Trains, Buses, Metros & More Trains

Since starting our journey by flying into Helsinki we have spent hours riding on trains and buses to Arctic Finland and then over to Artic Russia, down thru St Petersberg and Moscow then East to Perm (where we are right now). Interspersed in the traveling are the massive Metros & carrying all of our hockey gear and luggage thru the Saint Petersberg and Moscow Metro where thousands of people travel daily, many staring. It has been quite a journey with many stories like when we got on the 3:30 am sleeper train in Kondopoga trying to quietly stuff all of our gear in nooks & crannies but managing to wake everyone up in the car. The passengers were gracious, not one complained...or when Brian, my assistant leader who is in charge of logistics, after arriving into Moscow by train after midnight took us thru the Metro looking for our hostel. He exited the Metro one station too soon so the gang hauled all of their hockey bags & luggage on the streets of Moscow probably a half a mile to the hostel.
I am truly proud of our team of 6. They have not complained once! They all agreed before the trip began that they pack & carry all of their own bags.
We had a 2 night stopover in Moscow before jumping on the 24 hour train ride to Perm.
Later I will do another entry about our hockey outreach in the Perm Region...