Tanya, Pop and I left Abakan on the bus Monday night at 6:30 for a 400 km trip to Krasnoyarsk that was to take 8 hours according to the schedule. The fairly new Mercedes bus was off on sick leave so we made do with a fairly new 35 passenger Chinese bus. The seats were comfortable enough but the suspension creaked and groaned loudly and constantly. We made two pit stops at non-descript roadside cafes and I will never again complain about service station restrooms.
We arrived in Krasnoyarsk an hour ahead of schedule so by 2:00 am we were at the airport for our 9:00 am flight. The waiting area couches were almost all occupied but we found a place for Pop to lie down, in hopes that he would sleep. Like putting a four year old to sleep. Couldn't get him to shut up. Finally he sat up and Tanya slept for a while.
The 737-800 lifted off on time at 9:00 am and after a five hour flight, we arrived in Moscow at 10:00 am. Tanya was dead beat and so was I. Papa was all bright eyed and bushy tailed spry. That lasted until we had to drag him through the Metro. You don't realize how unfriendly it is to old people until you have to shepherd one along. By the time we got to our train station he was too tired to eat. I left him and Tanya on a leather couch in the restaurant and hope he laid down and slept before they threw them out.
It is 3:30 pm, our train leaves at 7:00 pm and I think we will sleep regardless of the bunks and temperatures either too hot or too cold. Two stops for immigration will be annoying but I hope nothing more than that. I got into Russia. The next trick is getting out.
Tanya is really very tired. As she said she has two "children" to look after. One old and one even older.
What an adventure!!!
ReplyDelete~AM
In my younger days I used to travel quit a bit by car. Most trips were 1000 miles plus. I recall after one long trip upon arrival I walked directly into a wall. And that was under far better conditions.
ReplyDeleteAre the bathrooms WORSE in Russia than the Ukraine??? Consider that country crossed off my list.
ReplyDeleteNon-descript roadside cafes totally reminds me of traveling by bus in SE Asia. After seeing (smelling) the state of the only European commode for hundreds of km, one opts for the squatties every time.
ReplyDelete"The next trick is getting out."
ReplyDeleteYes, quite. Do hope to hear from you again, if/when you make it home.
Poor old Pop. You and the other.
ReplyDeleteAM - I live for adventures.
ReplyDeleteDemeur - walking into a wall? Not a good sign. Were you driving the whole 1000 miles?
RTA and LynnieC - terrible toilets are universal. I prefer the great outdoors, given a choice between that and pure ammonia knee deep in muck.