# The Accidental Round the World Trip



## v v

*Collective journeys by train and plane (or the accidental round the world trip)*

For a few years we’d had an idea to make a round the world (RTW) journey without flying, but that takes a great deal of time to plan. So for 2017 we chose another dream to make a shorter Moscow to Vladivostok rail journey without stopping while continuing planning for our RTW epic. 
After Brexit and then the Trump election it was obvious the whole world was due to change in ways that no one can fully predict, so by adding trains and planes to the Trans Siberian journey and loosely based on our existing rough idea for the RTW, we brought this mish mash of ideas together and brought it forward a year.
Here is the hastily planned itinerary for our ‘Accidental Round the World Trip’ as at 1 February 2017, all tickets are bought and paid for.



*26 February 2017* - at about 23:30 we leave for the railway station for an appointment with a bus into London Liverpool Street. Our Eurostar train from St Pancras International doesn’t leave until 06:50 the following morning but engineering works on the East Anglia line for that weekend have effectively closed the line until possibly after our departure from St Pancras. So spending 3 or 4 hours in the St Pancras Station 24 hour Starbucks looks like our best option. Not an auspicious start to a rail journey but at least we will be warm and comfortable.

*27 February 06:50* - train from London St Pancras to Bruxelles Midi by Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel. *Now re-scheduled to 06:47*

*27 February 10:25* - train from Bruxelles Midi to Koln Hbf (Cologne) by German ICE train.

This is a really tight connection of 17 minutes (if both trains are on time) to change station levels, platforms and board the ICE train, but it is the recommended connection by Deutsche Bahn for this journey. Time zone from GMT + 1 hour.

*27 February 12:48* - train from Koln Hbf to Berlin Hbf by German ICE train, arrive Berlin at 17:06

_Tickets for London to Berlin bought from Deutsche Bahn (DB)_

Overnight at Hotel Meininger about 100m from the station main entrance. Hope to enjoy an evening walk to the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, then continue on to eat near to the famous Friedrichstrasse Rail Station.



*28 February 09:37* - train from Berlin Hbf to Warszawa Centralna by Polish (not sure of this) Warsaw Express

*28 February 15:00* - arrive in Warszawa. Have a 1h 50m lay-over before the next train out. Barcuir very kindly pointed out a supermarket on the top level of Warszawa Station. This is important as the next train an overnight sleeper has no food and drink facilities, we are on-board for 15 ½ hours.

_Tickets for Berlin to Warszawa bought from DB_

*28 February 16:50* - train from Warszawa Centralna to Kyiv Pas, Ukraine. Overnight sleeper in 2 berth compartment



*1 March 09:22 *- arrive Kyiv Pas. Time zone from GMT + 2 hours

_Tickets for Warszawa to Kyiv bought through Polrail_

*1 March 19:33* - train from Kyiv Pas to Moskva Kievskaia.

_Tickets bought from UZ (Ukrainian State Railways)_ 

Overnight sleeper train in shared 4 berth Kupe (2nd Class) compartment. Our friends Rob and Martine are travelling with us from London to Moscow so a pair of friendly faces to share a compartment with. On ordering the tickets have also ticked the box for 2 teas each, although not quite sure what we will get I guess the suspense will mount as we get close to boarding.
Tickets were bought online and a ticket 'voucher' is issued. We can collect our tickets at Kyiv Pas main station by using the voucher details through an automat (maybe) or at the ticket office window No.12 in Hall 4. It's a 10 hour lay-over so plenty of time to get our tickets, have breakfast and visit a couple of places too.



*2 March 09:48* - arrive Moskva Kievskaia (Kievsky) Station

Time zone from GMT + 3 hours

We expect to be met by Ruth from Taiwan who has flown in to Moscow so we can travel the Trans Siberian Express (TranSib) together.
All 5 of us are booked into the Ibis hotel about 200m from the station main entrance, it’s a good location with a lot of facilities immediately to hand including one of the famed Moscow Underground stations.

We are in Moscow for 4 days and 3 nights, our must sees are Lenin, the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics and of course a few of the Underground stations.



*5 March 23:45* - train from Moskva Jaroslavskaia to Vladivostok, the Trans Siberian Express.

_Tickets bought through Trans Siberian Express_

We are booked on Train 002 Rossiya and have again booked a Kupe class (2nd) 4 berth compartment for the 3 of us, Rob and Martine have already moved on to St Petersburg, we’ll see them again when we return to the UK. It’s possible that we will travel all the time / some of the time / or none of the time with a 4th passenger, male or female as our compartment is classed as mixed.
We are taking the longest single train journey in the world – 6 nights and 7 days - and want to experience it in all it’s glory. There will be no breaks from the train at all from end to end. We will take the opportunity to buy food from the Babushkas on the platforms and walk a little too during suitable stops, but that’s all. It feels a little daunting as we could go stir crazy, but we’ll have to wait and see.



*6 March 00:00~23:39* - on the train



*7 March 00:00~23:59* - on the train



*8 March 00:00~23:59* - on the train



*9 March 00:00~23:59* - on the train



*10 March 00:00~23:59* - still on the train



*11 March 23:55* (train / Moskva time) - arrive at Vladivostok (Vladivostok date and time is 12 March 06:55, +12 hours ahead of GMT). We will need to find our ‘land legs’ after 7 days of train movement.

We are booked at a local hotel 500m from the station, we’ll probably walk that as exercise will be needed. We have booked the hotel rooms from the evening before arrival as there are no shower facilities on the train, plus we get breakfast and have somewhere to leave our bags. Hope to see the Russian pacific fleet while we are there and walk a little around the city.



*13 March 13:30* - fly Vladivostok to Kaohsiung City, Taiwan via Hong Kong, looking forward to seeing Hong Kong at night on take off.

*13 March 20:25* - arrive at Kaohsiung City, visit Taiwan with Ruth as our guide.



*18 March am* - train from Kaohsiung City to Taipei by high speed train



*20 March 13:15* - fly Taipei to Los Angeles (LAX) via Beijing, have to say a sad goodbye to Ruth



*20 March 18:00* - arrive in LAX to visit our friend Milton. We appear to have an arrival time 3 hours before we take off from Beijing, the wonders of technology.

We will make a visit to the LA science museum to see the Shuttle Endeavour, we’ll be escorted by Milton whose entire career was in rocket engines, so this could be a very memorable visit.



*24 March 22:00* - train from Los Angeles Union Station to New Orleans (NOL) on the Amtrak train the Sunset Limited, 2 days of pure bliss. *Now re-scheduled to 20:00*

_Tickets for LA to NOL bought from Amtrak_


Travelling in full service sleeper, 2 berth compartment including all meals. 

Milton is travelling north leaving on the same train but it splits and diverts north at San Antonio, Tx (SAS) heading for Chicago, this section of the train is the Texas Eagle, but we travel together for the first 24 hours.



*26 March 21:40* - arrive in NOL and make our way to the first hostel we have ever used, looking forward to that.



*29 March 07:00* - train from New Orleans to New York City (NYP – New York Penn Station) on the Amtrak train the Crescent.

_Tickets for NOL to NYP bought from Amtrak_


We really enjoy Greyhound buses but can’t use one for this journey, so we are travelling in Amtrak coach (standard but large individual seats) as the closest we can get with Amtrak.



*30 March 13:46* - arrive New York City at NYP. 

We may or may not meet up with more friends (Juanita and Bradley) here but are only in the city for about 10 hours so may not.

A visit to the Chrysler Building is our aim, we enjoyed NYC last year and will be pleased to walk around for a few hours again.

*30 March 23:25* - fly NYC to London via Lisbon



*31 March 17:45* - arrive London Heathrow.

Tube across London to Liverpool Street, commuter train back to Essex, we should have travelled all the way around the world?


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## oregon pioneer

Oh my, it sounds absolutely wonderful! Looking forward to the trip report. I predict you will not go stir-crazy, but will really need some exercise. I'd love to know if a walk through the entire trans-Siberian train (all classes) is possible while moving, and hope for some photos.


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## Barciur

This is a jaw-dropping, wonderful itienary. You've no clue how jealous I am. Fantastic, have an amazing time, maybe let us know how things are going on a little bit of downtime at hotels.  And above all, have a very memorable journey!


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## v v

Jennifer, walking through the whole train while moving sounds like a great idea, and it will be moving quite a lot of the time so will give it a go. If there any forbidden areas I'll never know as don't read Russian so there's hope, and will report back to you with the result.

A trip report will be written and there will be photos, but don't expect high standards please, it will be pretty basic.

Thanks Barciur, the closer it gets the more amazing it looks to us too. In reality it feels as though it's a dream and as though someone else is going and not us. We willingly give up an amount of stuff that most other people value to be able to travel, maybe many others do too, it's just our value judgement of what our life priorities are that we put most of our efforts into travel and meeting people.


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## Carolyn Jane

My sister feels for you. She traveled from Moscow to Saratov via train in a four person compartment, with her daughter, son in law (who is Russian) and 19 m/o twins, one of whom is autistic (but he hadn't been diagnosed at that time). Tea came in a glass with a fancy silver holder. It resides on our kitchen windowsill.

For more of an adventure, you could have dropped down to the southern routs and backtracked to Ulan Ude and transferred to the Trans Mongolian Railroad to Beijing. Since china uses a different guage, you would have a several hour pause at the Chinese border to have all of the bogies changed... CJ


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## v v

Feel for your sister Carolyn Jane, she must be adventurous

ps: the lure since children has always been going to Vladivostok as it always looked the most difficult place to get to.


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## caravanman

Excellent news that you have managed all the ticket purchasing... A shame that your first leg is by bus, but the longest journey starts with a small step.

You have pretty much defined that longest journey!

Bon Voyage,

Ed.


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## Barciur

Considering you will be spending significant time in Russia, I would highly recommend learning some basic Russian phrases and the Russian alphabet along with some important words. From my experience, the conductors on the Ukrainian train from Poland to Kiev speak no English, and the same will be said for conductors on Ukraianian train to Russia. As for Rossiya train, this could also be the case, but who knows.  Not talking about learning the language, of course, but just some basic things to get by better.


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## v v

We are trying Barciur but it's pretty difficult as you start with a new alphabet too it's quite testing. We do have a smaller phrase book covering many common phrases too so here's hoping.

We have visited Poland twice for short periods and was very surprised to find very few spoke German which often gets us by in central and some eastern European countries. Between us we'll have English, Chinese, French and German but we'll still be stumped most of the time. Rosie and Ruth have sweet smiles so maybe we'll rely on that a lot.

Have you looked up the google translation of the English 'hat' into Russian, it's quite rude.


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## SarahZ

That sounds incredible! I can't wait to see pictures.


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## Gemuser

> Hope to see the Russian pacific fleet while we are there and walk a little around the city.


We were told when we were there in 2012 that the Pacific Fleet was now based "up the coast" and only the training fleet was still in Vladivostok, that was part of why the city was now open to foreigners and Russian without special permits.

The training fleet was about 10 -12 ships roughly the size of the old RAN Daring class destroyers. [not saying they were anything like them, just that they were about that size].

About walking, it is a very hilly city, be careful not to over exert yourselfs after all that time on the train.

Allen


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## Long Train Runnin'

Barciur said:


> Considering you will be spending significant time in Russia, I would highly recommend learning some basic Russian phrases and the Russian alphabet along with some important words. From my experience, the conductors on the Ukrainian train from Poland to Kiev speak no English, and the same will be said for conductors on Ukraianian train to Russia. As for Rossiya train, this could also be the case, but who knows.  Not talking about learning the language, of course, but just some basic things to get by better.


Yeah I would agree. I was pretty surprised that I couldn't find anyone in the Kiev rail station that spoke English working at the counters. Luckily I knew to buy Metro tokens you could simply hold up 2 fingers and they would sell you two tokens.

This trip sounds absolutely incredible looking forward to hearing more about it as it progresses. If you are interested in such obscure things in Kiev on line 1 there is now a metro station deeper then those found in Pyongyang, so if that is the kind of obscure bucket list items that appeals to you be sure to not miss it. A ride on the subway costs less then $0.02.


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## v v

Hopefully here is a Word attachment of the Trans Siberian complete schedule for the 5 March 2017, it is compiled from two timetables. The main data is from RZD Russian State Railways, the kilometres distance from Moscow was from a separate timetable which didn't include the departure time but did include the distance.

Rossiya 002 - Moskva to Vladivostok Schedule.doc


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## v v

Allen, how did you get on with photography in public places in Russia? I've heard that Russia is pretty relaxed about that now? Getting to Vladivostok is the goal, by train so much better or put another way, we wouldn't go if we couldn't arrive by train. If we see some good things when we are there then that's a big bonus and even a training fleet will make me very happy, thanks for the all the tips.

LTR, we're trying to pick up some Russian language but for all three of us it's proving difficult. We'll pay special attention to metro ticket purchase before we go, also have to collect our Kyiv to Moskva sleeper tickets from the station too so that may be an adventure. Do you know which particular metro station on line 1 is the deepest, that's exactly the sort of thing that's great to hear about.

May I ask what you thought about Kiev in general and what was your highlight ? and thanks too.


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## Gemuser

No problems what so ever with photography anywhere, except inside the Hermitage in St Petersburg where we did buy a photo permit but some items were still off limits and I didn't notice the small sign. Otherwise it was fine, we were advised not to photograph police, military or security guards and the like, so we didn't.

One other tip, in case nobody has mentioned it. The platforms in Vladivostok are about 2 floors below the station, in the open, and you have to carry your luggage up a very long flight of stairs to get to the station building so pack appropriately.

Allen


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## v v

That must catch some people out Allen, as you say after 7 days of sitting it will feel like a slog to anyone.

We have intended to travel very light and food and drink for the Trans Sib will all be gone. We're sticking to 2 small (aircraft cabin size) pieces of luggage each and leaving our larger case behind. The biggest problem is going from a cool UK to a colder continental Europe to a cold Moscow and a much colder Siberia, then to a warm southern Taiwan and southern California and New Orleans. Then maybe ending up in a cold? New York City at the end of March. But of course we'll manage.


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## v v

So our journey starts outside a wet and chilly Shenfield Station just about to board a very nice bus to Liverpool Street Station in central London, 23:46 on the 26 February, and of course the unexpected is around the corner.

We are on a late night commuter replacement bus as no trains running this weekend and we are the only people with baggage. The driver asks where we are off to, Rosie replies to Vladivostok by train starting with your bus. From there we'll carry on going until we get back to this very spot.

He then asks, did you buy a Rail Pass so you can travel all over, no they are individual tickets as it's a bit complicated. Driver - my sister bought a Rail Pass once, think it was for 2 or 3 months but she was away for a long time. Me - how long was she away for? Oh 16 years...

Get to a deserted Liverpool Street station, find our next bus a N205 London night bus to St Pancras International.

Photo of the start, outside Shenfield station


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## Tony in Ann Arbor

Best wishes as you begin a fantastic trip.

Tony


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## Bob Dylan

Bon voyage! Looking forward to sharing your adventures from my armchair!


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## oregon pioneer

Bob Dylan said:


> Bon voyage! Looking forward to sharing your adventures from my armchair!


Me too, I am so jealous, following you on AU is the next best thing to going!


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## v v

Tuesday 28 February 10:19 am, just crossed the border from Germany into Poland. Young man in our carriage is being put through the wringer by the onboard Polish customes officers.

*Day 1 - Monday 27 February 2017*

We managed to board the Eurostar out of St Pancras London without a problem having spent much of the night first at the station Starbucks, but the seating was similar to Victorian hard wooden benches and very full. Moved onto the Costa coffee shop where it was warmer, much more comfortable and less busy, staff were very tolerant of sleeping people too.

Arrived in Bruxelles for the dreaded 17 minutes change of station section and location of platform, but the Eurostar was a few minutes late arriving and it was cut to 10. Found the platform area, ticket showed platform 10 but the electronic screen showed a blank for our train's platform number, 7 minutes to go. Screen also showed a message that our train on to Koln (Cologne) was stopping at Bruxelles Nord, 9 minutes down the track. What it didn't show was the Deutsche Bahn (DB) ICE15 was no longer stopping at Bruxelles Midi where it was supposed to meet our incoming train and where we were. Ran upstairs to platform 10 to check if there were other passengers there and any extra information, some people but no info. Down to the concourse, Rob goes to one end of the concourse, I to the other, Rosie queues at the info desk, 5 minutes to go.

We gather between us that the ICE15 was now not going to stop at Midi but only at Nord, there was a local train running from Midi to Nord at platform 12, 3 minutes to go.

Arrive upstairs with all luggage on platform 12, lots pf people slightly out of breath, but no train, 2 minutes to go.

New announcement in 4 languages (English is spoken last), platform has changed and it's now #14. Off we all race as the train has to leave on time to guarantee meeting the ICE15 train. Down deep flight of stairs and back up the escalator, 1 minute to go.

Arrive platform 14, jump on train it leaves immediately, phew. It's cool in Bruxelles but we're all sweating.

Arrive Nord at platform 4, we need 2. Down stairs again and back up, there's the ICE15 sitting there but we are at the other end of the train! Rosie, Martine and Rob board the first car, I think this train will allow 2 minutes to board as we were sent half way round Bruxelles to find it, so walked quickly to the rear of the train. Half way a guard shouts it's going NOW! best get on then but with bags it's hard work passing through the rest of the cars, but we are on our way to Koln and riding our first ever ICE train.

Found the Eurostar ride superb, and very good track allowing maximum speed. The 2nd class interior is a bit cramped and we are not tall people, reminded me of budget airlines where they had added a few rows of seats.

The German ICE train was much more comfortable and spacious, but mainly not such good track and much lower speeds.

Reached Koln in good time to change trains for the next ICE on to Berlin, the whole station has people milling about dressed on their Karnival clothes, some very bizarre which adds to a party atmosphere. ICE Train 559 left on time and now a calm 5 hours to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Hbf)

More later


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## Bob Dylan

Most entertaining, sounds like a Monty Python or early Beatle Movie sketch!

As was said, we look forward to reading your continuing adventures from our recliners!


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## v v

Bob Dylan said:


> Most entertaining, sounds like a Monty Python or early Beatle Movie sketch!
> 
> As was said, we look forward to reading your continuing adventures from our recliners!


After day 1 Bob we'd like a go at your recliners


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## caravanman

Glad you managed the hectic last second platform and route changes, got to be plain sailing now for the next few months!

Best wishes,

Ed.


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## Barciur

Glad things are going well so far. By my estimates, you should be in Moscow now? Very much looking forward to hearing about how was Poland (did you find the supermarket?  ) and the train to Kiev as well, and then a bit about Kiev and the tri pto Moscow! How about the borders - both between Ukraine and Poland and Ukraine and Russia? Looking forward to hearing from you soon!


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## v v

Have just arrived in Moscow, Ruth was standing there smiling and waiting for us all. A very interesting journey through to Moskva Kyivskaya station but more later as we are off to walk Moscow... after 2 1/2 days on trains without facilities the hotel shower was the best ever.


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## v v

... *Day 1* continued, arriving at Berlin Hbf

With zero hours sleep the night before we slept for around 3 of the 5 hours to Berlin, very comfotable train.
Arriving on time at Berlin Hbf (main station) we were at journy's end for the day, but remained in the station for a while to look and absorb such a creative and technical marvel. Can't say enough good things about this station, it has to be one of the great railway stations of the world.
That evening we strolled around Berlin, first to the Reichstag and then on to the Bradenburg Tor (Gate), both look spectacular at night.
We finished up at Friedrichstrasse Station, an atmospheric symbol of the Berlin Wall and the Cold War. From certain angles it still looks and feels as it did back in the 60's and 70's, eerie and haunting. 
Read some very good reviews of the 'Die Berliner Republik' pub restaurant http://www.die-berliner-republik.de/en/  maybe 50m from Friedrichstr Station right on the river Spree. Known for being very popular, serves genuine German food and has an interesting beer borse where the price of the most popular beers sold changes on the popularity of each type over the previous few minutes.
We each had a different meal and all were really enjpoyed. Portions too large but tasted very good, their deserts were even better.
All in all after an early hiccup, frequent changes of trains, arriving at a modern work of art station and ending with a great meal and company, a pretty good start to a long journey.

