After barely making it to my train, I was off to continue my journey. With nearly another 24 hours on the train, I had some time to kill on my hands. Through a mix of editing photos, writing, playing cards, watching Netflix, and sleeping, I managed to pass the time without thinking about it too much. 

The most significant difference this time was the number of people on board. I think being outside of the Western/European part of Russia is the biggest reason for the reduction in people on board. In addition, I had become a master of the train lifestyle, meaning I knew what to buy in terms of food and which bunk to buy. When I departed from Moscow, I chose the upper bunk that lies parallel to the train. While it was pretty decent for sleeping, it usually takes away my ability to sit because my chair can only exist if the bunk-mate below me has converted his bed to a table and two seats. So, on this train, I purchased the lower-level bunk perpendicular to the train and has a separate table. This change allowed me to eat much more comfortably and work on my laptop. Also, I’ve understood that I need to buy about one more meal than I would need in terms of food. This isn’t a backup; it’s just that I’ve realized that ramen noodles don’t have as many calories and aren’t as nearly filling as I previously thought.

After nearly another day on the train, I arrived in Novosibirsk at around 21:00. I’m now 4 hours ahead of Moscow and 11 hours ahead of the East Coast of the USA.