Frozen Exoticismįoreigners like Natalie and Dean Smart occupy the two lower berths in the compartment next to Boris’s. “Only foreigners attempt the entire route from Moscow to Vladivostok. He’d rather disconnect, think about time passing and reflect on his life. He sees speed and trains as incompatible. In his view, it’s nothing more than a vulgar bus on rails. He savours the gentle roll of the train and snubs his nose at the SAPSAN, the fast train that links Moscow to St. Like vodka, it naturally lubricates every conversation. Posted near the chainik, the large tea kettle, this travelling salesman with a distinct heavy metal look has a lot to say about the beverage, a key component of any Russian train trip. The Virtue of Slownessīoris Piaterikov is a regular. The provodnitsa, carriage attendants in navy uniforms, welcome passenger aboard at the entrance of each car. It’s the legendary Trans-Siberian, the pride of the Russian railway company. A metallic voice crackles through the loudspeakers: The “Rossiya” headed to Vladivostok will be departing from platform two in 20 minutes.
