For part 1 — press here
I don’t know why, but I say to anybody what I’m from Ufa. It doesn’t mean I like this city as much as I want to stay there for ever. It would be nice to see the capital of Bashkiria in spring, but I won’t have a plan to settle down in Ufa. Anyway, I have to moving on.
Round two: Ufa — Petropavlovsk
The next step was really important. It called to define success in my immigration game. Avoiding huge queues on Georgian and Kazakhstan boarders I supposeed to cross the boarder by train Ufa — Petropavlovsk.
In my last hours in V&V’s apartment I felt anxiety because there was nobody who is waiting for me there. I could rely on myself only. There was a gap in my plan: I must stay in Petropavlovsk till next day and wait for Ginger Сoyote. He used the same route as me and will reach Petropavlovsk to next morning. The whole evening in V&V’s hut I was sitting and looking for a place I could stay for a night. Hotels, flats, rooms everything were rented already. I started to prepare myself to spend the night in railway station but then V asked his friend for a realtor’s number who works in Petropavlovsk. When I messaged her, she asked «Are you from Tumen?» I immediately replied without any doubts that I’m from Ufa. The realtor said she got an offer for me. «You can share a flat with one guy if you wish. He is from Ufa as you». That’s how I found the place for stay and met Advertiser.
In next early morning V brought me to the railway station. At the moment when we said goodbye to each other, I went back to our past. V and I was studying at the university and were involved in one group of people. That crew was also included Mill, Pumpkin, Neighbour and Buckwheat. We were not good friends with V, and after our graduation I wasn’t sure we kept our connection. And look how everything was turn around! I was staying next to him and couldn’t find appropriate words to express how grateful I am.
And then the train was departing and Ufa stayed behind. I continued my way step by step toward the unknown. I’ve got less than 24 hours to solve the accommodation question and try to plan my nearest future. Only food I had is a pastry with cheese (without cheese), an apple pie, tea bag which I used four times and a handful of cashew nuts. In the train I’ve started to full my CV in English, checked the news and chatted with a Traveler who had the same trip the day before. He told me that yesterday several Russian men were took off the train. I was really nervous. Maybe because of that she payed attention to me. Ella. My gentle and fragile neighbour.
Without any words, she called me using her forefinger. The glance were provocative, intriguing. I’ve lost control and came to her. She didn’t ask my name, she didn’t care about my age or purpose. She wanted to know only one thing — Do I play cards or not? I nodded. She got out of her bag a card deck «kama sutra edition». «Please, don’t pay attention to pictures. I’ve got this card deck from my friends» — she smiled and put the card where was illustrated missionary pose on the table. Other 35 cards couldn’t wait when we opened them up too. And that was how we were spending our time: sharing to each other «blow jobs» and «doggy style» till the train reached to Chelyabinsk. We had a quick chat when the train stopped in Grumpy Miass. She said her name and continued sucking her e-cigarette. Unfortunately I was thinking about another person and didn’t seems to be engaged. Our railway relationship was over in Chelyabinsk. «What are you gonna do? Sleep?» — she asked me. I nodded again and said what I need a rest. She chuckled and replied «Well, I’m gonna go and drink some beer». She took her bag and left the train.
We reached to boarders with Kazakhstan in early morning. Probably Ella took all my worries and with her and sank them into cold beer because I didn’t feel anxious anymore. Only in one moment my heart jumped up when the board guard earnestly asked did I pass control out or not? I showed him a stamp in my pasport and he let me go into unknown and exciting world. World of immigration.
In that moment I’ve already chatted with Advertiser and had some information about his interests. I was sure it helps me to build a conversation when we will meet. His apartment was not so far from the railway station, that’s why I decided to had a coffee with new acquaintances: Dandelion, his girlfriend and Ermine. Guys were going to visit a local aqua park and I was on my way to the new chapter.
First thing which I noticed when I came in to the flat it was the smell. There was no doubt people who lived here saw rising of Soviet Union. The smell of senility was tickling my nostrils. There were three rooms. One for Advertiser. He works as an advertiser. The second one for Architect. He works as an architect. The last room was taken by Four-eyes man. I didn’t get what he is doing for living. He was coughing and clearing his throat. Advertiser said I will take the Architect’s room because he was going to drive away in the depth of the country. I took a shower and used my own T-shirt as a towel and went to check my place to stay. On the floor I found an old mattress which I wasn’t going to move or even touch, next to there was a tiny couch and armchair in the opposite corner. «Okay, it’s just for one night», — I thought and started searching websites of renting flats in Astana.
Ginger Coyote in that moment left Ufa, so, till next day I had to find something where we could live. I was texting to realtors and apartments’ owners. I had an interview from one Couchsurfer who invite only those people who interested him, checked out hotels and dormitories but didn’t find anything. Opossum warned me that he also didn’t find anything appropriate and made a decision to move to Karaganda where he settled down. I remembered in Karaganda lives my internet-love of 2011 and I immediately wrote a letter to her. Luckily we still keep in touch and she promised she will help.
I finished when night was came. Between mattress and couch I chose the last one. It wasn’t easy to fit on it but I curled my feet to the chest, covered myself a sweater and use another t-shirt as a pillowcase because I was scared to get conjunctivitis. And then I fall asleep listening Charles Aznavour’s song “La boheme”. At 5am I was woken up by Four-eyes man who decided to removed his lungs if I could judge by the sounds from bathroom. I wished him good luck, turn around and fall asleep again.
On the next morning Coyote arrived to Petropavlovsk. Since our last meeting he became more confident but still didn’t have any idea what we supposed to do. I briefly described the situation: we passed the interview from Couchsurfer and have a chance to stay in his apartment but in that case we must buy sleeping bags, or we could continue looking for a flat in Astana and Karaganda. Besides, we needed local SIM-cards and buy tickets to Astana which were almost sold out. As a result we accomplished two points out of three: we bought two last tickets on the train to Astana in the seats wagon and plugged in mobile internet. At the end of the day Coyote had got several proposals to rent flat in Karaganda. Only one of them took a guarantee that we will get a flat for renting but in that case it was more than enough. We packed, said goodbye to Advertiser and Four-eyes man and went to the railway station.
When I was coming to the platform I remembered my previous experience when I had a trip to Yaroslavl in seats wagon. I was sitting about 11 hours and after that I promised to myself I will never ever do it again. And when we have already showed our tickets to conductor, the goldenteeth guy appeared and asked «Hey, do you guys want coupe? I’ll get it to you for 38k tenge (about 5k rubbles)». That offer confused us and he felt it. The hunter launched an offensive. «Come on! Are you serious? The trip will take about 12 hours and you want to spend this time sitting? Let’s go!». I’ve never done this before. I’m not a risky guy and I know how «lucky» I can be sometimes, but the new reality forced me to go for broke. However, our coupe turned into two beds in the main wagon near the toilet. That’s why we decided to low the price for new tickets and gave to the goldenteeth bandit only 12k tenge (1,5k rubbles). And till I tried to connect with my friend who works in Kazakhstan embassy and asked her is it a normal situation, the train departed. Well, at least I could keep the promise I’ve gave myself.
