Bus Fug

Nefteyugansky District, Russia

Bus en route from Khanty-Mansiysk to Tyumen

I’m glad I’ll be back on the train line today. It’s early morning and the fug on this bus is at once full-on, over ripe and fresh and by turns sweet, sweat stale and offensive. I’m sitting sideways with my legs into the aisle as the sun rises deep blood red on the horizon (we’ve come far enough south now I noticed overnight to have a few hours of darkness) and cleared areas amongst the now tall taiga have a blanket of fog hugging the ground. My right elbow gently rests on the huge belly of the young guy occupying more than his seat next to me. They only turned the air conditioning at the start and then once earlier on this twelve hour trip from Khanty-Mansysk. I can’t wait hit it to be over. Gonna book into a hotel in Tyumen for at least a shower once I get to the train station to find out the schedule of the next train to Severobaikalsk on the northern shores of Lake Baikal – my next destination I think. It’s been two and half days on the river and road (and floor) since the Arctic Circle at Salekhard!