Pictures from Hong Kong, the Mainland, the trans-Siberian train, Russia, and Ukraine are now on-line! You can see all 432 at http://www.stroube.com/travels/ though I suggest starting here and viewing one-by-one for the full experience ;) Still have a few short video clips from the trip that will be uploaded later.
Title says it all, great trip! Many gigs of photos to sort through, stay tuned…
Arrived in Kiev this morning after an overnight train from Moscow. Went to Independence Square this afternoon. Spending tomorrow at an underground monastery, followed by our flight Friday afternoon.
Pulled in to Moscow last night. Hardly feels like we spent six full days on a train :) Lost of pictures and comments about life on the train later. Time to explore Moscow.
Last day in Beijing, just got back from the Forbidden City. We spent the first day here at the Summer Palace, and the first evening watching some performances at Lao She’s teahouse. Yesterday we had an amazing hike on a remote section of the Great Wall (we were the only people there, lots and lots of pics later), and spent the evening at a famous hotpot restaurant with friends from my Hong Kong program. We just picked up our clothes from the laundry and are about to grab some dinner. Train for Moscow leaves in five hours!
Trip is amazing so far. Among other things, we explored the roof of our hotel (great view), stumbled into a mahjong parlor and made some new friends (won the second round, see pic), and ate homemade zongzi (sticky rice) in an old couple’s shop/house. And of course, enjoying all the other food too. Shanghai is better than ever!
Eighteen continuous years of education, over today. Strange feeling ;)
Heading to the airport to get Sam in a few hours!
Months in the making, the final cross-continent hoorah is one week away. It begins in Hong Kong, where Sam will arrive on the 2nd of June. From there, we head to the mainland, taking in a yet-to-be-determined city before heading to Shanghai and then overnighting it to Beijing. At least two days in the capital should provide enough time to explore a new section of the great wall and a palace or two (and of course a quick trek through the Forbidding City). Saturday night we’ll board the “Trans-Siberian” for Moscow, though we’re technically traveling the Trans-Manchurian–as we’ll loop up eastward around Mongolia to cross the boarder into Russia. Our “Deluxe Soft Sleeper” is where we’ll spend the next 147 hours (6 days) as we cross Russia heading west.
Once in Moscow we’ll spend four days exploring, though the details are relatively unplanned at this point. I assume we’ll be able to find some free time on the train to read a travel guide and think of something. Following Moscow, the next stop is the Ukrainian capital of Kiev where we’ll spend a few days taking in the former Soviet country and wrapping up the trip.
With any luck, on friday the 22nd, after a short layover in Warsaw, we’ll find ourselves in Chicago.
And that’s the plan.