*One of many views of Berlin Hbf*




*Soviet era Berlin TV tower stands in Alexanderplatz in the former East Berlin*




*Berlin Reichstag*




*Quadriga sculpture on top of the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin*




*Berlin Brandenburg Tor*




*Berlin, Friedrichstrasse Rail Station of Cold War fame*




*Day 2 - Tuesday 28 February 2017*

Writing this from about 1 km inside Ukraine, we have just had a new set of wheels fitted I assume for a track guage change. All done in silence by a large workforce inside a train shed. Photography is not allowed and twice someone has come along and closed our compartment door for what reason not sure, but this country is at war so have to expect unusual events.
But got ahead of myself, here is Day 2
Checked out of Hotel Meininger, hundreds of younger people at the hotel so it felt very lively which is no bad thing.
Walked the 100m back to Berlin station and stood and stared at it all over again, don't seem to stop finding different views.
Train Berlin to Warsawa left on-time, modern, clean and spacious Polish Intercity style train, about 1/3 full. A pleasant 5 hour train ride across a grey Polish plain.

*Our Berlin - Warsawa Intercity train arriving at Berlin Hbf*




*The interior, bright, modern, clean and comfortable*




*On the German - Polish border saw this military train heading east*




Arrived at Warsawa Centralna on-time, another bright and modern main station.

The tip from Barciur re the supermarket on the upper floor of the station was great, had all we needed for our overnight sleeper with no food and drink facilities.
Our Ukrainian sleeper train from Warsawa to Kyiv arrived ahead of time in it's original blue with yellow stripe Wagon Lit livery, a real throw-back to the past. The exterior and particularly the interior pleased us all, we could have been back in the 1960's. Each couple had a double compartment which was in the same 1960's style, with plenty of room and all that you need.

*The Warsawa - Kyiv train ready for boarding*







Only 8 passengers in our car, the 4 of us and a Ukraine family made up of Granny, Mum and two boys. The car attendant was a severe looking lady who couldn't smile at first, but as we all became more familiar a smile would escape sometimes.
We were all treated to cups of tea in glass cups with special metal holders, this was a memorable start to our old fashioned journey.
Rosie offered squares of dark chocolate to all up and down the carriage, we were offered a bottle of Soplica Sliwkowa by Granny, Granny proved to have a big smile that escaped all of the time. Rob and Martine continued to get to know each other and so we all settled down to train life as happens everywhere.

*Car corridor and this sign to indicate the toilets?*







There are only 3 carriages for the sleeper section and they are attached to the rear of a modern commuter style train. Close to the Ukraine order at Chelm we were separated from the main train, a shunter engine pulled us over the border for our wheel change.
At 00:16 1 March and we are under way again, Kyiv here we come...


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## Barciur

Great! I'm glad my tip was helpful. Good to hear you had a good trip to Berlin and again on the Ukrainian wagon. I hope you waved to my hometown, Lublin  Border control OK? No problems with either Polish or Ukrainian checks?


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## v v

Very early morning St Pancras International - London




The Bruxelles Eurostar




A few passengers arriving for the first London - Paris train




A pair of German ICE trains in Koln Hbf


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## v v

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​Under More Reply Options I added a photo to be attached here, the photo title showed but the above message appeared. I tried this about 6 times with both cropped and uncropped photos but nothing changed. Tried Basic Uploader and same result. Re-started computer and tried it all again, could see all the photos numbers that were selected but same message. About 14 hours ago with the same Notebook I uploaded the photos above with the same method, any ideas?


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## v v

*Day 3 - Wednesday 1 March 2017*

Fairly uneventful night after Passport and Customs twice plus the axle changes, although Rob and Martine who have brand new passports and came in for fairly close scrutiny.

The car rode really well, almost as good as the best of much newer rolling stock. All the fittings are solid and everything looked of good quality if a little dated, testament to the craftsmanship of days gone by.

Arrived In Kyiv with a little drama. Our phone didn't update the time zone change after the Poland/Ukraine border crossing, so according to us in our compartment we had 1 hour and 7 minutes to wash, dress, pack away and get ready to de-train, in reality we had 7 minutes but didn't know until a few minutes later...

Rob and Martine's phone did update, they were in the corridor ready to de-train 2 minutes after we woke up, oh dear.

Train staff told us we had to get off immediately as the train was pulling out even though it terminated in Kyiv, so poor Rosie got a little flustered as we were in underwear but we managed ok and the train hadn't moved 4 hours later which we could see when crossing the track bridge later in the day.

*Our car just arrived at Kyiv Pass, Ukraine*




First job was using our ticket voucher to collect our tickets for the Kyiv - Moskva sleeper later that same day. They were to be found in Hall 4 at Window 12 for ticket collection for internet sales. Already knew from Seat 61 that the window was open 24 hours with closed for rest breaks times posted on the window. We were in good time with no break just gone or due but the office behind window 12 looked a little dark. After waiting around for a few minutes with no one in sight we went to window 11 (strictly for Service personnel only!) where there were two people sitting there, but no attention was paid until a hello was said and the ticket voucher was produced. At which point no argument that it was the wrong window, 4 tickets were printed in under 60 seconds, with a smiling thank you off we went to find left-luggage. Again we knew in which part of the original station it was located thanks to Seat 61 (in the old station to the left side of the escalators up to the station connecting bridge and down several flights of stairs so you have to be fit). Tokens bought for 2 lockers and packed but wouldn't all go in, 3rd token and now ready to lock them but we needed help from a friendly attendant who had guessed we were about to have trouble locking up. All accomplished then back across the bridge (about 600-700m long) and out through the new station to a Ukrainian eatery opposite, very good food selection, astounding prices and tasty.

A note about Kyiv. It feels a little edgy in particular in and around Kyiv Pass stations, there are a lot of tough looking service men and police with serious expressions but we didn't feel intimidated. They appeared lightly armed compared to what we see in parts of London and at airports. It did not feel threatening it's important to say and often saw young men and service men helping the elderly with luggage.

It's late here in Moscow so more later, but just to paint the picture I'm sitting here writing looking through a panoramic window on the 11th floor of a good hotel watching low rise Moscow go about it's night business. Moskva Kievskaya station is below us so we can watch all the train movements in and out too if we stand up.


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## caravanman

Excellent !

Ed.


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## Seaboard92

Amazing trip report. I can't wait to hear more. I had a similar dilemma to yours in Bruxelles only I was starting my trip there. Except our ICE ended up in the end completely cancelled.


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## v v

Have to mention that there are quite a few photos but can't get them uploaded here. They may have to wait until we return to London in 4 weeks or so as between Rob and Ruth (both very capable phone and computer enthusiasts) and myself (not as knowledgable but pretty dogged) we've run out of ideas.

*Day 3 continued*

Have to go back a little for Barciur, back to Day 2 evening. 4 of us were on Lublin alert to make 110% sure that I didn't miss it, but it is a pretty sizeable town/city and a well signed railway station. Poised ready to jump off the train as it stopped, camera ready to go. Barciur, kept my side of the bargain and have a photo or two of your home town station. If you want to see them in a hurry then send an email, but if not they will get posted here at some point.

*For Barciur, his home town station*




The parts we saw of Kyiv looked pleasant and interesting, but it is heavily influenced at the moment with martyr sites for those killed in the Maidan Square uprising in early 2014, protests and demonstrations of one form or another and a security presence. There are many fine buildings, cathedral and churches and people look busy and quite well off.

The large double station area is full of life inside and outside the station, reminiscent of large stations in mainland Europe in the early and mid 60's. Wanted to photo the interior of the 'old' station but didn't think it the best idea with so many military around.

We took the Metro from outside of Kyiv Pass through to Arsenalna ( Арсенальна ) Metro station, here thanks to Long Train Runnin' for pointing out that there lies the deepest Metro station in the world. Deep it certainly is, the escalators appear speeded up as they travel over an enormous distance up and down, it would take forever to cover the journey to the surface at regular speed.

*Photo 1 - the deepest Metro station platform in the world*

*Photo 2 - from the top of the first escalator looking down, it start is very much a dot in the distance. Escalator No.2 to the surface from this point was about as long*







Enjoyed walking Kyiv but it is slightly hilly so not for everyone. People appear cautious but friendly and give help willingly if asked. Late afternoon and back to the station area to eat again, same place as breakfast with the same good results. We all took a liking to Kyiv, Rosie and I would like to return here sometime soon for a longer stay.

*Sign in partial English at Kyiv Metro station*




*Makeshift memorials to the people killed in Maidan Square are everywhere*




*Hasn't stopped young people demonstrating, a small demonstration forming*




*In the subway under Maidan square, a busker playing a cross between the Balalaika and a harp? He had a fine tenor voice too and was signing Hallelujah, moved me to tears after spending a little time in the square above.*




*Recovered our bags from the Left Luggage and soon on our way to the now indicated platform. Waiting there was what looked like an updated version of the Warsawa to Kyiv train, the Moskva Night Sleeper.*




Loaded us and all our stuff into a 4 bed compartment and started to settle for our first journey into Russia. The compartment although larger than the previous 2 berth had less room with 4 adults and bags, but we all knew each other which made life easier.

_We think the 4 berth compartment we have booked on the Trans Sib (Trans Siberian Express) is the same size, so that should be interesting as we will live in it for 7 days next week. Can also see on the RZD website that the spare bed in our booked 4 berth compartment (we have booked 3 of them) is now taken by a person unknown, great excitement to find out who we are sharing with._

We leave on time for Moskva, in the morning as we are eating breakfast we should be in Moscow's outskirts.

Continued later


----------



## v v

*Day 3 continued - evening*

​A short while after setting off tea (Chai) was brought to our compartment, the first of the 2 teas we ordered when booking the tickets. The hot water on this again Ukrainian train is heated by Samovars (boilers), at one end of the car heating by gas, the other end heating by wood or coal. Arrived at the Ukraine exit customs around 22:00, large military and border personnel force boarded and were soon at our compartment. We had 2 discoveries that evening, one that a very few Europeans / Americans use this route to Moskva, two that there were 2 tied closed plastic sacks in the corner of the compartment upper bag storage above the corridor. They didn't belong to any of us and Rob and Martine were having kittens that it may be smuggled goods. Felt through the sack plastic, the contents were shoes? some with very high heels! Asked a neighbour in the next compartment who made this journey about every 2 weeks and he said don't worry. Shortly after asked our car attendant what we should do with them and she said don't worry. Rosie and I are pretty relaxed people but Rob and Martine are now breaking out into a sweat as we hear the border forces come aboard., it gets worse for Martine...

Customs man comes into the compartment, glances up at the sacks above our heads, gives a cursory glance at us and the compartment and goes. Then the military come in for passports. Martine's is given special attention as is Rob's passport later. The passport control officer popped out to confer (did this a few times) and I try to reassure our friends by telling them they do this just to make you feel nervous, they certainly succeeded. After about an hour and 20 minutes he stamps their passports and waves a cheery goodbye, they both look years older. Have to say it was the longest passport check I've ever witnessed.

The sacks are now really bothering them as we have Russian border controls to come and whatever is in these bags could be contraband, could be in for for an interesting night.

Continued later


----------



## Bob Dylan

Sounds like these border agents are returning to the Cold War days when crossing a border was a very nerve racking expierence,especially for Americans!

It appears that our ICE officials are be adopting these methods of intimidation of "foriegners" entering the US under the new regime!

Looking forward to future episodes of the long,long trip to seldom visited places!


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## oregon pioneer

Bob Dylan said:


> Sounds like these border agents are returning to the Cold War days when crossing a border was a very nerve racking expierence,especially for Americans!
> 
> It appears that our ICE officials are be adopting these methods of intimidation of "foriegners" entering the US under the new regime!
> 
> Looking forward to future episodes of the long,long trip to seldom visited places!


Don't worry about the uploads, everyone's having problems with them right now. I am also looking forward to the next installment, and the photos when technology allows.


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## caravanman

When we flew into Rangoon airport in Burma, many years ago, our Lonely Planet guide book recommended taking duty free packs of cigarettes and a particular brand of scotch. The customs man was the first to ask if we wanted to sell them, and led us over to a huge room full of these same products. Maybe there is a customs person with a shoe fetish waiting somewhere ahead for their fix 

I would insist that they went out of the compartment, let the "don't worry" train crew member not worry!

Edwin


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## Barciur

Thank you for remembering! No need to hurry on pictures, it's okay. Just wanted to see if you remembered 

Question for you: how was communication in terms of language? You mention you have been able to communicate with attendants and border guards - do they speak English or other means were employed?


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## v v

9:30pm 12 March 2017 - Vladivostok tonight, icy rain turning to snow




Vladivostok main railway station, illuminated signs above the entrance reads, 'Station' - 'Vladivostok'


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## v v

*Day 4 - 03:00 Thursday 2 March*

Have moved at a regular speed from the Ukraine into Russia during the midnight hours, travelled quite a distance too. There didn't appear to be any change of train equipment at any point. We stop for Customs and passports at 3am, the Russian officials board quickly and we get an another customs officer who looks around our compartment after first glancing up into the corner where the shoes are. At this point he asks Rob and Martine to lift the lower bunk bed so he can look at their luggage, which he examines one piece of then he's gone.
The passport border official is almost smiley compared to the serious face of the Ukrainian officials in army fatigues, but he gives Rob and Martine's passports the same attention as ours and is quickly gone.
Then a man in a Puffer jacket and jeans arrives and asks us each individually what we were asked when we applied for a visa, which job, which school, what degree and what work we do now. Will we try to find work in Russia and where do we travel. Even having a third visitor went smoothly apart from Rob trying to use a Russian language app on his phone to translate his answers into Russian, this was declared "a bad idea" by our questioner in very good English. So it all went smoothly if not swiftly, we even got a smile on his departure.

My phone at last updated the time zone at the moment we crossed into Russia, but probably trying to atone for not updating for the Ukraine it over compensated and added an extra hour, for our 4 days in Moskva I alone was living in the Siberian city of Perm time zone, life is becoming complicated.
We all get 4 hours sleep before preparing for our arrival in Kievskaya station Moskva. After a slow trawl through the extensive suburbs we are there. Amazing to watch men working near to the tracks with no gloves, yes there is snow on the ground and it's pretty cold with a NE (from Siberia) blowing.

​*The sacks of shoes.* As we pull into Moscow Kievskaya station 2 serious looking large men appear at our compartment, they don't look like the attendant's little helpers or trans dressers either. They are accompanied by the car attendant who is there to keep us calm but the carriage is now becoming quite crowded and there is a tension in the air. We are packed up and ready to go but are blocked from moving. The car attendant points to the sacks, nods at us and a man climbs up, pulls down one and then the second sack all in silence and then they are gone, with the shoes...

We'll never know the real story but can always spend a minute or two guessing.



Next up is meeting with Ruth and a 4 day break before the Trans Siberia Express takes us east.

Her smile is as big as ever, we meet Ruth again after 2 years and it's very good to do so, Rob and Martine meet her for the first time. She has already scouted the hotel we all stay in and the correct station exit. All exits except one are now closed due to a high level of security we found all over the city. It was required to put all bags through a scanner and each person is scanned, that was to exit the station too.

*Our arrival station Moskva Kievskaya. Photo taken on leaving Moskva 4 days after our arrival, this is the only photo we have of it.*




The hotel Moskva Kievskaya Ibis is only 200m away from the exit, all local life is around and outside the station which makes the area feel lived in. First impressions are very good, it improved during our stay.

We are 4 days in Mockba and as this is a travelogue and not a city guide I'll just list highlights -


Hotel superb in all aspects
Moscow Metro system works as well as any we have used, well priced and looks like an art gallery in places, never seen the like of this.
People look serious but are very friendly if approached, most try hard to help, we really enjoyed being with Moscow people
They have Red Square which is pretty spectacular and larger than we expected. Everything is brighter and more 3D than any photos show. All the main buildings appear as though they were painted yesterday.
The Cosmonaut Museum was for me to die for. They presented the USSR and Russian view of the Space Race, how they succeeded and failed with rocket and space travel projects, the human aspect and cost of pioneering space in a mixture of detail and overview. The dog space suits were worth the admission price alone. Possibly the very best aspect of the Cosmo museum is the gigantic rocket taking off sculpture above the museum reaching high up to the sky. All in all a quite inspiring and one of the very best museums we have ever visited.
Food is good and can be had at any level easily, all well prepared to our tastes.
An amazing number of elegant, tall, beautifully dressed women with such poise we think there must be something in the water. This view is what the 3 women in our party think by the way.
A very easy, surprising, friendly and enjoyable city to visit.
The only lowlight is Rob and Martine leave us on Day 6 to train to St Petersburg and then fly back to London.

*St Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Moskva*




*One of two soldiers attending the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, outside the Kremlin walls*




*Lubyanka, Moskva. The headquarters of the former KGB - now home to the FSB*




*Yaroslavsky station Moskva, the unforgettable start point for the Trans Siberian Express*




*Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, gigantic monument sited above the museum - Moskva*


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## v v

*Day 7 - Sunday 5 March evening leaving Moskva ~ Train Day 1*

9pm we are ready to leave the lounge of the hotel, 25 minutes on the outer Metro circle line (Brown Line) and we are outside our departure station, the Yaroslavsky Station.
Upstairs to one of two large waiting areas, many people here waiting for Asia bound long distance trains, often with large amounts of baggage. This is not a holiday or sight seeing train at all, a better description would be an enormously long distance commuter train where the commute can take from a few hours to 7 days and nights.

We are now excited as we have all waited for this moment for over 40 years, just waiting to be given the platform number to get to our own Trans Sib Express, the Rossiya 002 to Vladivostok.
At last we are called and we are chattering like children as we make our way downstairs, out the station building, across to the right to platform No.1. It's 11pm, the air is heavy with an icy mist which creates an eerie glow around the platform lamps, the train attendants stand smartly in their very Russian uniforms by their carriage doors. Boarding is only allowed for the 1st class passengers at first so I walk up to the engine(s) to take a few quick photos, on the way there was a car attendant who looks exactly like Stalin in uniform but much larger, an awesome sight.

The engines are electric and made a while ago by Skoda who now are well known as the maker of cars (now under VW ownership). They also made trucks and train locomotives and have a superb museum well worth any rail fan's time and money. There are two engines back to back, and although I'm no train expert they look quite old but powerful, very atmospheric. The whole scene is set and is perfect.

Get back to our car and Rosie is at the door and looking worried, Ruth and all our bags are missing. I laugh and think this is a wind-up, but no our compartment is empty. Rosie stood on the platform to keep an eye on our bags while a more energetic and younger Ruth loaded our things onto the train, but she has disappeared as have our bags!
Standing in our compartment we hear a commotion at the far end of the car and go to investigate, Ruth is defending the wrong compartment against all comers with bags from all over being placed inside so no-one can get in at all, Ruth thinks our 4th room mate is a Russian family of 3 and is standing her ground.
She had made a simple mistake and doesn't realise, but is a determined girl. Everybody laughed at the end and we appear to have made Russian friends?

The Rossiya leaves on time at 23:45, a very slow smooth start through a dark misty Mockba. Will we ever return to this city? Yes if we can as it's one of the few places we would visit twice along with San Francisco and New York, oh yes and Oklahoma City.

*Day 8 - Monday 6 March towards Valdivostok ~ Train Day 2*

00:01 am - Well, even at this late hour it took a couple of hours for us to settle down, didn't know which of us was most excited. It had snowed heavily but was only apparent after leaving the city.
Trackside views appear to be the same the world over, this is just the Russian version made up of small wooden houses of which a few are painted bright blue, they line the tracks or create villages just like anywhere. Inside the city everything is larger than life, outside it's all smaller than we would expect.

The compartment is as we thought from the Ukrainian sleeper, similar dimensions and layout. There is a tv with 2 channels, cartoons on one side, and an old film on the other. The fittings are all very smart and clean, in fact it's possible to say immaculate. The Ukrainian cars had lockers under the lower beds, the Russian open side spaces. The Russian compartment has a full length mirror on the inside of the door so when the door is closed there is a sense of space, very clever. The beds are firm to our taste, but all bunks are 1 piece mattresses.

It's a comfortable train and best of all we have a friendly Provodnitsa who is a service fanatic. She cleans the whole car twice every day including vacuuming the corridor and each compartment. The bathrooms are also excellent at all times too. Elena is possibly the exception on this train, we'll never know, but house-proud and carrying out her duty appear to be her motivation.

We set off with no 4th passenger in the compartment, an amount more space is created to be able to spread out a little. Asked Elena why the 4th bunk was booked but no-one on board and she shrugged, then said enjoy it.
Good sleep in a smooth riding car.

