Everette

Hi Everybody! When we thought this amazing trip couldn't get any better, it did. We have decided that Ecuador is our favorite of the Andean countries visited on this trip. The people are friendly and helpful. The country accepts U.S. currency, requires no visa, and uses 110 voltage. All of these little things made our life easy. Quito is located in a large valley surrounded by volcanoes. The weather is temperate year round. The temperature hasn't dropped below 40 degrees F in fifty years. Most people do not have heat or air conditioning in their homes. We weren't sure what to expect since this is Ecuador's summer season. The mornings have been cool (50's) and afternoons warmer (high 60's to low 70's.) The natives tell us that you can experience all four seasons every day in ... read more

Hi Everybody! It is a long way down to Asunion, capital of Paraguay. Our first impression of the city was one of disappointment. It is very dirty with graffiti decorating many buildings and walls. Some of the skyscrapers are stained and discolored from pollution. Sections of sidewalk are often missing or cracked. Putting that aside, Paraguay was beautiful from the air. We could see fields of green and plots of forests. As we approached the city, we could see that it was located on the E. banks of the Paraguay River. Paraguay has had a sad life. It has been ruled by dictators and other corrupt officials. People seem to accept this as a fact of life. Paraguay is the second poorest country in South America. We have seen many destitute people and have been surprised ... read more

Hi Everybody! Walt and I started our trip by flying to St. Petersburg using frequent flier miles. We decided early on that we would not use the return trip tickets. Instead, we hoped that somewhere in Asia, we would be able to get into the Military Space Available program. When we got ready to move on from our visit to Singapore, we went to the nearby Singapore Military Air Force base and were lucky to get the last two seats on a contract flight. A contract flight is like a regular airlines flight with stewardesses, catered meals, etc. The only difference on this flight was that it only had 32 seats. The rest of the plane was blocked off and used for carrying military equipment. We flew into Yakota AFB near Tokyo. Tokyo, Japan's capital, is ... read more

Hi Everybody! The train journey from Beijing to Tibet was not a fun trip! We were bumped from our booked first class cabin by a delegation of Tibetans. Because of this, we were in a 6 person cabin and were very crowded. The cabin had no door so we had no privacy. We are just glad that part of our trip is over. I will have to say that the scenery in the mountains of Tibet was beautiful. We saw herd after herd of sheep, yak, horses, and cattle. Many of the mountains were covered with snow. The sky was so clear and the prettiest color of blue. When we reached the modern new train station in Tibet, we were met by our guide Sat. He welcomed us to the "Roof of the World" by adorning ... read more

Hi Everybody! FYI: Jim, our fellow traveler, finished high school and college with Walt. They took ROTC at JSU and both retired as Army Lt. Colonels. Jim thought he loved trains until he had 5 cabin mates between Moscow and Irkutsk. This trip has been full of surprises –some good and some not so good. The train ride from Irkutsk to Ulan Bator was on a small train with just 5 cars and no dining car. The train cabins so far have had no bathroom facilities – not even a sink. Each car has 2 toilets but no showers. The cars do have plenty of hot water in the samovar. The attendants add charcoal or coal in the burner to keep the water boiling. After a couple of days, you really miss the comforts of home. ... read more