I'm not sure that I made my post on The Trans Siberian Express (http://www.google.ru/intl/ru/landing/transsib/en.html) sufficiently enticing. Not only do you get some 30 hours of video film of the glorious Russian countryside unfolding before you as you look out of the window of your railway carriage, you can also choose to accompany your trip with the evocative sound of the rumble of wheels, the disco music of a Russian radio station, the plaintive strains of the balalaika (my favourite: "Enough, Boys"), or readings from War and Peace, Dead Souls or The Golden Calf. Unfortunately, the readings appear to be in Russian. Either that or the tape has been put on back to front.
You can also use Google Maps to explore the various towns and points of interest along the way. All in all, the journey of a lifetime. It won't cost you a penny and, what's more, it will probably put you off the real thing.
By Gad sir, this is the way to travel!
ReplyDelete[not entirely joking as it cuts out Heathrow ...........]
I'm not sure you can choose your fellow travellers, though! Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess and Kim Philby, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteGreetings Barnaby
ReplyDeleteThe youngest maytrees son took the train from Wimbledon to Shanghai a year or two back and blogged about
the various sections including the Trans Siberian railway see:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tracks_kong/lnd_to_hk/1183077840/tpod.html
I hope that link works
Thanks Jerry. I'll check it out!
ReplyDeleteYou are joking, right??? You don't really think it is as good -or better- as the real thing? You do realise it is NOT enticing in the least? You do realisethat, for the likes of me, just THINKING of this way to not-travel is depressing? Please reassure me that you are on a 3rd degree level here (I really do have doubts, though... you are very capable of actually meaning the whole thing.)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Your very concerned daughter.
Dear concerned daughter,
ReplyDeleteYou should know me better than that! Mind you, I would need a plentiful supply of good books to while away the long Siberian evenings and to break the monotony of the endless steppes.