To enlighten the long trip they put on the music in the train. A couple of old songs that must have been played at the gay parties last weekend in Amsterdam. Including Gloria Gaynor’s “I will survive” and “In the army now” by Bolland and Bolland. You know the lady who turned on the music doesn’t speak any English, just like almost everybody in the train, but still… bizarre.

Station Zaporizja: 4 am. About 50 people are waiting for a train. I am also changing here during my train ride from Kharkov to Mariupol. Two kiosk shops are even open and sell chips, cookies and all kinds of drinks for the road. I walk outside for a few minutes with a cup of coffee. A few smokers and a couple of taxi drivers are talking on the square. Out of nothing in total silence a peloton of soldiers marches along. 20 rows of 3. Let right left right. Backpacks. Bottle of water on top. Half a minute later there are gone again. I was too perplexed to take a picture.