The road to Russia

Between X-rays and the train’s lull

Our luggage goes through the X-ray and then we wait at customs. Second test and one step closer to the exit. Nothing is said on the films or the photos. It’s filled with Mongolians who cross into China to buy their products in order to save money. We move ahead and when we pass in front of a woman, one of her bags falls and a bottle of alcohol breaks. Therefore we have to watch where we step. We get our passports stamped separately to be able to leave China. Third step on the hard road towards the exit. We have an hour left before our train leaves, I write and dad wanders around the station. Finally, the 100 steps must be calming him down. As for me, I stay calm. In the end, I probably don’t consider the things that could happen if we are bothered. An hour later, the policemen are stressing me to go in the train. I go, but I can’t find dad so I wait for him; he arrives and helps me. We enter our carriage. Actually, without realizing it, we took deluxe tickets with two beds, a seat, toilets and even a shower. But pleasures never come free. Then, a police officer comes and wants to check under our bed to make sure we aren’t hiding anything. He also checks what’s in our camera and since dad remembers filming the rain, he shows it to the police officer and he leaves saying “it’s good”. We are relieved. Finally, I shout out that it’s good. The more steps we pass, the more dad is relaxed. I do my evening grooming in this very comfortable compartment and not having the strength to do anything else, I throw myself on my bed. There’s an hour left before the real border between China and Mongolia. We hold on: our work filming will not have been for nothing. That’s it, I sleep.