Next morning off we go to the Samovar at the end of the car, boiling hot water in our newly aquired RZD glass cups with metal RZD holders. We have maybe 2 weeks supply of tea bags with us so it's tea on a regular basis from now on.

We are looking forward to getting off the train at Kirov Pass at 12:07, our first opportunity to stretch our legs in 12 hours. Only a kiosk or two on the platform and no Babushkas. Rosie bumped into a small group of jolly men by the car steps. We all fall into broken conversation and lots of laughing about who knows what, then they invite me only? to their compartment even though I protest that we travel as a group, there is no option. Sit with a large man either side and a pair opposite and wonder what's it's all about. It's simple, I'm invited as the only male and they want to practice English plus explain how much they love Mother Russia.

I'll leave most of this out as they had already a half emptied a bottle(s) of Wodka, but it starts as they pour 5 shot glasses full and I'm encouraged to drink with them. Try to explain I only drink with an evening meal but that is apparently not understood, they also mention that as I'm poured a drink along with themselves I am insulting their hospitality if I don't drink, no options then. Then the second but I really protest at the third. By this time I know they get off only one day before us so I'll be alcoholic before we arrive in Vlad.

They explain who the are, there are 5 of them on the train, 4 in this carriage. They are in the military, based at an air base in Smolensk, all around 35 years old and are officers. 4 Majors and a Colonel they are all air based weapons experts. One had represented Russia in the last Winter Olympics, they all had family that came from outside of the country of Russia but loved their Russian Union. I guess much like Americans love their country and their home state in different ways.

This felt like a dejarvu moment from years ago, but that's another story.

They were a very happy group of men, easy in each others company and with me. Their English was 10x better than my Russian, I have 3 words. After 3 Wodkas I'll laugh at anything, after 10 Wodkas they did too.

Made my excuses after around 90 minutes, they were ready for an afternoon nap and my head was spinning but not from Wodka. It's always the same feeling that where ever you go in the world we are all different and at the same time all the same.

Most people on this train are keeping themselves to themselves, even the military are after our introducing session. It doesn't feel unfriendly just very reserved which feels like the Russian way. Rosie and I agreed that we miss the Amtrak viewing and dinning cars a lot for their informal friendliness.

The remainder of the afternoon and evening were uneventful, hills are appearing as we are approaching the Ural mountains and Yekaterinburg where the Russian royal family were murdered.
It's a mixture of small single story houses, some smaller factories but no apparent farming, but it is still full winter here and it would be hard to work on the land?

Arrive at our evening stop of Perm at 19:51, the name is the attraction and we all get off to take a look and walk. Back to the compartment and we have found our 4th member who has positioned himself on the top bunk. Greet him with a hello, he just nods and returns to his phone screen. Remains in his bunk until early next morning when he disappears as quickly as he appeared, but on leaving he did say da svidaniya to Ruth as she was up and about at 6am. 

Wanted to continue writing this report and thought maybe the restaurant car would be ok to sit in for a couple of hours without disturbing Rosie and Ruth who wanted to sleep, but it was being locked up at 10pm so no luck there. The night stop came and went, occasional lit areas along the track. All room doors are closed in the evening (most are closed in the day too) for the privacy reason so a quiet evening.


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## Bob Dylan

Made it across the Big Nowhere and Lived to tell about it!

Now it's on to Asia!


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## oregon pioneer

Love your narrative style! Thanks so much for the details, looking forward to more.


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## caravanman

Excellent read, such fun... I can imagine looking over your shoulder as you are describing the events of the journey.

Was all of the "Trans Siberian" train comprised of sleeper compartments, or were there any basic coach seats too? Just wondering as you mention that it is like a commuter train... Not everyone is going the whole way.

Good Luck!

Ed.


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## v v

Seaboard92 said:


> Amazing trip report. I can't wait to hear more. I had a similar dilemma to yours in Bruxelles only I was starting my trip there. Except our ICE ended up in the end completely cancelled.


Seaboard, how did that story end re the cancelled train? we got away lightly compared to you then


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## v v

Bob Dylan said:


> Sounds like these border agents are returning to the Cold War days when crossing a border was a very nerve racking expierence,especially for Americans!
> 
> _It appears that our ICE officials are be adopting these methods of intimidation of "foriegners" entering the US under the new regime!_
> 
> Looking forward to future episodes of the long,long trip to seldom visited places!


Soon tell you Bob, we're arriving next week


----------



## v v

Started to go back over the previous text to add relevant photos. Internet in the main since leaving the UK has been poor overall so the text and photos are a little awry. Bit by bit I'll get all photos uploaded to appropriate sections. There are also a couple of answers to questions from a personal point of view.

Ed, it did become obvious that the shoes were placed in a passengers compartment for a reason, but always being a mischievous person who took the odd chance made a guess that all parties were in collaboration with the sacks contents and it would be fun to see what happened. The end of the shoes story is now inserted into Day 4, nothing too dramatic but appropriate.

The Trans Sib from Moskva to Vladivostok runs in two forms, the Rossiya trains No's 001 & 002 depending on direction, and the real commuter train that covers the same 9288 km route but adds about 30 - 40 more stops to the 50 - 60 of the Rossiya (sorry don't have the No. of the 'stopper' train to hand but can find it for you this week if you wish.) the stopper train takes about another 1 1/2 days longer than the Rossiyas, and run every other day to the Rossiyas so there is an every day departure.

The Rossiyas have 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes, the 3rd class is an open carriage with 4 bunks facing each other and 2 in the corridor, bit like Indian trains? 2nd class (Kupe) is about half the price of 1st class, 3rd class is about half of 2nd class. The best way of buying tickets for price is through RZD, Russian Railways. Pick a day to purchase that isn't a public holiday though as their CC acceptances appear to be switched off on those days. You can't until recently anyway though get an E-ticket for the Trans Sib through RZD, we used Trans Siberian Express company who were the best priced after RZD and excellent service and will supply an E-ticket. If you buy from RZD you will get a voucher or code to collect your ticket on arrival in Moskva.

The stopper train has only 3rd class and maybe coach? but 3rd class is remarkably cheap if bought in advance. We never saw coach offered on any overnight train including those from Warszawa to Kyiv and Kyiv to Moscow, but didn't go out of my way to find them either.

Again if you have any other questions just ask and I'll look stuff up for you, it's all with us while we travel.

As you probably know the Trans Sib is only one of 3 routes, the other two the Trans Mongolian and the Trans Manchurian both of which end in Beijing are a mixture of commuter and tourism. There are I believe better eating and sleeping facilities on both these later routes. I can only really comment on the Trans Sib though.

Opinion. 3rd class is interesting and very social, the facilities work but there are a lot of people using 2 only toilets. Maybe security is a small problem but all LD trains carry resident police.

2nd class was a good option, very reasonable in our opinion, met other car passengers and had 3 different Russian men in the empty 4th bed in our compartment. The Rossiya we took was close to full most of the time, it is winter and although we met a couple of young men making a 3000km train trip to collect a car to be driven back to their home town they seemed like the exception, most thought that using the train was a no brainer. They admitted it may be dangerous as there is snow and ice all along their route but they were confident maybe due to age?

If you were to make the journey straight through it has to be said it's an epic and will test you, if that's your idea then you may find the few creature comforts of 2nd class a good idea.

2nd class is used a fair bit by the military, we met Army, Navy and Airforce personnel close-up, there are further military adventures to report later. They created a sense of balance and well being by being on board. 3rd class was used by Russians on a tight budget and travelling only 1 or 2 days, plus on this train a lot of Korean workers going home too.

The last carriage was a mystery that we were not allowed to access, as was the front one. Have to say though that at one stop I'd walked down the platform to photo something behind the train and out popped a very 'fit' young lady from the last car who proceeded to use a Hula Hoop on the platform for 15 minutes, she got quite an audience from the assembled Koreans and one or two others.

Barciur, our attempts at Russian were pathetic, we said 'yes' and 'thank you' a lot. Rosie started to get a grip of the Alphabet but you have to start actively learning a bit of Russian a fair while before leaving, and this was almost a last minute journey for us.

We and Russians often became very frustrated but neither party gave up on a subject very often. Lots of grimaces, smiles and back slapping appeared to work, and if it didn't there was plenty of goodwill. Not sure about for you but there were only 4 foreigners on our train - no that's a mistake as there a Korean couple who are travelling as tourists as far as we could tell which makes 6 - so we were a bit of a curiosity to the others and they tried their cotton socks off to help us. I was travelling with 2 ladies who smile a lot, it's a big help. As mentioned our Provodnitsa was exceptional, although very limited English she smoothed the odd thing out for us which gave us confidence. Last to your question of how did we manage with all the different contact we had in Russia. We made detailed plans to start and always created a Plan B, or if no plan B we were prepared to modify anything already planned. We tried not to take too much too seriously as there was always a way, and we did survive what I have to repeat is an epic journey and lived to tell the tale, but not without a close call as you'll hear later.

PS: After thinking about this overnight there were another couple of factors on getting by with the language. They are choose who you ask to help and translator apps on your phone. So on the Trans Sib we had train staff but most didn't or couldn't help, there are exceptions. Young people (a girl of 10 with her mother was our best English speaker) wanted to help as they have become very westernised indeed and have an interest in English/American language. Military in particular officers have more English than they admit. Professionals if they are obvious.

The phone translators work quite well providing you have a signal. So in towns and cities abbreviated questions/answers are easy with a phone. On the Trans Siberian Express phone coverage was only 10% at best and not necessarily available at the moment you need to translate something.


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## v v

*Day 9 - Tuesday 7 March into Siberia ~ Train Day 3*

The hills are behind us, we've entered the Siberian Steppe. There is a lot of snow here and not too much road transport. The stands of Silver Birch trees in the snow are just beautiful, and even though they are repeated mile after mile they are no less stunning.

It's a simple day, sitting, getting off at every stop to walk a little, talking reading and writing, but mainly looking out at an endless landscape completely under snow. It's been a bright and sunny day today, looks beautiful in a stark way.

They refill the car water tanks every day even though there are no showers, one man services about 3 cars per stop. There are far more staff employed here than than in similar jobs in Europe, do they work on the basis that it's better to employ more people at lower wages and have more feel usefull?

*A Russian Railways (RZD) tea glass and metal holder *




*An engine?*




*A military train*




*Typical view as it gets hilly*




*Babushkas going about their business*




On the way to the restaurant car this evening Rosie bumps into an American lady travelling alone from choice. She travels the world mainly by train where she can as it's so much fun. At home she travels Amtrak a lot too, she lives to travel.

That makes for 6 foreigners on the whole train, 4 of us are travelling all the way to Vlad. 1 Taiwan - 1 American - 2 Korean - 2 English, the rest are Russian or Korean workers. The train is almost completely full, there are 11 or 12 accomodation cars.

*​Moskva time shown on the station clock, real time who knows anymore...*




The restaurant car is of the modern type, looks very much like an Amtrak café car with fancy curtains, there are 3 staff in sight but only one serving the few customers. There is a chef somewhere too, maybe people eat earlier here?

Pricing is very good but the portions are small. Have to write that the food is nicely presented and we all say very tasty, but could do a little more to fill us.

We have stopped at Barabinsk while we are eating in the restaurant car and find a teenage boy has taken the 4th bunk when we return to our compartment. He looks slightly intimidated by the 3 older people who's space he has entered, but we all give him a smile and ask if he can speak English, he indicates a small amount but doesn't speak. After charging his phone he makes his bed and is away in his upper bunk. We all say that at that age we wouldn't have had much to say to 3 older room mates.

As mentioned before we are travelling through 7 time zones, but the train runs on Moscow Time (MT). The train timetable is all in MT, but to our surprise the internal life of the train is run at whatever time zone we are in, phew. It does get complicated as we have now crossed 4 time zones in 44 hours and have to keep up with the changes, but our timetable is running with no connection to day or night, very strange feeling.


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## v v

Bob Dylan said:


> Made it across the Big Nowhere and Lived to tell about it!
> 
> Now it's on to Asia!


It's a funny thing about the Big Nowhere, it is somewhere as people are dotted all along the rail line, either close to it or in the distance.

You travel sometimes a day or a day and a half with mostly nothing to distinguish the view from the window at that moment to a couple of hours before, then wham!, a major (frozen) river and a city the size of Dallas or bigger appears and goes on for miles and miles.

Did learn from Russians that beyond the rail corridor it gets pretty remote, and they do have real wildernesses similar to the remoter parts of Alaska and northern Canada.

Rosie's take on it was the scenery changed on a daily basis, one day it was all more or less the same and the next morning it was different but stayed that way all day until the next day.

Make no mistake there are a Zillion Silver Birch trees lining the track for about 8500km, but in the snow they do look very beautiful even without leaves, and without leaves it allows you to see far greater distances too. But there are also areas that are extremely beautiful too which are mostly after Ulan-Ude heading east through to Vladivostok.


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## Bob Dylan

Sounds like a scene out of Doctor Zhivago!

Really enjoying reading about y'alls adventure from my armchair but would rather be reading it on a train heading somewhere!


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## v v

Bob Dylan said:


> _Sounds like a scene out of Doctor Zhivago_!
> 
> Really enjoying reading about y'alls adventure from my armchair but would rather be reading it on a train heading somewhere!


In places it was exactly like a scene from Dr Zhivago and the train passes through the town it was based on, Perm (although it was called Yuryatin)


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## caravanman

Very enjoyable read, and excellent photos too. I like the night shots and the interesting perspectives, you have a great eye! I guess you have a pretty decent camera?

Looking forward to the next instalment,

Ed.


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## v v

*Day 10 - Wednesday 8 March Siberia ~ Train Day 4*

Not too much to report as we eat, sleep, read, talk and look out of the windows, a normal train day.

The colonel shook my hand as he walked past and our car attendant is even more charming, she's added unpaid childrens nanny to her range of skills and everything is done with a smile.

Rosie added the art of managing to buy platform food from a babushka today at Ilanskaya, these older women work so hard with very limited resources, standing out in some very low temperatures hoping train passengers will buy their home made food. She bought 2 pancakes and 2 Blini pancakes, all for 100 roubles. She came back with her trophies and said she didn't know what she had bought but they looked good. Two were interesting but ok, the other two were 'yummy' is Rosie's language, the girl done well.

Artur our 16 year old compartment addition is less shy today, phone translators are whizzing along at a furious rate but phone signals are very infrequent or not at all (we are in fairly remote central Siberia now) so it's a little like a comedy routine with key words missing. Either he or his father is a mechanic, agricultural engineering came into it too.
He does like cars and makes such as Dodge (trucks?) are his favourite, maybe... plus the more specialised Viper and Mustangs including Roush built cars. Ferrari and Aston Martin didn't figure so well in his thinking but maybe they are too delicate for Siberia?
His is either off to visit his girlfriend or go to college, that was one of the internet breaks. But he's a good kid and trying to join in I think for our sakes.

The train runs just a few minutes either side of the timetable times, but they do get priority (at least the Rossiya No's 1 & 2 do) over freight. They handle all the technical side affected by ultra low temeratures fairly easily too, 2nd day out the car attendants are out working using long handled narrow ice shovels to chip ice from the suspension springs.

There has been a big snowfall here at some time, the small houses sit with what looks like big dollops of custard on their roofs, picture postcard stuff.
The snow is pristine with hardly an animal track to be seen, only the occasional tire or snowmobile track to be seen. Becoming prettier, colder and slightly more hilly.

Almost all compartments have their doors closed for most of the day and evening, this is a very reserved group of people who prefer their own company. We also don't think it would make much difference if we spoke Russian as there is hardly any chat between compartments. It is something we miss as that is the glory of long distance train travel, you get to know your neighbours a little, oh how we miss Amtrak.

Ruth who is a very active person is taking every opportunity to walk here or there when she can, or get off to photo things at every stop, it is our 4th day on the train and we all look forward to stops just to remind ourselves there is an outside.

At the river Yenisey we are at the middle of Siberia, it is the traditional border. The city of Krasnoyarsk is nearby, it is the 3rd largest city in Siberia.

We are now in the old Gulag territory, forced labour camps in this remote and very cold region. They still mine coal and other minerals and it looks as though the railway plays it's full part in moving goods. The track in places is a little less smooth here, it's a wonder it's not worse when the whole region is so cold for so long each year


----------



## v v

01:12am 16 March 2017 - Kaohsiung, Taiwan tonight, warm overcast day and evening 20 - 25 oC

Remainder of photos for Kyiv are now posted into *Day 3*​. Had a great evening this evening at a special restaurant and a really buzzing night market. Tomorrow afternoon travel by High Speed Japan built rail to Taipei, built along the lines of the bullet train so we're told.


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## Seaboard92

v v said:


> Seaboard92 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Amazing trip report. I can't wait to hear more. I had a similar dilemma to yours in Bruxelles only I was starting my trip there. Except our ICE ended up in the end completely cancelled.
> 
> 
> 
> Seaboard, how did that story end re the cancelled train? we got away lightly compared to you then
Click to expand...

We started at Centraal where we were to go to Midi to catch the train. We hustled on to the right platform. Then they decided to cancel the train for just midi station so we hurried onto a train for Nord. Arrived at nord and went to the right track when they cancelled the train completely. So talking to a station attendant my grandmother who has trouble walking convinced him to let us use the elevator which you need his key for. We walked a short distance under the tracks in this employees only area that looked like it hadn't seen repairs since the 50s and back up where they put us on an over crowded IC to Vieviers where I ended up sitting on the floor by the door. When we got off that DB had buses for some people but they were directing people to an RDC looking train to Aachen before the buses so we got on that. Had an interesting discussion with a Palestinian professor. Then we were put on an IC replacement at Aachen which had to wait for busses to come so we sat in Aachen for two hours. On a train that was 15 cars long with only three cars worth of passengers eventually. Made it home six hours late.


----------



## v v

Seaboard92 said:


> v v said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seaboard92 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Amazing trip report. I can't wait to hear more. I had a similar dilemma to yours in Bruxelles only I was starting my trip there. Except our ICE ended up in the end completely cancelled.
> 
> 
> 
> Seaboard, how did that story end re the cancelled train? we got away lightly compared to you then
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> We started at Centraal where we were to go to Midi to catch the train. We hustled on to the right platform. Then they decided to cancel the train for just midi station so we hurried onto a train for Nord. Arrived at nord and went to the right track when they cancelled the train completely. So talking to a station attendant my grandmother who has trouble walking convinced him to let us use the elevator which you need his key for. We walked a short distance under the tracks in this employees only area that looked like it hadn't seen repairs since the 50s and back up where they put us on an over crowded IC to Vieviers where I ended up sitting on the floor by the door. When we got off that DB had buses for some people but they were directing people to an RDC looking train to Aachen before the buses so we got on that. Had an interesting discussion with a Palestinian professor. Then we were put on an IC replacement at Aachen which had to wait for busses to come so we sat in Aachen for two hours. On a train that was 15 cars long with only three cars worth of passengers eventually. Made it home six hours late.
Click to expand...

Appears to be a common thread running through the operations of Bruxelles Midi station


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## v v

*Day 11 - Thursday 9 March across Siberia ~ Train Day 5*

*​*​Early hours of the morning, a strange night. Each of the 4 of us in the compartment couldn't sleep and no idea why. Rosie sitting up reading, Ruth and Artur each on their phones, me writing more of the report.

Morning, fresh snow and train climbing into hills and then low mountains, quite a lot of track curves one after the other. Roads not cleared but smoke coming from a few chimneys so people around. We are close to Lake Baikal, the worlds deepest and largest by volume fresh water lake in the world. It's hard to imagine a lake over a mile deep, and more difficult now as it is frozen, usually to 3m (c. 10 feet) deep for much of the winter.

*First sighting of Lake Baikal*




*More Baikal*




We are approaching Ulan-Ude, a major rail junction and city. An odd thing happened in our car, many of the closed compartment doors are now open with people standing chatting in the corridor, the atmosphere feels lighter with people smiling and acting as though they have known each other for years. It has happened only today and we wonder if it's because many are leaving the train, the reserve is no longer required? And that's exactly what did happen. There was a big turnover of passengers and again to our surprise more got on than off, the same happened all the way from here to Vladivostok.

Vi*ews looking from the lake south*










*Further expanse of Lake Baikal*




Arriving Ulan-Ude to follow...


----------



## oregon pioneer

v v said:


> Vi*ews looking from the lake south*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> S11909.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> S11911.jpg


Wow, a ski hill out there in the middle of Siberia! I wonder who the patrons are? The middle class of Ulan-Ude?


