Vladivostok

Siedme ráno mal vlak doraziť do Vladivostoku. Moskovské hodiny ukazovali 06:15. Miestne hodiny ukazovali 13:15. Polly sa zobudila pri prvom svetle.

On the seventh morning, the train was due into Vladivostok. The Moscow clock said 06:15. The local clock said 13:15. Polly woke at first light.

Les vonku sa zmenil na nízke kopce a trávu. Pacifik bol pred ňou. Cítila ho.

The forest outside had become low hills and grass. The Pacific was ahead. She could feel it.

Posledná zastávka pred Vladivostokom bola Ussurijsk. Vlak zastavil na pätnásť minút. Polly zoskočila. Žena predávala údené ryby. Polly ochutnala kúsok. Žena ho zabalila a odmietla platbu.

The last stop before Vladivostok was Ussuriysk. The train stopped for fifteen minutes. Polly hopped down. A woman was selling smoked fish. Polly tried a piece. The woman wrapped it and refused payment.

Pacifik sa objavil na pravej strane vlaku. Bol šedý a jasný.

The Pacific appeared on the right side of the train. It was grey and bright.

Vladivostok sa objavil naraz. Mesto leží v kopcoch, ktoré sa spúšťajú k moru. Vlak skončil priamo pri prístave.

Vladivostok arrived all at once. The city sits in hills that come down to the sea. The train ended right at the harbour.

Moskovské hodiny ukazovali 06:23. Miestne hodiny ukazovali 13:23.

The Moscow clock read 06:23. The local clock read 13:23.

Polly zoskočila. Vladivostok voňal po rybách, hrdzi a soli. Strmé ulice sa spúšťali k dokom.

Polly hopped down. Vladivostok smelled of fish and rust and salt. Steep streets came down to the docks.

Na konci nástupišťa bol malý biely obelisk. Na ňom bolo napísané: KILOMETER 9 289. Koniec trate.

At the end of the platform was a small white obelisk. It read: KILOMETRE 9,289. The end of the line.

Polly stála pri obelisku dlhú minútu. Sedem dní. Dvadsaťpäť miliónov rokov jazera Bajkal. Jeden žeriav. Osem časových pásiem.

Polly stood at the obelisk for a long minute. Seven days. Twenty-five million years of Lake Baikal. One crane. Eight time zones.

Natiahla svoje krídla. Pacifik bol hneď za prístavnou stenou. Vzlietla. Letela nad žeriavmi prístavu. Pred ňou sa otvorilo Japonské more.

She stretched her wings. The Pacific was just past the harbour wall. She lifted off. She flew over the cranes of the port. The Sea of Japan opened in front of her.