DISCOVERING THE WORLD OVERLAND IN 2006
In and around World
I am a local Capetonian and love where I live. The travel bug has bitten hard again and myself and a very good friend, David, are about to embark on a very exciting 7 month [or longer] journey across Eastern Europe, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, China and Tibet. We plan to only use trains, except for the initial 'getting there'. We leave in April.
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Janet
-
1
Cape Town
Cape Town has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world and 'No', I'm not saying that just because I live here!! It just IS. Having... Continue reading »
-
2
Oriana Cruise
2nd April
Standing on the quayside, neck tipped back, enviously watching as David calls a fond farewell down to m... Continue reading »
-
3
Amsterdam
24th April
At last, it begins. My flight over was pretty uneventful except for the fact that I had a Dutch family next to me and across the ai... Continue reading » -
4
Cologne
We move on today. Amsterdam is about to become even more chaotic this weekend as it's the Queens Birthday and everyone it seems, it heading into Am... Continue reading »
-
5
Frankfurt
April 29th
Unfortunately we could only spend 1 day in Frankfurt. Because we are using this special weekend only travel ticket, we had to make... Continue reading »
-
6
Munich
April 30th
We arrived in Munich at 7.30pm and shopped around for the cheapest hostel. Euro Backpackers won over the Wombat Hostel, altho' we d... Continue reading » -
7
Munich: The Party
As we were about to leave Munich we decided we couldn't do so without a leaving thrash!We had a great bunch of fellow roomates at the hostel, 3 Can... Continue reading »
-
8
Czech Republic: Hrensko, Janov and Mezni Louka
An early start today. Straight to the station to buy our 3rd Wochenende ticket, to the Czech border. We've planned to go to the Bohemian Switzerlan... Continue reading »
-
9
Back to Germany: Leipzig
Friday 12thMay
Back to Germany for a weekend. Friends of ours: Nicole and Ole, who had stayed at Endless Summer Backpackers, had invited us th... Continue reading » -
10
Back In The Czech Republic: Decin to Karlovy Vary
Monday 15th May
Early up today to get our train back to the Czech Republic. Nicole kindly dropped us at the station and we were on our way aga... Continue reading » -
11
Czech Republic: Plzen
Friday 19th May
Pilsen, home to Pilsener Urquell and the popular brewery tour. Before setting off for the the tour we nosed around a local Cze... Continue reading » -
12
Czech Republic: Cesky Krumlov
Saturday 20th May
Time to move on again. To Cesky Krumlov. A 4hr train ride to the south of Bohemia. The further south we ventured, the more o... Continue reading » -
13
Czech Republic: Prague
Tuesday 23rd May
The big beautiful city of Prague awaits us today. It's the place we've been waiting for... Another overcast day as we made ou... Continue reading » -
14
Kutna Hora
May 29th
Today we'd planned on going to a nearby town called Kutna Hora, an interesting 14th century town built on rocks that had once been la... Continue reading » -
15
Czech Republic: Adrspach-Teplice Rocks
Tuesday May 30th
So, onwards wo go. Up north and away from the crazy city stuff, to nature and the mountains again. To the Adrspach-Teplice Ro... Continue reading » -
16
Poland: Wroclaw
Sunday 4th June
A few sad goodbyes were said this morning as we packed up to leave the beautiful Czech Republic. We hopped onto the 'toy train... Continue reading » -
17
Poland: Krakow
Tuesday 6th June
Took the train to Krakow, a 4hr trip in the pouring rain. I really hope it clears up for us. We shared a compartment with 5 o... Continue reading » -
18
Poland: Zakopane
Monday 12th June
Off to the mountains again. This time to Zakopane in the Tatra mountains on the southern border of Poland and Slovakia. All... Continue reading »
-
19
Poland: Warsaw
Saturday 17th June
Had a latish night last night playing cards with the friends we've spent the past 10 days or so with. consequently getting... Continue reading » -
