21st February 2022
I was used now to the procedure of getting on the train, finding my cabin and settling down and managed this quite quickly as it was minus 32°C and I needed to warm up and get my boots and warm clothes off. I felt secure in the routine and welcomed the chance to have some quiet time to reflect and consider everything that I had seen and experienced along the way. it was certainly the highlight of the trip so far and left a lasting impression on me.
The journey was highlighted by the most interesting and spectacular cloud formations that I have ever seen and really was one of the highlights of the whole train journey across Russia. Maybe I had been travelling too long in isolation but I can see a formation that looks like Trump or a character from the Simpsons. Either way it was interesting and brightened up the endless rolling along the countryside which was becoming so familiar. The journey was uneventful and after a night’s sleep, I arrived in Khabarovsk.
Khabarovsk
I was really happy to be off the train again and to have my feet well routed on the ground once more. This was a last-minute addition to the trip schedule as Covid restrictions eliminated a few side trips and Khabarovsk was subsequently added. This turned out to be a really memorable and interesting stop and I want to revisit it in the future to see more of the city and its surrounding region.
Being met off the train as previously by a lady that I thought was my guide but in fact was a driver thankfully as she did not speak English, only Russian and Japanese. I did not want to communicate too much in Russian as I was tired and also the effect of my isolation on the train was making me reticent to talk in any language and on reflection must have appeared strange to people that I met in the first instance.
I was really wondering how we would communicate the following day on the tour, but being too tired, I decided to leave it until the following day, I just wanted a bath and bite to eat, then early night.
What I did see was a really lovely city, beautifully laid out with some wide boulevards and interesting mix of European style municipal buildings with typically soviet style blocks and then finally very modern buildings and apartments.
I knew of Khabarovsk from its river (the Amur) as previously I had looked at a gas project in Amur province. I knew how impressive the Amur River is and remembered photos showing its beauty in the winter frozen solid.
The following morning, I was delighted to have the opportunity to see Khabarovsk through the eyes and descriptions of Professor Tatiyana Khruscheva, who is a well-respected linguist and professor on the University of Pacific Eastern. Her relaxed style of communication, ease of describing facts and historical details as well as her fluent English made this a really interesting time. She spoke with great knowledge and used her communicating and emotional skills to great effect. It was really impressive and enjoyable.
This area has a wealth of indigenous tribal history and exploders and settlers together with various treaties with China (which is very close to Khabarovsk). Fascinating history which led to the city becoming the capital of the region until a few years ago when Moscow decided to change the regional capital to Vladivostok.