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## Barciur

Fantatsic pictures! This all makes me want to go back to RUssia to do the whole trip! Looking forward to your next endeavors!


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## v v

*Day 11 - Thursday 9 March across Siberia ~ Train Day 5 ...... continued*

*​*Ulan-Ude really feels like a major halt for the Trans Siberian, no longer than a few other cities but just has a feel about it. This is helped by the amount of people leaving the train, newcomers boarding and the amount just milling around.

I saw a photo opportunity here but couldn't get a view along the platform, lucky there was a convenient gantry near to the car door. Climbed this a little and have the photo below. A shouted rebuke from our Prov which eventually turned into a small smile but more seriously the Colonel walked over and admonished me sternly in German, I punched him playfully in the arm but he only scowled.




Here are platform photos of Ulan-Ude, the most curious surely is the shapely young lady who decided to exercise for 15 minutes on the platform with her special Hula Hoop. Most of the men were fascinated and for some reason there was always a railway official standing close to her at all times, no idea why. By the way, she came from the forbidden rear carriage.

My purpose was to get to the rear end of the train to photo the green train with the red star at the front, but had to walk to the end of the platform and beyond it. There was some commotion over the station loudspeaker but don't think it was for me?

Last photo is the travel worn author standing beside our car, it has the entire route map of the Trans Siberian Express across the carriage side.










*Helena our Prov with her helper, they were inseparable for 3 or 4 days. The helper had the important job of carrying the conductor's flags*







We're all called back to the train, much movement inside our car as people stow luggage and find their spot. We find Ruth sitting alone in the car, Artur has gone. He had said goodbye to Ruth but none of us had expected he was leaving, such is train life here in Russia. So we three have more space again, but wonder if there will be any further new room mates with just under 2 days to go?

Out of the window the snow has almost gone yet just a week before it had been the coldest area on the entire Trans Sib route, suppose this is extreme continental climate in action.

Made an arrangement with Helena to use an empty compartment this evening so I could write and read into the night after the car settles down. Rosie and Ruth are early risers and I am not, it's not fair on them if I keep my bunk light on. So Helena has helped by letting me use an empty compartment she has prepared for upcoming passengers, she has been so good to all of us in the car.

Our next major stop is Chita, we hear there's a large military base there where the Colonel and Majors will leave us at around 01:00 tomorrow morning. It has been good having them on the train as there was always a smile even though they mainly kept themselves to themselves. Rosie and I had brought a 3 Litre wine box from France, it is a strong Syrah from the Rhone valley, a nice Chateauneuf du Pape. We decided to give this to these officers as they obviously enjoyed being sociable within their obvious constraints, so late afternoon it was presented to them. They asked if we would drink it with them but declined, told them it was a British tradition not to drink any wine given as a gift. An hour or so later Rosie pops along to offer a little dark chocolate to go with the wine, but they roar with laughter shaking the empty wine box.

That evening get off at Khilok for a few minutes, there is nothing to see and the air is very very cold. Laugh some more with the Military and wish them well, they leave the train in a few hours at Chita. Before we re-enter the train I try to ask for the Russian word for the number one, fast as you like they say "Putin" at which we all roar with laughter.

Rosie and Ruth decide to sleep, I move notebook, book and reading glasses down to the next compartment but one, we are all happy. The book is Philip Roth's ' The Plot Against America '. Never read anything by Mr Roth before but am enamoured by his writing style, and completely taken aback as to how some aspects described in the early sections of this book - written about 15 years previously - appear to be a handbook for the Trump campaign, huge co-incidence. After reading further it comes across as a love story between a close knit family with all the highs and lows many families experience.

Settle down for a quiet evening, then Helena pops her head in to ask if I'm ok. Now a whole compartment to myself, this is another new aspect of train life for me.


----------



## caravanman

Enjoying each posting immensly! Re your novel, Lindberg was thought to have had a hand in his own son's dissapearance, wonder if Trump has any dark secrets... 

Ed.


----------



## v v

*Day 12 - Friday 10 March into East Russia ~ Train Day 6*

​It's 00:55 Thursday morning, we are pulling into Chita, quite a few military get off, others get on. As usual I sit with the compartment door open and hear people moving down the corridor. First the Colonel passes with a big smile and says auf Wiedersehen, next up is the athlete Major, he comes in the compartment drops his kit bags and hugs me, wow. Then he does it again and speaks only in Russian, then the third time and there are tears running down his face, I can only say "next time" but don't know why. Picks his bags up and goes, then comes back for one last hug! Last, the smiling Major comes in but only 2 sets of hugs, he too has tears in his eyes. He says we can be friends after (I assume when he leaves the military. No.4 Major is gone, but he has left his passion for the wild parts of Siberia with me.

These Russians are very proud to be Russian, but are very human too.

Read more of Mr Roth and go to bed, but on the way to our compartment can see another batch of mid 30's military have taken the previous officers compartment, oh dear what next.

Ruth tells us it was - 14 oC last night, we sit in the compartment in T shirts and lightweight clothes so would never know. Outside the terrain is scrubby, looks difficult for anything to grow here. It's no surprise that permafrost covers this area and only the toughest plants can grow.

Frozen rivers are used as roads, we've never seen that before but it's starting to look commonplace. Tracks on the snow covered rivers are from all types of vehicles and footprints too.

There are large log piles beside homes that are occupied, a lot more pine and conifer here than before but would like to know what they prefer to burn. The snow has disappeared on the southern slopes but it's very cold indeed.
















We decide to go get a late breakfast from the dining car (we'll I did and Rosie come along for company) but the breakfast menu is now finished. Did ask for my version of an American breakfast and got sort of close to what I want. Made the mistake of not specifying how the eggs were to be cooked, big mistake. But as I was paying was determined to eat them...
Across the aisle were a couple of 20 something young Russian men drinking beer, very open and friendly. A little English, a tiny amount of Russian and we learn they are Maxim and Dimitri who live and work in Chita. Maxim has his own florist business, and Dimitri with the beard is a civil engineer working for a large company. They don't meet many (any?) foreigners in Chita and are very curious about us, and full of fun (or is that the beer?). They offer to buy us drinks but it's only 11:00am and as both are not beer drinkers it's too much for us, but we said maybe later.

*Maxim and Dimitri*




They are off on a mission to buy a car in Vladivostok, 3000 kms from their home in Chita. They will buy a used car there and drive it back to Chita in 2 days, one sleeps, the other drives. I offer my services as a 3rd driver as it sounds like an adventure, unexpectantly they say it's a good idea. They start to make plans on how I can catch Rosie and Ruth up in Taiwan, they think I'll be useful and it would be fun.

Reluctantly I have to tell them that it's not possible and I didn't expect them to say yes, but in another time I would help them at the drop of a hat. We make an exit, not sure who is most disappointed, them or me.


----------



## v v

caravanman said:


> Very enjoyable read, and excellent photos too. I like the night shots and the interesting perspectives, you have a great eye!_ I guess you have a pretty decent camera?_
> 
> Looking forward to the next instalment,
> 
> Ed.


Hello Ed, it's a Sony DSC-HX300, 2 -3 years old. I think they are called a bridge camera as they are not a compact and not a full blown DSLR.

We own a very spiffy semi professional camera for work purposes, but it's bulky, heavy and you need maybe 3 lenses to give you a range for all occasions. The last time we used it for travel we ended up using our tablet more than the camera as it was so cumbersome. A month or two later a couple who live full time in their camper stayed at our place in France, they were using the forerunner to this camera. What impressed most was the weight or lack of it, plus had seen their photos in a blog and was impressed.

This camera has limitations but for travel they are not many. Funny but it doesn't like heavily clouded days but will be pretty good at night. The zoom is unusable beyond about 50% unless on a robust tripod.

If I take the identical photo with our Canon and try to give the shot some thought, the Canon will be twice as good, or brilliant if I get it right by accident. With the Sony we leave everything on full auto and get what you see.

On day 2 of this journey a fault code started flashing on the screen, it shows the electronic stabilization program has stopped working as anything beyond a mild zoom requires enormous bracing to get a half decent shot, but it's not as good as usual. A Sony Center in Moskva confirmed the fault but were not a repair center, so hoped that Kaohsiung Sony Repair Center would be able to carry out repairs, but there was not enough time as they were busy. We may try in LA this week or wait till we are back in London.

Hope this answers you question, and thanks for the encouragement.


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## caravanman

Certainly the pictures are very good, compared to my usual efforts, maybe the skill is yours, more than the camera.

I was interested in the photo of the provodnic with the "helper" carrying the flags. It looks as though the flags are held furled together by a cable tie?

I remember seeing a documentry about Indian railways, where platform trainees were told that the two flags always had to be ready for action. "The red flag must always be held in the right hand, it is the most important of the two, and there is less chance of dropping or fumbling with right hand if needing to use in emergency" Not sure how left handed folk got on... 

I can't quite get my head around the idea that you will be in L.A. as soon as next week... seems so far from Russia!

Ed.


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## v v

*Los Angeles - 00:10 Tuesday 21 March*

We were met at LAX airport by our friend Milton, shuttle then car back to his home in the San Fernando Valley

Ed, I think the female is Provodnitsa and the male is Provodnik. It was probably an elastic band as Helena was very correct with all she did, but if Helena ever comes to visit us we'll ask. Never saw flags being used as they may be for an emergency only? Think they only came out for the benefit of the small girl but not 100%.

7 days on the Trans Sib didn't tire us as much a day spent going through airports and 15 1/2 hours flying, still this is my usual moan. The flying was just about ok, not good for your body though I bet, but all the fuss going through 3 airports in 24 hours is to be avoided.

Funny, but entry in the US was surprisingly very simple even though another level of checking has been added since 6 months ago. Got a smile from the passport border control man who told us his job at LAX airport was straight forward compared to working on the Mexican border. Also got a smile and a joke from the customs officer too, all in all a good experience but the smiles and jokes are new experiences for us going through US border controls.

But you're right Ed, it is amazing to think this time last week we had only just left Russian Vladivostok, spent a week in very eastern Taiwan, and arrived here in another totally different culture of American LA, it is hard to take in and possibly it will take weeks to appreciate.

We're now very tired so will take it easy tomorrow, no more trains or buses until the Sunset Limited this Friday evening coming.


----------



## v v

A couple of Trans Siberian Rossiya 002 interior photos, a couple of engines plus more Babushkas

*The Restaurant Car*




*A 'Kupe' 2nd Class compartment awaiting passengers*




*Engines*







*Babushkas trying to make a little money*


----------



## v v

*Day 12 - Friday 10 March into East Russia ~ Train Day 6 ...... continued*

​Get back to our compartment and find we have our 3rd new room-mate, a 26 year old Russian naval officer old called Anatoly, he's a good looking extremely fit young man and Rosie didn't mind at all!

He speaks almost no English but we learn he is a 2nd Lieutenant based at the moment in Vladivostok but comes from inland eastern Russia. We are all fascinated how he appears to just with one bound get up or down from the upper bunk, he smiles when he realises we are watching in amazement. Mostly he sleeps for the 36 hours or so before we reach Vlad, but does try to join in with us at odd moments, especially when there is a phone signal and translators can be used.

Yesterday one of the two car toilets was blocked, but Helena was quickly on to it and called in a maintenance man from another car. Today it blocked again, this time along a bucket of water, a plunger and a what appeared to be a pink hot water bottle with a hose attached? were used, it didn't block again.

Helena is starting to look very tired, and says to us "sleep, I need sleep". It's no wonder as she is into day 6 of a more or less 24 hour a day job, and boy this woman works hard.

We have made a dinner date with Sharon the traveller and travel writer from New York City, we are meeting up in the restaurant car at 6pm. We spend 2+ hours over dinner, Sharon is fascinating to us all as we are all frequent travellers. She answers questions about her life in travel and writing, and if I have it right broadcasting too. Ruth asks almost as many questions as I do, this lady is very good company. We mention AU to her, she notes it down for future research.

Toward the end of the meal Dimitri and Maxim arrive back in the restaurant car for a few more beers, another couple of Russian men come in a few minutes later, it's starting to get busy and sees the staff animated at last. D and M have a young girl with them, about 10 years old, she is the daughter of a friend of theirs from Chita and she wants to meet the English speaking people she has heard about.

Sharon soon leaves us, she writes up notes at the end of her day and is always awake before daybreak, so it's early to bed for her. As Sharon leaves so a tall slim young lady with a big smile arrives, it later turns out to be Anastasia the 10 year old's mum. Now this really did happen.

She walks straight up to our booth - 'Nastasia is sitting between Rosie and I - she slides onto the end of the seat next to me, puts her arm around me, even bigger smile and Dimitri takes a photo of the 4 of us, I really thought my luck had changed but who is she?

They are all friends from Chita and she is a Firefighter going to Vladivostok to treat Nastasia to a water park at the coast, just hope it was indoors. This charming happy lady is the best looking Firefighter I've ever seen.

We all talk in the now familiar fragmented way and the good evening just gets better, train life can be so special. Nastasia is Harry Potter crazy and loves talking to Rosie (Rosie was a Primary teacher for more than 30 years and has a way with children). She calls Harry Potter 'Gary Potter' and after a couple of attempts to correct her Rosie knows better and also renames Harry. Nastasia is also a very good English speaker for her age, she can't get enough of hearing Rosie talk. Nastasia became the unofficial train translator.

*Our Chita friends with Rosie and Ruth*




After an hour or so we 3 are ready to leave, they have our phone numbers and we have theirs. We pay and bid our farewell to the restaurant car crew as it's the last time we'll eat there, and shake hands all round. I also shake the hand of the 2 unknown Russian men who have been sitting there drinking... mistake.

One is a bear of a man and invites me to drink with them, I explain that it's important to accompany Rosie and Ruth back to our car. The second man is bigger than the bear, has the sort of chiselled features the Soviets would have used on the heroic sculptures they created of strong men leading the way forward, and a handshake that could do serious damage.

We escape and get back to our compartment. Sit there chatting a little and the bear comes along, as usual our door is open, decides he will invite himself in and sits on a lower bed. I explain in German as that appears to be his best 2nd language that we are all off to sleep and although he is welcome we are all tired especially the ladies. Nope, that doesn't work, a drunk that doesn't look like he is drunk.

I ask if he will talk with me in the corridor, just so Rosie and Ruth don't have to cope with him. Ruth who can be feisty tells him to leave too and that does it. We gravitate down to the end of the car away from sleeping people and he sees Helena's open door, in he goes, this is getting worse as I look like his accomplice. 2 minutes later Helena orders him out and he goes, I say sorry and she scowls.

We stand in the doorway between cars and he produces from somewhere on his person 3 cans of beer, he thrusts one at me and says "drink". Really don't want to drink but take the can not opening it, this is not feeling like a good situation as the only real help in this car is Helena at 4' 11".

He explains he is an Army Colonel coming from Chita and going to a city a 1/2 day before Vladivostok. It's either his home or where he is based. He glowers and growls a lot because I wont drink, so it's open the can to appease him. He has pulled out a Russian Army tee shirt and says it's for me, then pulls the tab on one of his cans of beer and downs the contents on one go, wipes his face and says "I'm a man". Within seconds does exactly the same with the second can, now "I'm a real man", oh dear.

I start to sip very slowly and attempt a little humour, can't find a way out of this situation. Saying 'I'm not much of a man' falls on deaf ears and he's getting louder. Helena comes out and shouts at us to keep quiet but she didn't have the answer of how to get rid of him.

He's watching if I am drinking all the beer, then says in very good English in a low growl, " it would be very easy to kill you ", at this point I'm watching him closely and paying a lot of attention to what he says and does. No longer sure if this man is very drunk, angry or just lonely but didn't want to hang around to find out. Said I have to pee which he thought was reasonable, he stepped aside as the toilets are at the other end of the car. Thought of diving into our compartment on the way through but thought it could then involve the girls, bad idea. Longer time in the bathroom than needed and hope he has got bored, tired or wandered off as drunks do, great he's gone, phew.

Walk smartly down the corridor and almost there, he comes out blocking the corridor, between me and our compartment. He's holding his uniform jacket with lots of insignia all over it, points at a patch and says, "Russian Army", I nod and think will this ever end. He then rips the velcro'd insignia from the arm and gives it to me "Russian Army good!", I nod and mutter "very good" and think please don't insist I take it but of course he does. I tell him I'll treasure it and plan to hand it back in the morning. Can I be arrested for having a part of a serving Russian Colonels uniform? but that is less important than finding the escape route which he supplies. He needs to pee too which is no surprise. He goes one way and I dive into our compartment, lock the door and sit there waiting to see if he gets the idea, and yes he's gone.

Unfortunately the above is all true.


----------



## caravanman

Gosh, what an ordeal so soon after a great time at dinner. It reminds me in a small way of when I worked as a taxi driver... I hated picking up boorish drunks ! Glad you escaped at last.

Ed.


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## v v

caravanman said:


> Gosh, what an ordeal so soon after a great time at dinner. It reminds me in a small way of when I worked as a taxi driver... I hated picking up boorish drunks ! Glad you escaped at last.
> 
> Ed.


No wonder you are so laid back when travelling, as a taxi driver you have probably seen it all.

I'm sure that no harm was meant but not 100% sure. He didn't appear to have a sense of humour but that may just have been the level of inebriation? Whatever, if you don't have the odd strange moment you have nothing to judge the good moments by, and we've all had unusual things happen to us at some time or another.


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## oregon pioneer

I am glad you were crafty enough to escape. Sometimes "real men" can be a real pain. If it's any consolation, I believe most women, like me, prefer men with some ability to empathize.


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## v v

*Day 13 - Saturday 11 March into East Russia ~ Train Day 7*

​Writing this 2 minutes outside Tuscaloosa, AL, riding the #20 Crescent north to New York Penn. On-board wifi is excellent, thought it would only be available in the lounge maybe, but we're in coach and it's all we need.

* * * * *​
So day 7, our last full day of the Trans Sib has arrived. After 7 continuous days on the same train it feels as though we belong, familiar with the systems and with each other. A small number of passengers have ridden all the way from Moscow, but it's not many. Us 7 day riders are all bit weary, maybe it's mental fatigue as it certainly isn't from too much exercise.

Today we're looking to see if the terrain and scenery change as we travel down the peninsular to Vladivostok, it's all nearly due south today. Also know the drinking Colonel and his comrades leave just after mid-day, that will be a relief.

*Our first Lenin at Obluchye*




*A series of almost black & white photos heading south*










Saw the drinking Colonel twice during the morning, wanted to hand back his Army insignia but he wouldn't talk, that's how it goes.

Also during the morning go through the first ever tunnel driven through Permafrost, then the second. They were pretty long affaires too and must have created their own engineering problems way back then. They did come across as being particularly dark inside, not sure what material the tunnel goes through but the walls are quite black. All this is added to as the tunnels are not lit and the train interior lights were not switched on, the perfect Agatha Christie murder scenario?

It's also our last time zone change in Russia, the seventh since leaving Moscow so roughly one each day. It does create an awareness of where you are and at what time problem. With such frequent time changes which are not helped by the train and stations being run on Moscow time it needed not only good calculating skills but a bit of imagination.

*Three photos to give the feel of how cold Khabarovsk was, intense is probably an understatement*










Most of the military have left now, but the train becomes busier than ever as the local population are using the train as their local one. Most people are heading for Vladivostok, it's coming across as a big trade centre having year round access to the Pacific and a close border with China. We have read that the Russian authorities would like to develope this remote (from Moscow) but strategically important city (the base of their Pacific Fleet) into something similar to San Francisco, we know they do already have a new bridge called the 'Golden Bridge'.

At the end of a real 'Siberia day' we decided to celebrate having crossed the largest country on earth by train, and with the red wine gone it had to be the remaining Polish Slivovitz which we had since learned was technically a plum tasting Wodka. Of course our naval officer Anatoly had to be included, do Russians know how to sip alcohol?




Early tomorrow, or is that today we really arrive at Vladivostok, for all three of us a childhood ambition. But we no longer know if we are arriving today or tomorrow. It will be 23:55 on Saturday evening according to Moscow / train time, but as we step out of Vladivostok station onto Vlad soil it will be 06:55 on Sunday morning, it is starting to feel as though we are time travellers.


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## bobnjulie

I'm so enjoying this trip. Sounds amazing and scary and wonderful and peaceful all at the same time.


