Size of Russia and Fellow Travellers

Baikal Express, Russia

People pass the time as best they can. The Russians next door - three men and a boy - apparently have a TV of some sort (do they have a licence??) and watch DVDs. The Dutch and American guys down the aisle seem to have nothing better to do than drink the night away. A lot of others join them in their efforts. The first night me and the Danes spent with a simple card game. After a few rounds of getting used to it luck seemed on my side, I kept winning consistently. So, eventually they urgently had to go and read their books. This night when I asked again they were not keen on a replay. :)
Outside, the countryside goes by and crawls into infinity. Buildings we see have changed to the typical - so I read - wooden Siberian style structures. They are Dachas, I am told. This is where rich Russians from the west spend the hot summer. Some are colourfully painted, made of boards, others are genuine block houses. We're sure there must be bears and wolves around here even though we don't see them.
I try to take as many photos as I can. The landscape may be vast but shooting something from a moving train proves trickier than I thought. All too often something blocks the view just when you're ready to shoot or you realise you've caught the moment the electricity mast is in the middle of the window. I wish I could cover both sides of the train at once. You take a photo or just a look on the left and in the meantime something really interesting rushes past behind you. And all that assumes the windows are actually clean.
I'm also getting a bit annoyed with the two Danish guys. I feel they show so little appreciation for the chance they've been given here. They call the little villages we pass "shitholes" that people will never get out of. They refer to Roubles as "fuck money". And they keep making fun of Mikhail because he doesn't understand English. This most of all infuriates me. He is such a kind man. It's unfortunate that we can't communicate because he knows a lot more about this part of the world than we do. It's certainly not a reason to call him a bear and giggle when he snores in his sleep. They may be only kids - mentally they sure are - but they should know some respect for the places they are allowed to visit and the people they get to meet. This is a great chance to learn and experience. Otherwise, why go on a trip like this at all?