Eurasia 2005

EURASIA 2005

2005-10-15T00:29:00.004+04:00

In 2005 I made a three-month-trip. I travelled 34195 kilometers by train from Europe to Asia and back:

A short overview of the trip:

Graz - Budapest - Kiev (2005-07-21 till 2005-07-24)
I started the trip in my hometown Graz on 21th july 2005 at 6:03 in the morning. Together with two friends (Stefan and Alexander) we went to Budapest, were we met Oliver, another friend from Switzerland.
Together we took the train to Kiev, were we spent two days.

Kiev by night:

Moskva - Severobajkalsk (2005-07-25 till 2005-07-31)
After that Stefan and Alexander went back home via Lvov, whereas Oliver and I continued to Moscow. In Moscow we met Alexander (not the same who went with us till Kiev), who is a Russian train expert and helped us to also to get train tickets from Irkutsk to Ulan-Bator and from there to Beijing. After two days in Moscow we boarded train no. 92 to Severobajkalsk, where we arrived 92 hours and 45 minutes later.

On the train somewhere in Siberia:

GBT project at Ayaya-bay (2005-08-01 till 2005-08-14)
Oliver and I were volunteering at the GBT project. Together with a small group of people from Russia and Germany we spent two weeks away from civilization to work on the GBT project - a hiking trail around the Baikal lake. Our camp took place in the Ayaya bay, which is located on the Eastern shore of the Baikal lake and can only be reached by boat.

Baikal lake:

Olkhon island and Irkutsk (2005-08-15 till 2005-08-22)
After the two weeks we returned to Severobajkalsk, were I met my fellow travellers for the rest of the trip: Florian from Frankfurt/Main, Anja from Trier (Germany), Veronika from Vienna and Doreen from Munich. We all were searching for travel partners and found each other on a discussion board on the internet. We planned the trip together via e-mail, discussed the procedure to get the necessary visas and also organized a meeting before our trip, so that we get to know each other a little bit.
From Severobajkalsk we took the hydrofoil to Olkhon island, were we stayed three days. Then we went by bus to Irkutsk and after one day continued by train to Ulan-Bator.

Olkhon island:

Mongolia (2005-08-23 till 2005-08-27)
We had four days in Mongolia. One to do some sightseeing in Ulan-Bator, three for a short trip to the countryside by car. Then we travelled to China.

Road to nowhere:

China (2005-08-28 till 2005-09-05)
We spent three days in Beijing before reaching Shanghai after 12202 kilometers on the train. Shanghai was the farest point from home. Doreen left us here to to fly home - not all of us were students with neverending holidays. For the rest of us the way back home was a little bit longer.
In only 5 days we travelled through all China to Almaty in Kazakhstan. We had two short stops at Xian and Urumchi.

Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai:

Kazakhstan (2005-09-06 till 2005-09-15)
In Almaty we stayed about a week and to explore the interesting countryside around Almaty. Here we also met Aizhana, a friend from Graz. She was born in Almaty, but studies in Graz since about 1998.

In the mountains near Almaty:

Uzbekistan (2005-09-16 till 2005-09-24)
Florian flew home from Almaty - also for him the job was waiting, so we were only three on our further trip to Uzbekistan. We spent about 10 days in Uzbekistan and visited the ancient towns of the Silk Road: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva.

Bibi-Khanum-Mosque in Samarkand:

The long way home via Siberia (2005-09-25 till 2005-10-14)
After Uzbekistan we splitted up again: Anja and Veronika went back home with a short stay at Astrakhan in Russia, whereas I decided to make a small detour via Siberia...
After some nice, relaxing days in and around Irkutsk, I went back home to Austria via Moscow (where I again met Alexander) and Budapest. I arrived at home on 14th october at 15:36 - 85 days, 9 hours and 33 minutes after leavin Graz.

Train in the Kazakh step:

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Visas

I needed five visas for my trip: Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It took about 6 weeks to get all this visas and I spent about 400 Euros for them. The most expensive was the Russian visa, as I needed a double-entry business visa (110 Euro) for which a special invitation (80 Euro) was necessary.

Russia, three-month double-entry business visa:

Mongolia, single-entry tourist visa:

China, single-entry tourist visa:

Kazakhstan, double-entry tourist visa:

Uzbekistan, single-entry tourist visa:

Train tickets:

We also bought some train tickets in advance. It is no problem to get train tickets and sleeping car reservations for Russia in Austria, so we used the Eurodomino-ticket for the trip to Severobajkalsk.
We also arranged tickets for the international trips Irkutsk – Ulan Bator, Ulan Bator – Beijing and Urumchi – Alma-Ata. Alexander, another friend in Moscow who works at a railway ticket agency, was very helpful and bought the Irkutsk – Ulan-Bator ticket for us and organized a ticket Ulan-Bator – Beijing, which we would pick up at Ulan-Bator.
The Austrian travel agency, from which we got the visa support letters, organized tickets Urumchi – Alma-Ata, to be picked up at Urumchi on 5th september.
For the other trips we did not arrange any tickets in advance, as trains on this (mostly domestic) routes run more frequent and buying tickets locally should be no big problem. Of course also costs were an issue.