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## oregon pioneer

I am wondering... I keep reading about the warming of Siberia, including "drunken trees" and "methane burps" as the permafrost soils melt. While crossing the continent, did you see or hear of anything that relates to climate change?


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## v v

bobnjulie said:


> I'm so enjoying this trip. Sounds amazing and scary and wonderful and peaceful all at the same time.


Thank you, and it's all the things you write too.


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## v v

oregon pioneer said:


> I am wondering... I keep reading about the warming of Siberia, including "drunken trees" and "methane burps" as the permafrost soils melt. While crossing the continent, did you see or hear of anything that relates to climate change?


Funny you should write that Jennifer, you may have solved a mystery. We are not far from New York Penn and getting thrown out of the lounge car by a lady from Rochdale, will get back to you on this with a photo when I can, may be a day or two as we only have a few hours in NYC.


----------



## v v

13:40 - 31 March 2017 - Lisbon ~ Jennifer, here's a slightly larger photo of land beside the track, it's not the sharpest but it does give an indication of 'erruptions' happening from below the surface.




If you look across the lower part of the photo you will see a small number of what looks like small ant hills or dead tree stumps. We saw these occurrences on the last 3 days of the journey in the main so the eastern sections of Russia. This is the only photo we have of these, it was difficult to get moving photos with our damaged camera, but these examples were the smallest we saw, some were maybe 3 times taller/larger.

We guessed they were either ant hills or dead tree stumps, there are a lot of small trees across Russia. But in the end there were far too many hills, sometimes the larger ones of these hills were as far as the eye could see, hundreds of thousands of them. We ruled out ant hills as they were maybe too small and it was so cold there and often the top of the hill had no snow or frost, even ants must have limitations. We had seen large ant hills in the centre of Australia and these did have a similar shape if not the size.

The average height of the 'hills' we saw was maybe 40 cm, about 15" which then made us think of tree stumps, we thought this may be the answer as we often saw trees that looked as though they had been burnt on the outside but only part way up, but that looked wrong too as in a clump of tree only maybe 20% looked burnt and they were spaced randomly and not together. We though the 'hills' were the remains of burnt trees but that was unlikely.

Gas eruptions from below the ground could easily have made these hills as they were never very tall, and as soon as we read your question we thought it was a plausible reason.

As for drunken trees then maybe the burnt looking ones are that when they have decayed, difficult to say.

If you come to any conclusions we'd like to know, we stared at these hills every day and were never convinced we found the definitive answer.

ps: we have seen something vaguely similar in the southern USA, where a Cypress swamp had only the stumps showing


----------



## Bob Dylan

Jamie: Could that possibly be the residue from the Giant Meteor Strike that hit Siberia in the early 1900s?

It supposedly was the worst one to strike earth since the kill off of the Dinosaurs millions of years ago !


----------



## oregon pioneer

Thanks for that photo. I'm actually suspecting those mounds are from ground-burrowing animals that tunnel to the surface as the snow begins to thaw and saturate their burrows. The methane "burps" I have seen in the news are large blowholes in the ground.

For more about methane, see the NASA website (as long as it remains available).

And here's more about "drunken trees" in Alaska.


----------



## v v

01:09 - 1 April 2017 - Essex, England



Bob Dylan said:


> Jamie: Could that possibly be the residue from the Giant Meteor Strike that hit Siberia in the early 1900s?
> 
> It supposedly was the worst one to strike earth since the kill off of the Dinosaurs millions of years ago !


Bob, don't think so but didn't get a clear sight of them as they were only visible while we were moving. Have to say instinct says they were pushed up from below ground, we have lots of moles on our land and it was that type of thing but not the same shape as mole hills, at least not the same as those in France anyway.

But if it were a giant meteor shower then how exciting would that be? Maybe until the answer is known we could say it was meteors...



oregon pioneer said:


> Thanks for that photo. I'm actually suspecting those mounds are from ground-burrowing animals that tunnel to the surface as the snow begins to thaw and saturate their burrows. The methane "burps" I have seen in the news are large blowholes in the ground.
> 
> For more about methane, see the NASA website (as long as it remains available).
> 
> And here's more about "drunken trees" in Alaska.


Jennifer, you could be right about burrowing animals as it would all fit, but as mentioned above they are not like regular mole hills seen in Europe, they are not broad enough at the base but taller and narrower like tropical type ant hills.

The height of the mounds and the numbers (1000's) in places means it must be a different kind of creature to a mole, maybe an insect not like ants and termites who would glue? the dug soil together to gain the height?

The drunken trees photos are very similar to stands of trees where some have collapsed at angles as though a big storm has pushed over or at least at an angle selected weaker rooted trees, there were quite a few similar to the example you sent a link to, and the prevalent tree is Birch too.

Maybe someone else will travel the second half of the Trans Sib one day and pay more attention to the mounds and trees than we did. But have to say that although we weren't looking for any particular feature the two major un-answered questions of the many many mounds/hills over 1000's of kms and the burnt looking tree trunks that don't look like any forest fire we have seen came back again and again and were striking enough for us to talk about them most days.

Over the next few of weeks we'll try to contact some of the people we met living in Siberia, also maybe someone who travels this route on a regular basis to get a Russian answer, but we will have to get back to work for a while first.

ps: Seeing all the 4 photos above on a larger computer screen this evening, the ones that show fields/open ground beyond the window have these mounds in, as can be seen there are hundreds and thousands of them.


----------



## v v

*Day 14 - Saturday or Sunday 11 or 12 March arrival Vladivostok ~ Train Day 6, 7 or 8*

*​*Our train the Rossiya 002 arrives within a minute or so of on-time, quite remarkable considering the distance ( 9288 km ) the climate varying in the week we travelled from + 20 oC ( 68 oF ) to - 20 oC ( -4 oF ) , the remoteness across sometimes very difficult terrain, or that we humans can easily make mistakes to add to the other difficulties.

Two things stood out when compared to the Amtrak rail system. The passenger trains rarely have to wait for freight trains, please don't ask why as I don't have the answer. There is quite a lot of freight traffic but not to the level we saw last week in the USA (which alone was responsible to make us 2 hours and 30 or 40 minutes late into New York Penn), in particular not as much shipping container traffic by a long way.

The machinery and materials required to repair and improve the track was never far from any given point, simply vast resources were constantly visible. In general Russia appears more willing to maintain infrastructure than some other countries.

No idea if RZD is publically or privately funded, do know Amtrak struggles to find serious public investment for improvements and future projects.

*At the end of the line, Lenin is there to welcome us and point back towards Moskva*




*A plaque with the kilometres travelled from Moscow*




*​The front of Vladivostok Station, looks as though it came out of a Fairy Tale*




Anatoly was first off the train, a warm goodbye to us all. Stepping off the train there are many hugs from Helena, she has looked after us as though we were her own. We are told she loves us and wants us to visit her in Moscow, we will probably try to do that one day.

Having been warned by Gemuser that the stairs at the end of the platform are monstrous, we head for the station building in the hope that we can get up to street level by a lift maybe. Through security as we pass through the doors at platform level, but only stairs are available. The saving grace is the internal stairs come in short bursts with landings between them, it does make for easier progress and the stairs are shallower than the steep platform ones.

The station is very decorative inside too, in a Russian way of course.

*Inside of Vladivostok station*







*The track side of Vladivostok station, it reminded Rosie and I of Chenonceau Chateau in the French Loire Valley. The Chateau has water passing under the arches, the station has trains*




As we exit the station at street level we must pass through a second security check, this has now become second nature all over Russia. The hotel Moryak is not too far away from the station but there is snow and ice on the pavements and the hills are just like San Francisco, pretty steep in places. A cab it is but Moryak is on a one way street so we have to detour a fair way to enter from the right direction. Cab driver undercharges us and explains it is not our fault that the one way system adds about 2 miles to the journey, he's charges us only for the direct walking route, quite amazing.

Moryak was a former seaman's mission and was part way through being converted to a hotel. It had nautical murals painted all over including sea creatures and mermaids, felt like a Russian version of a Disney themed attraction. Staff were very good, excellent English and very helpful. Apologised a few times that there was no lift and we were on the 3rd floor. There was also a café restaurant in the hotel, the menu was comprehensive and odd to us, but on trying a few things for breakfast we were happily surprised that we liked the various concoctions.

We all scrambled for the showers after breakfast, it's been 8 days since we last saw one and it was sorely needed (if only by me).

At this point I am not very well, a Siberian cold or flu that I have had for 3 days has now become more powerful. I elect to go to bed until the afternoon, Rosie and Ruth are off to discover Vladivostok.

So we have completed journey, it did feel momentous. 7 days on a train without a break becomes an endurance test, mentally and physically, but for us it was not boring or unpleasant, the time passed rapidly and although there were rarely any spectacular sights to be seen everything from the smallest detail was new to us. We all agreed we felt fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel this great railway, admired that fact it worked completely from end to end, and particularly admired the Provodniks and Provodnitsas maintaining the cars in very good clean condition until the very end.

Would we do it again? no is the agreed answer.

Is it a once in a lifetime experience? you bet and one not to be missed if you like an adventure and particularly if you are a rail fan.

Would we visit Russia again? certainly as it's a fascinating country coming out of a difficult period. The people we met were energetic and forward looking, at some time they would like to be accepted into the wider world but know it will take time.

*Photos of Vladivostok*

*The frozen Pacific Ocean...*




*​with people walking on it...*




*​a long way out*




*​Just a short distance away the deep-water harbour inlet, apparently rarely freezes*


----------



## v v

*Photos of Vladivostok continued ~ at night*

We decided to walk out to the Funicular Railway to get a look of Vlad by night, it was a 30 minute brisk walk past the Golden Bridge. The Funicular didn't start at water level but a short climb up the hill. It was quite a short ride but only cost about £ 0.15 GBP / 18 Cents USD each. There were 2 cars, one up, one down, each had a lady cashier/conductor/driver.







*and a view of the Golden Bridge*




*A couple of buildings on one of the waterside main streets*







Back to the hotel as it has started to at first rain and then snow, it would still be snowing as we leave Vladivostok for Kaohsiung City, Taiwan in the morning and felt quite fitting.


----------



## v v

*Day 15 - Monday 13 March ~ Vladivostok, Russia to Kaohsiung City, Taiwan via Hong Kong*

*​*Up early, re-pack... again. Breakfast, call a cab as there is now ice and snow on the pavements and roads, we could have slid down to the station. Main station to catch the Electric Train that gives us an express service to Vladivostok Airport (about 50 minutes).

Train leaves from platform 2 which just so happens is not in the main station but about 60m uphill of the station entrance. Down 2 levels and there is our train (check frequency before hand as it doesn't run so often).

We're seated and away we go, quite happy to be off to another country which happens to be Ruth's home. The Electric train is clean and modern, works again exactly to timetable and soon we are inside the Airport. Although it's an international airport it is small medium in size, feels so much more like a human scale compared to Hong Kong, Beijing Capital and JFK.

We have to be exited from Russia and our visas checked, very simple and without any drama, we are flying a budget airline, S7 (Siberia Airlines). We none of us are very attracted to the whole process of flying, but this flight down to Hong Kong was almost a pleasure. Hong Kong airport in the bay is still expanding, the the internal space is already enormous and felt massively spacious.

*A view of the bay side of Hong Kong airport with expansion works ongoing*




*This is less than half the width of this section of the terminal, enormous space*




Take off for Kaohsiung City with Cathay Pacific, another almost pleasant experience, soon arrive in Taiwan.

Arrive at Ruth's home around 9pm, spacious top floor apartment with views across the city, very nice to arrive plus we are not moving on for 4 days, Ruth makes us feel very welcome and explains some things about Taiwan and it's people, she's a very interesting woman.

*Our first close-up of Kaohsiung City*


----------



## Bob Dylan

Really great pics Jamie!

More!More!


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## v v

*Days 15-18 - Monday 13 to Thursday 16 March ~ Kaohsiung City, Taiwan*

*​1st Night Market - Kaohsiung City*




Not sure what some of these delicases are













*Sights of Kaohsiung*










*Temples*










*2nd Night Market (for young people) - Kaohsiung City*

*​*​Motor Rickshaw used as the base for a mobile child's ride. You have to look closely to see the cars run around an oval track sited on a platform behind the bike. A substantial fairground ride with total mobility, wonder what it's like riding and steering the bike?










*Have never seen this type of Fairground game of skill offer an insect as a prize*




*Lots and lots of bikes in Taiwan*




*Love River*


----------



## v v

*Day 19 - Friday 17 March ~ Kaohsiung City to Taipei with High Speed Train*


----------



## caravanman

Interesting pics of the night markets. Only spotted one sign in English, would you say it could be hard to get around without someone like Ruth to help? I am wondering if it is more or less "traditional" than the Chinese mainland... I imagine a wish to preserve old customs from the mainland and on the other hand a modern "western looking" economy?

I guess a lot of the buildings and statues there are fairly modern, built after Chiang Kai Shek arrived?

Funny to think you are probably back home soon if not already...

Great report and pics.

Ed.


----------



## v v

Good questions Ed, but only have a few answers for you.

Yes we are in France now, and haven't a clue who we are any more. Bit like when you are a kid and you spin round and round and then stop, you know where you are but not too much makes a lot of sense.

Ruth is very knowledgeable about her country and China mainland, she is a business woman and meets people from many countries and understood how it was new for us. Having her explain things and show us her home city Kaohsiung and it's surrounds made life easy. Learning some of the ways of Taiwan from her gave us a head start. When we left Kaohsiung for Taipei we travelled from her local metro station to the high speed train station and on to Taipei alone, and spent 3 days there without Ruth before getting to Taipei International airport on our own.

So part one was easy thanks to Ruth. Could we have done it without her? of course but we would have missed a fair amount and not understood different nuances so easily.

Travelling to, staying in and leaving Taipei wasn't so difficult, there was a little English signage in shops, less in the markets. I'll post a photo later of a Chinese / English sign in a night market, it was fairly typical. We stayed at the YMCA in central Tapei, one of the best hotels (hostel) we have ever stayed in. Room was a little small but the equipment level was superb and very hi-tech, and everything worked. The staff were unbelievably good, friendly and helpful.

Example. I go down to the front desk to ask for an extra pillow, straight back to the lift and back to the 7th floor. Before I could get back to our room a smiling lady was standing outside our door holding out the pillow, it felt like magic. There were other instances too this wasn't isolated. It was the first hotel with more than enough plug sockets where they were wanted, plus it was the first hotel anywhere that accepted 4 types of plug in a single socket - UK/USA/European/Australian. No adapters required.

Taipei was more international than Kaohsiung, Ruth told us Taiwan was more laid back than mainland China

The people appear to have the latest of everything and plenty of money to spend judging by the amount of them eating out and the number of department stores. Every evening the streets in central Taipei and to an extent in Kaohsiung too were very crowded with people (almost no non Chinese) out enjoying themselves, and Rosie has just mentioned there are a lot, and that's really a lot of Chinese tourists to Taiwan for varying reasons.

Did we manage after leaving Ruth, yes it wasn't too difficult and not intimidating at all, but we probably missed things that she would have known. People are very friendly and will be helpful if asked, often they looked pleased to be asked but are maybe reserved as they don't offer without us asking.

It's an ultra modern society that appeared to us in our short stay there to want to hold on to all things Chinese that are important, can't think of another way of saying that.

We have only visited Beijing Capital Airport and not China, that was a mixture of exacting efficiency and strange systems but that's not a lot to base a comparison on.

I think the radical change in lifestyle and commercial expansion since the arrival of Chiang Kai Shek must have altered a lot of the flat plains on the side of the island facing the mainland, but maybe the mountainous side is still traditional but we didn't get there. What we saw was a real mixture of what looked like old/traditional and modern.

The photos of the temples had modern (plastic?) artefacts in front of 2 of them, but one temple in that area looked ancient as did one in the centre of the big night market in Taipei, but we're not able to give you a definitive answer to your question as to the age of it all.

Taiwan is probably a gentle version of mainland China as we have been told, we felt at ease in all the places we spent time in. But would say if you don't like crowds it may be difficult to visit sights without being overwhelmed? We rarely visit sights but just wander around looking and sometimes asking questions but we did take a hop on - hop-off bus tour of Taipei and did see the famed crowds at various tourist hot spots.

*A couple of market stall English language translations, there are a few but not many. The third info board is at Taipei Main Station, all quite clear with directions all the way to each destination*.


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## v v

*Day 19 - Friday 17 March - Kaohsiung City to Taipei with High Speed Train ~ continued ...*

Ruth walks us to the nearby Metro station, helps us buy tickets to the High Speed Rail (HSR) station and points out which platform for us to catch the right Metro. We say our goodbyes and wonder will we ever meet again. This travelling has a lot of goodbyes.

Down to the metro, short wait and are zooming off to the HSR station. Find our way up to the ticket offices, there are 5 or 6 windows open and all are busy, we choose the line for the direct (limited stops) train. While waiting look at the frequency of these HSR trains up to Taipei, it confirms what we saw on the internet, they run about every 15 to 20 minutes, amazing.

The line between Kaohsiung and Taipei is 350 km (217 miles), our express train will make the journey in around 1 1/2 hours. For the technical the train has a maximum operating speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).

Train looks pretty busy and it is by the time we leave, the seats give good leg room and are comfortable too. The train from outside looks quite low in comparison with HSR trains we have seen or used, the German ICE, the UK/French Eurostar, the French TGV and the Spanish AVE. The engines most looks like one of the Spanish versions which is called the Duck.

We travel at times close to maximum speed, it's thrilling as there is a sense of speed with this train that we haven't found with any of the other HSR trains, That may be due to a screech from an axle in front of us or that it mainly runs on a track raised on stilts, but I am no rail expert.

It feels a little incredible that we arrive in Taipei so quickly, a little like Eurostar that leaves London, runs to the coast, under the channel and then a run to Paris. Having driven to Paris hundreds of times it feels impossible to arrive in Paris so quickly, this train felt the same.

It's a unique experience, on a turn up and buy a ticket basis it cost around £42 GBP each (c. $ 50) which we felt was good value for such a high tech ride.

Easy exit from Taipei Main Station, across the road, round the corner and we were at the YMCA 'Y Hotel' in very central Taipei that Ruth had pre-booked for us, she's a good girl.
















*Arrival in Taipei, Chinese style Taipei Main Railway Station*




*​Two minute walk to our hostel, the Y Hotel*


----------



## caravanman

Thanks for the feedback on the Taiwan vibe, together with ease of getting around, and the signage.

I have sometimes been given folks addresses when traveling, with an invite to visit, but have never felt confident enough to follow through...

You guys seem to make real friends with your travel companions, do any of them come to stay with you?

With the train to Taipei, are seats assigned, or do you just grab whichever seats are free?

Which were the most "different" or "unexpectedly enjoyable" foods you ate on your trip? Sadly I have a few food allergies, so tend to miss out trying many unknown new dishes.

Thanks again!

Ed.


----------



## v v

An Amtrak carriage with a car attendant, other people in varying poses, what's going on?


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## v v

caravanman said:


> Thanks for the feedback on the Taiwan vibe, together with ease of getting around, and the signage.
> 
> I have sometimes been given folks addresses when traveling, with an invite to visit, but have never felt confident enough to follow through...
> 
> You guys seem to make real friends with your travel companions, do any of them come to stay with you?
> 
> With the train to Taipei, are seats assigned, or do you just grab whichever seats are free?
> 
> Which were the most "different" or "unexpectedly enjoyable" foods you ate on your trip? Sadly I have a few food allergies, so tend to miss out trying many unknown new dishes.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> Ed.


Ed, you ask some pretty big questions which is a good thing in my mind, but not sure that I can give a full answer here so here's the short version.

I think most people who invite do so in a genuine way, unless alcohol is involved maybe. So is that for you to take up and see if it works out?

We make a lot of acquaintances, but friends take years to make in our book. We do offer many people whatever hospitality we have but not all. Some take our offer up and some don't, this is more to do with the fact we live much of the year in a 1 bedroom ancient cottage with a bit of land around it. We also have a camper that up until recently we used as guest accommodation but the last 5 visitors each managed to damage something, more the delicate nature of modern campers (this is a German camper too) than our visitors being destructive.

So we can offer any one of 3 fields if they want to camp, our sofa, or we have friends locally who have B&B's they can go to.

In France we live in a very rural area 'France Profonde' is the exact description, it's solitude and lack of local amenities makes this a very attractive area for some (usually busy people), and a nightmare for others, 9km to any form of commerce including shops or bars.

