Today we have been traveling through Russia and have hit Kazakstan. After a full day on board yesterday without any fresh air, I have been looking forward to this evening being able to get off the train and explore our next destination. We handed our passports to the officers who came on board, they stamped my British passport along with the other passengers on board and we followed our onward journey to a town called Eaykonur. The space station!

Oh my was it lovely breathing in the cool air. I have to say, Ive been feeling awfully nauseous over the last two days not having the chance to get off the train.

We jumped on the bus that took us to the space centre about forty minutes away from the train station. Here we saw the space station where every astronought has to come to before heading off into space. Its owned by the Russian federation, their own bit of land in Baikonur, formerly known as Leninsk. Its situated on the right bank of the Syr Darya River and was constructed to service the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which itself was originally constructed by the Soviet Union in the late 1950’s as base of operations for its space programme. This is a place filled with so much history from the launch of Sputnik 1in 1957 and the launch of the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961. We went into one of the space ships that had been previously used many years ago, the space ship was refurbished with all the information and history for guests and tourists to experience. Walking around taking plenty of pictures, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much my father would love to be here. Ever since a little girl, my daddy would always have his head in the clouds, talking about space, trying to teach me all about the stars, space ships that have been into space, naming off people I had no idea who were, astronaughts of course, that he was clearly such a fan of.  If only I really listened and took a little more interest. I would have been able to come out with a few facts while we were here. Thats one thing I really kick myself about. Not listening, thinking my friends were way cooler than my family and anything they had to say about history.

After exploring the space grounds viewing  the way the Russians control the space rockets, we got back on board the bus. Traveling fifteen minutes back towards the station, we made another stop. This would be the hotel where the astronaughts stay before flying out into space. We were very lucky there was going to be another launch in just under a week, Thursday the 17th. So we got to briefly see the astronaughts from our side windows, playing with the bullard table and looking like they were having a bit of a laugh before there very serious journey into space. Mrs G was telling me that we are very lucky we got the chance to even tour through such a place. As apparently its not open to the public. I felt very special, feeling that this is such a rare opportunity. Thank you Mr Tim Litteler who owns Golden eagle trains, and Thank you Mrs G for letting me accompany you to this fascinating, special place.

Walking down the path, our leader was telling us that before the astronaughts leave earth they all plant a tree. Its a superstitious thing to do for each person going into space, some were massive trees dating back to 1961 when the first ever astronaught Yuri Gagarin made his journey into outer space. Incredible, what a place to see. Very lucky girl I am, I keep telling myself. I cant wait to tell my father about this when I’m next back in Australia.