We've just left Kiev on time, at 7.15 pm. We're due to arrive in Moscow at 9.01am tomorrow. This is our first experience of a night/sleeper train outside of Europe.
We're impressed with our comfortable train compartment - the door can be closed and locked from the inside if necessary. The beds in the top bunks ( which have been allocated to the 2 Russian girls thank goodness! ) are already made up with crisp white sheets and pillowcases and a blanket each. The bedding for the bottom bunks is up on a high shelf - they cannot be made up yet as the lower bunks double as seats during the day. There's a table, and apart from the bedlinen, a small towel each. There's no complimentary drinking water, as there was on the train from Wrocsaw to Lvov. Each train carriage has it's own "guard". It isn't long before ours pops her head into our compartment and asks if we'd like a cup of tea. The Russian girls decline but no prizes for guessing our answer!
The toilet is a bit smelly but fairly clean, and a bit more roomy than normal - you could get changed into your nightclothes in there if necessary. There's a little water available (definitely not for drinking though) if you pump the tap.
The girls have had a hectic time at an international conference on diabetes, held in Kiev, so they soon climb into their top bunks. I read on my kindle for a while. Reg and I don't get changed. We make up our lower bunks, and I take off my jeans and snuggle into my bunk at about 9.30pm.
Soon we are awoken by border officials. Reg and I have had to fill out immigration slips. These customs officials are the Ukrainian ones. making sure we leave Ukraine when we said we would.
We are all fast asleep at midnight when we hear all the compartment doors being flung open and the Russian border officials come in and check our passports. Then a very severe looking official comes in and speaks in Russian to the 2 girls, presumably asking them if they have anything to declare. He doesn't speak to us at all - presumably the train guard has told him we're English. I'm sitting up in bed and the official suddenly lifts up my pillow. My handbag is underneath but no illicit substances. The customs man makes a quick, sharp, exit.
It's Sunday morning and it's our 34th wedding anniversary! We should remember this one! We arrive in Moscow on time and are glad to be met by a taxi driver sent by the Godzilla Hostel. He's friendly and genuine and we like him immediately. His car is old and rusty, and small, but he packs in our luggage, with my large suitcase on the back seat, next to me. He makes an effort to talk to us in limited English. He likes the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Police and Sting.
The hostel is lovely - bright, clean and welcoming. The receptionist, Ryan, can't do enough for us. It's not yet 10.00 am, and we can't check in till 2, but we can take a shower if we want, and sit in the comfortable lounge. We're really tired, but the shower is bliss!
Ryan makes us a welcome cup of tea and I write this, in between chatting to the young people who come into the lounge at various intervals - a young woman from Perth, Australia, who was a teacher but is going to work as a truck driver in the mines near Perth when she's finished her travels - which will include a trip down through Africa, ending up in Capetown; a young Glasweigian who has his own taxi business; a young Frenchman who's worked in Vietnam; and a young woman from South Korea, who's an Art teacher but is taking 2 years out to travel the world (and is feeling the worse for wear after a great night out last night). Oh, the joys (and hangovers) of being young!
All had fascinating stories to tell. That's one of the best things about staying in hostels - the different people you meet.
Our room's ready and it's lovely. We both need a sleep before we venture out into the streets of Moscow.
In the evening we take a short stroll, Reg buys a Russian simcard for his phone, and Elaine texts us to wish us Happy Anniversary. We eat our anniversary meal in a self-service restaurant, and return to our hostel to relax.
The treasures of Moscow's sights and sounds will open up to us tomorrow when we've (hopefully) had a refreshing night's sleep. In all hostels we've booked our own double room; this one seems to have a really comfortable bed - not two singles pushed together, and not a lumpy converted put-u-up - and it actually has a double quilt instead of two singles! Yey! It's amazing how the little things mean so much!!
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