After about 1 1/2 months being back home from the trip, I have finally managed to update the blogs. It runs according to the actual dates of my travels, which means that you have to scroll down for the updates.

So, what do I think about the Trans-Mongolian Railway Journey? I would describe it as "Out of This World". Mongolia's sheer natural beauty would take your breath away as would Russia's very own eccentricities. The experience on the train is another unique experience by itself.

Throughout our entire journey, we've only met the most hospitable people who would shower kindness to both of us total strangers (if you look past the Russian customer service). To this extent, I think most Russians are misunderstood as they are generally reserved but all that is needed is something to break the ice.

Not to mention that along the way, you would find some gems of friends whom you would want to keep forever.

I am most thankful to the friends that I've met along the way who had made my trip an even more memorable and enjoyable one and those who had helped us in every possible way that they could. Hopefully our paths will meet again one day and rekindle our friendships.

The friends that I've made along the way were definitely one of the highlights:-

Kathleen "Ta Su Ling" Forrester and Toula

Hilda "Sortanikortan" Rydman

Adorable Ai Vee and her "little beautiful rascals"

Mongol Lads

Agi's Family

Mongol Highland Family

Baira

Tsetge, Borta and Baira

Larissa and Sergey

Not to forget my travel buddy, Thong Mei, without her would have made my journey less pleasant and fun!

Imagine this:-

No one to get lost with in the Moscow metro! No one to provide entertainment during the ardously boring 4 day train ride! No one to accompany me to run to the toilet in the middle of the night! (To those who doubt and have doubted this before, shame on you!!)

My Travel Buddy

I will never forget how beautiful Mongolia was on a cold winter but yet sunny day on horseback as how I would not forget experiencing the frozen Lake Baikal crack under my feet (almost!) and the exhilaration by the fact of just being in Russia itself.

The train rides were also a highlight in itself and that would equally apply to getting lost at the Metro Stations in Moscow (all the time) and grappling to understand cryllic.

There are so much more highlights which I won't be able to describe in words but that I will always remember.

As they say, "Trans-Mongolian Journey is priceless, for others, there's Mastercard"!

05/14/07 by puiyee
Tags: trans-siberia, trans-mongolia, moscow, mongolia