Beijing

Coming into a country by train is just a completely new different experience for me and so much nicer that I now wonder why I haven't though of taking the train instead of flying, before. The landscape were breathtaking and we even got to see parts of the Great Wall. It was morning so we got to see the beginning of the day in rural china. Farmers with their round straw hats walking to their farms, neighbours gathering for a morning chat...it was just a really nice way to easy myself into a new country, culture and way of life. And then coming into Beijing itself, the city with it's tall tower blocks and construction everywhere, but even here you saw everday life passing you by and it just felt so much better because you felt part of it instead of just landing straight into it.

We took the metro and arrived straight into Tiananmen square. What a way to say Niho to China. A rare occasion, but it was blue skies and we could even see the sun so it was twice as nice when our arrival into China was straight into one of the biggest squares in the world. The hostel is right in the centre but in one of beijings few traditional Hu tongs. So it has a great authentic chinese atmosphere and it was an immediate introduction into the chinese way of life as we walked down to the street to our hostel.

But as soon as we were settled in the real China hit us. Train tickets are an absolute nightmare. they are sold out as soon as they are released and it is just impossible to go anywhere in China.
BUT I GOT REALLY LUCKY TODAY AND I AM SO HAPPY THAT I AM GOING TO TIBET:)

BELARUS

Talking to people along the way about my little Belarus adventure I am wondering why I was the only person who didn't know that Belarus is just a country that is completely crazy. Everyone except me planned their trip so that it was especially organised to avoid Belarus. People have been around it, over it but I am yet to meet a person who has been through it. The immigration there is so unbelievably strict, stricter even than Russia and the Visas so difficult to get and expensive that it is just better left alone. But it certainly presents a challenge. Anyone up for a trip to Belarus especially sometime next year? I'd love to go and see what's so special there that they do not easily allow ordinary people like us in there.

But I guess my mad adventure was nothing. There are moments when I think I could be sitting at home, watching eastenders and eating some proper home cooked food and my life would be nice and simple and predicatable again. Sometimes when I run into a little bit of hassle, I wonder why I decided to be on the road, so to speak, instead of staying at home. And then I meet people who put me to shame. The other day I met a German couple with a 10 month old baby. They have been cycling all the way round India, China and are now in Mongolia. They use cotton nappies and leave them to dry on the handlebars of the bike as they cycle along to the next destination. With their baby they cycle about 20 km a day. There are some people doing some amazing things and my travels and troubles along the way comparatively seem so miniscule.

But anyway, I guess I'm allowed to be a little homesick now and then. So of course I miss you all and hope some of you will keep me updated on what's going on in Eastenders and all the rest...

Beautiful Mongolia

Everytime I come into a new city, I'm overwhelmed by all the activity that goes on around me. Sometimes a new language, a new way of interacting, a new transport system to get to grips with, maps and diections to comprehend but if the city is beautiful and the people nice it makes the arrival so much easier and nicer. I think I am yet to wait for both. Ulanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia is in a beautiful setting, nestled in a valley, surrounded by beautiful, green rolling hills and mountains, BUT it is one of the ugliest cities I have seen. Russian type asphalt concrete towers loom from every direction, traffic jams with cars going wherever they please (and if you want to cross the road you do it at your own risk), cheap restaurants serving cuisine from the world over, dust and dirt everywhere, drunks wanderng around, wooden houses that are almost falling apart, narrow muddy alleys, cables and wires everywhere...it really is an ugly city.

After spending a day in Ulanbaatar, I couldn't wait to get out. And once out of the city, Mongolia is a truly magnificently beautiful county. In every direction you look there are breathtaking landscapes. Lush valleys, plateaus, mountains is all you see in whichever direction you look. Mongolians dressed in their traditional clothes herding their horses, sheep, cows, yak.. gers dotted in among the landscape, mongolians sitting tall on their horses galloping away into the distance, motorbikes carrying a passenger and an occasional sheep... it's just breathtaking. And the people are so friendly and hospitable. I spent 5 nights in different gers along the way, galloped through the hills, rode a camel into the desert, tasted fermented mare's milk and fresh yogurt made from sheep milk, listened to some traditional mongolian folk music and although I was looking forward to getting back to Ulaanbaatar for a good long shower, when I actually saw the city as we were heading back, I was really sad. The mongolian countyside is so vast, so varied and so beautiful, I could have easily spent a lot, lot longer here. unfortunately though the roads are all grade 3 or 4 and I spent every second that we were on the road bouncing around and every bone in my body being shaken till there is nothing left to shake.

Mongolia is definitely an amazing place, outside the city, it still retains all it's culture and traditional ways and the landscapes are truly breathtaking.

