Train Travel Guides
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FIRST CAPITAL OF RUSSIA-SUZDAL
Most countries in the world have a “golden circle”, Russian Federation is no different. Suzdal is Russia’s first capital. It was founded between 999 and 1040 according to the historians’. We had departed Yekaterinburg on the Monday afternoon train, 001 MA at 14.07 hrs, it would take us another 22 hours of train travel and…
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YEKATERINBURG “WINDOW INTO ASIA”
There is nothing more fascinating than crossing the freezing, snow-blanketed landscape of Siberia, while sitting in a warm and cozy train compartment heated by coal stove of the longest train journey in the world “Trans-Siberian Railway” We boarded the train 001MA in Irkutsk, Siberia at 4.18pm and spent the next 48 hours looking out of…
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EXPLORING THE ORGINAL GHAN RAILWAY
The remoteness of the Australian outback is a drawcard for many. The wide open spaces and dirt tracks plus the options for 4 wd driving are second to none. This blog is a trip down memory lane today, 5 years ago today we woke up along the dirt track after leaving Coober Pedy and inspecting…
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TEN INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY
By the time, we left Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia at 4.14 pm on that Thursday afternoon on Train 001MA and boarded carriage 10 for another 48 hours in the train, Siberia had us both so intrigued, but why? There is just something about this beautiful landscape. Ulan Ude and Irkutsk were both towns so different. Ulan Ude…
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PARIS OF SIBERIA
There are endless reasons to visit “Paris of Siberia”: it is a city lined with cobblestone streets, wide boulevards, a cultural city, some of the best food in Russia, very walkable with great sights, including one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox Churches in Russia, even if it only gets to a daily high of…
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POST SOVIET ULAN UDE – “GATEWAY TO EASTERN RUSSIA”
“Gateway to Eastern Russia” the other name for Ulan Ude. The city was until 1994 a closed Russian city.
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TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY BORDER CROSSINGS
Our aim was to travel overland by any means of transport from New Zealand back to the Netherlands. I had always wanted to travel overland, so one day the seed got planted over dinner with friends in Perth, Australia in 2017 to do the Trans Siberian railway. It had been such a bucket-list item for…
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LAND OF EXTREMES – MONGOLIA
Mongolia should be the adventure capital of the world, so beautiful rugged and remote. The winters of Mongolia are legendary, but don’t let it stop you. It is the most amazing time to visit this beautiful country. The steppe grassland will be covered in snow and ice. It is the most incredible landscape together with…
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ANCIENT TEA CARAVAN ROUTE OF MONGOLIA
THE HISTORY OF TRANS MONGOLIAN RAILWAY It is unbelievable to think that the Trans–Mongolian Railway follows an ancient tea camel route from China to Russia and connects Beijing, China with Ulan-Ude, on Trans–Siberian railway in Russia. The ancient Tea Road, which dates back to the 17th century, was a network of ancient trade routes that came into being after the Silk Road. Starting…
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EPIC TRANS- MONGOLIAN TRAIN 033
The ultimate railway journeys for lovers of epic train journeys are Trans Mongolian and Trans Siberian train trips. It is a trip like no other. TRAIN BETWEEN CIVILIZATIONS Measuring 2,080 kilometers, and situated between the borders of Russia’s far east and China’s North, the Trans-Mongolian railway is journey steeped in the history of great powers.…
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TEMPLE OF HEAVEN – MAGNIFICENT IMPERIAL ARCHITECTURE
The Temple of Heaven is one of the most brilliant ancient architectures in China. It is an outstanding masterpiece of classic imperial buildings of Chinese history. The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 by Emperor Yongle, then expanded by the subsequent emperors of both the Ming and Qing Dynasty, and had served as the holy place for…
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THE MING DYNASTY CONCUBINES
The Ming Dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644. The Ming Dynasty would be known for its trade expansion to establish ties with the West. Equally the Ming Dynasty is also remembered for its drama, literature, and world-renowned white and blue porcelain. We were told by our guide on that winter’s day in Beijing, China…
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THE DARK HISTORY OF MING DYNASTY TOMBS
Off the beaten tourist path in Beijing are the Ming Dynasty Tombs. The tombs have such a fascinating history, but also a dark part of ancient Chinese history as we were about to discover on this winter’s day on our overland travel from Hong Kong to the Netherlands. The Ming tombs are a collection of mausoleums built…
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HOW TO TELL THE TIME IN ANCIENT CHINA
All of a sudden, we were 14,500km away from Brisbane, Australia after leaving our beloved Overlanding truck “the Nest”, and we were in the middle of the ancient inner city of Beijing. We had been on the road by now for six weeks. It was some days overwhelming what we were seeing and experiencing. On…
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AN IMPRESSIVE PALACE OR PRISON – FORBIDDEN CITY
After 24 hours on the train from Hong Kong, we were finally in Beijing, China. We came to Beijing to see two bucket list items both UNESCO World Heritage listed: The Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. We had six days in this city to wander, explore and discover. According to the Lonely…
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GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL TRAIN Z98: HONG KONG – BEIJING, CHINA
We really wanted to be able to travel overland as much as possible without catching a plane, but that is not possible from Australia or New Zealand. The only overland option is to catch a cruise boat from Sydney to Hong Kong. All cruise boats leave the Pacific by end of the season in March…
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INCREDIBLE THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG (PART TWO)
Let’s face it, we all know that Hong Kong is notoriously expensive, to stay. In 2019, it tied for first place with Singapore and Paris as the most expensive city in the world. … But just because the city can be expensive for residents and travellers alike, doesn’t mean you have to empty your wallet on a trip to Hong Kong.…
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ULTIMATE GUIDE TO INCREDIBLE THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG
At the Big Buddha on Lantau Island, Hong Kong
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HOW TO SELECT THE STARTING POINT OF TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY
Early morning at Beijing Railway Station, China
Traveller's Nest Overland 