Last true day of the epic train journey; one of approximately 15,000km. Yes, I don’t leave for about a week, but London is pretty much where it stops. It’s certainly been enjoyable. From the first beer on the grassed balcony at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis watching the fireworks over Hong Kong harbour, to Kung Pao chicken, the only ingredient you need is green capsicum, swimming in Baikal, Russian vodka being good, and giving someone the ‘Yeltsin’. From walking the Great Wall Of China to Red Square to the Eiffel Tower. From the hidden Peking Duck restaurant hidden in an alley to the gastronomic excellence of Montmartre. There’s a lot of memories tied up into this trip, and if I had the time and money, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Russia is simply awesome; clean, friendly and safe. We never felt at risk, the border guards were professional and punctual. The guides and hotels simply brilliant. The scenery; fantastic. The other countries, China included, seem like add-ons.
So, the last leg. We walked to a local cafe and had to wait an extra 5 minutes as the croissants hadn’t quite finished in the oven. Oh, the hardship! From here we managed to all fit into a taxi and off to our train station where we had to go through both French and British customs/immigration. The trip on the Chunnel is painless, we even got served lunch on the train, and before we even had time to switch our watches back we were arriving into Paddington Station. From here we split up; Ben going to his relatives, John looking at boats in Portsmouth and the rest off to Wales for the scattering Of Mum’s ashes and the installation of the plaque.
It’s been a blast, but now it’s time to head home, put the feet up and dream of the next trip...