May 30, 2005 - From Mongolian to Siberia

Back on the train again for a two day trip to Siberia. it takes 10 hours to cross the border from check point to checkpoint, stoped most the time with the toilets locked!! ran out of vodka on the first night, stopped at station and asked our carriage assistant, payed the toliet assistant 100t to be sent to a stall. the vodka was beeing hidden under the train on the tracks and the deal had to be done out of view of the police. Black Market Vodka, pity you can't drink it.

May 27, 2005 - Overnight Train to Irkutsk, Russia

Kevin: This train was far less luxurious than the Chinese train to Mongolia, but at least we had the entire cabin to ourselves. The border crossing took hours--it started at 10pm and ended after 2am. Apparently the customs agents really inspect all the Mongolians and Russians coming up from Mongolia--we saw lots of denim being parcelled out amongst several different cabins (presumably to save customs duties). Ellen: Less nice for sure, but fine and private, so that was good. I really wanted to sleep but kept getting woken up by customs,...