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Irkutsk - Graz

2005-10-08T17:04:00.000+04:00

Saturday 2005-10-08

Today the long way home to Austria begun:
Usole-Sibirskoe 12:47 - Moskva Yaroslavskaya 16:42 (three days later)
1 day stopover in Moscow
Moskva Kievskaya 21:20 - Budapest Keleti 9:12 (two days later)
Budapest Keleti 9:30 - Bruck an der Leitha 11:40
Bruck an der Leitha 12:13 - Wien Suedbahnhof 12:39
Wien Suedbahnhof 12:57 - Bruck an der Mur 14:58
Bruck an der Mur 15:02 - Graz Hbf 15:36

Train ticket Irkutsk - Maribor (Slovenia):

Due to a special deal it was cheaper to buy the ticket to Maribor in Slovenia. My friend Alexander in Moscow got this ticket folr me and sent it to Siberia by mail.

Sunday 2005-10-09

Train Irkutsk - Moskva at Kranojarsk station:

Snow at Tajga station:

The compartment, which I shared with a pensioner from Angarsk (near Irkutsk):

Monday 2005-10-10

At Tjumen station:

Russian cats also perfer to travel by train...

At Perm station:

Tuesday 2005-10-11

Typical Russian village

551 km till Moscow:

Bridge over the Volga near Nishnij Novgorod:

Arrival at Moskva Yaroslavskaya station:

Wednesday 2005-10-12

The house where Alexanders flat is (in Perovo district):

Church of Jesus the Saviour:

Arbat street:

In the evening Alexander drove me to Kievskaya station, from where the train to Budapest left at 21:20.

Thursday 2005-09-13

Train Moskva - Kiev at Khmelnizkij:

Ternopil station:

Lvov station:

In the middle of the night we arrived at Chop, where the boogie changing procedure took place:

My luggage after three months of travelling:

The train was running some minutes late, so I had to run to catch the connecting train at Budapest. It was the train from Budapest to Munich.

At Bruck an der Leutha I had to change to a local train to the Suedbahnhof (South station) in Vienna. This was the first time on Austrian territory after 85 days:

Via Vienna and with a further change of trains I finally reached Graz at 15:36. The whole family was waiting at the station...

The end.

Irkutsk

2005-10-01T05:10:00.000+04:00

In Irkutsk I met Nadja, whom I know from the GBT camp in august.

Sunday 2005-10-02

Trip to the Talzy open-air museum near Irkutsk:

At Listvyanka on the Bajkal:

Monday 2005-10-03

Irkutsk:

"Paulaner-Oktoberfest" in Irkutsk:

Wednesday 2005-10-05

Also Irkutsk has a Viennese Kaffeehaus - "Венское кафе"

Thursday 2005-10-06

Lenin is here:

Friday 2005-10-07

Old wooden houses in Irkutsk:

Theater:

Angara river:

In the evening I went by local train to Usole-Sibirskoe (68 km nort-west of Irkutsk) and stayed there at friends.

Saturday 2005-10-08

A new orthodox church near Usole-Sibirskoe:

Continue

6 days on the train to Irkutsk

2005-09-25T02:06:00.000+04:00

Map Khiva - Irkutsk - Graz

Not the most direct route....

Sunday 2005-09-25

Train trip to Irkutsk:
Turtgul 13:24 - Atyrau 16:22 (2nd day)
Atyrau 18:50 (2nd day) - Tobol 4:54 (4th day)
Tobol 5:24 (4th day) - Astana 17:07 (4th day)
Astana 20:54 (4th day) - Omsk 8:18 (5th day)
Omsk 12:22 (5th day) - Irkutsk 2:33 (7th day)

Turtgul station:

Train 331 from Tashkent to Saratov:

At the dining car:

Monday 2005-09-26

During the night the train passed the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

In the Kazakh step:

Me and the "provodnik" (conducor):

At Atyrau in Kazakhstan I had two hours to wait for the connecting train to Astana. Unfortunately I got only tickets to Tobol and had to buy another ticket from there to Astana in another sleeping car.

Tuesday 2005-09-27

Long stop at Aktyubinsk station:

Party with new friends...

Wednesday 2005-09-28

We were approaching Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan:

My fellow passengers between Tobol and Astana:

Astana station:

I arrived at 17:07 and continued about four hours later with the overnight train to Omsk in Russia.

Thursday 2005-09-29

Near Omsk:

Train Karaganda - Astana - Omsk:

Omsk:

Trip Omsk - Irkutsk:

Whereas it had been quite hot (up to 35 degrees) in Uzbekistan some days ago, here in Siberia autumn had already begun:

Friday 2005-09-30

At Kranojarsk station:

Saturday 2005-10-01

Arrival at Irkutsk at 2:33 (Moscow time, 7:33 local time)

Continue

Khiva - another fascinating old town

2005-09-23T02:05:00.000+04:00

Friday 2005-09-23

On the way from the bus stop to the old town:

It wouldn't be Uzbekistan, if there was no cotton...

The old town (the part surrounded by the city wall) of Khiva is preserved in its entirety and considered as UNESCO world cultural heritage:

Kalta Minor Minaret:

The city wall:

Sunset:

Saturday 2005-09-24

We stayed in a small private hotel.

Having breakfast:

Tombs on the city wall:

In Khiva our group seperated. Anja and Veronika went home from here with stopovers at the Aral lake and Astrakhan. I left one day later and made a "lttle" detour via Irkutsk in Siberia...

