The third morning when I woke up and looked at my phone I was a bit disappointed, cus I thought that for some magical reason we'd all wake up early, all rested of course and once for the last time I could hear the jingling sounds of the spoons as everyone is stirring their tea or coffee for the breakfast. But it was  twelve past eleven and Sasha was getting off around half past, so the odds of having a last breakfast with the apostles were not in our favour.

At 20 past she was still sleeping. I didn't want to get any grumpiness, but I didn't want her to miss her stop either so after a bit of hesitation I woke her up. She thought it is 9:20, but we travelled two timezones since Moscow. She jumped off from the bed and went to the good old always reliable train clock to find out if it was Novosibirsk. It wasn't yet, but she still had to hurry. First time we got off from the train to say goodbye to someone.

After Sasha left us an other lady took the old lady's place, and her teenage daughter took Sasha's place. The lady also had an other daughter who was living in England. She told me that and shown her on a picture after I heard Olya saying the word 'Angliya' while they kept having glances on me. They took off in a few hours and then two other girls maybe 2-3 years younger than me took their places. One of them spoke English, but she was really shy and I wasn't too comfortable either, the conversation died out quite quickly.

After we lost one of out Moscow crew I had mixed feelings before about saying goodbye. I wasn't gonna get to passive before Olya leaves and we run out of time, but I wasn't gonna miss her more than I would. At the end of the day I realy hate the low risk no outcome mentality so I'd rather miss her more than regret not talking to her. It might sound strange missing people so much, but in hostels and on the transsiberian, one day often feels like a whole month. Especially on the train where spending a day with people means 24 hours.

She advised me to be careful in Russia. I made a few jokes about that the RZD (the Russian railway company) advertising to foreigners by surrounding them only with women. And I am really curious who the next ones are going to be when she and the other girls get off by the same station.  - apart from a few expectations I've really only seen the female side of Russia. - With  the kids we stayed up late to get off from the train with her too and to say goodbye. On my way back to the train I saw the girl who talked English, we also stopped for a few words.

Sometimes the security walked through the train, they didn't do anything or talk to anyone they were just checking in. After Olga left they were marching through the wagon. They were many more than before and they were carrying goods. Once four just stopped by our unit and took the beds. They weren't the security, they were the Russian army.

Some guy who looked like a very well fed daycare student with crazy bright eyes and with a 99/100, smile/face ratio just started to talk to me. I still felt a bit down for the girls. And someone from the army?! No way! I wasn't too chatty... Fortunately I had the good old "ne ponimayu"(I don't understand) card. He was consistent, I'm telling ya. Just kept talkin' and talkin' even I kept saying "I don't understand". Giorgi told him my brief story. He stopped talking.

Half minute later:

 - Ben!

 - I'Misha!

 - I am Russian Army.

 - my name is... Misha.

 - I am... from Russia.

 - khju love Russia?

I wasn't sure if it was more funny or concerning, but I burst out laughing.

 - you my friend, Ben?

 - Da, I am your friend. - I answered it still laughing.

Some guy walked through the corridor who didn't have green uniform like the guys, but navy blue.

 - This is my Fuhrer.

 - My Hitler.

 - He is from Japan.

With his accent and as he was slowly articulating while thinking of assembling these sentences I couldn't stop laughing.

The others were also just chuckling around.

Next day when I got up Misha was grinning on the the bed that Olga had before. He looked like he was up for hours waiting for telling the English sentences he fabricated:

 - I am car... racer.

 - Every night I race.

 - I am Russian Vin Diesel.

To be honest a little bit he looked like the Russian cartoon version of Vin Diesel.

Between two Russian Vin Diesel and "we learn to kill" sentence - supposedly joke - I went to the toilet. When I get back 3 army guys were sitting on my bed.  I was not ready to socialize yet, so I just took my mug and slowly went to make a tea. I opened the tap as little as I could for slowing the process down even more. It was so slow I even forget it, and my mug was full when I realized what I was doing. The water was spilling out I had to close it quickly, but in the rush I turned the tap the wrong way and made a complete mess. After some helpless hesitation I knocked on the staff's cabin. An other (not the one who checked my ticket and who I said "I love you"  to in Russian) girl opened the door. Told her that I was the one who made the mess and I'm really sorry for it. On the train people have to face lot of adversity and it's quite often easy to forget how much worse it could be without the staff. She had a smile that made her look happy for not taken her efforts granted. Her name was Zanya, and with Dasha, they were responsible for the wagon between Moscow and Vladivostok. We talked a little bit about the train then I went back to my bed. The army was still there and they looked at me like i was late from somewhere. The three guys stood up, I laid down and they sat back the free side of the bed.

They started to introduce themselves.

One guy had a way of talking like it was his train and firstly he wasn't happy for us being there, but he couldn't do anything about it so he kinda accepted the situation without being a dick. He also called everyone bratan(brother). His name was George.

My first time in pizza express(restaurant) the Romanian head chef told me that his name is George, when I asked what's the other guy's name he said Clooney. I found it somewhat funny while English people didn't find it funny at all, so I had the theory the more eastern someone is the funnier they find this joke:

 - George Clooney bratan? - I asked.

After that question it was such a cliché scenario. Everyone went silent. They looked at eachother like they were watching Titanic for two hours and they still didn't have an idea whatsoever. What is the whole film about and I just interrupted them saying that it will sink and Leo dies... After the few second shock someone start chuckling then the rest followed and I wiped my forehead off.

The next guy was called Vladimir. The first thing came in my mind was an other joke, but it would have been a bit more provocative so I just freeze for a second and then asked back "Vladimir?"

 - yes bratan Vladimir Putin - George answered. Probably everyone knew that was the thing I was exactly thinking about.

It was probably my ignorance, but before I always thought that people would be taken by the KGB or the Russian secret agency for saying such a joke.

I started to ask them questions about the army how all of this is going.

They were mostly 19 and it was a compulsory one year national army service.

The Google translate experience increased their interest even more. And they were queueing up for asking me questions - mostly about girls in England.

Around 5PM we were getting closer to Irkutsk, and when we passed some little pond I asked them if it is lake Baikal. They didn't get it. So next time we passed some water I asked again. Still nothing. For the third time Andrej who had Sasha's bed asked me why I'm always asking if it's lake Baikal. It felt like giving fags for a 14 years old. "Are there no trolls or sarcasm in Russia?"

 - Sutka(joke) - I answered.

They were like "uhh you actually aren't that thick that you don't get that lake Baikal is a big lake, and just fucking around?" From that moment anytime when someone saw any water pointed out through the window and said "lake Baikal".

It was dark already when we actually got to the Baikal, but regardless of that I start filming. At that point there were at least 10 people around our unit shouting "Lake Baikal bratan!" They taught me a Russian song. I wrote it down phonetically so my pronunciation was kinda spot on. They made me sing that song till 3AM and they taught me the first Russian swear word. It was a noisy night.

Next day they had a wake up at seven and had to get their full uniform and boots in 30+ degree Celsius. The train was slowing down. I didn't know what's going on so asked Andrej who probably had the best English. 

 - Why are you guys getting dressed I thought you travel to Vladivostok.

 - because our sergeant is a di... - he didn't finish the sentence just turned his back to his bed fixed his position and looked straight. The other guy on the bad next to mine did the same. Some middle age guy (not the "Fuhrer" one from the previous day) just stopped by our unit. The train stopped. He signed to Andrej that he can go, and talked a few words to the other guy. The other guy took his bedsheets and left. The officer put his own bedsheets on, changed his army uniform to casual and laid back on the bed like he just purchased it for coins after the disband of USSR.