Irkutsk

Mongolia

Mongolia

Ulan Ude continued...Dasvidanya Russia

Natasha who is so full of fascinating facts and historical knowledge made us understand that Russia was never a communist state. It never went past socialism. Farms were owned by goverment and house holds were allowed a small, limited number of livestock which they could keep and use. Thus the term 'private' when she talks about 'private cows' takes on a whole new meaning. Now ordinary people are allowed to have whole heards. Like private houses too, as before land was owned by the government and people paid rent. But the government used all the money to provide free education, health services, subsidies for the poor and even free accomodation for those with big families. Now she says her rent is just so high it's difficult to maintain a good standard of living and now those who cannot afford to pay for education just don' get educated. As there was no equal pay, there were rich and poor, people got salaries according to their professions and ther jobs they did, thus not a communist state.

Anyway, my last evening in Russia couldn't have been more perfect. I sat with Natasha and lislot and her friend Nina who had just brought us deliciously sweet and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers from her dacha. We talked about Buddhism in Russia, ate the delicious borch which Natasha had made for us and just laughed. It was great to experience the warm russian hospitality that I had been hearing about along the way. In fact they even packed me fresh tomatoes and cucumbers with bread for the train, helped me carry my bags to the station the next morning , bought me ice cream and made sure I was comforable in my carriage before we said goodbye.

my uncomfortable, unpleasant and uninspired arrival ito Ulan Ude turned into my three most real and fascinating days in Russia. I encountered a Russia that I did not know exsisted and leave here happy that I got to know this amazingly vast country from a little closer.

I'd love to know what you guys reading this think. Have I inspired anyone to take the train through Russia?

Ulan Ude - My last stop in Russia

This was the first place had nothing booked and everyone I met in Irkutsk just seemed to be passing this place by and heading straight for Mongolia. I guess now I understand why, no youth hostels = no backpackers. Following the guide book, I booked myself in at the cheapest hotel I could find. Right next to the market and where all the chinese merchants have based themselves. I only realised the next day when I met one of the locals that this was one of those seedy hotels. I didn't really care, I had a room, with a wardrobe and a sink, I was paying the cheapest rate so far in Russia and it was very central. Of course coming into ulan Ude so unprepared left me a little worried and looking around town, which now was so different to the Russia I had seen so far, a very distinctive asiatic feel about it and it felt therefore not as safe, I thought to myself why didn't I just follow the normal tourist trail.

But this is why I love travelling so much, you nevr know what or who is around the corner. I walked into the town centre the next morning and there, just while asking directions, I bumped into Natasha. Thanks to her and her friends my last three days in Russia have been absolutely amazing. Natasha immediately took me in, cooked for me ,introduced me to her friends and acted as my own personal guide all around the beautiful city of Ulan Ude. I have learnt so much from you Natasha, hopefully, one day I can return the favour.

I was a little scared of wondering around town on my own but not I had Natasha and Lislot looking after me and keeping me company. We first went to the village of the Old believers who welcomed us with warm smiles and such beautiful costumes. This group of people believe in self-sufficiency and I guess i'd call in communal living. They have their own traditions and were thrown out of Russia for not following the orthodox ways. For example when praying and crossing themselves,they use three fingers instead of the two and te orthodox church thought that this was dirty. Anyway, later on a group was ent back from Poland to this part of Siberia and other groups also exsist around Canada and other places in the world. They showed us some of their customs during a marriage ceremony. In order not to breed bad blood they have to remember the past 9 generations and make sure that there is no intermarriage between these generations. Then like in the olden days, the wife is bartered for, the more talented she is , the more the groom has to offer. They sang for us and then fed us a huge meal. It's rude not to suff yourself and clear the table but there was just far too much food, all prepared using fresh produce from the garden at the back.

oh yeh, drinking Vodka is a tradition on it's own. There have to be 3 toasts, one for the guests, one for the hostess and the las for love. Not just vodka but any toast requires dipping your finger into the drink and spraying it before drinking it. An old Russian tradition. I constantly have to reind myself that I am still in Europe. Russia seems so different from what I know of Europe and Siberia especially, seems just a whole different world away.

Next day, Natasha took us to the Ivolginsk Datsan (a buddhist monastery). This was the first big surprise to find out that Buddhism in Russia and especially in Buryatia region (an autonomous region in the Russian Federation) exsists to such a big extent. From there our visit to the Shaman's sacred place 'obo' in the Yangazhinskoi valley was another surprising connecion that I would never have made. And the connection between shamanism as I know it from South America and Buddhism is very strong. Can you imagine Buddhists monks or even nuns in a trance after some ayahusca or some similar hallucenogenic:) As Natasha says, to know Russia, you actually have to come to Russia. And even then it is full of surprises. I have been fortunate enough to know the Buryat region, thanks to Natasha and and her immense knowledge and passion but even when this region seem so vast, I just cannot imagine or even comprehend the vastness of the northern region of Russia. Russia seems so huge and immense that it seems there will always be more to see and do and then there will be a whole lot that will be completely inaccessible to the rest of the world. I can't wait for my next visit to Russia.