Veronika and Anja at a bread-bakery:

The bazar of Khiwa:

Khiva by night:

Uzebek money... 60000 Som for the train ticket to Atyrau in Kazakhstan

Continue

Desert train to Urgench/Khiva

2005-09-22T02:03:00.000+04:00

Thursday 2005-09-22

Today in the evening we left Bukhara.

Train trip:
Bukhara 18:45 - Navoj 21:06
Navoj 00:10 - Urgench 11:45

Station Bukhara:

The first part was on the overnight train Bukhara - Tashkent:

In Navoj we got off and waited for the train to Urgench, which came from Tashkent.

Next morning we were crossing the Kizil-Kum desert:

Bridge over the Amu-Darya river:

Arrival at Urgench:

From Urgench it's about 30 kilometers to Khiva. There are frequent buses:

Continue

Bukhara

2005-09-19T02:01:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-09-19

The station of Bukhara is located at Kagan, about 15 kilometers outside of Bukhara, but minibuses are running frequently.

Evening at Lyabi-Hauz, the central place of Bukhara with a small lake:

Tuesday 2005-09-20

In Bukhara we found a private accomodation at a family's home.

Breakfast:

The street, in which the house was located:

Lyabi-Hauz by day:

Char Minar mosque:

Bukhara by night:

Wednesday 2005-09-21

Ready for school...

Ark (Reception and Coronation Court)

Samani park:

Dilya from Bukhara - we met during sightseeing, she's student at a special school for tourism

Abdulla-Khan-Medresa:

The highest Uzbek money bill is 1000 Som, but usually you will get 500 Som bills, when you change money. 500 Som is about 0,3 Euro, so big bags are needed to store the money...

Thursday 2005-09-22

Uzbek breakfast:

Continue

Samarkand - City of 1001 nights

2005-09-18T01:58:00.000+04:00

Saturday 2005-09-17

From the station we took a "marshutka" to downtown. The first hostel, where we wanted to go, was full, the second also, but they offered us a small hotel (belongig to the same company as the hostel) for the hostel-price (about 6 EUIR per night with breakfast).

Hotel Bonu-Sh:

We started our sightseeing trip at the Bibi-Khanum mosque, which is located next to hotel:

All people in Uzbekistan were very friendly and open-minded to tourists. Children especially liked to be photographed:

At the Registan square:

Left: Ulughbek Medressa
Middle: Tilla-Kari-Medressa
Right: Sher-Dor-Medressa

Amir Timur:

Some more children...

Guri-Amir mausoleum:

Bibi-Khanum mosque:

Registan at night:

Sunday 2005-09-18

Bibi-Khanum mosque, one more time:

Shahr-I-Zindah tomb avenue:

Tashkent street:

Registan - view from the Ulughbek Medresse to the Sher-Dor-Medressa:

We have been invited for lunch at a family:

Bibi-Khanum mosque at night:

Registan at night:

Monday 2005-09-19

The bazar of Samarkand:

Some more schoolchildren:

In the afternoon we left Samarkand.

Train trip:
Samarkand 15:40 - Bukhara 19:08

Continue

Tashkent - Samarkand

2005-09-17T01:56:00.000+04:00

Saturday 2005-09-17

Train station in the morning:

Train trip:
Tashkent 7:00 - Samarkand 10:50

The fare for the 350-km-trip with the new express train called "Registon" was about 4 Euro and included a snack and tea:

The modern train:

Inside the train - like in Europe:

Arrival in Samarkand:

"Marshrutka" from the station to the center:

For more information about travelling by train in Uzbekistan, have a look at my little website "Trains in Uzbekistan"

Continue

Tashkent

2005-09-16T01:54:00.000+04:00

Friday 2005-09-16

At the station we met a taxi driver, who organised some kind of "private accomodation" for us at the house of his relatives. He drove us from the station to that house, then back to the center, where we did some sightseeing:

In the evening we met again with our taxi driver to get home. On the way we stopped at the station, to buy train tickets to Samarkand for the next morning.

The recently modernized train station:

Continue

Almaty - Tashkent

2005-09-15T01:53:00.000+04:00

Thursday 2005-09-15

Ready for departure:

Train trip:
Almaty-1 14:14 -Arys 6:03 (next day) (train #23 Almaty - Aktjubinsk)
Arys 6:53 - Tashkent 12:05 (train #381 Ufa - Tashkent)

At Almaty-1 station (from Urumchi we arrived at Almaty-2 station, which is located more centrally):

Inside the "plazkartnyj"-carriage:

Friday 2005-09-16

In the morning we changed trains at Arys. The train to Tashkent came from Ufa in Russia.

Continue

Almaty

2005-09-14T01:52:00.000+04:00

Wednesday 2005-09-14

After I returned from the hiking trip, I met with Aizhana, Anja and Veronika and we went up to Koktyube (a little mountain with a good view over Almaty) by cable car:

Hotel Kazakhstan:

Cable car to Koktyube:

Continue

Bolshoj Almatinski Pik (3681m over sea level)

2005-09-13T01:47:00.000+04:00

Tuesday 2005-09-13

Start of the hiking trip to Bolshoj Almatinskij Pik (Big Almaty Peak).

A map (scale 1:50000) of the hiking trip:

We started from a place called "GES-2", which can be reached by taxi from Almaty in about 30 minutes:

Bolshoe Almatinskoe Osero (Big Almaty Lake) at about 2500 meters:

Anja and Veronika went together with me to the lake. They returned to Almaty the same day, the rest of the hiking trip I did alone.