We were born and raised in London, then families moved out. We love our 2 or 3 day visits to all major cities and London takes some beating, but we treasure our solitude in short bursts of a month or two.

We still work part time, or we are semi retired? Our work takes us to 2 or 3 neighbouring countries and back to the UK, plus we travel for pleasure as you know. Co-ordinating timings is important for a visit to happen.

So some come to visit for a few hours, we'll cook a meal and spend a few hours together sitting under our old Oak tree. Some will arrive with their own camper or sometimes tent, stay 2 or 3 days and then be gone, that works for everybody. Some we will book into a local B&B and we'll often give them breakfast and other meals here.

When in England we live in a Granny annex of my brothers house, but as it isn't ours to offer we never have visitors in the UK.

So there, you know our life history.

The train seats on the Taiwan HSR are allocated, we asked for two forward facing with one window seat and got it. That was something left out from the HSR description, there are ticket agents who speak good English, and as said, very helpful when asked.

Food. Different to us was Chinese food, it bears no relationship to Chinese food bought outside of China in our experience. Have to say genuine Chinese food didn't suit either of our palates, we did struggle sometimes but without trying you don't know.

For Rosie the traditional Papaya Milk in Kaohsiung Night Market was the most unexpected and delicious. For me it was the King Prawns eaten in an extremely unusual Pizza Parlour in a shopping Mall in central Moscow, best I've ever eaten and worth the price of a ticket to go back again.

Hope this helps, but please don't ask " what's the meaning of life" next as I'm struggling with that. A mate of ours has suggested it's 42 ...

ps: We are intending to be here all of September this year, if you are passing why not call in and get the long answer?


----------



## v v

*Day 20 - Saturday 18 March - Taipei*

*​The largest and busiest Night Market in Taipei and Taiwan, exiting the Metro *




*The whole family on a scooter, memories of Italy*




*Very busy and miles of market to visit*




*The odd quiet corner*




*Who would want to be an electrician?*







*Temple at the centre of the market*


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## v v

*Day 21 - Sunday 19 March - Taipei*

*​*Decided to have an easy day as tomorrow is a long one with 2 flights totalling 15 1/2 hours, plus a 4 hour layover in the middle. I wrote some of this report and Rosie went to a nearby department store to check something out, we intended to take a Hop-On ~ Hop-Off bus tour in the afternoon.

The store is open from 11am to 11pm, Rosie is there at 10:50 before the doors open. At 10:55 a couple of young ladies open the doors and thank everyone for waiting and explained the customers are allowed in in 5 minutes, they said this in unison.

On the hour they bowed and let everyone in, there were only a handful of people waiting.

Rosie knew she wanted to get to the ninth floor and only saw an escalator, up she goes, the first person on the 1st floor. Near the top she sees one girl on the right hand side, and five girls on the left. As she steps off the escalator they welcome her in unison and bow, this happened 8 more times until she reached the ninth floor. Rosie is fairly shy and was embarrassed, but she did say it made her feel a little special.

Shame is she didn't buy anything, but after was pleased to have seen this very formal ceremony nine times.

We spent some of the afternoon on a Hop-On bus and viewed the sights from the bus. The most outstanding from a visual point of view was the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial buildings, there's a poor quality photo through the bus window below but this is only a small part of the whole.

The museum where many of China's treasures are held had 10's and 10's of buses outside, there were so many people around we didn't want to get off. It may be less busy mid-week?.

Back to the hotel and repack for flying tomorrow, why does each airline have to have differing baggage rules? A pleasant meal at the hotel restaurant (Ed, the menu is in English) and an early night for an early start.

*Part of Chiang Kai Shek Memorial complex*




*The person riding this scooter had 3 dogs on board, they all had pink ears. The one at the front on top while the bike was travelling faster than in the photo had it's ears swept back just like a cartoon character*




*Taipei Main Station from our room window*


----------



## v v

*Day 22 - Monday 20 March - Taipei to Los Angeles via Beijing*

*​*Across the road, into the main station and then a long walk (10 - 12 minutes) from the Main Station entrance via a number of wide corridors to a floor at the top of an enormous hall, down one of the escalators one level to where the ticket machines are sited for the new express train to Taipei Taoyuan Airport, the Taoyuan Airport MRT.

The photo shows stairs and escalator descending one level to the ticket machines, these are to the left against the wall. English language is an option and they are similar to most other modern ticket machines around the world, pretty easy to use.

With tickets take the lower escalator to the right of the pillar where a man is standing and there is a large white arrow pointing to the left, this takes you down to the second (train) level.

Make sure to take the express train with I think only 3 stops, the last is the airport, the other train stops everywhere and is really a local commuter train.




The rest of the day was quite interesting. As far as we could see there were only Chinese on the plane to Beijing and those around us were kindly, strange Transit formalities at Beijing Capital Airport, and a long flight into Los Angeles.

US border forces at LAX were more friendly than we have come to expect, one even cracked a joke which was a nice change.

Milton was there to meet us, as youthful as ever and with a big smile. We travel by bus to a transit centre at Van Nuys where he has parked his car, then across the San Fernando Valley to a diner near to his home, we were starving.

I'll add the address of the diner later as it's one of the very best we have ever eaten at. Great staff, enormous range of food very well prepared, they deserve a mention.

It's interesting to mention we left Taipei just after mid-day on Monday 20 March, arrived Los Angeles after 19 1/2 hours of travelling at 6pm the same day, no wonder we feel confused.


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## caravanman

I like the 3 dogs with pink ears on the scooter, my girlfriend has trouble coaxing her one terrier into her car!

(Yes, I expect her dog has seen her driving before...  )

Thanks for the September invite, may well take you up on that if my plan to be in India falls through.

Funny enough, some friends have just bought a place at Villefranche-de-Conflent, the Yellow Train runs behind their house.

Take a breather... I have no more questions. 

Ed.


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## v v

Ed, your friends have bought in a very beautiful spot, great climate, mountains and not so far from two seas. Did Brexit not put them off with the unknowns that it's bringing?

We'll be down in Ceret near to your friends in mid May, already looking forward to it.

Please don't stop asking questions if you have any, it's just that we are travel weary at the moment but that will pass in a few days. Our whole purpose for travel is to meet, speak and listen to people, proper questions are a big part of that. Sometimes we see sights that amaze us but that is a bonus if it happens ... like three pink eared dogs on a scooter

The weather here is beautiful and the Oak forests are just coming into bud, makes us both glad to be alive.


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## caravanman

They and I prefer to be citizens of Europe, rather than of "Little Britain", so maybe Brexit was their spur, albeit a more expensive one. Upcoming early retirement for her and a music industry background for him gives them a lot of flexibility.

Thanks again for including us on your amazing round the world adventure... Seems only yesterday you were boarding that bus at Shenfield station!

Ed.


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## v v

*Days 23 - 25 ~ Tuesday to Thursday 21 - 23 March ~ back in the USSA*

Now we are a little tired all the time, but Milton has a very comfortable apartment and we have time to rest. Today will be just be a short car ride up into the Santa Monica mountains to see an overview of the LA area, plus take a look at the old RocketDyne rocket motor test centre, one of Milton's former work places.

*Come to sunny southern California they said ... ha ha ha *




*Good to use and great looking bendy bus, and it has it's own separate dedicated roadway so could call this a local express bus *




*Just love this photo of an LA Metro station, think it's the Red Line?*




*Second to Milton it's the reason for us to come to Los Angeles*




*An honour to be photographed with Milton, we're standing in front of the last rocket motor he worked on, a Space Shuttle main engine. He worked for RocketDyne as their rocket fuel expert for over 30 years, starting at the Atlas rockets through to the Shuttle and including the Saturn 5. We three toured the Los Angeles Science museum (excellent museum for young and old), in the main we concentrated on the Endeavour exhibits with Milton giving us lots of tid bits about how, why and when, totally fascinating for both Rosie and I. And as one of the worlds questioners, Milton was on hand to answer all my rocket questions, what a day!*




*Santa Monica Beach, can only be California*







*Right next door is the unusual and busy Venice beach*







We feel recovered having spent 3 gentle days in Milton's company with just the occasional excursion and plenty of time to sit and chat about the world. Tomorrow evening we are back on a train, the Texas Eagle for Milton to Chicago, the Sunset Limited for us to New Orleans. We are quite bewildered as to why we have really missed riding a train, it's only been a week since the last one.


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## oregon pioneer

What wonderful stories! I am sorry you did not get to see the view from the mountains, but the days on the beach look just like they are supposed to in sunny southern CA.


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## v v

*Day 26 - Friday 24 March back to Amtrak*

Now here's an odd thing. We both feel we are near the end of our journey even though we have two Amtrak rides of 3200 miles (5150 km) still to travel, 2 days in New Orleans and a flight back to London. This sort of itinerary is usually the backbone of our recent journeys but maybe we are completely thrown out of kilter by the overland point to point train travel from London to Vladivostok, it's starting to feel more enormous than when it was underway.

Time to move on from LA, we and Milton are heading east this evening, train leaves at 8:00pm. He on the Texas Eagle, we on the Sunset Limited, two famous Amtrak long distance trains. But Milton and Norma (former RocketDyne work colleague) intend that we can't leave LA without visiting THE pie shop, pies are almost a religion to Milton.

The coffee shop and bakery 'Dupar's' is pretty famous, their fruit, custard and cream pies are sought after nationwide and for good reason. Trouble was we spent quite a long time there eating pies when we should have been re-packing and closing up Milton's condo. Dupar's has to take a little responsibility for our later predicament.

​*The culprits, Dupar's pies*




*Even the local Fire Fighters call in*




Norma offers to drive us all to Union Station, very kind of her to brave the LA traffic which is incessant, day or night. We're all ready that afternoon, Norma is waiting in the car, but suddenly we realise it will be rush hour and may be difficult to be on-time. I'm starting to plan on renting a car one way to New Orleans. 

Didn't recon on this being the original Little Old lady from Pasadena, astoundingly good high speed driving. We arrive at LA Union Station in time but it's 7:25pm, unload all the bags onto the pavement and now Norma's car trunk (boot) wont close. Milton and Rosie are standing helpless on the pavement and I'm trying to work out why it wont close. What I don't know is whether the catch operated from the driver's seat is electronic or mechanical, go round to Norma's door but she starts to move away with the trunk open as she realises that she is now completely blocking the busy drop-off out side of Union Station. I jog to catch up with her 150 yards away and check how the trunk is opened, it's mechanical and her handbag is sitting on the release lever and wont allow the catch to snap shut! All sorted, quick hug for Norma and sprint back to Rosie and Milton, off to check bags in.

Our train leaves at 8:00pm, we have 2 bags to check in and there are very long queues at the ticket desk. Waiting in line to speak to an Amtrak information person we see the minutes ticking away, finally told we can check our bags in at the lounge. Scurry away up to the 2nd? floor lounge only to be told that it's too late to check bags through the lounge staff, have to queue downstairs at the long ticket office lines, this is not feeling good so decide not to check any bags.

Milton has spotted it's track 13 so away we go, Rosie doesn't feel well, we have an extra bag to carry now and it's difficult to hurry from the front to the rear of the station. We know our car numbers, Milton on the Texas Eagle section which is the last car, we in the Sunset Limited section, first sleeper car at the front. 

There are no escalators so I run up the stairs to check it's our train at the platform and which way round. Walk with Milton to the rear of the train and see him board, Rosie and I march to the front, it feels a long way off but we still have 14 minutes and are assured the train will not leave early, it does feel as though we have cut it fine.

Two car attendants at the door to the sleeper, a trainee is being taught by Jay our bright and friendly SCA. We are welcomed aboard but have to sort out the luggage rack as it's a bit disorganised, then we get to at last sit in our roomette, a well deserved rest.

Rosie and I are so happy, boarding an Amtrak train again now feels like coming home, welcoming and familiar. We just love riding these big lumbering comfortable trains. We say 'hello' to our fellow passenger 'Dorothy' across the corridor, she will become a lovely travelling companion.

Jay goes through the car and gives us all the spiel, we let it wash over us even though we have heard it many times before. He offers several times to make our bed up, (most SCA's previously haven't done that) we will let him know once we are settled. First a long drink of orange and I'll walk to the back of the train to see that Milton is settled in, which he is as he's a veteran of New York to LA.

Back to our sleeper and we grin at each other, other trains are great but we do love our Amtrak trains. Sit together facing forward looking at the Los Angeles evening... and fall asleep. Sometime later Jay wakes us suggesting we may be more comfortable if the beds are made and we have to agree with him.


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## v v

*Day 27 - Saturday 25 March what Amtrak does best*

Coming up are two wonderful days of train travel, deserts, mountains and swamps, our sort of sight seeing. But all this takes second place to an amazingly diverse group of people who make our journey one of the most memorable we have taken.


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## oregon pioneer

Can't wait to hear about the fun people on the SL. You and Rosie must be trim people, to fit two in the seat!


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## v v

oregon pioneer said:


> Can't wait to hear about the fun people on the SL. You and Rosie must be trim people, to fit two in the seat!


Jennifer, it's all down to Rosie that two of us fit on one seat. Here's a photo of her looking very happy to be on the Sunset a couple of weeks ago.


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## v v

*Day 27 - Saturday 25 March what Amtrak does best ~ continued*

*This view through a diner window looks as though it were painted on*




*For much of the day these were typical views. We appreciate that most people don't find this type of landscape interesting, but we love the openness, remoteness and the colours. This journey was made for Rosie and I. *










Our last day with Milton before the train splits at San Antonio, we'll be sorry to part ways as he's lovely company and a great sense of humour. We eat breakfast and talk about what's outside the window, Milton thinks that real scenery should have bits of green in it, he does come from the top of New York state and have to admit it's very pretty up there. We can't convince him of the merits of deserts so stop trying. The dining car boss has a sense of humour too, just have to look for it through his tough exterior.

Lunch approaches and Rosie has a sore throat and stays in our sleeper, Milton and I are off to lunch. We are seated opposite a single man who has a pleasant smile, and that's it. A little chit chat between Milton, Matthew across from us and me. It turns out Matthew had a small farm a while ago, Milton keeps his small family farm going too so they had farm machinery in common. Then Rosie appears and sits next to our fellow diner opposite, but doesn't say a word. I think she has decided she is hungry after all, I didn't know that our car attendant had mentioned she may want lunch after all as Milton and I are sitting with someone quite famous, we didn't have clue.

Over lunch Matthew explains he started life in Utah where his dad was the manager of a drive-in movie theatre, but as tv progressed it became less popular, "so you had a wide range of films right there in front of you?" "yes I grew up with film".

Rosie still says nothing, Milton and I are more concerned with lunch than talking, and then it hits me and I blurt out "Are you someone famous?". "I wouldn't say exactly that but I've made a lot of movies". "Would we know your name?". "Well I was in Memphis Belle, a while ago Full Metal Jacket and a some others". English politeness comes to the fore, ie slightly embarrassed that popular culture has passed me by, still no help from Rosie.

"I'm really sorry but didn't see either of these movies (quick glance at Milton and Rosie and nothing to help there), "What's your name?" It is now a bit embarrassing as I know he's going to say it's... and I wont know it, but what the hell. "Matthew Modine". "Nope, sorry have never heard of you and I can only apologise if this is difficult for you, because it is for me." We Brits have a habit of apologising for things we are not even connected with.

"I'm a baddie in the current Netflix series, Dr Martin Brenner in Stranger Things. I think it's currently the most watched program globally" it's getting worse as not even sure what Netflix is although have to admit to having heard the name.

At this point we all laugh, the tension is gone and he and I relaxed. Once we knew all this we started to understand why people who passed by sort of just stared in the direction of our table. More questions came and went, Mr Modine is as interested in all of us as we in him. He and Milton swapped farm stories of funny things that can happen on a farm. Rosie and I are just amazed we have met a movie actor who doesn't appear to have a massive ego, we thought they all did but this one was just plain good company.

Conversation roamed over so many subjects, we talked until well after the diner closed, but Paul said we were ok. He's not as tough as he talks. This is one of the two tables that became the _' Politics and everything under the sun discussion tables'_ until we reach New Orleans, by the next day another couple of regulars had joined us.

*The two tables nearest the door became a permanent debating area*




*No mistaking the meaning*




During the afternoon our SCA Jay stops by for a chat, over the next 20 minutes he inspires us with talk of his travels in South America. He and his wife are avid outdoors people and travellers, they have travelled really extensively. He lets us into a few secrets about S America, culture, costs, natural sights, people and ease of being in particular countries. We are spellbound and don't think he understands how inspiring he is. We're coming into a stop somewhere and he has to go, but we agree that we have to hear more when time allows.

Milton has gone for a nap, Rosie and I are starting to realise this may be an exceptional train journey and talk away.

We saw the current fence that is the border with Mexico, we saw it at the place where the track is only 20 - 25 yards away from it. Have to say that the new Eurotunnel fences installed last year are more difficult to get through, as were the fences later installed along the Berlin Wall. Bit controversial, but with any wall or fence both sides are imprisoned.

Just the 3 of us to dinner this time, our fellow car passenger Dorothy was seated elsewhere and we just nod hello. After dinner we move to the observation car, chat a little and Milton is ready to walk back to his car. Big hug for Rosie, I get a manly but warm handshake, we do hope our paths will cross again.

As of today we had an email to suggest there is a chance that Milton will leave the USA for the first time in his life. He could, maybe, be headed to France!

A very good day today, we even missed a few 'sights' and stops as so busy chatting. The train has a good feel to it with friendly passengers and crew, it's why we travel Amtrak.


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## Bob Dylan

Outstanding trip report Jamie! And it's from my first LD Train, the unjustly looked down upon Sunset Ltd.

It's always a great to hear about a Celeb that is regular folks. In my experience most of them are shallow, self absorbed jerks and egotists.Matthew Modine is an Excellent actor,lucky yall!


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## caravanman

Nice for you to be enjoying your train rides so much, even towards the end of the trip.

Sadly, I am with you on "Matthew who"? Glad he was a nice guy. I did meet Elenor Bron once... I thought she looked familiar, but had to ask her "was she famous" ? Another nice person.

After your SCA chats, I expect to hear your next trip will be to South America... 

Ed.


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## oregon pioneer

Wonderful stories! Include me in the "Matthew , who?" club. I looked him up on IMDB, and the filmography didn't ring any bells with me. I can tell he is a hard worker, though! I am now intrigued enough to try and watch one of his movies (not one of the war movies, though).

You and Rosie both look like warm and wonderful people. Love the twinkly smiles, and I would say the two of you qualify as "trim" enough to share the seat (for awhile, at least).


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## v v

Bob Dylan said:


> Outstanding trip report Jamie! And it's from my first LD Train, the unjustly looked down upon Sunset Ltd.
> 
> It's always a great to hear about a Celeb that is regular folks. In my experience most of them are shallow, self absorbed jerks and egotists.Matthew Modine is an Excellent actor,lucky yall!


Yes Bob, he said he realised early on that he wanted to be a good human being and he's clung to that through his life. A friend of ours who is a movie fan says Matthew Modine is what in the UK we would call a 'character actor', the part has to be right rather than take a part for the money. He told a story I can't write about here of a part he turned down on principle, even Rosie and I have seen this movie (with another actor) and it is a massive part.



caravanman said:


> Nice for you to be enjoying your train rides so much, even towards the end of the trip.
> 
> Sadly, I am with you on "Matthew who"? Glad he was a nice guy. I did meet Elenor Bron once... I thought she looked familiar, but had to ask her "was she famous" ? Another nice person.
> 
> After your SCA chats, I expect to hear your next trip will be to South America...
> 
> Ed.


Elenor Bron is rather nice, lucky you.

A few years ago we set aside a large percentage of our savings just for travel, it's now all gone plus we have overspent a bit too. We've had the time of our lives over the last 3 years and are ending with to us remarkable journey. We are so pleased we have managed to do what we wanted to do while we can, but are a little sad that this could be the end of these long distance trips.

Brexit coming up means we can't be too cavalier with our remaining savings, our major investment is in France and as we all know no one has a clue where it is going. But we will try to find ways to fund another trip one day, not sure if selling my body would raise too much though.

If there were future plans it could well be South America as Jay painted an exciting and beautiful picture of their own journeys, but he also described what it was like to live on the edge of the Joshua Tree National Park and that sounds amazing too.

