The Transmongolian - the train journey of all train journey

I sit here thinking, one week and I'm home! One week out of 18 (or is it more now, I lost count) months of being away. One week...so soon! I remember one month ago - one month and I'll be back, and all this to see in the meantime. Now China and the Transmongolian have been and gone - not in a blur of course but rather calmly, in sharp focus. All that amazing contrast and sights and experiences once alien are now swimming around my brain, jostling for a place in my memory bank, hoping they are not the ones who fall off the edge. So many stories, I just hope my dodgy memory will be able to keep up. Tanyaer said to me last night that I will have to be a great grandmother for all the stories I have collected on this trip. Ah well, Babuska-dom here I come. Maybe I'll collect a few more first though...

The train journey was everything I thought it would be. The last part of my trip, from the land crossing into China, I ceased to form expectations of what was to come, I only thought that I must enjoy and make the most of it. The end was in sight, my only responsibility was now to enjoy the filling! With expectation invariably comes disappointment or perhaps that mild confusion when the picture of that town in your mind does not resemble the picture of the town right in front of you. Did I come to the wrong town? you think. A blank canvas really helps!
I had the guide books, but towards the end they mostly lay inactive in my bag, weighing me down with countless information I didn't read and advice/opinions I didn't follow. Well, it was better! Better to take them exactly as they are, a Guide, than as the Bible that some seem to follow relentlessly.
For example, Bryn Thomas, your guide to the Transiberian may be perfectly suited to your and many peoples tastes but frankly it bored me and your map drawing skills are somewhat lacking (to put it nicely). However many many many people proclaimed this as the MOST excellent thing to have on the Transiberian train. Personally I would have preferred a chess set.

So no expectations and many surprises lay in wait. As I boarded my train from Irkutsk to Moscow I put the thought out there that maybe it was time I met some Russians on my train. 10 minutes later my wish was in its physical form - The Russian Army in my cabin. A General Alexis, his wife Tatyana, and a junior lieutenant. We communicated in my favorite non-lingual ways - gestures, the odd word, and pictures of places, friends, family. And of course with food!! Alexis knew some words of English - EAT and DRINK were among his favorite. I got seated in the place of honour in our tiny cabin (next to the food) and was encouraged/forced to eat eat eat and drink drink drink VODKA. And so goes my vodka experience on the Transiberian. The men got gradually worse for wear and started fighting in my honour (the Lieutenant was sitting on my bed, and suddenly the General deemed this inappropriate and throw him off across the cabin!). I promptly left and rallied the troops - the only other foreigner on the Russian carriage, Lo and we joined forces. One night in the Russian carriage was actually enough and we both moved up into the Chinese carriages where there were a few more foreigners, and made some friends to spend the remaining days with.

It was a magnificent experience of a train journey. Highly recommended.