Short break at the seismologic station (at 3300 m), where I also spent the night:

After the short brak I continued the trip to the peak:

I returned to the seismologic station at about 7 p.m.:

My bed:

Vassily, the technician of the station:

Wednesday 2005-09-14

I didn't return on the same way back to GES-2, but went on another path to Alma-Arasan, from where I took a bus to Almaty.

The weather and the landscape were great:

The mountains in the background are already in Kirgistan. The border is about 7 km from here:

Continue

Charyn Canyon & Jesik Lake

2005-09-09T01:25:00.000+04:00

Friday 2005-09-09

Today in the morning Florian flew home to Germany. The job was waiting fro him...

We (Veronika, Anja and me) spent a lazy day in Almaty.

Meeting with Aizhana and her sweet niece:

Saturday 2005-09-10

Excursion to the Charyn Canyon with "Kraus Reisen" (have a look at the bus!):

The geogaphic position of Almaty is great. It is located, where the Zailiysky Alatau mountains rise up suddenly from the flat step to about 5000 meters.
The photos show the contrast between the flat step (about 800 meters over sea level) and the 4979 meters high Pik Talgar, which is only about 20 kilometers away:

The Charyn Canyon is located about 200 km east of Almaty:

Sunday 2005-09-11

Excursion to the Jesik lake:

Monday 2005-09-12

I spent the day in Almaty to gather some information about my planned two-day-hiking trip to the Bolshoj Almatinskij Pik.
In a bookshop I found some good maps.

Typical "Soviet"-style improvisation for garden watering:

Since some years the Kazakh railways have a modern Spanish Talgo-train. This hotel-train runs daily between Almaty and Astana, the trip for about 1400 km takes less than 13 hours (compared to about 20 hours with other trains).

I went to the station to see this train:

Continue

Medeu & Shymbulak

2005-09-08T01:24:00.000+04:00

Thursday, 2005-09-08

Today we made an excursion to Medeu and Shymbulak (some kilometers south of Almaty in the mountains).

At the Medeo ice stadium:

F.l.t.r.: Florian, Veronika, Anjam Helmut, Aizhana

Road to Shymbulak:

A ski resort like in the Austrian Alps...

We go up to the Talgar pass with the chair lift, but unfortunately we din't see anything but fog:

Continue

Almaty

2005-09-07T01:15:00.000+04:00

Map Almaty - Tashkent - Samarkand - Bukhara - Khiwa:

Wednesday 2005-09-07

After arrival we took a taxi to hotel "Kazakhstan". To get a LOI (letter of invitation, which was required for a double-entry visa) we had to book some nights at a "real" hotel, so we had a more comfortable accomodation than that we were used to from our previous trip.

After check-in we had a great breakfast, as this was - surprisingly to us - also included on the day of arrival.

View from the hotel's breakfast room to the Bolshoj Almatinskij Pik:

After that we had a sightseeing walk in Almaty:

Zenkov cathedrale in the Panfilov park:

The biggest mosque in Central Asia:

Our hotel for the first two nights - Hotel Kazakhstan:

In the evening we meet Aizhana, she is from Almaty, but lives in my hometown Graz. The summer holidays she spends in Akmaty, so we decided to meet on our trip:

Continue

Silk Road train Urumchi - Almaty

2005-09-06T01:13:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-09-05

Train trip:
Urumchi 23:55 - Almaty 7:15 (two days later)

International train ticket (written in Chinese, Russian and German):

Kazakh train at Urumchi station:

Tuesday 2005-09-06

Sunrise near the Chinese-Kazakh border:

Chinese border station Alashankou:

After three hours at Alashankou the train moved on to Kazakhstan.

The border between China and Kazakhstan:

Immediately after the border the train stopped at a special boder station with no name and surrounded with fences. Here Kazakh border inspections took place.
I took a photo, but had to delete it, after the Kazakh border guards saw it on my camera (they wanted to see the taken pictures). I had to pay an "inofficial" fine and to delete the photo to avoid more serious problems. The above photos were on another chip, so they didn't see them and I could keep them....

After two hours at the border inspection stop we continued to Druzhba, the first official stop of the train. Here the boogies are being exchanged (again broad gauge in Kazakhstan) and we could get off the train to have a lunch at the station's restaurant.
After China I felt like at home, as it was possible to read and understand the language (Russian) again...

Two different gauges:

1st (from left) and 3rd rail: Chinese gauge (1435mm), 2nd and 4th rail: Kazakh gauge (1520mm)

The railway linking Kazakhstan and China was opened only in 1991:

Nowadays it's an important freight corridor linkling Europe with Asia.

By train through Kazakhstan:

Austrian track work machine (company Plasser&Theurer) at Beskol, Kazakhstan:

Sunset:

During the trip we were invited by some Kazakhs to have dinner and some glasses of vodka in their compartment, so we had a funny evening...

Our new Kazakh friends:

Wednesday 2005-09-07

Arrival in Almaty in the morning:

Continue

Urumchi

2005-09-05T01:11:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-09-05

Urumchi station:

From the station we took a taxi to the agency, where we then picked up our pre-booked tickets to Almaty.

View from the office, company morning sport...

