You are now leaving the American sector.

Vainikkala, Finland

Crossing the border to Russia at Vainikkala. Not sure what to expect. This will be interesting.
They put me in a car full of damn American pensioners on what I think is their first trip to Russia - maybe even abroad! I can't believe how long it took them to fill in the migration card and how often the same people asked the same questions. Yes, the visa no. is the visa ID, for crying out loud! And they all sound like Dubya. Without my music - a bit of Jay Chou with Xandria trimming I'd go nuts. Funny thing is they really look like small-town folk look like in the movies.
The first half of the border crossing was disappointing. A very blonde officer hardly looked at my passport. Took me a while to realise they must be the Finns doing their exit check. I'm leaving EU! "You are now leaving the American sector."
Well, right now, I'm rather smack in the middle of it, it seems.
I hope I'll still get a stamp in my passport!
[...]
Ok, now for the Russian border check. They start by taking away everyone's passports and carrying them in bunches to the back of the train. They look more serious than the Finns did. Their colours seem more faded, closer to black and white. In the same way the countryside changes to look a bit more faded, maybe I even dare say rundown. The colourful Finnish farmhouses have disappeared and have been replaced with concrete and corrugated iron buildings. I hadn't expected the change would be so abrupt. It's clear that Russia has a very different character from Finland (and Europe).
[...]
Hooray, got my first stamp (and my actual passport back). The Russian officer calling my name pronounced it better than most other foreigners so far. It seems that we've been waiting this side of the border to give officers time to check every passport. Let's get on then. I want to see more of Russia. I want lunch.