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シベリア横断鉄道でのこと
1980年代に、筆者夫妻がシベリア横断鉄道で旅をしたときのこと。冷戦時代に育った筆者は、ソ連は「敵国」、ソ連国民は「悪」だと教えられてきた。7日間の列車の旅は退屈だろうという不安もあった。ところが、旅がはじまったとたん、思いもかけぬ展開が・・・。
On the Trans-Siberian
What's the longest train ride you've ever taken? Five hours? Ten hours? My longest train ride was one week! That was the time my wife and I rode the Trans-Siberian Railway back in the 1980s. The Trans-Siberian is the longest railway in the world. It starts in Moscow, travels across Russia and ends in Vladivostok. The entire journey takes seven days.
Before boarding the train, I was worried. I was brought up during the Cold War and was taught that Russia was "the enemy" and that Russians were "evil." I was also worried about boredom. I kept thinking, "What will I do for seven days on a train?" Finally, I went to a bookstore and bought seven English books. I figured if I read one a day, I'd have enough for the trip.
The first three carriages of the Trans-Siberian were reserved for foreigners. The rest were for Russians. The foreign travelers were an interesting group: Europeans on holiday, Japanese students, an American from Princeton University. Once we were all on board, the train set off.
Just as I was about to start my first book, there was a knock on our door. It was a Russian sailor. "Konnichi wa!" he said. "I heard there were Japanese here. I often sail to Japan. I have two girlfriends in Yokohama!" We quickly began a lively conversation using Japanese, English and Russian.
Soon, there was another knock. A second Russian appeared. Then another. Then another! Before we knew it, we had dozens of Russian visitors each day -- students, soldiers, housewives, businessmen -- all eager to meet foreign people, practice their English and make friends.
During the trip, interesting things happened, so time passed quickly. One day, a Russian girl came to our carriage. "Does anyone play chess?" she asked. "I do," said the American. It was a very unfair match -- a 10-year-old Russian girl against an American graduate student. They played five games. The Russian girl won each time!
Another day, the train staff held a contest for the cleanest carriage. We spent all day washing windows and cleaning floors. However, all the prizes went to the Russians, who were much better cleaners!
One day, our Russian friend Sergei whispered, "Come to my carriage at 7 p.m. tonight. Tell no one. It's top secret!" "What's going on?" we wondered. We soon found out. Alcohol was banned on the Trans-Siberian but Sergei had organized a secret vodka party and invited us along!
After seven days and 9,000 kilometers, we arrived at the Pacific Ocean and took a boat to Japan. Instead of being bored, I'd spent the whole trip meeting Russians, playing chess, attending parties, drinking vodka and making friends. By the end of the journey, I hadn't read a single book!
- train ride
- 電車の旅
- Trans-Siberian Railway
- シベリア横断鉄道
- Russia
- ロシア
- Vladivostok
- ウラジオストク
- journey
- 道のり
- boarding
- 〜に乗る
- Cold War
- 冷戦
- enemy
- 敵国
- evil
- 悪
- boredom
- 退屈
- figured
- 〜と考えた
- carriages
- 車両
- were reserved for 〜
- 〜専用だった
- The rest
- 残り
- on holiday
- 休暇中の
- Once
- 〜するとすぐ
- on board
- 乗車して
- set off
- 出発した
- was about to 〜
- 〜するところだった
- knock
- ノック
- sailor
- 船乗り
- sail to 〜
- 〜へ航行する
- lively
- 活発な
- appeared
- 現れた
- Before we knew it
- 気が付くと
- dozens of 〜
- 数十人の〜
- soldiers
- 軍人
- eager to 〜
- 〜したがって
- passed
- 過ぎた
- unfair
- 公平でない
- 〜 against 〜〜
- 〜対〜〜
- graduate student
- 大学院生
- prizes
- 賞品
- went to 〜
- 〜の手に渡った
- whispered
- ひそひそ声で話した
- top secret
- 極秘の話
- What's going on?
- どうしたのだろう
- wondered
- 不思議に思った
- found out
- 分かった
- was banned
- 禁止されていた
- had organized
- 〜を計画していた
- vodka
- ウォツカ
- invited 〜 along
- 〜を招待してくれた
- Pacific Ocean
- 太平洋
- Instead of 〜
- 〜するどころか
- bored
- 退屈する
- journey
- 旅
- hadn't read a single book
- たった一冊の本も読まなかった