I departed Sofia on the express sleeper train bound for Istanbul. This is the first time a mode of transport has exceeded my expectations. I’d booked a bed in a 2 berth sleeper carriage for 66 lev (about £30) which seemed good value.

Upon boarding, the guard disappeared with my ticket promising to return it in the morning (which he did). I was then led to my cabin and was pleasantly surprised. It was clean, comfy looking with a sink and even a little fridge containing some complimentary water and snacks

It wasn’t long before I met my companion for the next 12 hours or so. I had been a little unsure when booking the ticket as it would mean sharing with a stranger. I met Rus, from Russia. He didn’t speak great English and my Russian was a little rusty but we were able to hold a conversation. We got chatting and he told me that he was a Life Coach and that he had been travelling through Switzerland and Germany where he had some clients and was heading to Turkey before heading home to Russia. One of the things he did was help people with phobias using Buddhist techniques and he proudly told me that his record for curing someone was 25 minutes!

Rus didn’t strike me as a life coach with international clients if I’m being honest. He was travelling only with a tiny rucksack for a month’s travel and there was a moment in the morning when he picked a used cigarette butt from his bag and sniffed it for a while before disposing of it. This wasn’t long before he washed his face with alcohol hand sanitiser, not a technique I’d considered before. He was a really nice and friendly guy though and it was no bother bunking in with him.

I know from previous experience that I find it hard to sleep on trains, even when you’ve got a bed. It was comfy enough but the motion of the train makes it hard to nod off. I managed a bit of sleep but not much. We got woken up at 4am for the Bulgarian border checks and then had to stop and get off the train at the Turkish side a short while later to show passports. It was quite a smooth border crossing compared to previous ones. I was thankful that we were several hours late as this meant a bit more time trying to sleep!

Digs

Me and Rus looking a little haggard after a night on the sleeper train