Urumchi:

10 Chinese moral norms:

People making music in a park:

There is no other town with more than 1 million inhabitants, which is located farer away from any sea coast than Urumchi:

KFC in three languages (English, Chinese and Ujgurian language - written with Arabic letters)

We bought some fruits for the train trip to Kazakhstan:

Waiting for the train in front of the station - appearently we were quite an sensation for the local people...

Continue

Train across China: Xian - Urumchi

2005-09-03T01:08:00.000+04:00

Saturday 2005-09-03

Train trip:
Xian 18:35 - Urumchi 8:20 (two days later)

At Xian station:

We were the only foreigners in the waiting room for train 1043:

At Baoji station:

Fortunately we could buy an upgrade to a sleeping car on the train for about 300 Yuan, which allowed us a decent trip to Urumchi.

Sunday 2005-09-04

Crossing Western China by train:

The Chinese railways are being rapidly modernized. A new more direct line was under construction:

Kitchen in the dining car:

Lunch in the dining car:

In the afternoon we passed the northern parts of the Taklamakan desert:

Sunset in the desert:

Monday 2005-09-05

Sunrise near Urumchi:

Arrival at Urumchi station:

Continue

Shangai - Xian

2005-09-02T01:06:00.000+04:00

Map Shanghai - Xian - Urumchi - Almaty:

Friday 2005-09-02

Today we started a lonmg journey from Shanghai across whole China to Almaty in Kazakhstan.

Train trip:
Shanghai 16:19 - Xian 8:39 (next day)

Waiting room at Shanghai station:

Ticket:

Open hard-sleeper car:

The friendly Chinese "provodniza":

Saturday 2005-09-03

Arrival at Xian

We arrived at Xian in the morning and wanted to continue the same evening, allowing just enough time to visit the Terrakotta warriours.
So the first thing was to buy onward train tickets. In China it is not possible to buy tickets at other but the departure station, so we couldn't buy the tickets earlier in Beijing or Shanghai.

Ticket office:

We got only tickets for the hard-seater, hard- or soft-sleeper were already sold out... the price of the ticket was 135 Yuan (13,5 Euro) for a trip of about 2500 kilometer.

We took a taxi to a hostel in downtown Xian, where we took a room for daytime use, just to store the luggage and have a shower. With another taxi we drove to the exhibition of the Terrakotta Warriours, which is located about 30 km east of Xian:

We returne d back to Xian in the afternoon.

We ate Pizza at the restaurant of the hostel.

Then we went to the station by taxi.

Continue

Shanghai

2005-09-01T01:05:00.000+04:00

Thursday 2005-09-01

We arrived in Shanghai in the morning. We have reached the farest point from home: 12202 kilometers by train...

After buying onward tickets to Xian we went to the "Hiker Youth Hostel" by bus.

Sightseeing in the afternoon:

Jin Mao Tower:

View from the Oriental Pearl Tower:

Oriental Pearl Tower:

Jinmao-tower in the background:

Pedestrian are in downtown Shanghai:

In the evening we visited the highest bar in the world: "Cloud no. 9"- 400 meters over ground level. It is located in the Grany Hyatt Hotel on the 87th floor of the Jinmao-tower:

Inside Jinmao-Tower:

Friday 2005-09-02

Our hostel:

Short excursion with the transrapid train to the aitport and back:

431 km/h:

After that we returned to the hostel, had lunch nearby and then went to the station.

Continue

Beijing - Shanghai

2005-08-31T01:04:00.000+04:00

Wednesday 2005-08-31

Far East Youth hostel:

Street cleaning at the Tianamen square:

We visited the Mao-Zedong mausoleum.

After that I rented a bike to visit the Beijing-Xi (West) railway station, which is one of the biggest and most impressive stations in China...

Beijing Xi (West) train station:

My rented bike:

Separate lanes for bikes:

Mc Donalds:

Shopping...

We met at the hostel and then went to the main station to catch our train to Shanghai.

Train trip:
Beijing 19:43 - Shanghai 9:15 (next day)

Departure board:

In our "hardsleeper"-compartment

In the restaurant car:

Florian's new friends...

Continue

Trip to the Great Wall

2005-08-30T01:03:00.000+04:00

Tuesday 2005-08-30

Florian and I made a excurion to Simatai at the Great Wall.

The bus brought us to a place abot 10 km away from Simatai. From here we walked on the Great Wall to Simatai, where the bus picked us up again:

Here the trip on the Great Wall ended. We had to continue along a river for about 2 more kilometers to reach Simatai:

Some quite funny signs:

"People, flowers and help each other in breath"

"Mind your step please! During bad weather."

"Please always the (b)eautiful environment and keep the healthy space"

Trip back to Beijing:

Beijing traffic is a horror...

Continue

Beijing

2005-08-28T01:01:00.000+04:00

Sunday 2005-08-28

From the station we went by metro the Far East Youth hostel. Then we had dinner at a restaurant nearby the hostel:

In the evening we returned to the station to buy train tickets to Shanghai:

Monday 2005-08-29

Next to the hostel (Beijing Far East International Youth Hostel):

Mao mausoleum:

Tianamen Square:

Forbidden city:

In the park around the "Temple of Heaven":

Dinner...

BTW, totally (for five people) we payed about 75 Yuan, about 7,5 EUR for food and drinks

Continue

Ulan Bator - Beijing

2005-08-27T00:57:00.000+04:00

Saturday 2005-08-27

Train trip:
Ulan Bator 8:10 - Beijing 14:31 (next day)

We went by taxi to the station.

