| After deciding to move to Siberia for a year | | | | firm conviction that I would never see Chita. |
| to teach at the Chita State Technical | | | | Instead, it was clear that I was in some type |
| University, I embarked on a travel odyssey | | | | of bizarre reality television series based on |
| unlike any other. In this entry, we pick up | | | | travelers being driven slowly insane. Amazing |
| the last stage of the seven-day trip to get | | | | Race? Give me a break. As with oh so many |
| there. | | | | things, I was wrong. |
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| Siberia As Seen From A Train | | | | The Seventh Day |
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| In preparing for my trip, I had actually done | | | | Brooms scratch. Particularly when handled by |
| some preparation. As a common man, I know | | | | the Russian woman in charge of our car. As I |
| most of you female readers will find this | | | | shot up out of my bunk, I realized she was |
| hard to believe, but I swear it was so. Yep, | | | | talking loudly and pointing more than a bit. |
| I had read up on books, rented movies and so | | | | The train was slowing down, but I couldn't |
| on. I was familiar with the tundra, the | | | | see much out the window because we were in |
| forest and the perma-frost of Siberia. And I | | | | trees and there was too much sun. Upon |
| was going to see it all during the three-day | | | | awaking Grae with a few whacks and a laugh, I |
| train ride across Siberia. Au Contraire! | | | | finally recognized her saying, "Chita". |
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| Apparently, the untamed wilds of Siberia are | | | | We had arrived. After three flights, one |
| a bit farther north than where the | | | | angry customs official, a few embarrassing |
| Trans-Siberian Railway runs. During our train | | | | moments, way too many crackers and seven |
| ride, we saw no forests, no mountains and | | | | total days of travel, we had indeed arrived. |
| pretty much nothing. It was like taking a | | | | At 5:30 in the morning. |
| really slow train ride across Kansas. There | | | | |
| just wasn't much of anything to see. I wish I | | | | Jumping out of bed, we each stuffed our |
| could tell you differently. | | | | belongings into our bags. Staggered out into |
| | | | the hall. Realized we both badly needed |
| End of the Road | | | | showers. |
| | | | |
| As I went to sleep on the evening of the | | | | And stepped off the train into Chita. |
| sixth day of the trip, I was developing a | | | | Siberia. Russia. |