Trans-Siberian Express - anyone been?

[spacedonkey]

Dp and I are contemplating doing this trip next year - has anyone been, and if so, what did you think?

[slug]

I stayed in Beijing for a week, I would have stayed longer but had to get back for the new term at college. There's a huge amount to do there - forbidden palace, great wall, just cycling around etc.

[bosscat]

I'm watching this thread with interest as dh is banging on about doing it for his 40th!

[whymummy]

hi spacedonkey
yes,we did it 8 years ago and it was fantastic,no time to get bored as we met lots of people and had parties every single night,we did beijing to moscow,came all the way from hong kong by land apart from the ferry from ostend to england,i absolutely loved the trans siberian and wished it lasted longer,hope you can go too

[spacedonkey]

Thanks for all the info

We're planning to go Moscow - Beijing via Mongolia (silly not to!). Like you slug, I'd like to go London to Moscow by train too - I fancy stopping off in Warsaw on the way.

Those of you who have been - did you stay in Beijing for long, and what did you do there? Did you go to any other parts of China?

Tabitha - that seat61 website is a mine of information - thank you

[slug]

I've done the Moscow - Beijing transiberian. You would think that 8 days on a train staring at the steppes would be awful, but I found it fantastically interesting. In fact I went entirely from London to Beijing via Cologne, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus on to St Petersburg, then down to oscow, getting on the transiberian, stopping at Lake Irkusk for a few days then on to China. You can end up in several places, but I would recommend doing the branch that swings through Mongolia.

Yes the loos are awful, the trick is to get into them first thing in the morning immediatly after they have been 'cleaned'.

[soyabean]

Spacedonkey I travelled Beijing to Moscow then Berlin, Paris and home to UK, 22 years ago and it was fantastic.I wd love to do it again but not with kids...It was comfortable and I dont remember the loos so they must have been OK (although i had been in China for a year so was used to squalid ones...)
That was trans Mongolian as the route is slightly different at first but joins the transsiberian at some point. The scenery was fantastic especially Mongolia. Food was mixed, vodka good, company fun. Dont know what changes there have been since I was a lass, but I wd recommend it!

[moondog]

Good fruits de mer?
(What is it with Brits? You should hear the song and dance they make here in Turkey about the dearth of bacon.)

[ggglimpopo]

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[moondog]

Yes,wrecked.
Hmmmm,the Brit angle. Know there's been a fair bit of Union Jack burning recently.
Interesting parallels with second home ownership situation in my part of Walesalthough over there you've got the double layer-Brits pissing off the French and the Bretons.

The partying....yes indeed. Have some rather shameful memories of overindulgence at that time.

[ggglimpopo]

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[moondog]

Jeez,even I've promised not to say more after reading TikTok's words of wisdom not 15 mins ago on the 'Milupa 'support'line' thread.

(Bloody hard though.....)

[giraffeski]

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[moondog]

Errrrr....slight ruck about formula promotion!
Check site stuff for titles of threads if you're interested-it will give you a fairly good idea.

Where were you in Brittany? Very fond of that place. Spent a year there aeons ago and still have some links,including a Welsh speaking teacher of Breton in Brest. He's just been over to Wales to see us.

[ggglimpopo]

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[moondog]

Where have you been ggglimpopo?
Thought you'd deserted us!

[ggglimpopo]

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[moondog]

I like train journeys,but believe me,the Russian countryside you would see is a leeetle bit monotonous (birch trees anyone)You also have to dodge all the fagsmoke and gallons of vodka.

[Pruni]

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[moondog]

I lived in Russia sd,and thought of doing it. Decided it would be bloody boring though-day after day on a train going across flat steppes. The loos would be unbelievably foul too.

A fun trip is Moscow to St.Petersburg. You could come back by boat (or vice versa). A good Russian friend of mine works as a tour guide on them. Both cities are great!

[spacedonkey]

thanks for that tabitha and chandra

[Chandra]

Whymummy has, send her a CAT, she is in holidays now, so may take a while to answer but I'm sure she will. She told me it was a fantastic experience (not sure if with children but she said thet her DH and her had a great time )

[tabitha]

I haven't, but I really, really would like to - lucky you if you manage it next year.
Sorry I can't offer any useful advice but when I was looking into the trip I found this site , which might be useful