RTW 19. Deer Hunter

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Friday, 21 May 2010

Siberia Transit, Russia

Apart from a number of platform stops, now on the train for two full days travelling across eastern Siberia to Vladivostok.

Have picked up a guitarist in Ulan Ude who is giving concerts a couple of times a day with a mix of local traditional music and something more contemporary. Ask if he knows The Deer Hunter theme tune (Cavatina). He doesn’t and asks if I have a recording of it. Which he records himself on his Dictaphone.

Later that evening he’s cracked it and plays the song that he’s learnt just by listening to the recording. Pretty awesome skill that.

Walk down the train at one platform stop and peer into the carriages of the native Trans Siberian Express. Looks grim in Third Class. Four to six bunks to a cabin plus bunks in the corridor. People hanging up food from the curtain rail. Newspapers blanking out windows. Bottles of beer and vodka strewn about the window cills. Cramped conditions. No thank you. I’ll stick with my ensuite cabin and fine dining.

Have loved the regular platform stops throughout the journey. Always women selling food and drink.

A little slice of life along the way.

One response to “RTW 19. Deer Hunter”

  1. Walt avatar
    Walt

    Looks a bit grim. Can you imagine BR allowing it’s passengers to wander about on the track, H&S would have a field day.