Moments I'll remember forever... (that I'm sure only I can relate to... you had to be there!)
September 14th, 2005 (21:35):
After having left my friends at the airport... waiting to board the plane... wearing new clothes I had bought with my best-friend, Demi, the same day... I felt better than ever. My heart pounded with excitement, fear, nervousness... but I knew, deep-down, all would fade away from the first instance I'd see Sion, whom I hadn't seen for two months.
September 14th, 2005 (11:30):
I exit baggage claim to find Sion sitting on the Berlin airport floor waiting for me with yellow flowers. When hugging him, everything around me started swirling in circles.. so intensely I felt I'd just taken all the ecstasy pills in the world. I've never felt such bliss in my life.
September 15th, 2005 (3:00):
After sitting in the airport cafe for a few hours, we took the bus from Schonefeld Airport to Charlottenberg, where the hotel we were staying at for the next 5 days was situated.
September 16th, 2005- September 19th:
These days were all about seeing one another and Berlin as much as we possible could... as the photos will tell you ~ all was simply unforgettable.
September 19th (13:00):
I board the Warsawa Express train with more fear than I can describe. I shared a carriage with two Polish women, both who spoke hints of English. Where we didn't understand one another, I tried filling in the gaps with my limited knowledge of Russian. The elder woman was more helpful than I could ever expect a stranger to be... to convey how 'self-less' this woman was, I don't even know her name... as Homer would ask, "What's a man without a name?"
September 19th (18:30):
After meeting a young Polish student mid-way through the journey, I was informed my original itinerary was 'unsafe' through Warsaw Wiscodnia and Kaisiadorys, Lithuania. At the last moment, not 100% aware of whether or not I'd find a train to Vilnius from Warsaw, I changed plans for safety's sake. Upon leaving the train, the elder woman then helped me change Euros to Polish money (can't remember what they're called!)... and helped me buy my bus ticket to Vilnius. We separated with a friendly hug. Within seconds, I met Patrick. As I mentioned before, a French Canadian solo-traveler, heading for Russia through Vilnius. After a terrible Polish coffee and a 2-hour tour through Warsaw, we spend the evening bus together keeping the rest of the passengers awake with our laughter all the way until Vilnius.
September 20th, 2005 (early morning):
We spent the day walking around Vilnius... talking, eating, telling one another stories about our lives... taking photos... referring to his 'Lonely Planet Guide of Eastern Europe' for clues on what's best to see in Lithuania. With the Frank Zappas statue as one of our main targets, we walked two hours only to never find it. We discovered another statue, thinking it was the aforementioned, but to our own misfortune, it was a simple and ugly old man in a random Lithuanian park. What a milestone!
September 20th, 2005 (17:00):
Patrick and I take a bus to Riga from Vilnius. On this 5 1/2 hour journey, we met a former Latvian tennis player on scholarship in the US. His name was Raithus. As much as a risk this may seem, Patrick and I stayed at his house for the evening considering our late arrival. His generosity to two random strangers is something I'll never forget.
September 21st, 2005 (10:00):
After a refreshing shower and our awaited breakfast, Patrick and I walked along the Baltic Sea for a few hours. We then took the train into Riga central where we'd stay for the following night and day.
September 22nd, 2005 (13:00):
At this point in time, Patrick and I discovered the cutest tea house in the world. Located in the middle of a park with its' own calm river, this circular tea house serves fresh teas from all over the world. The atmosphere is amazing. After walking up the spiral stairs to the top floor, you're engulfed by windows. The seats are basically dozens of soft cushions placed in a circle facing the windows. There's nothing more pleasant than drinking freshly brewed tea... from porcelain little cups... isolated from the piercing cold outside, but simultaneously immersed by the Latvian park around you. This is definately a place I'll never forget.
September 22nd, 2005 (17:00):
Patrick and I say our final good-byes as I begin the most horrifying part of my entire journey ~ my border crossing into Russia... alone.. in a coupe... with (the lingering question)... who will the other three passengers be?... I try to get comfortable... 02:00... the border patrol scrutinize the passengers... requesting passports, migration cards, arrival cards, visas, medical insurance and a million typical customs questions in a language I could still hardly understand. I don't know how to put this lightly, but I was pooing myself. Luckily, the officer spoke English... after an hour of interrogations, my journey alone continued... 04:00... by this point, I still had the coupe to myself.. I locked the door, fearing some random man would enter in my sleep... I hear banging on the door so, naturally, I open. Unfortunately, little miss princess had to share her coupe with a 60-year-old man. He was harmless... and I eventually arrived in the heart of 'Mother Russia' ~ Moscow.
