Most veteran train travel enthusiasts have at least one or two stories they like to tell about special moments that have occurred while they have been en route somewhere by train. I know there is one incident I’ll never forget. . I woke up at dawn one morning on an excursion train going from Moscow…
It must have been the lack of motion that woke me up. I didn’t know why were were stopped—there was no other train traffic—and then I heard someone passing by in the corridor saying it was the Gobi Desert and we were going to be stopped here for about a half hour. Furthermore, we were…
So far, Mongolia has been the biggest surprise of this journey, perhaps even the highlight. And without question, the most exhilarating experience in Mongolia occurred when we attended a performance by the Mongolian National Orchestra. There were a few western instruments in the back rows, but almost all of the musicians were performing on traditional…
For most rail enthusiasts, the Trans-Siberian Express – covering 5,753 miles from St. Petersburg through Moscow to Vladivostok – is the ultimate train travel experience. It’s certainly been on my must-do list for years. In less than two months, I’ll be taking off for an extended rail journey and a version of the venerable Trans-Siberian…