Day 9 27/9/2014

Slept through 6am stop at Irkutsk (Simon especially disappointed as always had a wish to go there but sure view would be same as every other town - dreary Russian/soviet station).  Woke a few hours later to see we had a few new passengers in our carriage: 2 English and 1 Brazilian in one compartment and 2 Romainian guys joining the English guy in another.  Train reaches shores of Lake Baikal, largest fresh water lake in the world.  The next five hours are spent following it's shoreline: cloudy day so not as blue waters as described in guide book.  Surrounded by mountains and customary grim Russian towns.  Arrive mid afternoon at Ulan Ude, large sprawling city with usual mixture of shacks, derelict factories, lots of old, new and being built tower blocks which would not be out of place in any British city.  The newly built blocks seem to be of the type we are now demolishing in the UK.  Let's hope they have less asbestos.  Just after it gets dark arrive at Russian boarder.  Grim faced (stereotypical) customs officers and boarder guards join the train including dog. Long check of our compartment (looking for illegal persons), our bags (contraband) then passports and visas.  Glad we're legit and innocent as they make you feel the opposite, very uncomfortable and an apt good bye to Russia.  And we never did make her smile!  21km and 30mins later we arrive at the Mongolian boarder.  Same type of unsmiling and stern custom officials and boarder guards join the train ("shut the window blinds") and procedure (passport, bag and compartment search) and 2.5 hrs wait.  It's now midnight (clocks now on Mongolian time Moscow + 4 hrs).  It's odd that it's been Moscow time so far but guess it's the easiest way for them to operate.  Whilst being on dual time for all of the journey still feel tired adjusting.  Both our neighbours are departing at Ulan Baatar.  Over the last few days have become friendly with Lee (Chineese guard).  He collects coins and was looking for some additions.  We added a few UK coins to his collection that he hadn't got already.  He become even more helpful not only in selling us Chinese beer but also helping with Mongolian immigration forms translating from mongolian to Chinese to English using lots of sign language along the way!  We also had a couple of euro coins and a note to give to him and in return we had an extra beer and Chinese green tea (an acquired taste) plus an assurance that when new passengers board at UB they wouldn't be joining our compartment.  Not bad for a few coins.  Nice to connect with a Chinese person.  Rest of guards not particularly engaging and only response is an answer of 10 mins when asking how long we have got at each station (even though some stops are significantly longer).  Talking of UB plan to wake up at 6.30am to see again after being here 5 years ago and if we recognise it or if it's changed much.