There are only two hot beverage certainties on a Trans-Siberian train. Firstly, the coffee in the restaurant carriage will always be seriously bad. Secondly, that there will always be a limitless amount of boiling water available in the samovar at the end of your carriage. I have experimented with filter coffee and coffee bags. You can have a reasonable cup of coffee that way, as long as you take care not to scold the coffee and to get the dilution ratio right. But this trip I’m keen to have a proper “Class A” coffee fix in the morning, so I […]
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I’m writing some of this blog on the train today, so it’s a crash course in remembering how to use my mobile blogging apps that have been idle since I returned from Singapore in January. I have learned from past trips it’s quite good to run a full test of equipment before setting out; that way there is some “tinker time” whilst you have access to things at home. So today I’m testing things whilst I’m on the train to Cambridge to visit the Scott Polar Research Institute. In passing, I was half expecting to bump into Michael Portillo on […]
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Paramount Pictures If you followed my trip to Shanghai last December you might remember one of my biggest issues was that I had the wrong sort of luggage. Well I have new plan. I have ditched the trusty North Face XL Base Camp duffel bag and replaced it with a hard-sided suitcase. Now that I know the resupply points better, I don’t need to carry any rations until I reach Moscow, so thats another bag gone too. I visited my local luggage Mecca the other day and must have spent about an hour looking at different […]
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This post is another anoraky one, so unless you are visiting Amsterdam and have luggage, I’d move along to another blog entry..! I thought some of you might like to know how the left luggage service works now. Although the station is being redeveloped, there is still a big left luggage area and a security guy on duty at the entrance. There is no traditional service though, you have to use lockers and the automated system. If you read this blog you will know of my luggage issues, so my first mission this morning was working out how to use […]
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Up until yesterday all my blogging had pretty much been from my Mac at home. Having a day in Newcastle on the way out has been a really smart move, as I got to practice photographing and blogging in “real world” conditions. There might be a flaw in my thinking there, as I don’t know how comparable the “real world” of the Quayside in Newcastle might be to the Siberian tundra – the locals are both friendly, but one is a bit more chilly and and has a more limited phone signal. First up was a trial of moving my […]
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All my documents safely stored on my 2GB IronKey I’m back at Toad Hall today after a few days in London. On Friday I collected my passport (now with all four visas) and my paper Trans-Siberian rail tickets for my journey as far as Beijing. It feels like I’m almost there with the planning now.. Before I packed up my trip dossier for the final time today I scanned and copied all my important documents. I have decided on a three fold system in case I lose something, or worst case, have it stolen. Firstly, I have a spare copy […]
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My trusty Breitling “Aerospace” watch One of my greatest Trans-Siberian nightmares (at least of the realistically possible ones) is being left behind in the middle of nowhere with all my gear still on the train trundling towards Mongolia. Apparently it does happen, normally when people get off in search of food and get either cut off or distracted from the right platform. There are no hoots or whistles – it just departs. Having once had to run for a moving train (Inter Rail, Nice – Bologna, 1986), I’m not sure if I’m now in good enough shape to catch it […]
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My Leica D Lux – small, and perfect for photography on the go I woke this morning with a confirmed case of man flu (although I thought might be Congo fever at first!). It crossed my mind that I probably picked up the bug on the train last week, which in turn reminded me of “The Cassandra Crossing” (see my “Great Train Flicks” blog). Anyway, I’m trying to do something semi productive today, even though I would rather be in bed, so I’m going to talk about my camera. I gave up lugging a big camera on my travels decades ago. […]
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Trans-Siberian eating gear Back from a five hour train trip to London yesterday. Five hours seemed a fair while, so wondering how five days might feel, or two weeks? I don’t think its comparable as I didn’t have all my stuff, and lets face it, there is hardly much interaction with other passengers on the 13.00 East Coast service from Kings Cross! I thought you might like to see my small arsenal of eating irons. A minor Trans-Siberian packing point you might think, but not something I’m going to leave to chance. Left to right – Swiss Army ‘Climber” knife, […]
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The magic key and cork – an unlikely combination? The only reason I discovered the existence of the “golden key” was when I started looking into how to open the window to my compartment if it got too hot. I understand that in the winter it can do owing to the Russian desire for a “toasty feel” to the carriage. Given I’m hoping not to share my first SV compartment with anyone, there should be no arguments and I’m hoping to secretly get some ventilation. Rumours are to be found in several travel blogs that the key to the windows, […]
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