6.20 a.m.: I just now had a cup of tea. I used salt to clean the teeth. This is one good in all CIS and Russian trains to have hot water. It used to be a “Samovar” but now a boiler type in one corner of the compartment.
Outside there is only green fields on both the sides. Cultivated land and trees. Sometimes a small cluster of houses.
There was an old woman opposite to my berth. She had gone probably in the early morning and another has come. Everywhere women are more in numbers and also more active.
9.30 a.m.: One or two big stations came in between where train stopped for long time. I had breakfast of bread sweet yoghurt, one cucumber and a piece of cheese. Sometimes one could see abandoned factories. This is common in many CIS countries. After breakup with Russia, factories stopped working.
2.30 p.m.: I am still sitting in the train which is becoming boring. It is all day journey. Train is passing through some towns and villages. Stations are good but crowded with passengers or shops. Sometimes 3-4 passengers get in. Everyone like me taking a nap for sometimes then sit. I had tea and bread. Two boiled eggs are still there. Weather is good and not hot. This is one good thing. One person on the upper berth (in fact he exchanged my berth with his berth) chatted with me for sometime. He knows English and was working in the aircraft industry during Russian time. Now he is in business. His elder daughter is working with Baeyer Company in Germany and 2nd one in a steel company. I told him of not getting accommodation at Kiev. He spoke to his wife in Kiev to find accommodation for me. He informed of Russian time when everyone had a job or few work. This was the impression given to me everywhere. Now most of the factories are closed and have become scrap. Big factory buildings have all broken window panes and closed.
In my compartment there are many young people probably going to the Semi Final Match of Euro 2012 Football.
These two days are bad for accommodation. Let me see. Mostly I have to pay much more. On Monday I will go to the Indian Embassy.
4.25 p.m.: There is no reply from this man’s wife and so I’ll have to find out myself a place to stay.
9.45 p.m.: Now again change of luck. Alaya (the person) asked me to follow him while getting down the train. He did not say anything further. There was another co-passenger woman who was carrying a heavy bag. Alaya carried her bag to the Bus station. Before that I exchanged 100 US $ into Ukraine money. The station and outside area was crowded. May be due to tomorrow’s football match. Everything was colourful, neat and clean. Now Alaya brought me to the Metro Station and we boarded a metro. Changed it once and then came to the station where we got down. I realized now that we are going to his home. We walked a km or so (actually 600 metres). There were tall apartments blocks. In between there was a small village, single or double storeyed private houses with big lawns and trees. We reached Alaya’s house. It is very good from outside and also from inside. He himself has designed and constructed it. Tamara is his wife, she greeted me. She is middle aged, thin and affectionate lady. I kept the rucksacks what appeared to be the drawing room. The sofa cum bed is expanded and a bed made of that. There is a toilet and shower separately. We sat in the big lawn having many apple trees. Trees were full of apples. After half an hour or so, Tamara brought dinner of salad, boiled chicken with veg, bread, tomato and cucumber and tea. It was good for me to eat after two days, a good dinner. I sat on a swing while Tamara and Alaya were talking. They have three daughters and very well placed. Elder one is a Medical Doctor and working in Germany with Baeyers Company. 2nd one is working in Belgium and third is in Czech Republic.
After half an hour, we walked up to the metro station and I bought a sim card. While coming back, Alaya bought cherries and some forest berry. I ate quite a number of them.I came inside and was preparing to sleep on the bed when Tamara and Alaya came. They have shifted me to 2nd floor which is big hall, with a T.V., toilet and shower. This is richly furnished. This place will be for me for next two days. I will move out on Monday morning. Tamara again brought a kettle full of black tea and two packets of biscuits. I just had two biscuits and drank 2 cups of tea and while watching TV. Alaya said that there was something mystique when we met in the train. It is true there is something which cannot be explained of a change of luck of an individual traveler.
11 p.m. it’s the time to go to sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment