Time travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway

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During the 9288 km of the Trans Siberian Railways we travelled from Vladivostok time to Moscow time. We moved through several time zones. There is a time difference of seven hours between Vladivostok and Moscow. (Moscow again is two hours ahead of Paris and Copenhagen.)

So as we travelled towards Moscow, we slowly, but surely tuned into Moscow time, day by day, hour by hour.

Already from Vladivostok, all times for stops and meals onboard the Trans-Siberian Railway were given in Moscow time. It could be a bit quite confusing sometimes, honestly “ to keep up with the local time at the places we visited and passed by, to use Moscow time onboard and interact in the time used by our colleagues in Paris. Also our watches and mobile phones
did express signs of confusion during the journey.

However, most of all the time travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway gave an intense sense of being out of time. We lost track of evening and night, morning and day. It was like we were connected to the generations before us and the ones to come. There were the nature, the determined rhythm of train that has been fulfilling its mission exactly like this during many decades - and us.

Having left the Trans-Siberian train and continuing the journey towards Copenhagen is like returning back to reality, and to the battle against time. - The battle against time to reaching the next connection of the journey towards the United Nations Climate Change conference (COP 15) starting in Copenhagen next week, and the battle against time to act against climate change. Is there enough time?

We hope so. However, any outcome of COP 15 will need a follow-up process. Maybe we should give our global leaders the possibility to do the time travel from Vladivostok to Moscow (or opposite) “ to take time out from their busy time schedules and to experience the feeling of time travelling. Maybe the sensation of being out of time during 9288 km in the heart of nature and in contact with the generations to come would inspire further brave actions against climate change.

If the global leaders are really lucky, maybe they would meet the people we have met during our time travelling at the Trans-Siberian Railway. The people who have given us inspiration and confirmed our beliefs “ we are ready to act for a better climate “ whether we are in Vladivostok, Lake Baikal or Yekaterinburg “ or on a train towards Copenhagen - and it is possible to win the time battle against climate change! We are willing to share our contacts!