Across Russia For Six

About ten minutes from Yarosalvksy station, pulling in to Moscow for the first time.  Yes, I’m very eager to see the place and begin to put it all together. I was up with the sun at 3:30AM, we’ve been passing through too many time zones.  And I decided to make my way through the entirely the Concise History of Russia which I assumed would take me a week or so.  Now, 450 pages later, my mind is swimming with the enormity of all that this place is.  

I’ve traveled across Russia for six days to get to the capital.  My mind is saturated with Russian references.  All the many things I’ve stuffed up into my noggin in preparation and all the many many things I’ve heard about this place since the time I was a child, all suggesting the enormity of this place. 

And the otherness is pungent.  But only so much so.  I will step out and use my Uber app and apparently be wisked away to the place to which I am heading.  There will be Wi-Fi and all necessary conveniences.  We’ll have to see what feels different and what feels simply contemporary.  And I’m saying “goodbye and good luck to many people I’ve shared a toilet and a hall way and a dining car with these passed six days.  Good bye.  Farewell.  This strange train environment is about to become memory. 

Here’s to exercise.  Here’s to a regular bed and a clean bathroom.  Here’s to a balanced diet and something other than beer to drink and borscht and beef Stroganov.  Looking forward stepping out into Moscow. 

Saturday 6/30/18