I can't believe we're doing this

So earlier this afternoon the two of us bid adieu, or said Dasvidanya, to Vladivostok and are now on the Trans Siberian Railway train to Moscow. This is the first leg of our trip on this famous train.

In the above picture, taken from our hotel, you can see some goods trains in a yard. That is the absolute end of the Trans siberian line. The tracks stop there and one can go no further by train.

The Vladivostok Station has a facade built in the Neo Russian style. It's apparently a replica of the Moscow Yaroslavskaya station.

The inside of the station has a few classical style decorative elements. There were these old uniforms on display which I assume are old railway uniforms.

The station building has some lovely iron scrollwork and the main area has a beautiful ceiling mural with immediately identifiable architectural elements of Vladivostok and Moscow.

I also saw this absolutely tripper vending machine where one could buy chargers, cables, power banks, earphones, USB drives, travel locks and even what looked like a burner phone.

Travel essentials indeed.

The platform itself was 2 levels below the entrance to the station, and there're no elevators or escalators there. 

This proved a bit challenging because we aren't really travelling light. Like the OH said at the beginning of the trip, 'Are you packing food for all Russia?'

We ended up lugging all our baggage two floors down.

And this platform was at a level with the tracks. Then starts the entire operation of hoisting luggage into the train. We have gotten so used to platform in our railway stations being at a level as close to the door as possible. 

So hoisting full sized suitcases up into the trains was seriously painful.

We got into our 2 berth cabin and were pleasantly surprised with a welcome pack.

Fruits, breads, some cakes and chocolates, tea bags, juices and water.

And a cute little pouch with a sleep mask, dental kit, hair brush, shoe horn, shoe shine, wet wipes and slippers. 

And luggage storage. That's another story.

The coupé has storage under the berths..if it had been left alone it could have very comfortably accommodated large suitcases. But for some bizzare reason there's some kind of a storage area 'built' there, which can at best hold a cabin baggage sized stroller or a good sized rucksack.

Honestly, of nothing had been built there, 2 large suitcases could have been very comfortably stashed there. 

There's an overhead storage area too. Hoisting a suitcase up there isn't for the faint of heart.  We gave up and our other suitcase is very literally underfoot.

Some pictures of the Amur bay from the train.

And along the Reka Razdolnaya river.

The trees alongside and either absolutely bare or just starting to sprout leaves post winter. I am trying to imagine how lovely this would look in summer when the trees are full of leaves. 

I'll keep the posts coming as we go.

I still can't believe we're actually doing this. The world's longest railway journey!! I am so excited!!

Wait a minute... What's this travesty??

There's water (voda) here, but no little water (vodka)?? Certainly cause for concern.

Signing off for now,

From Russia.. with love.