Tonight is our last sleep in the best bed in the world. Tomorrow night's sleep is on an airplane somewhere over the north pole, the next night it is in a Moscow Hotel, [we hope!] After that we have about twelve nights on the train and a couple of hotels, one in Russia and one in Mongolia then a couple in Beijing.
On this trip, which is unlike any we have taken, I am looking forward to finding out what mix of people would take a trip like this. There are no doubt some folks that we have not yet met will leave a lasting impression on us. Not as friends, but just chance encounters with a conversation or two that will resonate through our mind for some time, possibly forever.
However, I have two major concerns on this trip:
1. Getting through Russian Immigration at Moscow Airport: collecting our luggage and meeting up with our 'greeter' who will take us to the sanctuary of our hotel in Moscow. [17 years ago we flew into Moscow and it was like the deck of a sinking passenger ship, chaos reigned!]
2. Being able to connect to the Internet: to transmit this blog and pictures to readers of it.
In China a few years ago the Internet was blocked for my Blog Website so I had to get to the blog by other rather innovative means. The information on the trip says there is internet available on the train, but not when moving. [?]
We will see, as I am determined and have been successful over the last decade in some pretty trying internet conditions over the years.
So folks, I know not when I shall post the next blog. Possibly from Vancouver airport. Certainly not Russia but it may give some insight into our demeanour as we head into the unknown.
I am truly sorry that I do not have some exciting news or photos to show you today, if you have the patience and inclination, stay tuned, I have a feeling that that will change in a day or two!
For anybody interested, here is again, a detailed breakdown in simple terms of our itinerary...
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I am truly sorry that I do not have some exciting news or photos to show you today, if you have the patience and inclination, stay tuned, I have a feeling that that will change in a day or two!
** ** **
For anybody interested, here is again, a detailed breakdown in simple terms of our itinerary...
Moscow to
Beijing via Train. August 2018
Tuesday
August 14
Depart
Vancouver for Moscow via Frankfurt
Air
Canada Flight Air Canada AC 840
Leaving at 1:25 PM. Arrive Frankfurt Wednesday
at 8:05 AM.
Wednesday,
August 15
Depart
Frankfurt for Moscow
Lufthansa
Flight LH 1448. Leaving at 12:55. Arrive Moscow 5:05 PM.
Overnight
Moscow Hotel Intercontinental or Radisson Royal Ukrania
Thursday
August 16. Welcome dinner and night walk in Moscow
Overnight
same hotel.
Friday,
August 17. Sightseeing in Moscow and join the Tsars Gold
Train in evening and depart for Kazan.
Overnight
on train
Saturday
August 18. Kazan
Overnight
on train
Sunday,
August 19. Yekaterinburg
Overnight
on train.
Monday,
August 20. Novosibirsk
Overnight
on train
Tuesday,
August 21. Karasnoyarsk.
Overnight
on train
Wednesday,
August 22. Irkutsk
Overnight
Hotel Irkutsk
Thursday,
August 23. Lake
Baikal
Overnight
train
Friday,
August 24. Lake Baikal to Ulan Ude and on to Mongolia
Overnight
train
Saturday,
August 25. Ulan
Bator and Gandan Monastry
Overnight
Bayangol Hotel, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Sunday,
August 26. Ulan Bator and the Mongolian Alps
Overnight
train.
Monday,
August 27. Crossing the Gobi Desert.
Switch
to Chinese train. Overnight on Chinese train
Tuesday,
August 28. Welcome to Beijing, China.
Wednesday,
August 29. Beijing. Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden
City
Overnight
Capital Hotel. Beijing.
Thursday,
August 30. Beijing. The Great Wall and Peking Duck
Overnight
Capital Hotel. Beijing.
Friday,
August 31.
Beijing. Homeward Bound
Depart
Beijing. Flight Air Canada AC 30. Leaving
at 4:05 PM.
Arrive Vancouver
11:30 AM. Same day. [Gain a day crossing International Date line.]
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