Isolation on Trans-Siberian railway

I shared cabin with a Russian couple on a night train from Helsinki to Moscow earlier this week. They told me that a plane had crashed near Perm with reports stated over 80 casualties and some damage done to the Trans-Siberian railway. Since I was about to embark on the Trans-Siberian a few days later and pass the city of Perm, I was curious on how this would effect my journey.

But being on a train, the only source of information was my fellow passengers and the radio in Russian language. The friendly Russians translated the radio broadcast for me and told me what had happened.

I then went to the restaurant car of the train and had a chat with a Russian guy who explained further that a member of the presidential staff was among the casualties. He also said that there already was ten different versions on what had caused the accident. I found it interesting that he had a very different view on how the whole thing was handled by the authorities, compared to the viewpoint of the young couple in my cabin.

On the Trans-Siberian railway.

It struck me once again how vulnerable you are when you travel in a country where you cannot read the alphabet or speak the language. If a big event happens, the circulation of rumors are inevitable.

I think back on the chaos during the 9/11 attack in New York, where there was a lot of rumors before the facts slowly started to emerge. I also remember being in Boston during the riots in my home town Gothenburg, where all I got was small bits of information.

Update: Heard something about the crash sending rail flying for 50 meters up in the air. Could be trouble for us after all.

Update 2: The rail seems to be fixed now. Next stop: Ulaanbaatar. Da svidaniya!