Tag: off beat destinations

My Trans-Siberian Rail Journey

By Uma Iyer

“I took the route from Mongolia to Moscow and every place I stayed over or ‘chugged’ along was stunning”.

A once in a lifetime experience –an understatement for one of the most spectacular rail journeys in the world and I travelled through ‘The Wanderers’ with the wonderful assistance of Farzana, who helped plan the itinerary for me and guided me with all important information.

    

 

 

To begin with, it is how meticulously it is planned and also how perfect the entire rail experience was for me – from the comfortable first class cabin to the clean rest rooms, the endless supply of hot water (to make chai or have cuppa noodles), the kind and caring cabin attendant of our coach – all essential to make a rail journey unforgettable for the right reasons!!

As I traversed on from country to country and city to city – it was like leaving a part of yourself there. The vast plains of Mongolia to the beautiful fall colors of Siberia and not to forget the six different time zones that one crosses in a span of 16 days !! That’s when it hits you – how massive a country Russia is.  For me the most beautiful sights were the fall colors – a sight to die for and Lake Baikal. Of course, the usual sights of the Kremlin, Red Square – steeped in history, evoked many memories of Leon Uris’s books, which I had read as a child.

Last but not the least, the famous Moscow Metro – not just a place which transports people from one place to another, but also carries you back in Russian history and every station is a colorful and grand link to the past.

Even though literally that journey came to an end, it is far from over for me. When you lose your soul to such a beautiful experience, the part that stays back with you – always keeps searching for the part that’s been left behind.

Check out our latest Trans Siberian Journey

Antarctica: A journey to the worlds end Day 8 – Day 10

  By – Alifiya Calcuttawala

” A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us.”  – John Steinbeck

 

Day 8: Monday, March 15th2017

DRAKE PASSAGE, EN ROUTE TO TIERRA DEL FUEGO

WIND (AM): 5kn E– TEMP. (AM): 2ºC (partially cloudy)

WIND (PM): 5kn ENE– TEMP. (PM): 2ºC (partially cloudy)

The crossing resulted fairly easy so far, with a little wind and clouds. The feared Drake Passage is showing it’s effect from the remaining swell. After breakfast our guides started offering lectures again to help us understand what we had seen and dsicuss a little about what we experienced. In the meantime we were zipping along northbound, mildly rolling with a little wind coming across.

The Drake remained reasonable and we could even try to spot some more seabirds, maybe the last we would see for a while. Dinner was as good as usual, and most even managed to keep it all inside. As we exchanged stories about the days past, we realized that though we had all taken the same trip, our individual experiences varied quite a bit and it looked as if each of us had taken somewhat different journeys.

Day 9 :Tuesday, March 16th2017

DRAKE PASSAGE – BEAGLE CHANNEL

Wake up call came as usual on our second day crossing the Drake. Reassured by the lack of major movement, we headed to the Dining Room to get some food. Early morning was spent chatting and downloading and selecting the many pictures we had taken throughout the trip. Our expedition staff once again offered educational activities and lectures.

The waters calmed down during the afternoon as we entered the sheltered area in the lee of Cape Horn and later the Beagle Channel.

In the afternoon, for the final recap the Expedition Staff had a surprise for us: A DVD containing the map of the journey, the wildlife checklist, note on some of the lectures, their bios, and a photo-show of pictures from the voyage.

At night we dressed up for the farewell dinner and we toasted goodbye, a very nice way to conclude an unforgettable journey.

After dinner we joined our fellow voyagers in the bar for a last drink on the ship. Of course we’d have plenty of time for that in Ushuaia, but it felt more like saying goodbye to the bar and the ambience we created around it than saying goodbye to each other.

Day 10: Wednesday, March 17th2017

USHUAIA, ARGENTINA

LAT. 54°48′ S, LONG. 68°18′ W

Dawn lit the ending of our trip. We had returned the same but much different, changed somehow by having conquered a continent known by so few, loved by so many. The beauty we had experienced on the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands would stay with us. It was a memorable journey. After breakfast it was time to go. Fare thy well, USHUAIA, you explorer of the Ice!

Note: For a trip to Antarctica, contact The Wanderers.

Suggested trip: https://thewanderers.travel/package/index/antarctica/around-the-frozen-continent