Coffee by the Skin of your Teeth

Time to continue with our journey! Let's go!

I promised to give you one more installment here on our 24-hour journey by train. You all probably think that I have gone to extreme excesses with describing things here, but honestly, my words here can never quite give you an acurate picture of just how exotic, stressful, long, uncomfortable, and, interesting a Central Asian train is all at the same time.

The train stops every few hours to pick up or let off passengers. At these stops of varying durations one can stock up on most anything from TP to toothpaste. Need a doctor? Gotcha covered. Police assistance? Got that too.

For music to entertain you- how about a dombra, anyone?



And if you're hungry, how about trying a steamed meat and onion dumpling? A fried potato filled dumpling? Fried fish or boiled potatoes? Gassy water, assorted juices, or fermented milk of from every farm animal can quench your thirst at every stop! Mmmm- tangy, foamy, camel's milk, anyone?

Okay, it's no secret I am an addict. The people here can't live without their tea; I on the other hand cannot live without my coffee! But what does one do when one has FORGOTTEN the coffee filter basket??!!! This is what a proper overseas worker does- IMPROVISES! Take one empty yogurt plastic container, poke holes in the bottom with a pin, put the (remembered) paper filter with the coffee grounds into the newly created maker, and pour the hot water on top. Voila! A perfect cup of hot, fresh, java, ready for bringing anyone out of the sway-induced stupor only a train can bring on.

Well, time to be on our way. I have no pictures between getting off the train, and our imminent landing in Dubai. So, in case you need a visual for the inside of a plane, here you go. I know, too exiciting; please contain yourselves. Okay, Mom, you don't have to contain yourself, I know you get far too few pics. of the grandkids.

Drumroll, please! We've arrived, well, we're arriving. Here's a birdseye view of one of the brand new suburbs going up near the airport. These are massive and ubiquitous. I think this one photo give the very best representation of the scope of development going on here. It also shows just how MUCH sand is in this vast expanse of desert!

Now, it's a very good thing we landed when we did because the gameboy batteries were all completely dead! Can you guess why?? First one to guess wins a special homebrew coffee :)

Next up.... our digs in Dubai.

Your SteppeSister