Natasha and Viktoria met.Me and Viktoria met earlier and had a little walk around the center.We went to the museum Приморский Музей Имени В.К.Арсеньева where we saw a Faberge Trans-Siberian egg and a golden train also given as a present for the completion of the railway.Don't miss to see that.Later on in the evening we went to see Russian Island which turned out to be so nice.

Vika and natasha on Ruski Island

On the next day me and Viktoria met again.I bought some post cards and went to collect my ferry ticket that I bought the previous day .I posted the cards and went to board the ferry to Donghae.

I happened to be with Aleksey and Alexander on the ferry .I met them in the hostel and once again on the ferry.Two extremely nice guys from Abakan.They said Abakan is where the real Siberia is and I should go visit.That was their first travel abroad and first time seeing the ocean as they live very much inland Russia.

Aleksei was a native Siberian from the Хакаси /Khakas people living in that area of Russia.

They were in their 30's and maybe one of nicest people I met on my whole trip in Russia.

In general the journey was very good and I am glad that I did it.It was an experience .I probably wouldn't do it again or if i do I would go for first class or try 3rd class for a short section.I would stop to visit more cities ,small towns and villages etc.It's worth doing it at least once in a lifetime.

As the train was moving relatively slow the entire time,maybe the biggest lesson I learned is that if you are

patient,persistent and positive you can go a long way.

About 2 pm the ferry left Vladivostok.Next day we were to arrive in South Korea.

I wasn't sure what to expect but as it turned out later on the country just blew my mind...