Having been here for about a week already I’m starting to get a feel for this place.  Albeit my insight is very small. I’m in the most touristy place in Eastern Siberia, Irkutsk.  Fortunately my host suggested I get out to Olkhon island on Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, 1642m! I’ve been exercising my prejudices about Russia ever since I got here.  A post cold war hardened nation of nationalists. Yet as I’ve gotten to know more russians, it would appear despite the often cold outward appearance, they are not       …..More Crumbs >>

This is the ultimate journey.  The trip I have been dreaming about for over two years now, the TransSiberian train.  As I am continously reminded, this is a generic name.  The route I took is called the TransManchurian, since it passes through Manchuria in China.  The TransMongolian unsurprisingly passes through Mongolia.  And at around 10,000km from Beijing to Moscow, it still isn’t the longest train ride in the world, although that monster taking around 9 days, does use transsiberian tracks. Here I detail the first part of my journey from       …..More Crumbs >>