“But do you really want to spend your 31st birthday on a train to Ulan Bator?” I asked Claire. This was one of the many considerations to be made during our homeward trip planning. Before leaving London we’d both agreed we’d take a flight from India home, but at the back of our minds I think we wondered if by the time we arrived in India we’d have further over-land travel enthusiasm left in us.
It turns out we do – although perhaps not quite as much as we did 6 months ago – and so after some tepid encouragement from Bart Smith (Trans Siberian train veteran 2014) we began planning how to embark on this 6 day minimum train-trek from Beijing to Moscow. “Take plenty of back episodes of Desert Island Disks on your mp3 player,” was Bart’s advice, “most of the scenery is just birch trees”.
We immediately uncovered a nightmare tangle of bureaucracy and visa rules. “You can’t get a Russian visa without having a Belarus one first” was some of the advice we were given, and later, “We need to see your Russian visa in order to give you a Belarus one.” We also need permits to cross from India to Myanmar overland, “confirmed” flight tickets to get a visa for Myanmar and we’ve had to shell out for all the train tickets before we’re sure we can get any of these visas because that’s a requirement for a Russian transit visa!
So, barring visa refusals, wars and large changes of heart that tell us we should just grow up and get jobs, we’re setting off home next month. ETA in the UK is early June, unless Claire carries out her threat to stop for two weeks in France to eat cheese.
Scamps on a train 
Super noodles for you, Edward, and anything re-hydratable for C
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We’re savouring the final weeks of myriad South Asian veggies before we plunge ourselves into a world of re-hydratables, Bart!
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Gee – it’s been a long time since I checked in on your journey that continues onwards. Somehow I appear to have stopped getting the updates. Anyhow – all I would say is plenty time to work – go forth! Have just returned from a ‘quick jump’ to Oz (albeit a very comfortable drop-in visit to my much missed beloved daughter) but I reminded myself how great it is to be open to where the wind blows and not get overly stuck in one groove. There are trade-offs to all decisions but what can a few more months matter? Russia awaits! Warmest wishes xxx
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Thanks for the encouragement Candy! Is it OK if we refer enquiries from student loan collections to you? Anyway, great to hear you had a good time in Oz.
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If you do stop in France to eat cheese you HAVE to stop by Rennes to come and eat delicious cheese in my new house!
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Thank you Quentin! Congratulations on your transition from rucksack to house. We are in the process of planning our final procrastinations. Perhaps we’ll have to delay coming west until we deserve a holiday but hope to see you soon either way.
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