Author: admin

Ankara, Turkey 4 August 2013 0700hrs wake up and breakfast in the courtyard. I tell the bloke I have a transfer booked at 0800hrs. “Yes, yes, I know…..bus station…may be 5-10mins late because of traffic” (Yeah, yeah, a few minutes here and a few minutes there and it all starts to get a bit tight… Read more

Bursa, Turkey 3 August 2013 To set the scene. I’m in a candlelit courtyard tapping away at this blog. It feels like I’m in the 17th Century as having to type with a candle next to the keyboard. Wake up in a better frame of mind and checking out of hotel they take my rucksack… Read more

Istanbul, Turkey 2 August 2013 I wake up with a severe headache and feeling especially grumpy. It’s very oppressive heat and humidity and I have to purchase train, bus and ferry tickets before doing anything else. I’d not been able to buy these online in advance as the various companies didn’t like a UK credit… Read more

Istanbul, Turkey 1 August 2013 Early alarm call at 0600hrs for 0630hrs drive to Simferopol airport. The young female assistant manager had previously told me that as Simferopol airport is large I should allow 1hr for formalities. Assume by this it’s of Birmingham International magnitude. I know it takes 2hrs to drive there from the… Read more

Yalta, Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine 31 July 2013 Despite going verrryyyy sllooowwlly yesterday evening it was clear the train driver was on a promise as we must’ve sped up during the night as we were certainly bouncing along. So much so, that I had to catch myself from being thrown out of the narrow bed. Quick… Read more

Overnight train from Kiev, Ukraine 30 July 2013 Breakfast in bed as the hotel bring breakfast to your room on account of having no restaurant, whilst listening to Chris Evans’ Breakfast Show on the iPlayer Radio app on my phone. A leisurely start to the day. Jump aboard the hop on/hop off red bus for… Read more

Kiev, Ukraine 29 July 2013 Boarded the overnight train to Kiev. It’s the same carriage type as previously. I use my phone’s translate again to find out when the passport control is. The smiling provodnitsa speaks Belarus into the phone for it to translate. It doesn’t catch what she says. She tries again. It doesn’t… Read more

Overnight train from Minsk, Minskaya Voblastsʼ, Belarus 28 July 2013 After the thud, thud, thud of last night’s wedding disco which did finish as promised (when I went to complain about the noise to reception – I was being a very grumpy old man) I then hear the staff clearing away the tables. Dragging them… Read more

Minsk, Belarus 27 July 2013 I knew it was going to be a sleepless night on the train. I left it to about half midnight before trying to go to sleep. It’s hot and stuffy so prod the provodnitsa and show her the translation of “too hot”. Obligingly, she switches on the AC and soon… Read more

Overnight train from St. Petersburg, North-West Russia, Russian Federation 26 July 2013 I’m writing this on the overnight train to Minsk. There’s no Wi-fi and intermittent phone signal so you’ll be pleased to hear that you won’t be bombarded with another load of drivel, tonight at least. Negotiate the Metro again to Gorkovskaya (see, I’m… Read more