Yesterday marked an exciting step in our journey towards Armenia. Preparing and getting on the train that would take us on the longest leg of this trip, the Dogu express.

We arrived to Ankara from Istanbul and got the chance to regroup, get some lunch and call our parents before starting to yet again understand where we’re going next. Turns out the Dogu Express departs from the old train station in Ankara. The new station is this huge, and kind of empty, I don’t know if we’re traveling odd hours or if train travel just isn’t as high in demand yet.

Everything in Ankara went smoothly and we went on a shopping spree for food and snacks before finally getting on our train. The room we have is actually kind of great, all things considered.

There’s a sink, air conditioning, comfortable beds (not sure Emma agrees), a fridge and maybe the best part of all, a big window to enjoy all the views.

I thought we’d drive each other crazy being cooped up on a train for 30 hours but so far so good. I even got to try out the restaurant cart. They make everything in the kitchen right behind the counter and I got a small but savory meal of meat and rice for 4€.

All in all the train ride has been nice so far, it doesn’t feel like just another step on the way to Armenia, but instead like a experience I wouldn’t mind doing again…with less packing next time.