It was with the help of a little white lie that I persuaded Sam that six days across Russia and Mongolia by train was a great idea. I told her there was a shower on board (oops!)
But once we started our journey, there were no regrets. Every day a new vista opened in front of us. From bustling Moscow to the increasingly cold and desolate Siberian steppes, we sat watching the landscape change while enjoying dubious cuisine. By time we passed Irkutsk and circled Lake Baikal, we observed men fishing through the ice on the lake.
Mongolia was bleak, yet the warm welcome we received in Ulan Bator station made up for the blizzard we experienced there. And then China! As soon as they attached the Chinese restaurant car we indulged in a full blown banquet – we didn’t care that it was 6am!
I hear that nowadays the journey can be done in a lot more comfort (even luxury!) – for us, this was a journey that was so rich with wonderful experiences that I would happily do it again.
(April 1995)
