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…
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…
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…
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…
Exploring Siberia’s epic lake – Ozero Baikal is one of the many reasons to visit Siberia, Russia. Irkutsk happens to be the halfway point on the Trans Siberian railway and the closest stop to Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal is the largest, deepest, and oldest freshwater lake in the world, so for two adventurous history buffs,…
“Gateway to Eastern Russia” the other name for Ulan Ude. The city was until 1994 a closed Russian city.
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…
Imagine walking into the ruins of a historical center in the upper Orkhon River of north-central Mongolia in the beginning of winter. It was once the ancient city of the famous Mongolian warrior-ruler, Genghis Khan, one of the most famous conquerors of history, who consolidated tribes into a unified Mongolia and then extended into Asia and…
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…
Rugged Mongolia is an adventure destination where travelers can experience nomadic culture and vast, untouched landscapes. It is this wilderness about Mongolia, that is so unique. Not to be found anywhere in the world, expect the remote outback deserts of Australia and in Siberia, Russia Mongolia had been on my bucket list for a long…
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…
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.…
Great Wall of China is titled one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Medieval World’ and it is also included in the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’. Both of the two honors indicate how the monument has influenced greatly human civilization and world history. It deserved the name ” Great Wall of China”, however…
A peaceful oasis in the heart of the city, the Lama temple is a centre of Tibetan Buddhism dating back to 1694. As you wander the streets of northeast Central Beijing you will find the biggest temple of Tibetan Buddhism nestled in between the grey houses of the Hutong neighborhood. The temple is known by…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
At the Big Buddha on Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Early morning at Beijing Railway Station, China