20
Poland: Torun
Tuesday 20th June
A stifling hot day and we are on the move again, this time to the historic city of Torun. Torun, another Unesco World Herita... Continue reading » -
21
Poland: Gdansk
Friday 23rd June
We head for the coast today, northwards to Gdansk on the Baltic sea. Our first sighting of beaches and sea since leaving home... Continue reading » -
22
Poland: Gizycko in Masurian Lake District
Tuesday 27th June
Another humid day for our departure to The Great Masurian Lakes District in N.E. Poland. We weren't too sure exactly what th... Continue reading » -
23
Lithuania: Vilnius
Saturday 1st July
We're heading today towards country number 5. Already!! Poland has been both good and not so good. The country is great but... Continue reading » -
24
Lithuania: Aukstaitija National Park
Wed 5th July
We've had our next dost of the city stuff so back to nature again. This time the Aukstaitija National Park just north of Vilnius.... Continue reading » -
25
Latvia: Riga
Monday 10th July
Early into the parks info office to check out another route out of the park into Latvia. The town we'd thought we could go th... Continue reading » -
26
Latvia: Cesis National Park
Friday 14th July
Time to move on again. This time to Cesis which is the main town of the Cesis National Park. It's only a 2hr bus ride from Ri... Continue reading » -
27
Estonia: Tartu
Monday 17th July
Oh no! Woke up in the middle of the night with a gippo guts! Think it was the sausage we made on the braai last night as the... Continue reading » -
28
Estonia: Saaremaa Island
Thursday 20th July
Up super early today for the bus trip from Tartu in the east of Estonia right across to the western side of the country to... Continue reading » -
29
Estonia: Tallinn
Sunday 23rd July
Tallinn here we come! Another city and a pretentious one too, we hear. A favourite haunt for the Scandanavian who pop along o... Continue reading » -
30
Finland: Helsinki
Wed 26th July
Up at 6am today to catch our ferry to Helsinki. Two bleary eyed travellers left the hostel not having had too much sleep last ni... Continue reading » -
31
-
32
Russia, Saint Petersburg
31st July
Our last day in this great town before the long bus ride to St Petersburg tonight. For some reason I was feeling very apprehensive!... Continue reading » -
33
Russia, Moscow
Monday 7th August
Spent the entire day in Pobedy Park next to the hostel just chilling out, passing time and relaxing before our 8hr train to... Continue reading » -
34
Russia: The Trans Siberian Adventure
Saturday 12th August
Day 1 On The Train
Departure day for the long awaited Trans Siberia... Continue reading » -
35
Russia: Severobaikalsk
Thursday 17th August
As mentioned already, everything in our time capsule called the Trans Siberian train, operates in MT. At 02h00am [7am act... Continue reading » -
36
Russia: Nizhneangarsk + Lake Baikal
Tuesday 22nd August Took the local bus to Nizhneangarsk this morning, a 30km trip up the coast, to the port town where our hydrofoil leaves from. We... Continue reading » -
37
Russia: Lake Baikal to Irkutsk
Wed 23rd August
We were at the hyrdrofoil at 7am as suggested by our hosts and 40 minutes later we were flying across the middle of Lake Baika... Continue reading » -
38
Mongolia: Irkutsk to Ulaan Baatar
Sunday 27th August
Back On The Train
Didn't get much sleep at all last night and were up at 4.30am! We found our train and platfor... Continue reading » -
39
Mongolia: Ulaan Baatar
Monday 28th August
I woke up in the train with the sun rising over the Mongolian steppes. A bit early to wake up David, so I sat and absorbed... Continue reading » -
40
Mongolia Adventure: Day 1. Ulaan Bataar to Amarbayasgalant Monastery
Friday 1st September
Planning, planning, planning... A hectic day of last minute shopping, banking and organising. Mel and Rob went off to do... Continue reading » -
41
Mongolia Adventure: Day 2. Amarbayasgalant Monastery to Bulgan Aimag