Train station Ulan Bator:

Train no. 24, Ulan-Bator - Beijing:

The train of the Mongolian railway was one of the nicest and cleanest trains on our trip:

The sleeping-cars of the train are "made in Germany"

After Ulan-Bator we passed a typical Mongolian landscape with grass-covered hills:

At the station Chojr:

Through the Gobi desert:

Market at Sayn-Shand station:

Dining car:

In the evening we reached the border town Dzhamin-Uud. The Mongolian passprt and customs check took place here.
After 1,5 hourse we moved on over the border to China. The loudspeakers at Erlian station were playing the Chinese national anthem and the border officials and the staff of the station were standing at the platform and greeting the train... a very special experience!

After all checks the train was shunted to the regauging hall near the station - China uses normal gauge, as Europe...

Have a look at this video, to see more...

Back at the station, we could leave the train for about one hour and explore the top-modern station:

The train left Erlian after midnight and we went to bed.

Sunday 2005-08-28

By train through China:

My first Chinese Coke in the restaurant car:

Short stop at the Great Wall:

Arrival at Beijing:

Continue

Mongolian countryside

2005-08-24T00:56:00.000+04:00

Wednesday 2005-08-24

Today we startet our trip to the countryside with a Russian UAZ and a Mongolian driver:

Traffic jams only exist in Ulan-Bator...

...but some kilometers after the town, the country get's very empty...

Toll station:

UB "suburbs":

Waiting at another toll station:

Road to nowhere:

Watch this:
"I have a dream" - our driver was an ABBA-fan (Video at youtube.com)...

Lunch break at a Mongolian restaurant "Guanz":

Our driver:

Mongolian roads:

300 km east of Ulan-Bator we reached our destination for that day, the Ogii Lake. We slept at a "tourist yurt":

Inside the yurt - an oven, working with dried "cow-shit":

Dinner:

Sunset:

Thursday 2005-08-25

Mongolian children:

We then continued to Kharakorum, the former Mongolian capital, which is located 60 km south of the Ogii lake:

During the trip we had some problems with the car, but our driver could fix the problem...

At Kharakorum we visited Erdene Zuu, a big Buddhist monastery:

Market at Kharakorum:

Our driver bought some spare parts to repair the car...

A sand-storm in the evening:

Also here we slept in a tourist-yurt. That was also included in the organized round-trip, for which we payed 15 USD per person per day (including transportation, accomodation and one meal per day).

Friday 2005-08-26

We started our trip back to Ulan-Bator, which took about 7 hours for 300 km, in the early morning:

Horses on a sand dune:

Mongolian petrol station:

Mongolian public toilet:

"Liebherr - progress creates success"

Back in Ulan Bator:

We spent one more night in the UB Guesthouse:

Continue

Ulan Bator

2005-08-23T00:49:00.000+04:00

Map Ulan Bator - Beijing - Shanghai:

Tuesday 2005-08-23

Employees of svereal hostels were already waiting at the station to aquire guests after arrival of the train from Russia. We have choosen the UB-Guesthouse (5 USD per night) and were brought to the hostel with a small bus.

We then searched the agency where our train tickets to Beijing waited to be picked up. After that we had lunch:

Unfortunately the weather was quite bad during our sightseeing walk:

Buddhist monastery:

A "public telephone":

Chinggis Beer "gebraut nach dem Deutschen Reinheitsgebot":

Ulan-Bator also has an Austrian "Kaffehaus", and of course we had to go there to eat a "Sachertorte"...

Veronika and me - the two Austrian members of our group in front of the "Kaffeehaus":

The staff of the UB guesthouse helped us to organize a roundtrip to the countryside by car for the following three days. We also met many outher backpackers at the youth-hostel, travellong overland from Asia to Europe or v.v.

Continue

Irkutsk - Ulan Bator

2005-08-22T00:48:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-08-22

Today we were in the rails again!

Train trip:
Irkutsk 1:04 (Moskva time, local time: 6:04) - Ulan-Bator 7:35 (next day)

View to the Bajkal lake from the train near Slyudyanka:

Baikal lake:

Still sleeping...

Bridge over the Selenga river:

Loco-changig at Ulan-Ude. Here the unelectrified Transmongolian railway branches off the Transsiberian mainline.

Small houses near Ulan-Ude:

Old factories...

The landscape already get's more "mongolian" - less trees, more grass...

Naushki - Russian border station to Mongolia:

Here we had to wait about three hours. After the Russian border guards have taken our passports, we could leave the train to walk around for about one hour. Then we had to go back into the train, where we got our stamped passports back and where customs check took place.

After a short trip over the border we arrived at the Mongolian border station Suche-Bator, where the train stopped again for about two hours - Mongolian immigration and customs check took place.

At about midnight the train continued it's trip to Ulan-Bator.

Tuesday 2005-08-23

Ulan Bator station in the morning:

Continue

Olkhon - Irkutsk

2005-08-20T00:46:00.000+04:00

Saturday 2005-08-20

Bus trip (with short ferry section) to Irkutsk:

The trip took about 6 hours. On the bus trip other passengers told us, that the cheapest way to spend the night in Irkutsk is to stay at a student's hostel, which are open to guests during summer holidays. That's what we did...

Sunday 2005-08-21

Breakfast In the student's hostel.