We have our camper and will potter about around Europe for a while probably, we might win the lottery if we did it.



oregon pioneer said:


> Wonderful stories! Include me in the "Matthew , who?" club. I looked him up on IMDB, and the filmography didn't ring any bells with me. I can tell he is a hard worker, though! I am now intrigued enough to try and watch one of his movies (not one of the war movies, though).
> 
> You and Rosie both look like warm and wonderful people. Love the twinkly smiles, and I would say the two of you qualify as "trim" enough to share the seat (for awhile, at least).


Thank you Jennifer, you are too kind and we get embarrassed by compliments, but thank you again. As to one of us being trim it's all smoke and mirrors.


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## oregon pioneer

v v said:


> A few years ago we set aside a large percentage of our savings just for travel, it's now all gone plus we have overspent a bit too. We've had the time of our lives over the last 3 years and are ending with to us remarkable journey. We are so pleased we have managed to do what we wanted to do while we can, but are a little sad that this could be the end of these long distance trips.


Speaking from personal experience, a few outstanding trips will provide memories for a lifetime. It does help to also be also happy with your day-to-day.


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## caravanman

The trouble with memories for a lifetime, is one can't always reme... er, what was I saying ? 

Ed.


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## oregon pioneer

caravanman said:


> The trouble with memories for a lifetime, is one can't always reme... er, what was I saying ?
> 
> Ed.


:giggle: :giggle: :giggle:

I figure if I reach that point, I may well *think* I have done everything I always wanted to. At least, that's what my grandpa thought.


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## trainman74

v v said:


> Just love this photo of an LA Metro station, think it's the Red Line?


Just to answer this -- yes, that's the North Hollywood station, the northern terminus of the Red Line.

I have seen Matthew Modine in a number of films _and_ really enjoyed "Stranger Things," but I'm so bad at recognizing people out of context that, if he were sitting at my table in the dining car, I probably wouldn't know it was him.


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## Bob Dylan

oregon pioneer said:


> caravanman said:
> 
> 
> 
> The trouble with memories for a lifetime, is one can't always reme... er, what was I saying ?
> 
> Ed.
> 
> 
> 
> :giggle: :giggle: :giggle:
> 
> I figure if I reach that point, I may well *think* I have done everything I always wanted to. At least, that's what my grandpa thought.
Click to expand...

Ditto!


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## v v

Today's entry is for Bob Dylan, mainly the one who frequents the AU. It's for all his help and encouragement given over the years, thanks Bob.

*Day 28 - Sunday 26 March ~ one of our very best Amtrak days*

It started well. Rosie felt better, we are crossing endless interesting (to us) Texas, and heading for maybe our favourite state, Louisiana. Off to breakfast and are seated with our train companion from across the corridor, Dorothy. She is seated next to a maybe 30 year old man going home to Richmond, VA who can eat a vast breakfast, we are almost rude at staring at what he orders.

Dorothy is the very nice person we thought she was, not so talkative but has had an interesting life so far. We didn't press her for her story as she is naturally reserved, but later in the sleeper she told us she worked for the Pentagon. She told us a little of her family and her love of travelling when she was younger, just being in her company was good enough for Rosie and me. While the train was being separated in the middle of the night at San Antonio Dorothy decided she wanted to see the Alamo for the first time, so she took herself off and did just that. I think it was dark but that didn't deter her, she is a self assured lady.

The man told us tales of his first job and then the building company(s) he worked for, think he was too nice as it sounded as though bosses played on his good nature to the extreme. Still, his mother looked out for him and he always listened to her advice even if he didn't follow it.

Dorothy and Richmond man thought we arrived in NOL on Monday evening, goodness knows why. They both arrived at this idea separately so when we said we arrive Sunday evening they were not convinced, what do aliens know of Amtrak. So we asked the couple across the aisle from us, yep it's tonight. Still not 100% so we asked Paul, that was the clincher, plus the man got out his phone with his booking on!

Paul the Dining car boss spends a little more time with us, Jay our SCA pops in too from time to time. There are not too many people on the train now and not many sleeper passengers. Paul has a good grip of everyday matters and of how to run the Diner, only after all other passengers have left do we 5 have some private conversations about the world and in particular America today. It's been hard to work out how far we could be open with Paul, but his professionalism is immense and only when off duty is he himself.

*Paul with his serious look *




There's an hour stop in Houston and most of the train passengers get off at one point or another. We walk and talk with Dorothy and meet up with Francis, an artist who creates her own fabrics among other things. She like Dorothy is travelling alone, they are both travelling to meet up with their husbands. Mr Modine turns out on the platform, he's dressed for the beach and why not. Francis we learn is in the sleeper behind us, across the corridor from Mr M.

By now quite a few people on the train know who he is and that he is on-board, so a round of selfies with Mr Modine start happening, most taken in front of the row of temporary/permanent toilets. I've never been famous for anything but think it must be a bit of a pain over many many years to be asked to 'perform' whenever in public. But what do I know, he looks and behaves as though each and every one of these people are special and he is the lucky one to be asked.

*Matthew Modine in disguise with a fan*




In between photos he walks over, then Rosie, Dorothy and Francis ask for their photos too, poor man but he laughs.

*The Three Sunset Girls, and a happy bunch they are*




*The Sunset Limited which makes it all possible*




*Welcomed back on-board by not one but two SCAs'*




We all return to the train to our sleepers but agree to get down to the diner soon before Paul shouts at us, ha ha. So the Amtrak Discussion Cabal was finally formed, along with on occasion half the dining car. The topics were often politics, serious world matters, silly things in life and just about everything else. Matthew and Francis were the most passionate, he a liberal actor who dislikes Mr Trump. Francis grew up in a bad neighbourhood (her words) of central LA and doesn't intend to move. She is a mix of Jewish and Mexican, add a little bit of feisty, forceful plus left wing and boisterous and she was easily the most interesting among us. Dorothy is reserved but plays a wicked act of being haughty when she wants, made Paul raise an eyebrow once or twice. (when back in the sleeper car I did ask "please say that was an act in the diner?" she burst out laughing with an "of course!"). Rosie sat there just taking it all in and I added just a little, I was working out the moment for a killer question or two. The best of it was that it was always good humoured. We all learnt a bit about an actor's life, about the real LA, about Germany, Europe, Brexit and much else. That lunch probably took 3 1/2 hours and we were soon due into Lafayette where the next episode would take place.

As Rosie said later "this really is Amtrak at it's best" (for us anyway).

To be continued...


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## Bob Dylan

Thanks Jamie, for your next career you should become a travel writer like our own Henry K.and travel the world while getting paid for it!


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## oregon pioneer

Oh, yes, the three-hour lunches, with everyone joining in the conversation, are the best!


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## v v

*Day 28 - Sunday 26 March ~ one of our very best Amtrak days - continued*

After lunch went to the nearly empty observation car but didn't stay long, the track was constantly lined with young trees and although it provided a photo where your eyes are drawn into infinity it wasn't too interesting.

*A long green channel which was strangely mesmerising *




Back in the sleeper Jay the SCA found time to regale us with more tales about the frozen south, costs in South America, the Joshua Tree and the Mojave National Parks and other South West wonderlands. He told us about taking his dog for a walk in the cool of the evening and getting bitten by a Rattlesnake and how he didn't realise until his leg started to feel strange. But he remained calm until he got home and had to emphasize to his wife that they had better get him to a hospital pretty quick (he's a cool customer).

So now knowing that he lives to be outdoors and the type of area where he lives I asked did that stop him from going into wild areas now, "No, I bought taller boots and the dog walks a bit earlier."

Chatted further with Dorothy, we are all seated in our sleeper, again it was the trim females that enabled us all to sit together on the seats Jennifer. Mostly it was about travelling, a little about our lives in the real world.

I had this real urge to step on to the soil of Lake Charles, completely irrational and inspired by a song. It's the Lucinda Williams song 'Lake Charles'. We pull in and I run downstairs to the door, they are just pulling the step in (the Conductor was there with Jay), only one person had gotten off and it was time to move on. I tried to push past just to step down and make contact with Lake Charles but was told in no uncertain terms that it was not possible, I said " I have to" but still they wouldn't let me pass so I just pushed past anyway and can say I too was in Lake Charles (it's in the lyrics). After 3 seconds I get back on, was given strange looks but carried on going. I think they thought we have another crazy on board just humour him, think they were right.

Just a note to say I did apologise later that day to both Jay and the Conductor for my strange behaviour, of course they have seen it all before and laughed.

A 10 minute stop was up next at Lafayette, we spent a pleasant time chatting with Dorothy until we pull in. We three decide it's time to stretch legs and are off first, there's a small group of people outside the car waiting to get on we assumed. Rosie and I are fascinated how at some of the smaller stops the train has to stop partly out the station as the platforms are too short, it often blocks a main street in these towns. This road was going to be blocked for a good 10 minutes, bet the locals love it when an Amtrak train pulls in.

People are talking in an animated way by the car door and something is going on. It appears a young lady has made a huge effort to get to Lafayette to meet Mr Modine who she knew was on this train. She has explained this to someone in authority and he has asked over the onboard speaker system that if Mr Modine was on the train would he come to the platform (which is in reality the road). He was asleep but at the mention of his name woke and thought there was something very wrong that involved him. When he realised it was a fan it took him a moment or two to realise it could have been worse.

This young lady who's name is forever lost had asked her mum and dad to drive from Shreveport to Lafayette Amtrak station so she could get an autograph and a selfie, the drive is 212 miles each way, aren't some parents just great.

To see this girl so excited is something none of us will forget, she had made a poster for him, I suppose for if he had stayed on the train? He gave her gentle hugs and her mum and dad couldn't stop smiling, what a day for this family. As was now becoming normal Mr Modine took it all in his stride, offered to sign her poster and be in selfies with both mum and dad. Every minute or so he would give Miss ? his full undivided attention and more hugs, it was a wonderful experience to watch.

When asked if the shock of having his name called while asleep bothered him, he said "when I worked out what was happening I felt a little like Elvis must have done on his whistle stop train tour, it was my privilege and made my day".This man should run for President one day, he really does care.

Anyway, it made many of us feel quite warm inside and a few more train people managed to get selfies too. The train leaves only 5 minutes later than we should have, sorry car drivers it was fan love.

*A long way to get a hug*










*The star of the show*




Rosie and I have enjoyed our ride through Louisiana, not enough swamps with their majestic Cypress trees but we saw quite a lot. We had to eat early that evening as the dining car has to be all packed up before arrival in New Orleans, and we are now due to arrive an hour early.

Feels as though we have done nothing other than eat today, we are eating a couple of hours earlier than we would usually. It's Dorothy, Francis, Rosie and me, Mr M has things to do and will probably not eat. We are soon into deep discussion with Francis giving a factual and almost emotionless blow by blow account of things she has had to live with, it horrifies me in particular as on two occasions as a young lady she needed help from people around her and none came. But I suppose you can't judge unless you are there in that situation, just hope that I would have tried to help if I'd been there.

Paul is chivvying us along as they want to get all the meals out of the way, but he's doing it with humour and in a nice way. In walks Mathew Modine, think he's missing the company... He sits across the aisle with an elderly couple, they are soon into their own discussions.

We have to order, question Paul what's in the Cajun Red Bean and Rice meal? surprise it's red beans and rice, then he says "oh yes, some sausage too". I really like this meal and the half of our dining car we are sitting in appears to have an opinion too, we are going to order by committee it appears. I ask Paul if they make it without the sausage? no not possible. Another discussion through the car about whether it's even edible without sausage, Paul suggest in a withering tone, take the sausage out if you don't want it. OK that's what I'll do and there is a general murmur of agreement with this solution .

Now the entire car has an opinion on everything that is said by anyone, it has become a debating chamber. Not seen the like of this before but there is a real community feel here.

Red bean, rice and sausage arrive, Paul doesn't mention the sausage is minced into a thousand pieces, but there is the beginnings of a smile on his face. Someone demanded to know if he had saved some sticky Date pudding and he said he had reserved some for our table. Phew, that would have been a major disappointment if they had run out.

We say our goodbyes to the dining car crew, they couldn't have been better. We agree amongst the cabal that we will meet in the station as we get in, Rosie and I have a little talk with Jay and say we'll be in contact, he really has inspired us. His trainee (really sorry have forgotten her name) has come on leaps and bounds over the two days. It was her first SCA shift and she was nervous to start but her nice personality came through at the end and she appeared to love what she was doing.

New Orleans has arrived, it's an interesting way to arrive in a city and it feels different. We help Dorothy with her bags although she doesn't ask. We manage to get to the main hall and are directed where to wait for checked bags, we have none of course but Dorothy does so we offer to wait and help. We have arrangements to get to our hostel but are an hour early, Francis turns up and says Mr M has had a limo sent for him, it's somewhere outside. He has offered to drop Dorothy and Francis off at their addresses and when Dorothy has her bags she should go outside where they will be waiting.

It doesn't take too long and the checked bags are available, Dorothy now has a serious suitcase this time. Rosie will stay with our bags and I'll help Dorothy's to get hers out to the pavement, they say their goodbyes. There is Francis and Mr M just organising their luggage into the trunk of a big Mercedes car, Dorothy like Francis look like they are born into this limo service. Mathew comes over and says goodbye, a little hug and we both say at the same moment perhaps we'll meet again. The two Sunset girls are acting like Princesses, we all promise to write. The magic of the last two days is suddenly broken, off I go back into the station to sort out what we must do, but can't leave that Rosie alone for a minute as she is now standing next to even more bags than we started with. Someone on the train from coach has asked Rosie to keep an eye out for him while he collects his windsurfing board. Mr M comes to say goodbye to Rosie, I think she gets a couple of kisses too.

The 30 ish year old man arrives with an enormous board, Rosie has already told me he lived in California but is headed to Portugal to start a new life. He has decided to do this as he believes in green technology and is unhappy with the current government's stance. He has carried out much research and had two major criteria for where he should live, a liberal caring environment and one of the best places to wind surf, as he walks towards us I'm thinking, here comes another story... We have family in southern Portugal (almost exactly where he is headed), we give him our email and say let us know if he needs a friendly face down there, but it's now time for us to leave.

We now have 2 full days in New Orleans, but first this funky hostel


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## caravanman

Another brilliant instalment! Glad the Sunset Limited provided unlimited entertainment.

Ed.


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## Eric S

Wow! First rate story, first rate writing. Sounds like it's been an incredible journey thus far.


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## hermit

Thank you for sharing,sounds like you are having an amazing trip!


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## Bob Dylan

Another Wonderful Chapter in Jamie and Rosie's Excellent Adventure !

More!More!


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## v v

caravanman said:


> The trouble with memories for a lifetime, is one can't always reme... er, what was I saying ?
> 
> Ed.





oregon pioneer said:


> caravanman said:
> 
> 
> 
> The trouble with memories for a lifetime, is one can't always reme... er, what was I saying ?
> 
> Ed.
> 
> 
> 
> :giggle: :giggle: :giggle:
> 
> I figure if I reach that point, I may well *think* I have done everything I always wanted to. At least, that's what my grandpa thought.
Click to expand...

There's a little secret about memories that we can share. Photo everything that moves or even that doesn't, have a partner who takes cryptic notes for fun, and try to write up a trip report within 2 weeks or it's all gone.



trainman74 said:


> v v said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just love this photo of an LA Metro station, think it's the Red Line?
> 
> 
> 
> Just to answer this -- yes, that's the North Hollywood station, the northern terminus of the Red Line.
> 
> I have seen Matthew Modine in a number of films _and_ really enjoyed "Stranger Things," but I'm so bad at recognizing people out of context that, if he were sitting at my table in the dining car, I probably wouldn't know it was him.
Click to expand...

When you named the station trainman it all came back. North Hollywood station is at the terminus of the express bus too. Get off bus, walk about 100 yards and you are at the Metro station, that's a proper joined up transport system. Thanks for bringing that back, how did you know where it was?

There's another photo from that station too, it's a mural inside the station of what looks a lot like somewhere in California, or it does to a European. I'll try post it later.






Bob Dylan said:


> Thanks Jamie, for your next career you should become a travel writer like our own Henry K.and travel the world while getting paid for it!


Not a chance Bob, it's hard work. Mine is just disjointed ramblings, Henry K is a proper writer.



oregon pioneer said:


> Oh, yes, the three-hour lunches, with everyone joining in the conversation, are the best!


We spend a lot of time in a country that treasures these lunches, were trying to practice. That said, 48 hour parties are even better, you are invited Jennifer.



Eric S said:


> Wow! First rate story, first rate writing. Sounds like it's been an incredible journey thus far.


Eric we've been lucky, everyone has a story to tell and some just need the circumstance to tell it, plus of course someone to listen too. It does help though if you throw convention out of the window, try not to harm anybody and smile a lot. I leave Rosie to do most of those things.

Just to add to this, all long distance trains give a space and time to think, reflect and consider at leisure, and have more than just a snatched conversation if you want it. Amtrak long distance trains have a secret ingredient, their diners. An Amtrak diner where you are seated at random almost forces people to have some form of conversation with those at the same table, although not everybody wants or needs to talk which is ok too. It's also maybe the same reason that a 'community' doesn't really form until the second full day. On day two most have eaten with several / many different persons and then may also include a person(s) from another table into their conversation and this spreads. We've all seen this happen or been part of it. Often the intro in the diner gives rise to conversations with fellow diners in the observation lounge as well. So we think a long distance Amtrak ride where you eat in the diner at every meal gives a unique 'in' to sharing with others that we have never found anywhere else, it's our best aspect of riding trains anywhere.



hermit said:


> Thank you for sharing,sounds like you are having an amazing trip!


Yes we are, there's not too much more so please hang in there as it will end with a whimper.



Bob Dylan said:


> Another Wonderful Chapter in Jamie and Rosie's Excellent Adventure !
> 
> More!More!


Thanks for the encouragement, you'll have to sober up some time...


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## oregon pioneer

> There's a little secret about memories that we can share. Photo everything that moves or even that doesn't, have a partner who takes cryptic notes for fun, and try to write up a trip report within 2 weeks or it's all gone.


I feel like I don't take enough photos. Yours are great, taking lots must be the secret. You can decide later if they are evocative, or not. I DO take lots of notes, in fact I try to sit down with my netbook each day or two, and write up anything that stuck long enough for me to get it on the keyboard.

If you are inviting me to let you know next time I head over the pond, I certainly will, but don't hold your breath. My trip to France in 2015 was the first time back in thirty-four years. Of course, it made me want to go right back again, but that fits neither my budget nor my lifestyle. Still, you never know. I think a visit with you and Rosie would be a blast.


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## Seaboard92

I'm honestly loving your trip so much I'm trying to convince some of my friends to do a version of it with md


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## trainman74

v v said:


> When you named the station trainman it all came back. North Hollywood station is at the terminus of the express bus too. Get off bus, walk about 100 yards and you are at the Metro station, that's a proper joined up transport system. Thanks for bringing that back, how did you know where it was?


I live here.  I've been to that station many times.



> There's another photo from that station too, it's a mural inside the station of what looks a lot like somewhere in California, or it does to a European. I'll try post it later.


That mural is a collage of images related to North Hollywood: an aerial view of the Valley at night, a car and a tract house, a palm tree, a land deed from the original developer (the Lankershim Ranch Land & Water Company -- you may note that the North Hollywood station is located on Lankershim Boulevard).


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## v v

*Day 29 - Monday 27 March ~ New Orleans ~ first visit day 1*

Our hostel in the Garden District was, well sort of different, yes funky would describe it. Good humoured and helpful staff, mainly but not only early twenties people, would book again.

We are two days in New Orleans, heard a lot about it but never visited before. Surprisingly warm but not too humid. Decided we wanted to cross the Mississippi on a real boat so took the ferry. Once we were in Algiers Point we were sucked into the network of roads lined with old south types properties. Stopped to talk with 2 ladies sitting on their porch, they said it was the very best place to live as it is so laid back, only drawback they could see was the humidity which arrives later in the year. They said it didn't affect them as they were born there, but it does affect incomers.

We re-crossed the Mississippi as we wanted to visit the in-town Katrina museum, it's at the Louisiana State Museum in the Presbytere. There are 2 separate exhibitions, we wanted the 'Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond'. A short walk into the French Quarter and we are there, we'd be back to the French Quarter the next day too.

The Hurricane exhibition is fabulous, it's story of great human suffering and how most overcame their enormous loss. The exhibition is also honest enough to point out the incompetence along with the wonderful, I'll leave my comments there.

