Here is a mystery that has not been solved to this day. See what you think. While still in Japan, as I explained, I made all my reservations for the Trans-Siberian trip. I paid for everything in advance and received packets of vouchers or coupons which I would exchange for real tickets at the appropriate locations Before I left the Intourist Hotel in Irkutsk, I needed to have my voucher for the Irkutsk to Moscow leg of the trip changed into a ticket. Of course,.the Intourist Hotel arranged for the agent to wait till the very last moment to take care of this.. While the van outside was loading to take us to the train station, I handed the agent my voucher. She quickly wrote up a ticket -- with the figure of 1152 rubles written across the face. That comes out to about $12. Yet my voucher said $280. I quickly asked the agent what the 1152 rubles referred to. She replied it was the cost of the ticket. Needless to say, I felt an explanation was in order. But when I proceeded to ask her why I had paid $280 for a $12 ticket, she conveniently had a telephone call to answer. She was literally saved by the bell. I couldn't wait around for her reply because the van was waiting for me, and the train was leaving in 20 minutes. Very clever people, those Intourist agents.
I never got an answer to my question. It is true, of course, that by Japanese standards, $280 is extremely cheap for first class travel of three nights and four days. I mean, it cost me close to $100 one-way to go from Osaka to Tokyo on the Shinkansen. And that was only a three hour trip.
I do know that there was a Russian soldier in our train car, with his wife and little boy, taking the same trip to Moscow. If what I was told is true -- that a Russian soldier's annual salary is around $400 -- then it is highly unlikely that he paid $280 for his ticket.
So what happened to the extra $268 that I paid in Japan? Did the Japanese agency pocket the difference? Did it go to Intourist? Should I regard the matter simply as my personal contribution to the welfare of the Russian people and the betterment of their economy?
A closing note . . . About a week later while I was in the Warszawa train station a woman was warning me about the Russian Mafia and how they will rob you. I replied to her,
"I know whereof you speak. I've been to Russia. In that country they spell Mafia I-N-T-O-U-R-I-S-T."
 
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