Trans-Mongolian Express Day 6 24/09/2014

A fitful nights sleep (Di was certainly glad of our silk sleeping liners!) on a rather hard seat/bed and the noise of the train and two station stops especially Novograd at 2.30am.  The Chinese guards beer certainly helped pass the hours.  Finally got up around 10am and spent most of the day reading, dozing and chilling out.  The weather was great all day.  Landscape mainly trees (birch) all splendid in autumnal colours of red, orange, yellow and brown.  We stopped at two stations, both a bit none descript and whilst you could buy supplies on the platform it wasn't the food vendors we'd imagined. Places we passed were either rural villages or concerte towns.  The countryside was very flat but beautiful however the towns are very drab.  Sunset was stunning with huge orange globe.  On the train we're on Moscow time but as we're already plus two hours it's dark by 18.30.  'Restaurant' car is disappointing, small and not the hub/hive of activity expected.  Food expensive (500r/£8 for simple meal) and a rather miserable Russian lady in charge: will have to get her to smile at least once before she leaves us at the Mongolian boarder.  Thanks to Dan & Dawn's for their pot noodle tip - I think we'll certainly be 'enjoying' a few of them on route!  The other passengers in our carriage are three young eurpoeans (two German and one sweddish) on one side and two sweddish couples on the other.  Further along a Dutch Mum and daughter and then one guy (think he's English) on his own.  Given the size of the compartments we're very lucky to have one to ourselves.  We seem to have done a good job in filling it out already.  Stopping at Perm soon before off to bed.  Let's see what it brings.