Part way round the exhibition I realise I have lost our phone. As most other people we now have our life and our business in it. Double, treble and quadruple check it's not with me and remember putting on to the table at 'Toute de suite', that is now 3 hours ago so what are the chances it are still there? Rosie is nowhere to be seen so go to the entrance and speak with the security person there, explain where I hope/think the phone is, what it is and at what table we were sitting at. He offers to call the café and does so immediately. He explains and they go to look, not on the table, customers who have been in the café all afternoon haven't seen it and it's not been handed in. They ask for another number so if it turns up they can call, but we only have one phone with us in the US. They take the name of the hostel, everybody is doing all they can. I thank the security profusely and go to find Rosie, this is bad. Rosie gives me little jobs in life, one of mine is to always know where the phone is. Can't duck it, it's my fault 101%. Tell Rosie we have a bit of a disaster, I've lost the phone as I left it on the table in the café. I'm thinking how much effort it will be to get all the information back." She says "no you haven't it's in my handbag, look here it is!". Me, "why have you got it? " I'm stunned as it's not lost and stunned to know how Rosie for the first time ever has our phone. "You left it on the table in the café, so I picked it up". Phewww.

Back to the security man, explain again and he grins, "don't worry man, I'll phone the café right back" which he does and they say they are pleased for me. After saying sorry 79 times he says "it's not a big deal for me to phone for you, my wife does this to me all the time. I know where I put my pen down, but when I put my hand out for it it's gone, she's tidied up again" and he laughs. There is this big burley man who totes a big gun trying to make me feel not so bad, how sweet.

So another misadventure over, back to the museum. This whole Hurricane and reasons for flooding gives Rosie and I lots to talk about. This really is a great museum.

*The boarding pier for the Canal Street to Algiers Point ferry ~ is there anything you can do?*




*The village of Algiers Point have homes with great porches, they looked oh-so comfortable and some were quite vivid*







*Small café in the heart of town, the name 'Tout de Suite' attracted us. Good drinks, good food, good atmoshphere and sassy with a smile staff. We could recommend this welcoming café and it features later in the day too.*







*Vivid... possibly need shades to sit here*




*What a tree, the photo doesn't do it justice or it's actual size*




*It really exists, we found it!*




*Fascinated by the water coming off the paddle wheel of the Natchez, it's almost art to me *


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## oregon pioneer

OH my, lovelovelove the colors! :wub:


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## caravanman

Great post, brought back memories of my own visits to New Orleans. Like yourselves, I took the ferry across to Algiers. I loved being able to trail my hand in the Mississippi water, and enjoyed the different vibe on that side of the river. Beignets was the only Big Easy disappointment, much prefer doughnuts!

Was there still much sign of the Katrina damage in town, Canal Street was still rather battered on my visits?

I would be interested to know the name of the hostel you used while there?

Thanks again, love your pics too,

Ed.


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## v v

*Day 30 - Monday 28 March ~ New Orleans ~ first visit day 2*

Getting near to the end of our journey, another day in New Orleans, 2 days on the Amtrak Crescent up to New York and a plane the same evening back to London via Lisbon. We're feeling a little tired so decide to have an easy day. Stroll down to Wal-Mart to buy two fleece blankets for the tomorrow evening in coach, some fruit and trail mix, a couple of bottles of water, we're all set there.*​*

Bus directly outside the hostel down to Canal Street and we walk the river front, it's a lovely day. We do like the Mississippi river, have seen it in 3 or 4 different States and it always impresses. It helps we both enjoy reading Mark Twain and lived on a canal boat for 5 years, even barges can be beautiful if you squint a little.

Eventually we find ourselves near to the Presbytere where there are street artists, music and small groups of people standing, sitting and listening. It's a nice atmosphere and we enjoy an hour or so watching mainly some very good musicians. Pretty fascinated too the way each band is fluid with members coming and going. It's interesting to watch someone arrive on a bicycle with a small trailer, take out an instrument, maybe give another instrument to someone who is already playing something different, then just join in mid way through a tune. Sometimes a band would be 5 people, 10 minutes later it's 10 people, then back down to 8.

Were not musical so don't know how it works but it does, all sounded really good to us. Stroll some more, down this road and up that, to us New Orleans has a charm that is undeniable. I was prepared for a completely over the top, tacky tourist hell hole, and it is probably all of these things but it carries it off with panache somehow, almost defying gravity in the same way Las Vegas does.

We catch another bus back to the Garden District and now it's evening so will eat out there somewhere, we find a Gem of a Vietnamese restaurant, maybe a 1/3 full. Immaculate service, fast and very correct but again friendly (this is New Orleans). Great meal and great service from the family running this place. Ask the owner if she is always this busy (it was filling up fast), she said this is the slack time, 8pm, often people queue outside and round the corner but that doesn't start for another hour.

We have to re-pack (yet again) for our flight in 2 days time, we wont have the chance once we arrive in NYC. Next morning we have to be up at 4:00 am so we can breakfast, shower and finish packing, so a late early night for us.

*New Orleans*





*​*










Now here's a story. The cat is alive, not attached to the backpack or the young man and just sits there when he and his girlfriend are on the move. Saw them walking along, they'd stop and look, we'd stop in other places and look until the girlfriend and Rosie disappeared into the same shop. I walk over and ask is the cat real, of course it is. They found this abandoned kitten maybe 6? months before and looked after him a little, but they were just about to leave Seattle where they live and were headed for the warmth of southern California for the winter. They hitch hike everywhere, so does the cat. If they are moving he takes his position and sits right where he is in the photo. Has never jumped off unless they stop, even they are amazed. They are headed back up to Seattle in the morning, I ask why they don't take a Greyhound as it's not so much money "Greyhound wont allow him so we hike". I mention Amtrak do allow small dogs so that may be an idea for the future, at which girlfriend and then Rosie appear. They and we are off and we wish them luck, off they go on their travels... with of course 'Charlie'


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## caravanman

Love the first photo of the musician guys, it is so full of their energetic musical Oomph!

Nice to see the Mardi Gras beads hanging, and the wrought iron balconies too.

Ed.


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## v v

It's been about 6 weeks since we returned to Europe, want to complete this round the world journey just to make it whole. We have worked our socks off since we came back and will have to for another couple of weeks yet, but it's a price worth paying for being able to travel. It didn't help after leaving the UK for the second time since returning that we decided to turn left at Calais and not our usual turn right to drive back to our 'Maison secondaire' in France. We have some very dear long time friends living in northern Holland, the lovely Wineke and the magnificent Hans and decided that a little detour would be just perfect, so we did.

But first a few responses.

Jennifer, if we stay still long enough you are always welcome. Didn't realise that you have such extensive connections with France. The place you stayed in 2015 looks a whole lot posher than our French cottage so be prepared to lower your expectations.



Seaboard92 said:


> I'm honestly loving your trip so much I'm trying to convince some of my friends to do a version of it with md


Seabord92 you're right, do your own version as that's what you will get the most out of. Rosie and I are very different people but each of us doesn't pretend to be anything other than what we are. We suit some people and not others but that's life.

I'm sure if you have the imagination and the will you can have all the adventures you need. Look at caravanman, he's quite happy to travel alone as I used to, alone or with others there's adventures out there just waiting for you.

Thanks a lot for your kind words, Bonne chance!

trainman74, your description is spot on. It felt very much of the area and we thought it showed imagination from whoever commissioned the decoration of the station. Thank you.

Hello Ed. Downtown didn't show any damage at all and Algiers Point looked very well-to-do with most buildings in good decorative condition. We did hear that some areas are not a lot better than just after Katrina which if that is the case then shame on whoever is responsible.

The hostel is 'The Garden District House' at 1660 Annunciation Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. There's a bus stop right outside, it's in a quiet residential street, is only a 5 minute walk from the great Vietnamese restaurant and a 10 minute walk from a Wal-Mart Super Center and the river.

I'm including another New Orleans street photo for you, this drummer girl really did have all the moves, she was mesmeric


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## v v

*Day 31 - Wednesday 29 March - New Orleans to New York City riding coach*

We deliberately chose to travel coach on this 30 hour journey for a couple of reasons. We had travelled coach around the US on 4 or 5 occasions but no journey was longer than about 12 hours, this was an overnight journey and we were curious.

We also enjoy longer Greyhound journeys, 24 hours+ up to a couple of days but couldn't fit a Greyhound into our schedule this time. Amtrak coach on the 20 Crescent was as close as we could get.

Because the seats size is generous, and because seat spacing is so much more roomy than a Greyhound, somehow an Amtrak coach car lost some of the intimacy of a Greyhound bus.

We know that sometimes intimacy on a Greyhound isn't always a good thing, in particular at the back of the bus, but it gets people talking which didn't happen so much on this particular trip.

Up at 4am, taxi arrived on the dot at 5. No traffic and it only took about 10 minutes to New Orleans Union Station. The driver was a very pleasant and efficient Indian man, we were to meet another Indian cab driver a few days later but not quite as efficient.

On arrival the building was open but there were only 2 other rail passengers waiting, no Amtrak staff although there were a few security people

*About 5:30am NOLA station. Most of the folk in the photo are homeless, well behaved and just looked grateful of somewhere secure to sleep. By 6:15am they were all gone, security had quietly suggested that it was time to leave and they did, seemed like a good arrangement to us, full use of the facility.*




Soon as the Amtrak ticket staff arrive we check a couple of cases and after not too long are allowed to board our car, by the time the 7:00am departure arrived the car wasn't half full, maybe a little up the line it will fill up?

About 30 minutes out of NOLA we start to cross Lake Pontchartrain at a sedate pace, this isn't a lake it's more like an inland sea. It certainly grabbed our attention as it appeared as though we were sort of floating above the water with no obvious support but with train noises coupled with clackerty clacks. This part of the journey will stay with us a long while.

*Water to the left of us and water to the right*







Soon after we slept for 2 or 3 hours, a 4:00am start was a little too early for us. Still tired we decide on a hot tea and coffee to get us going, met Susan the café car boss. Placed our order but she said nothing, just turned around and started to prepare our drinks. When asked if she had English breakfast tea she replied in a strong strange accent, and sounded a bit put out too. Ah well, can't please everyone.

When she turned around she was grinning and started to talk again. She was from Rochdale, England and they do have a very broad northern English accent, Susan had emphasised it a little too. We are still a little startled as we are sleepy and crossing Alabama on an Amtrak train it's the last accent we expected to hear. It was her party piece when she recognised passengers from England were on board and we got the joke eventually.

This lady who over the next 24 hours turned out to be completely charming, had met and married an American oil man and moved to the USA over 40 years earlier, they live in Louisiana. She spent a month every year back in Rochdale with her mum and had never lost her accent. When talking to Americans she sounded completely American too, good linguist probably.

The Crescent has good wifi and we learned that Article 50 had been enacted that day by the British Government, that's the document that formally starts Brexit, the separation of the UK from the rest of Europe. It felt a little strange reading about this in the online Guardian British newspaper while riding through southern states in the USA. It had been an odd day so far and another surprise a little further on.

We pulled slowly into Birmingham, AL, a large railway yard and station. It looked as though something serious had happened here as it looked desolate and abandoned. Enormous amounts of littler were everywhere and as though the station complex hadn't seen maintenance for 50 years, everything just looked broken.

We've not seen anything like this anywhere in the US, is there a reason it stands out as being so unloved? would really like to know.

Plenty of new passengers board here, this is how we expected coach to be as we are headed to the North East with it's major cities. We are around 1 1/2 hours behind schedule now, freight is the reason.

Passed through Anniston, AL and can't help be notice the Anniston Army Depot with all it's military vehicles and equipment. It's an enormous place and takes quite a while to pass. Anniston is and has been heavily connected into US military for quite a while with different branches of the military based here. It's a pretty impressive sight seen from a train window.

At the end of the day the Conductor came into the car to personally apologise for today's delays, nice touch.

Sleeping on the big comfy seats isn't too difficult, the foot rests help and the seats lay pretty flat if you want them too. It wasn't warm in coach but wasn't cool either, so a reasonable night's sleep was had.

*to be continued...*

*Day 32- Thursday 30 March - New Orleans to NYC and onwards - day 2*

A little tired as we wake up in Virginia. It's not due to the coach seats, just from time to time we would stop and start, people get off and on etc, but not too bad. travelling through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and into the big metropolises is very interesting for us, we don't live there and it's all different.

Apart from Susan in the café car there has not been any real conversation. There is a mid thirties man behind us trying so hard to impress the pretty girl across the way, but not sure that explaining he had had two spells in prison was the way to do it. We also learnt that the latest illegal drug could be had from the Empire State area of Manhattan. Apart from that we were happy enough chatting together and watching America go by the window.

At the end of this train journey we had our friends in NYC to look forward to, we'd planned on spending 5 hours with them before heading off to JFK for our evening flight, but we were now over 2 hours late. This was our second time at New York Penn Station, but the first time we had arrived there. It did all feel familiar as we exited the platform area, and we knew which exit to wait outside of for Juanita and Bradley. We quite liked waiting outside of Penn facing the huge US Post Office, there's a lot of life going past those doors.

The mid 30's man from our coach came out of the station while we were waiting, saw us and asked if we needed help, how kind is that? He also said he lived in the city and if we were hungry there was a good eatery just across the road, and at that he disappeared back inside the station. Can't judge a book by it's cover can you.

Bradley had to finish some work before they collected us, so they arrived an hour after we did. We did intend to visit the Chrysler Building as we love Art Deco and work with it too, so it was a pilgrimage for us. Bradley dropped the 3 of us at the door of the CB and said he'd be back about an hour or so later, we had to phone him when we were done.

Juanita used to work next door? at the old Pan Am building (for Pan Am) and didn't know the interior was so highly decorated, so it was a first for us all. The Chrysler Building owners only allow casual visitors into the ground floor, all the rest is active businesses that don't need a stream of tourists walking through their offices. Our view was, pure class and completely stunning to think that this was put together on such a scale. That it was important to spend so much effort and obviously money to impress staff and visitors as you walk through the doors. As mentioned elsewhere, we don't do tourists sites very often now, but this was for us just magic. The photos with our by now badly working camera do not do this building justice, but here they are anyway...

*Interior is in immaculate condition, imagine if you have to work in an office being greeted by this every day *










*And one from the outside. Don't remember any other skyscraper with Gargoyles, they looked as though they were stainless steel an exciting new metal at the time. At a distance the Gargoyles did look similar in form to European cathedrals built around 1000 years ago and equally impressive.*




After we had swooned enough Juanita took us into the old Pan Am building so we could see her former place of work. Huge staircase is what I remember and what did it look like full of people leaving work?

Another treat was Grand Central Station was close by. Had we been there? "No" was the answer. Would we like to take a look around? "Yes please" and so off we go. We were duly impressed have to say, it is a Grand building in any sense and with that amount of people moving around it reminded us of some famous Lowry paintings of Matchstick people who were always moving.

*So here are our last photos before flying home, Grand Central Station in all it's glory, filled with travellers*




*The clocks on the main floor, these are our favourite from all the clocks we have seen from around the world*


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## v v

*Day 32- Thursday 30 March - Part 2 ...... going home*

Bradley meets us and mentions there are serious traffic problems getting from Manhattan to JFK airport, so we must hurry, our time in NYC is too short and we can't enjoy a meal with them both. Even though we have our plans catch the train to the airport they insist that they drive us, so they do. Bradley sort of mentions he just may visit Europe with Juanita, he rarely leaves the US so that is a big move forward and we hope they come to visit.

Airports are, well airports, not my favourite places but a necessary place to pass through. TAP Portugal our airline for this flight is tucked away in the corner, but they have plenty of staff and are very pleasant too.

Stupidly I asked a smart question while going through security, "why do we have to take our shoes off but the flight crew in front of us don't?" Big mistake, I was searched 3 times including inside the waistband etc etc by a young man who appeared to have a problem with life, my bad!

We board and find we have an all male crew, they look like male models to Rosie or an older boy band to me, but again very pleasant indeed.

Rosie said it was a very enjoyable flight, have to say I didn't have any complaints either. We noticed steel cutlery and food with a little taste too, the aircrew were very amenable and helped and cajoled with a smile and a little humour, they were always friendly.

This made us think back to the IT wizard Rosie had met waiting for bags at New Orleans Union station, he had told her that he was off to a new life in Portugal as his research had shown that is where he would feel most comfortable, hmmm. If Brexit goes very wrong between the UK and France should we move there?

We are flying from JFK to Lisbon, an hour layover and a second flight from there to London. Taking this one stop route saved us over 500 dollars so we are not complaining. Lisbon airport is friendly too, what are these people on?


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## caravanman

"Lisbon airport is friendly too, what are these people on?" Port would be my guess... 

Thanks for the final piece in your "round the world" jigsaw. I was aware that there was a little bit missing, but decided not to badger you to finish it just yet!

On Wednesday I booked my flight to Boston, and 6 days later, this Tuesday, I fly off again for my own Amtrak adventure. Nothing like forward planning. Pleased I will be away for the election mudslinging, although I do have my proxy vote sorted.

I very much enjoyed your whole trip report, and wish you both a peaceful if busy time ahead.

Ed.


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## v v

There is 1 short post still to come! can't stop writing now.

Thanks Ed and Bon voyage on your journey into the Amtrak unknown.


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## v v

*Day 33 - Friday 31 March ...... back to where we started*

The 3 hour flight from Lisbon to London Heathrow, another good experience with at least 90% of the passengers being Portuguese or Brazilian. Our fellow passenger was from Brazil but married to a British politician, very nice thoughtful lady who was interested in many aspects of the world.

London Heathrow is just another big airport, but now it's becoming fully automated in the arrivals area (in the UK citizens section anyway), a sort of DIY immigration with obviously officers watching from afar?

We have to cross from one side of London to the other and then a 30 - 45 minute journey out eastwards into Essex. We have refined the route for travel with bags and catch 2 separate tube trains to get from Heathrow to Liverpool Street. First the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith, up the elevator to street level, cross the road to the other part of the station and usually a Hammersmith & City line train to Liverpool Street. Remembering much of London's tube system is Victorian, when you have bags you will find there are many stations where you have to take flights of stairs up and then back down, sometimes twice. This route only gives one flight of stairs of note which is on arriving by tube at Liverpool Street.

Next year a massive new rail system - Crossrail - will be completed, a completely new rail system to travel from outside London to the east to outside London to the west. Maybe, just maybe we'll find a way to have another major adventure and we can use what will be a modern wonder of transportation?

We find the next train out to Essex and suddenly the realisation of the extent of our round the world by land odyssey hits us, we feel like celebrating but of course we are British and just sit grinning at each other. Arrive at the station we started from and go outside and stand in the exact same spot as the first photo of this blog, we two very ordinary people from working class backgrounds that have just travelled around the world by land in our own unique way, here's a good time to introduce the word Wow!

Walk up to the next taxi out, our second Indian taxi driver in just a few days. He's smiling and helpful as we load our bags and sit in the car, "where to?" he asks and we tell him, a landmark area in the town is across the road. He asks where it is as he doesn't know the area well as he hasn't been a taxi driver for long. The irony of it hits us as this is the first time in the whole trip that somebody working in the many types of transport didn't know where he was going...


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## Maglev

Thank you for the excellent travelogue!


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## Bob Dylan

As always, another enjoyable chapter of the never ending journey!

Thanks for sharing, especially enjoyed the pics from the Apple, one of the Great Places in tbe World to visit but I wouldnt want to Live there!

Hopefully now that y'all are home, you will will Vote Early and Often as they say in Chicago and the current "Let them Eat Cake" Government will fall!


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## oregon pioneer

What a wonderful journey, as I am sure you and Rosie were saying to yourselves while smiling at each other.

Don't hold your breath, as the saying goes, about any visits. It takes a mighty powerful reason to get me across the pond. But if I ever get to meet you (and I hope I do), you will find I am not at all afraid to get my hands dirty and tote my share of the load. Invites go both ways, and if you should ever consider coming to the wilds of eastern Oregon, please do contact me in advance and we'll work something out (you as well, JimH and Edwin).

It's been wonderful traveling along with you from my armchair! Many thanks for the great report and photos.


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## v v

Just a note to say thank you for all the help and encouragement here, not sure the journal would have been completed without you all.

Jennifer, who knows what's in the future, but if we're intending to be within striking distance of you how could we not stop by and say hello

Bob, your version of Chicago voting practices made me chuckle all day, what a good idea. Kim Jong-May our Great Leader has started to malfunction, maybe her programming hasn't been set quite enough into human mode as she doesn't cope with speaking to people face to face.


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