13 October

I didn’t sleep well during the night, perhaps because I got to sleep too early or in anticipation that the second-longest rail journey I could undertake was about to finish. I started waking from 0030 onwards and just dozing lightly in between.
Eventually dawn came and I got up at about 0730 to have a trickle and found … warm water! Even though it was still just a trickle, at last I could get it all over me (with a bit of finagling). I had the most thorough trickle I have had on the train and then dried off (with just two microfibre washers). I dressed (although by now the clothes were getting a little ripe, but I hoped that this afternoon would do something about that) in my normal gear, forsaking the shoes for my RM Williams boots and the trakkie pants for trousers.
Then, because I had been drinking black tea with sugar (and this hopefully will be the last time I have to do that, though I may have to do so in New Zealand), I decided an experiment was in order. Without any medication, I took my sugar level (5·8) and had my cup of tea with two sugar cubes in it. Over the next progressive half hours, my levels were (starting at 6·0 immediately after) 7·9, 7·8, 7·3. I felt happy that I had not gone over my normal levels, but didn’t want to know at the time (before) as that was the only way I was going to get water into me.
I then had breakfast, finishing the loaf of bread with Vegemite and consigning the Wendy’s knife, fork and spoon to the rubbish after six months of intermittent use. Next time I will take the Wiltshire picnic kit with me (but remember to pack them in the suitcase).
Some interesting sights, not that I was able to photograph, included at 305 (north) a ruined church with a most colourful cemetery, at 266 (north) a cross by itself, at 258 (north) a cross by itself which seemed to indicate a young child had been hit by a train there and at 257 (south) a cemetery.
We were due to stop at Vladimir not too long after 1000, so I had a chat with Alan and Julie, then with Dan and Christopher. We stopped a little early at about 1015 and I got my last drink of coke, then headed back to the train. Everyone else thought it was warm outside but I thought it was cool. I chatted with Julie and Alan, and just before the train left, Christopher came along to check I actually was on board (although I always indicate to the cabin attendants so they know I’m on).
From this point on there were a few interesting things to look at and the cabin attendants were all very busy preparing for our arrival in Moscow. At first it looked as though we would be early, but the train slowed down considerably once in the suburbs. I had already packed up, to make sure I didn’t leave anything, and then put the linen out to be collected.
At this stage all of us were having mixed feelings, glad the journey was finishing but sad in a way to cease the style of life we had become accustomed to and the people who had become so important in our lives. I got email addresses from Alan and Julie and gave mine to Dan. I hoped to be able to email people and post blogs and photos today, but later in the day my plans for that became unstuck.
We arrived in Moscow on time, got off (and I think the train staff unloaded more than we did) and were all settled on the platform. I said goodbye to the Korean I had met (I should have got an email address) and waited for my driver. He turned up, the same one who had dropped me many days before when I had boarded the Trans-Siberian with a lot of anticipation and little experience. He quickly took my case, I said goodbye to all and we were off. Within a short time (for Moscow traffic) we were at the Cosmos Hotel and I was booking in (but have to be ready before 1000 on Wednesday to go to the airport). I got my room (2163) and went up, settled in and did washing. With that (hopefully) drying, I set out to get a late lunch/early tea, which I did at the Macca’s just up from where I had stayed last time (four subway stations along on the Orange line). I found my way back easily enough and called in at the Business Centre to get Internet access. However, at around AUD40 for enough time to upload all I needed to and to check my mail, I declined. Now I am hoping that I can access the Internet in Turkey for either the included price or for a reasonable amount.
I went up, had a shower and a beard trim, then wrote up this blog, processed the photos and then went to bed. I will try to have an early breakfast and pop into Red Square, have a final look around and perhaps visit Lenin, then do a few visits before being back at my hotel in time to do the last washing before I leave Russia.