Sunday 3rd September Day 2 We woke up in the freezing cold, surrounded by horses munching the grass around the tents! At breakfast all Tukso wanted... Continue reading » -
42
Mongolia Adventure: Day 3,4 & 5. Moron and Khovsgol Lake
Monday 4th September
Day 3
A very cold night in the tent. Just couldn't get warm at all. Thank goodness for the warming sun in the mornin... Continue reading » -
43
Mongolian Adventure: Day 6, 7, 8. Shire Ider Village [or somewhere near it] to The Great White Lake
Thursday 7th September
Day 6
Wow! No wonder it was cold last night. We woke up to light snow! A least our “complaints” ab... Continue reading » -
44
Mongolian Adventure: Day 9, 10, 11. The Great White Lake to Ullaan Tsutgalan
Sunday 10th September
Day 9
This really is a country of contrasts. We’ve seen so many different landscapes and this is on... Continue reading » -
45
Mongolian Adventure: Day 12, 13. Ullaan Tsutgalan to Kharkhorin to Guchin-Us
Wednesday 13th September
Day 12
A latish start at 10am today. We said a special goodbye to our nomadic family and felt go... Continue reading » -
46
Mongolian Adventure: Day 14, 15. Khongoryn Els in the Gobi Desert
Friday 15th September
Day 14
David much better today. Now it’s Rob’s turn to get the bug. A long desert drive today as we... Continue reading » -
47
Mongolian Adventure: Day 16, 17. Khongoryn Els to Dalandzadgad and Bayanzad
Sunday 17th September
Day 16
Reluctantly we left this awe-inspiring place and continued on our way through the Gobi taki... Continue reading » -
48
Mongolian Adventure: Day 18 ,19, 20. Baga Gazriin back to Ulaan Bataar
Tuesday 19th September
Day 18
A complete day of driving in the dust. Not too exciting today apart from another lunch way... Continue reading » -
49
Mongolia: Ulaan Bataar again
Friday 22nd September and Saturday 23rd September
A busy 2 days of rushing around, souvenir shopping, catching up on... Continue reading » -
50
China: Beijing
Sunday 24th September
6am and Idre presented us with our Beijing tickets, but the only places he could get meant that we are not in the same c... Continue reading » -
51
China: Xi'an
Tuesday 3rd October
Beijing done, we now move on again - to Xi'an in the eastern province of Shaanxi. Having had a very relaxing last day, we... Continue reading » -
52
China: Chengdu
Sunday 8th October
Our hostel, The Bell Tower, is situated right next to it's namesake - The Bell Tower. We've been here a few days now and st... Continue reading » -
53
China: Kunming
Thursday 12th October
Back on the train - to Kunming in the province of Yunnan. An 18hr journey which took us to the beautiful south western c... Continue reading » -
54
China: Lijiang + Tiger Leaping Gorge
Sunday 15th October
Woke up feeling pretty awful. The constant fluey feelings and lethargy since arriving in China, struck hard today. Both of... Continue reading » -
55
China: Back in Chengdu
Monday 23rd October
6 MONTHS ON THE ROAD FOR ME TODAY!!!! David had his 6 months 3 weeks ago having begun his journey ahead of me!!!
An e... Continue reading » -
56
China to Tibet Train
Friday 27th October
1st Night on Train
Another day of doing nothing much, waiting for our train departure to Lhasa. We met up with our li... Continue reading » -
57
Tibet: Lhasa
Monday 30th October
First Impressions. A really dirty city but a fascinating mix of Tibetan culture, buddhism, pilgrims and Western + Chinese... Continue reading » -
58
The Friendship Highway: Lhasa to Kathmandu
Monday 6th November
Friendship Highway. Day 1: Lhasa to Gyantse
The long awaited jeep trip along the Friendship Highway starts today. We... Continue reading » -
59
Nepal: Kathmandu
Friday 10th November
Our first and most important mission of the day. To confirm our flight home. We'd been liaising via email with a local tr... Continue reading » -
60
Cape Town: Full Circle
Monday 13th November
The last day of our 7 and a half month journey ends today. Cape Town, friends and family await us. Our plan to go entirel... Continue reading »
Would you like to comment or ask a question?