After a really, really long shoogly train journey we're in Ulan Batar (loads of different spellings) and once I've mastered the internet here, photos will shortly follow. Hope everything is well with everyone back home and abroad. Sunday 1 October 2006.Now off on train number 362 on the Trans Mongolian Railway heading for Ulaanbaatar.This is a local train and is more rickety and shoogly, and less plush/well equipped than the train from Moscow to Irkutsk.But t...

Sorry that there's no postcard as yet but internet is very limited and we need a little time. We've tried the local post office that is supposed to have internet and if you've seen Little Britain, think of Little Russia. We've gone in many times but the computer (always) says niet! When we get to Mongolia (on Tuesday) we'll update the postcards for the Trans Siberian and there will be loads of photos - that's a promise! Friday 29 September.Well we're now on...

Caught the midnight train to Moscow (a song title in there somewhere?). In a 4 berth compartment, met Anna from St Petersburg who confessed to being a Russian spy (at least she was on her way to Moscow to check out what a competitor company is doing and pinch a few ideas), and a business gent. Both Anna, who spoke good English (had lived there for a while) and the gent were very jolly and good company. Just as well, because the gent took it in good part when E...

Well, we're nearing the end of our stay in St P - we leave on the 'midnight train to Moscow' tonight!  This is a fantastic place to visit.  Although it resembles a typical European city in may respects it is really so, so different when you get more under its skin. We had a great place to stay (Nord Hostel) - the most central location (just yards from the Hermitage) and we met so many interesting people mostly doing the same as us. Surprisin...

Saturday 9 September 2006.Sadly, last night was our last night in Tallinn, where we had been hearing about all the Tony Blair shenanigans on Radio 4.Tallinn will also be pleasurably remembered by an excellent meal at the African Kitchen - the African chicken curry was delish.Were supposed to be on the 8 am ferry to Helsinki this morning but thanks to text messaging were warned it had been cancelled.Still got up early to walk to the port (carrying 2 rucksacks each...