Trans-siberian express choo choo.

The last adventure! We set off from Beijing on the trans-siberian express early April with a company called Monkyshrine. The train was just how I expected, well, from what I remembered from the James Bond films (oh Sean!). We had a compartment for four with two sets of bunkbeds. John and I couldn't have landed two better roomies, Trevor - English and Steve - Ozzie, both a giggle. In such a confined area it could have been terrible if had we been sharing with goons. The prodovistas (train attendants) were to say the least scarey, but as the trains got nearer to Europe they became friendlier - even forcing strange dounuts filled with mutton onto us at all times of the day.

The train took two days from Beijing to Ullanbaatar with a crazy boarder crossing of 11 hours. We managed to watch the boogeys being changed - the tracks in Mongolia are different to China - but that meant being locked onto the train with no toilet and lots of beer - eek! We arrived in Mongolia to blue sky and a lovely guide called Jenny. She took us to a Japanese style onsen where I got surrounded by children in the womens bath and the boys bonded in the mens bath. Only knowing each other for two days and having to get naked...he he he. Jenny took us to a Ger camp in barren Mongolian countryside which was breathtaking. A highlight of the year so far for me. The Ger tents were beautiful! Made of thick felt and canvas with hand painted furniture and heated with a stove burning horse dung (the owner stoked the fire in the middle of the night so we were always warm) The food was mainly mutton but tasty. We shot archery and played Ankle bone, with sheeps ankle bones..mmmm. On our second day we rode the ferrel horses to a nomadic family where we were to spend the night. The horses were small with an abundance of hair but considering they were partly wild were great fun to ride. The nomadic family move their Ger camp in the winter to a sheltered area from the cold winds and snow. They were lovely people and made us feel very welcome. We helped them fetch water from the well and walked around the beautiful countryside with Ottonbolt (their beautiful little boy who pushed everywhere a bike without a chain). We drank their traditional salty fermented milk and asked them about life on the steppe. They had a few cows, horses and many sheep - plus a baby lamb just born only minutes before we arrived. Our last night was back at the first Ger camp with too much gingas khan vodka.

We had an tasty mongolian bbq in ullanbataar before we boarded the train for the next leg of the journey over the boarder into Russia. The crossing was much quicker than the first but the immigration officials looked like they were henchmen from James bond - eek!The mongolian passengers were taking goods over the boarder to sell to the Russians and tried to hide some in our compartment with no avail. John managed to make friends with one Mongolian who came into our compartment for vodka..hic hic.

The next stop was Lake Bakail, the largest feshwater lake in the world, which was frozen over, such a sight to see. We stayed in a beautiful traditional painted wooden house on the shore of the lake with its on Banya (sauna) in the garden. We spent two reaxing days being fed byTanya MORE TEA our host and hiking around the lake - equipt with russian vodka and Johns favourie Gerkins. On our final morning we had a traditional russian easter breakfast with a mountain of food cooked by Tanya with decorated eggs and pancakes..mmmmm.Then it was back on the train for the longest journey to Ekaterinburg. We watched the terrible but apt Woody harrelson film Trans-siberian on Steves laptop one night. The boys had a crazy night in the restaurant car, when I was a under the weather, which was pretty amusing when they were dieing the next day!

Ekaterinburg has only been recently opened to visitors. It was once the home of the KGB and the Russians are still paranoid. Our guide told us how there are still towns closed to outsiders in the counrtyside. Its forbidden to take photographs of the stations and anyone in uniform - eek! The city was were the last tsar and family were killed so its steeped with history. We took a trip to the mining shaft were the bodies were dumped which is now a monastry and to the europe, asia border.

Back on the train and headed through the snow covered fir tress for Moscow, our Prodovista - who we named Polly from Faulty Towers was our favourite. We also had another who fed us continuosly! Moscow was stunning, Red square was surreal and the Kremlin was awesome but I think it wasour final destination St Petersburg that I loved the most. Built on canals, the city is beautiful, full of tiny bridges and cobbled streets. We spent the last day with the masters in the hermitage rah rah rah. I say that but I was blown away - I've never been to an art gallery like it in the world. The building itself once a palace is breathtaking enough and then its jammed with monets,renoirs,picasso,van gogh you name it!

We flew back to blighty from St Petersburg and have been home for about two weeks. I felt very nostalgic flying over the beautiful green English fields - there really is no place quite like it in the world. We were definately ready to come home, but already the travelling seems like a life time away. So much has happened while we've been gone. My best friend from London picked us up from the airport with a beautiful pregnant belly to say the least. Terry is still in Japan playing gigs. Hes got three weeks left and is coming home via India to see our friend Amanda from New Zealand.

Thanks for checking out the blog and hopefully I'll get to see some of you soon. x