Irkutsk Station:

Some sightseeing in Irkutsk:

The theater:

Kirov square:

Continue

Olkhon island

2005-08-18T10:46:00.000+04:00

Wednesday 2005-08-17

The hydrofoil does not stop somewhere near Khuzhir (the main village of the 90-km long island), but somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Taxis were waiting there for passengers to Khuzhir:

After arrival in Khuzhir we went to Nikitas homestead, the first adress for backpackers on the island. They organized a cheap (150 roubles per night, that's about 4 EUR) place to sleep at a private house and also the transfer to that place:

In the afternoon we explored the village Khuzhir:

The Shaman's rock:

The beach:

A small shop with a cafe, where we meet some other backpackers:

Thursday 2005-08-18

Our little house:

The toilet in the garden:

We went to the bus station to buy our tickets for the trip to Irkutsk two days later.
Bus timetable:

We met two pensioners from Germany, who travelled 7000 km by car from Germany to Olkhon:

In the afternoon we made a hiking trip along the coast:

The landscape reminds a little bit of Scotland:

Florian with the rest of an animal. We decided to call it "the bursted cow", as the parts were spread over an huge are...so appearently the cow must have bursted...

A smaller animal, but still alive...

The dog at the house of our hosts:

Preparing dinner:

The Shaman's rock:

Together with Gregory from Tomsk and Michael from Steyr, whom we met there, as well as with some beers from the local shop we had a funny evening:

Friday 2005-08-19

Today we made a guided island roundtrip by car:

Russian UAZ-car (Ulyanovskyj Avtomobilnyj Zavod):

Three Russian tourists from Yekaterinburg in our group:

Cape Khoboy, the most northern point of the island:

Again our house:

Continue

Hydrofoil trip to Olkhon island

2005-08-17T00:44:00.000+04:00

Wednesday 2005-08-17

Today we went by hydrofoil from Severobajkalsk to Olhon island.

Bus transfer to the port:

Waiting for the boat...

Kometa hydrofoil Nizhenangarsk - Severobajkalsk - Olkhon - Irkutsk:

Made in the USSR:

The hydrofoil runs twice weekly in high summer. It's a great way to see the Bajkal lake. Our trip was 300 kilometers long (abouth half of the lenght of the lake) and it took about 6 hours.

Some impressions of the trip:

A rainbow:

Ollhon island:

Continue

Back in Severobajkalsk

2005-08-14T00:40:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-08-15

Today Anja, Doreen, Florian and Veronika arrived from Moskva by train:

Tuesday 2005-08-16

Oliver, Florian and I visited the museum about the Bajkal-Amur railway line:

In the afternoon we had a walk on the coast:

Tourism is now being develpoed in this part of Siberia. In front of Severobajkalsk station there is a small tourist-information kiosk:

An internet cafe is located behind this door :

Our hotel:

We had dinner together:

Information about tourism in the Nothern Baikal lake area

Continue

GBT camp Ayaya bay

2005-08-01T00:39:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-08-01

Boat trip to the Ayaya bay:

Arrival at the Ayaya bay:

This bay can only be reached by boat. There are no roads and no civilzation - just wild nature, some hikers and maybe some bears!

Tuesday 2005-08-02

Our tents:

On the beach:

We had a hiking trip to the Frohlikha lake, which is lokaed about 8 km from the Ayay bay:

Contrary to the Bajkal the water of this lake was quite warm.

With the help of two Russian tourist and their boat we transfered to the other shore of the lake:

Back at Ayaya bay in the evening:

Wednesday 2005-08-03

Our task during the GBT camp was to improve the path linking the Ayay bay with the Frohlikha lake.

Work in the forest:

A boat bringing some other tourists:

Thursday 2005-08-04

A small bridge, constructed by us...

Sunset:

Oliver, Nadya and Egor:

Friday 2005-08-05

Our kitchen:

Saturday 2005-08-06

The weekend was freetime. Some of our group decided to make a small hiking trip:

Having a hair-shower....

Monday 2005-08-08

Our group:

1st row f.l.t.r.: Franziska (CH), Andrej (RU), Helmut (AT)
2nd row f.l.t.r.: Oliver (CH), Genadi (DE), Regina (DE), Nadja (RU), Tanja (RU), Egor (RU), Ljuba (RU), Matthias (DE), Johannes (DE)

Tuesday 2005-08-09

Excursion to the Khakusy hot springs:

45° hot water:

The shop of the small village:

Wednesday 2005-08-10

After a rainy day, which we mostly spent at the hot springs, the sun came through the clouds in the evening:

Still fog on the beach:

Sun on the horizon:

The shore:

Just beautiful:

Thursday 2005-08-11

Morning at Khakusy:

The shop again from outside:

In the afternoon we went back to Ayaya-bay by boat.

Friday 2005-08-12

Hiking trip to the Frohlikha river:

Sunday 2005-08-14

The toilet of our camp:

Finally the boat back to civilization arrived:

Ayaya bay - bye, bye!

Lunch on the boat:

After arrival at Severobajkalsk:

We stayed at a hotel in a suburb of Severobajkalsk. View from our room:

Information about the GBT (Great Baikal Trail) project:
GBT
Baikalplan (German)

It was a great experience to spend two weeks in the nature next to such a beautiful lake. I met nice people and spent a wonderful time. I can highly recommend it!