September 23rd, 2005 (09:30):
What seemed like seconds later, I suddenly stood in Russia. I felt like Moscow didn't exist before arriving. It was almost as though the fairy tale city described to me in history, literature, poetry... suddenly grew wings and flew out of my imagination into some unconquered kingdom, awaiting me. Unofficial taxi drivers waited outside the train, asking all the ex-passengers whether or not they'd like a ride to their destinations. I was a bit overwhelmed. I answered 'net' before I could hear the questions asked. I walk for 200m to sit myself down as far away from the militia as possible. I read about their corrupted reputation towards foreigners, and feared their presence more than I think anyone ever has. I sat down, took a step away from my own reality, and just wrote... wrote about everything in my diary. I felt useless. I awaited two unknown people from the University of Bath, also studying Russian with me... I then made a stupid decision, and travelled to Paveletskaya station with one of the aforementioned unofficial cab drivers.... anything could have happened, but I figured I could bribe them if my safety was suddenly as risk (wise philosophy, huh?). With about 7 hours to kill in Moscow, and too many haunting images of hostage-taking in the Bolshoi theatre, I decided to sit and play thumb war with myself until I met with James and Dan at 18:00. I wrote in my diary at a tent-cafe across the station. For four hours, I was followed and harassed by a drunk Muscovite... when finally meeting with James and Dan, I felt the relief of my life. It was almost as though I knew them for years... and why? Because we studied at the same university... Only in circumstances as intense as these does an answer like the one I provided seem reasonable.
September 24th, 2005 (09:00):
After boarding the train with James and Dan the night before, my perception of my experience in Russia immediately changed. Until midnight, we drank Baltika beer with two Russian men and a woman who managed a television station in Voronezh. Under the condition of learning fluent Russian by January, I was offered a television interview... although it seems a joke to me now (I'm no where near fluent and it's January), the memory of falling asleep on the top bunk of the coupe with a smile on my face will stay with me forever.
September 24th - December 9th, 2005:
My first semester in Voronezh - otherwise known as Black Earth City - both as student and teacher (and, arguably, also as 'tenant'), begins and ends. A semester has never flown as quickly as this one. I've learned more from my fellow Bath classmates and my 2nd year Russian university students than I did from myself the last four months. (A new feature for me!) I look forward to balancing my Russian experience next semester... more studying and slightly less 'exploring' (although the Trans-Siberian Express is next on my agenda).
December 9th - December 13th, 2005:
Dan, Michael and I travel properly to Moscow. There's so much I have yet to see properly, but we scrolled along the Red Square, the Arbat, the New Arbat... passed the Bolshoi Theatre... ate at Moscow's Hard Rock Cafe... visited the zillion dollar underground mall (which is unusually American, by the way)... and got a better feel for the upcoming intense Voronezian winter. It was -9 in Moscow (atypically warm for the Russian December months), but the coldest weather I had yet to experience.
December 13th, 2005 (18:15):
The beginning of my journey home. Itinerary? Moscow - Talinn. Talinn - Berlin. Berlin - Athens. Not as 'scary'. Not as 'new'. Not as 'petrifying'. I must admit, I was relaxed the entire journey. The train ride to Talinn lasted 15 hours. I shared a coupe with an older couple, both who, ironically, worked as professors in the State University of Voronezh (small world, huh?). This time, being more experienced during the border crossing, I replied to the standard interrogation only in Russian. And yes ~ I persevered on my journey without worries of being arrested... without worries of being robbed... raped... murdered. I simply listened to my new 'Leningrad' CD, wrote in my diary, read through the Moscow section of the Lonely Planet Guide, and fell asleep...
December 14th - 18th, 2005:
I arrive in Talinn, Estonia. The next four days were an intended wind-down from the intensity of living in what seemed to be a 'police state' for 4 months. After having completed a group project involving an interview with the Consul of the Estonian Embassy in London, Alex and myself investigated all Talinn had to offer in the four days we were there. It was lovely! We made it real! Next time, we promised, we'll visit Helsinki!
December 18th, 2005 (12:00):
Talinn-Berlin, EasyJet. Yes, the wonders of cheap and accessible flying. Before I could realize it, I was back at the beginning again. Berlin also seemed to change from the last time I was there... probably because no one was waiting for me... probably because it was no longer 'unfamiliar'. By the end of this year, I will have visited Berlin a minimum of 5 times. A perfect transit city for all of those wishing to travel Eastern Europe.
December 18th, 2005 (23:00):
Finally... I'm home. Nothing was more relieving than having Christina greet me at the airport. The last time I had seen her, I wasn't certain I'd ever see her again. At times, in Russia, I felt so overwhelmingly alone... I knew seeing Christina or Dem... would make me feel at home again.... they manage to reinforce my identity, somehow... the remaining 6 months in Russia, I know, will be hard without them.
Although time itself doesn't actually stop, I could continue this forever... which is unnecessary. The first phase of my travels has come to an end, but... surely... will be continued... soon;
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In Warsaw, I met a French Canadian global traveler named Patrick, who became central to my Eastern European experience. The lesson I learned from him? There really is no such thing as 'solitary travelling'... the constant movement of people is so common now-a-days, you'll always find someone needing the same comfort of company that you do. Even if you wish to be alone, you can't...
In the next few pages, you'll simply share some of my experiences. I'll avoid tedious narration... and tiring analysis... I'll simply let you see for yourself. At times, I suppose the memories associated with some of the photos may trigger such emotion, it may be impossible to avoid commenting... We'll see as I go along. |
