10 Things I learned from traveling 20,000 km alone in Russia

I just traveled 20,000 kilometers alone in Russia, from Saint-Petersburg to Vladivostok back and forth. With a bag filled with hopes and curiosity, I rode the Trans-Sberian in winter. I left my job and started working as a Freelance in Copywriting, Teaching and Translating to realize my dream.

Here are 10 things I learned (besides complex Russian grammar rules):

1. The world is not (so) dangerous

Given the prevailing attitudes of fear toward terrorism, wars and alleged global insecurity media likes to feed upon, people often get the impression the world is increasingly dangerous. I tend to feel the opposite. I already had this feeling before going to Russia and this totally safe trip reinforced my conviction.

2. You can (generally) trust people

In Russia, I learned to trust people. While traveling in a 54-bunk coach, I often left my luggage unattended and even lent some personal devices to total strangers. Nothing bad ever happened. Outside the train, I even accepted the invitation to stay at someone's I didn't know in a small Siberian town I had never heard of. And it was awesome. People deserve to be trusted.

3. You should not plan (everything)

A 20,000 km-trip through gigantic Russia is sufficient in itself to cause a deep anxiety. An anxiety one may be tempted to fight against with a thorough and reassuring travel schedule. Well, travel schedule is useful, but only as a rough draft. There should always be room for the unexpected since they can give you your best memories.

4. Comfort is not (always) everything  

20,000 kilometers on the Trans-Siberian means 14 days on the train or (in case you really like figures and conversion) more than 330 hours. In case you're wondering, no, there is no shower and in third class (the one I took), there is one to two toilets for 54 passengers. The bunks are not so comfortable, the inside temperature will make you doubt whether you're still on Earth or in hell (between +25°C and +28°C most of the time) and noise (both mechanical and human) never stops. In a word, it's anything but a relaxing trip but still it helped me see how many beautiful things you could reach once you're ready to leave your comfort.

5. It’s okay to feel down (sometimes)

Even if you're going through a thrilling experience like this one, you cannot be always excited. Sometimes, actually more often that you would like, you will feel alone and depressed, questioning your very presence in the hostile Siberian environment, being the only foreigner among suspicious Russians. What are you doing here alone? they will keep asking. The time will come when you forget the answer yourself. But those moments are only temporary and soon enough you accept their occasional company.

6. Luck is (often) overrated

Most of the time, there is not such thing as luck. Once you realized how powerful you are making you own decisions and the unlimited supply of opportunities you can seize with a fair amount of determination, there's hardly something you can't initiate.

7. Ambition doesn't (always) kill

You should allow yourself to be ambitious. If after 5,000 kilometers on the rails, you think of giving up, believe you can do it and end up traveling 20,000 kilometers instead of the 10,000 planned initially (remember point 3?).

8. You should take (moderate) risks

People may call you crazy for leaving a comfortable situation (remember point 4?) for crossing wild Russia. The day I arrived in Saint-Petersburg, I even called myself crazy for taking the risk of getting lost and suffering (maybe dying, I heard the world is dangerous) in the middle of a snowy forest. The decisions I made were (partly) risky: it's all about finding the right balance between risk of death and... risk of regret!

9. People are (basically) the same everywhere

This one is highly ironic - but that's okay, I like humor. I traveled 20,000 kilometers and met some babushkas still loving USSR, young Russians dreaming of Europe, poor workers, richer people, orthodox believers in the Urals, Muslims in Tatarstan, Buddhists in Buryatia: different cultures, religions, convictions and yet... basically, the same people with the same needs and the same general goal in life - this goal being living a peaceful life.

10. Stop dreaming, start realizing!

If you crave for something, just do it - as long as it is legal, of course. It doesn't matter what other people may thing or how scary you may be yourself to make the move - by the way, fear is actually a good trigger.