Saturday November 3rd, 2018
Well here we are in Russia! Vladivostok to be precise.
This evening we catch the Rossiya 01M the most traditional train, to start our trans Siberian experience. (I believe all other "Trans-Siberians" came after. Hence its 01)
We will not be taking the 01 all the way. I'll mention the number of the trains we do take.
We flew from Lijiang to Beijing on 23rd October, Tuesday; took residence the Oriental Suites in Seasons Gardens in Dongzhimen area of Beijing. We were in a studio apartment on 16th floor (which was minus floors 13 and 14 for superstitious reasons! What a lovely apartment. It was convenient to everything we needed at that time. Russian visa Centre was straight down one of the roads bordering our local community of flats, (xiaoqu); Airport express was 200 metres away; banks were 5-10minutes walk and food and vegie markets and supermarkets were all just outside the gates or a little further. What a pleasure.
The Visa Centre experience also was amazing. To get the Russian visa you need an itinerary of where you are going and a list of places you will be staying at; hard copy of certificate of currency of your health/travel insurance, hard copy proof of date of entry into Russia (ie flight itinerary, ticket numbers) a passport photo of a certain size with a clear, white background, a colour copy of your passport front page and a letter of invitation which you can get online but you still need to quote places of accommodation. Oh and the visa application form itself filled out online, but requiring hours to do so. All the places you have travelled to in the last 10 yers!! Approximate dates, changes of name, different passports, places you have worked, addresses and dates, where you obtained certificates, addresses, phone numbers. All I can say is thank God for the internet!
The Visa Centre was so accommodating, helping us where we might have had to leave and come back, doing some photocopying for us, correcting our application forms and printing them out and then giving us an extra short time of 3 days to come back and pick up the visas. And the centre was not extremely busy either which helped. Plus the cost was less than first quoted.
We picked up the visas on Monday, 29th October. Yay!! Picked up roubles etc, met an expat at the fruit and vegie market and thence met again for coffee next day.
On our departure eve we went to the airport as our plane departed at 6.15am and the first Airport Metro Exxpress left at 6.20am. So we decamped tot he airport whilst the Express was still running the evening before.
Very tired on the Ural Airlines flight to Vladivostok. Luckily it wasn't full so I was able to stretch out across 3 empty seats.
Before the flight we were helped by 2 Russians, one of whom was working as a kindergarten teacher in Shanghai and the other going home to Vladivostok.
When we got off the plane and were through customs we met a couple, PhD students from Hong Kong. (Malaysian and Russian) who advised us about the mini bus we caught. We ended up having a meal with them in a wonderful Cafe "Ne Revu". Such wonderful ambiance. Then we parted company. But are still in contact.
I can only say that Autumn is one beautiful time to travel, (so far!). Sunny, clear blue skies with colourful trees still abounding.
Vladivostok is a beautiful small city with lots of walk ways, steps, hills, views and blue, blue (cold, cold!) sea.
We went up to the highest point, Eagles Nest lookout and went even higher by going up to the 17th floor restaurant and having a gander there. All sparkling and glinting blue water and sky, large shipping vessels coming and going.
There are 3 amazing bridges, with uprights of at least 1.9km (that's correct)!
Then yesterday, one of the ladies making our breakfast at out Guest House came and sat with us and recommended a bush tea when she remarked we were only drinking hot water. An hour later we were still somehow communicating with our non existent Russian and her almost non existent English. We ended up spending most of the day together, visiting Myak which is a simple bus ride to the sea, to where there is a lighthouse walkable along a narrow track into the sea. We saw a seal and it being another perfect day, we were able to take remarkable photos. We also could see the 2nd bridge, huge even from a distance.
Everyday we meet a or some remarkable people.
These Russians are stern on the outside but quick to respond with kindness when you need help or make a mistake.
Today we are packed and ready to go to the station to leave for Irkutsk tonight. 3 nights on the train. It's a long way. Lake Baikal is there and we've been wanting to see it for years. It is the deepest lake in the world. It was pristine until some factories started discharging effluence into it. Hopefully that has stopped.
We will be staying 5 days there.
My father, God rest his soul, often spoke of wanting to do the Trans Siberian to or from Vladivostok, so I'm dedicating this part of the blog to him, his memory. He was an unusual man!
Now for some photos. Love to all. xoxo