At the Red Square in Moscow

OLKHON ISLAND AND LAKE BAIKAL

The ‘Pearl of Siberia’ Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest lake and contains a fifth of the world’s unfrozen, fresh water. Formed by rifting tectonic plates, it will eventually become the world’s fifth ocean, splitting the continent of Asia.

I spent 2 days in the charming Siberian village on Olkhon Island on Lake Baikal. The views of the crystal clear blue water of the banana shaped lake surrounding the island made me wish I had more time to spend there. The small, sleepy village full of traditional Siberian, wooden houses had such a calm and peaceful atmosphere, a perfect place to break my trans-Siberian journey and just relax for a bit. Wood being the most practical and the most easily available houses, the whole village is built of small wooden houses, some with beautiful wooden lace trimmings. Only now, after having been here and seeing the small villages dotted around the flat Siberian landscape do I realize that wood is probably the best material for the houses to help withstand the cold Siberian winters.

There was no running water or a sewage system on Olkhon island, and as I’m told in most Siberian villages. Holes in the ground in little wooden huts act as toilets and the ingeniously simply built tanks which let water out when you push the plug up. With all our luxurious bathrooms it’s so easy to forget that people over the world live with the most simplest and basic of amenities. It was great, simple living but it was also great to come back to a clean and western bathroom in Irkutsk again and take a long hot shower. I suppose, I’m just used to the luxuries a bit too much.

This region is also the region of the Buryat people. A traditional tribe that along with the Christian traditions still believes in Shamanism. It was fascinating to see along the way the poles and trees with ribbons all over them…signs of shamanic practice. Also from the room at the hostel we got a beautiful view of the bay and the lake and the one of the holiest rock, Shaman rock, of the Buryat people.

Unfortunately being a veggie, I could not try the Omul fish (salmon like fish that can only be found in Lake Baikal) and I guess 2 days was too short a time to see the nerpa seals (freshwater seals found only in lake Baikal).

The lake is beautiful and an extremely popular destination for local Russian holidays. I think I’d tell anyone coming to Russia, save all your hard earned cash that you would spend in Moscow (Moscow being just as expensive as London) and instead take a flight straight to Irkutsk and then the bus to Lake Baikal. It’s a truly beautiful place and I’m hoping I can make it back here again one winter when the lake is all frozen.

My first leg on the Trans-Siberian: Moscow to Irkutsk

Train number 2, Carriage 5, Berth 33 was where I spent the last four days of my journey. The carriage was full of Russian crew and passengers and even with my very limited Russian; I had an amazing time so far. It just helped to show me the nicer side of the Russian Character. The way they looked after me and helped me along the way showed me now that Russians all over, from Moscow to Vladivostok, all have a soft side to them; no matter how hard and strong they appear on the outside. And once you see them smile it’s hard to miss that warm, flirtatious and caring nature. I’ve seen a completely different side to the Russia I knew from my last visit.

I shared the carriage with 10 year old Shusha and her mum Emilia who were both traveling into a Siberian Mountain town of Chita. With gestures, pictures and my few phrases and words of Russian, we talked about family, food, and all sorts. Pot noodles and pots of flavored, instant mash potatoes have made it big here on the trans- Siberian. You see people get onto the trains with carrier bags full of these pots. Hot water is all that is available for free on the train and with raw cucumbers and juicy tomatoes; these were everyone’s meals, lunch and dinner day after day. (Since the noodles and mashed potatoes pots were Korean I’m told, they must be making millions from them...who would have though…pot noodles on the trans SiberianJ)

The train itself, though not as luxurious as the model they had first presented at the Paris launch, still maintains a rich outlook. Velvet curtains with tassels, radio with English, Spanish and Russian music and your own personal volume control in your cabin, the whole carriage cleaned every morning by the crew and of course the silver cups..……all make it a completely different experience to the one on one of the normal Russian trains.

But also the landscape that passes you by, how did they ever construct such a track in such remote places and in such drastic environments? It’s absolutely amazing. As soon as we reached Perm, the icy cold winds in the evening warned us that we were entering Siberia. The change in time ( 5 hours ahead of Moscow) meant that the night from Novosibirsk was a very short one. It was one in the morning in Moscow but already on the trains the sun was high up and at it’s brightest on the train…6 am in the morning and the Siberian sun was bright and hot.