Continue

Severobajkalsk

2005-07-31T00:36:00.000+04:00

Map Severobajkalsk - Ayaya bay - Olkhon - Irkutsk - Ulan-Bator:

Sunday 2005-07-31

Severobajkalsk - a typical Soviet town, which has been built only in the 1980ies, when the railway line was built:

Baikal lake - like an ocean:

Accomodation in Severobajkalsk was provided by the GBT-organisation.

Continue

Moskva - Severobajkalsk

2005-07-27T00:34:00.000+04:00

Wednesday 2005-07-27

Today we started our long train trip to Severobajkalsk:
Moskva 12:50 - Severobajkalsk 9:35 (4 days later, Moscow time)

At Kazanskaja station in Moskva:

Map Moskva - Severobajkalsk:

Train tickets Moskva - Severobajkalsk (5529 km by train):

Eurodomino ticket for Russia:

Sleeping car reservation:

Our tickets, which we bought in Austria, where quite surprising for the Russian train conductors. But the let us board the train, alltough there was no single word of Russian written on the tickets...

1st day on the train (Moskva - Nishnij Novgorod):

Ready for departure:

On the first day we travelled via Vladimir to Nishnij Novgorod and then during the night contiued to Kirov and Perm...

Thursday 2005-07-28

2nd day on the train (Perm - Tjumen):

At Perm station:

Somewhere near the Ural:

Nice river:

During the trip it was never boring. Spending four days on the train gives a new time-experience - you feel as you had all the time of the world. No stress, just relaxing and being lazy, watching the landscape, talking with other passengers, etc. etc.

Friday 2005-07-29

3rd day on the train (Barabinsk - Tajga):

Breakfast in the train:

In the step of Barabinsk:

At Barabinsk station:

About every 4-5 hours the train has a longer stop of about 20 minutes. All other stop are quite short (usually 2 minutes).
During the longer stops it's possible to get off and have a walk on the platform or buy food and drinks from the "babushkas" or at kiosks.

Russian village in the vast step:

Novosibirsk - already 3300 km east of Moskva:

Sunday 2005-07-30

4th day on the train (Krasnoyarsk - Bratsk):

Crossing the Jennisej river at Krasnoyarsk:

Nice village in the hills east of Krasnoyarsk:

At Tajshet the train left the Transsiberian railway line and continued it's trip using the Baikal-Amur-line.

Very important in such a remote villages: Satellite-TV!

Sunset on the train:

Sunday 2005-07-31

5th day on the train (Lena/Ust-Kut - Severobajkalsk):

Ust-Kut in the morning:

Lena river:

View down to the Lena valley:

We arrived at 14:35 local time at Severobajkalsk.

Continue

Moskva

2005-07-25T00:33:00.000+04:00

Monday 2005-07-25

We took a taxi from the station to our hotel.

As both of us have already several times been in Moscow before, sightseeing was not very important. But of course we went to the Red Square by metro...

The Red square:

Basilius cathedral:

Policemen at the Lenin mausoleum:

GUM - the shopping mall for rich people...

In the evening we had dinner together with Alexander. He organized our railway tickets from Irkutsk to Ulan-Bator and from Ulan-Bator to Beijing.

Tuesday 2005-07-26

I felt a little bit sick, so there were not much outdoor activities.

Continue

Kiev - Moskva

2005-07-22T00:32:00.000+04:00

Friday 2005-07-22

In the evening after arrival we went to the center to have dinner and get a first impression of the town.

Kiev by night:

Saturday 2005-07-23

Lunch near our hostel:

After that we bought train-tickets for Stefan and Alexanders way back home. Then we started our sightseeing walk:

Khreshchatyk (the main street of Kiev) by night:

The street is closed for car traffic on the weekend.

Sunday 2005-07-24

Breakfast in our hostel:

Today we visited Kiev Pecherska Lavra (Kiev cave monastery):

After that we returned to the center.

Political event at the Maydan Nezalezhnosti square:

We had a date with Ira, she is an Ukrainian student in my hometown Graz and we decided to meet in Kiev during her summer hoolidays:

After that we went to the station, where we seperated: Stefan and Alexander took the train to Lvov, from where the travelled home some days later.
Oliver and I took the train to Moscow.

Train trip:
Kiev Passazhirskij 20:30 - Moskva Kievskaja 10:58 (next day)

Monday 2005-07-25

Arrival at Kievskaja station in Moscow:

Continue

Graz - Budapest - Kiev

2005-07-21T00:30:00.000+04:00

Map Graz - Budapest - Kiev - Moskva:

Thursday 2005-07-21

Train trip:
Graz Hbf 6:03 - Budapest Keleti 11:33

Stefan and Alexander:

Feldbach, Eastern Styria...

Budapest:

In Budapest we met Oliver. We had lunch at a restaurant near the station. Then we did some sightseeing before we returned to the station to get on the "Tisza-Express" from Budapest to Moscow.

Train trip:
Budapest Keleti 18:20 - Kiev Passazhirskij 19:26 (next day)

Oliver, Stefan and Alexander, in the background our train.

Dinner in our sleeping-car compartment.
Helmut (that's me), Stefan and Oliver:

Due to the wider rail gauge in the former USSR the boogies of the train are exchanged at the Ukrainian border (Chop):

Friday 2005-07-22

In the morning we stopped at Lvov and then continued to Kiev:

Lunchtime in the dining car:

In the evening we arrived at Kiev and made our way to the hostel by taxi.

Continue