Day Twelve - Jun 7, 2013

Trans-Mongolian Train

High Point: Having your rainy day retreat be a room on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Low Point: It was a difficult outdoor photo day

Miles By Train: 1059

Today's Antiquities: The samovar, we love this thing

Today's Weather: Rainy, rainy, rainy. Lifted to simply overcast in the afternoon

Tonight's Lodging: Trans-Mongolian Train 4, Car 9, Compartment V, Beds 9 & 10

Travel Tip: When it rains, the car attendant locks the windows to keep passengers from opening them for photos and getting everything wet

Daily Didactic

When we woke up this morning it was threatening rain outside in Siberia. Shortly after that it delivered. From midmorning until late afternoon it looked pretty cold and wet outside the windows. The flip side, of course, is that it was pretty great to hole up for the day in a small room rolling across Russia. We sketched, logged our travel, read, drank warm things (thanks to the Samovar), chatted with some of our new Trans-Siberian railway friends, and Theresa conducted a little train wide on a photo safari. It was a very pleasant and relaxing day. Our only concern is that we are running low on rubles. We are not at risk of going hungry, we've got US dollars. It's just nice to have rubles and not have to deal with the random exchange rate. The trick here is simply finding a train stop with a Bank-O-Mat. Don't call them ATMs, no one knows what you are talking about. Brian thought he had a one in grasp at our last stop of the day, but an already short twelve minute stop had the whistle blow at about five. Our pantry is still stocked with noodles and tea, we'll try it again in the morning.