Sparsely populated with izba’s (beautiful log houses) or dachas (country houses for the Russians) but not much in between for miles. And yet I was surprised because it isn’t as sparse as I imagined it to be. Big cities, like Novosibirsk and Irkutsk are really well developed and there are many other smaller mostly industrial cities along the way too. However I guess it’s the vast emptiness that lies between these; the big open fields that make people imagine Siberia to be so ‘empty’.

Anyway, I got to Irkutsk today and immediately noticed that I was in Siberia. Not only the heat so early in the morning but more the mixture of faces here. In Moscow and other cities like Perm and Omsk, all I saw was Russian faces with pure white skin and beautiful light eyes. Here the brown Siberian skin and the dark and smaller but still beautiful eyes are seen everywhere. The difference when you go from one place to another is so apparent and I wonder now how the mixture here works. Already I have heard that there are areas that we just do not go to at night.

I’m in SIBERIA

Last Day in Moscow

The more I spend time in Moscow, the more it reminds me of London, and i'd come back and spend time here anyday but I don't think I could ever spend a long time here. Just like London the metro is filled with miserable faces, and now that I think of it, I haven't seen a single person smile. However, unlike London, the metro here is absolutely amazing, from the huge museum like stations to the absolute effeciency and punctuality of the trains here. There are never any delays, never and construction work going on and you never have to wait more than 30 seconds for the next train to arrive. But the trains themselves and trh little offices in the walls of the magnificent stations are a constant reminder of Russia's past.
The people, it seems, the more russian I speak, the friendlier they are. Compared to my last visit where I got sworn at every time I uttered 'excuse me' , this time people actually stop and even if it is with Russian gestures, they are much more helpful. It's summer now and just like London, when the sun comes out, everyone comes out and there and bands on the street and even dancing outside the walls of the Kremlin. The women dressed in their best and shiniest outfits, tall and skinny parade in their heels around the park and the American idea of Romance is well established here. Men waiting for their women with big, beautiful Russian roses and nights out at american pool parties.
It's a place everyone must see and the red square, beautiful as it is, is not the most unique sight in Moscow. In the summer, you just find a seat, drink a KBAC and observe as the russian life passes you by.

Getting to Russia

4 Countries in a day. Who would have imagined my adventures would have started so early on. I got to Berlin on the beautiful German trains, with breakfast in beds and absolutely luxury sleeper carriages. Even got to share with kay, my Australian friend that I met at Brussels. In Berlin, got to spend the day there walking around and seeing all the major sights. The Berlin wall....not a tourist graffitti board, but still with some amazing artwork. Saw all the main sights and then caught the Russian train all to the way to Moscow....or so I thought. What a difference from the luxury Germain trains. This is truly a train based on the communist ideology. My two new friends, or should I say Russian mums, for the train journey, Luba and Galina, looked after me really well. They fed me tea and chocolate, even found English translators to help me fill in immigration cards, changed money for me even though they had very little themselves, but when the Belarus officials came, they could do nothing but watch as I was escorted off the train with my bags and all. I didn't have a Belarus Transit Visa, which the london embassy said I didn't need as my train just passed through. But of course, I was on Russian territory and feeling it as soon as I had crossed the German Border and gone into Poland. An army of officials from both sides would come and check the passports, but at least the German and Polish soldiers smiled at me. The Belarus officials took me to the Brest border control post and I sat there at 3:45 in the morning, watching as the control post opened and a surge of women from Belarus charged in hoping to make their way into Poland to go get goods. Unfortunately that memory will have to stay in my head...no photos allowed. Anyway, the Belarus officilas finally put me on a train back to Poland and gave me my passport back. Here I was dropped off at the next closest station..Terespol and having been delivered back to the Polish, just left there. Took the train BACK to Warwas, then the bus to the airport and then the flight to Moscow. Unfortunately, I had to put in a flight into my journey and how I hated it. There was no other way. The embassy of Belarus in Poland was in the middle of nowhere. But getting to Moscow, I had to wait for a few hours before finally I got through the unbelivably slow passport control queue and then once out of the aiport, I was amazed at myself at how easily I still remembered to use the Moscow Metro. With my limited Russian, I have been able to speak to a few peopleon the traina nd now, Moscow seems so much more friendlier too. Just shows how much difference learning the language can make. Got to my hostel at midnight and had a springy mattress but I was just finally gald to be in Russia after a very very long day. And my first full day in Russia and it is pouring it down with raina nd thunder threatning even more bad weather. ...........

To those nearest and dearest to me

I finally get on the train tonight and just before I left I wanted to say a HUGE THANK YOU to family and friends who have been absolute angels to me, to friends who I haven't seen in a while and to those who have been lost and returned to wish me luck on my trip. I leave knowing that there are a whole bunch of people who love me and will be with me all the way for the next 5 months. I'll miss you all and look forward to an occasional email. Have a great summer.