http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Hero and Keira/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Hero and Keira en-us Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:50:30 BST Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:50:30 BST Day one Popradske Pleso 220807Today we made the journey from Poprad the main transport hub of the high Tatras to Propadske Pleso a mountain lake that lies at an elevation of about 1500m in the High Tatra Mountains in Northern Slovakia. We first had to catch the train from Proprad up to Stary Smokovec where we bought a hiking map and small book detailing some of the different hikes in the Ta http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Slovakia/High-Tatras/blog-200517.html After working out how to leave Zagan and managing it successfully with a picturesque train ride across the beautiful lush green Polish countryside we arrived in lovely Krakow where we have stayed for the last few nights. It has been quite a full few days and a confronting chaser to our intense experience at Zagan. Initially we had not planned to visit Auschwitz because we didnrsquot reall http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/Lesser-Poland/Auschwitz/blog-200465.html Today we packed a picnic lunch and headed off vaguely in the direction of the Museum which we worked out to be about a four kms out of town. The walk was pretty and I was excited to find a couple of apple trees along the way where I delighted in the satisfying taste of a few stolen apples wild and fresh and coolhellip Not long after I had eaten a few of these delicious treats we saw a sign t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/blog-198480.html Well we've made it to Zagan An absolutely picturesque town in the middle of nowhere filled with amazingly old trees beautiful rivers and lakes stone buildings... and not a word of English to be seen We managed to find our way from the desertedlooking train station to our accommodation a converted granary situated lakeside next to a beautiful green park filled with massive lime trees bir http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Poland/blog-198479.html After three delicious days in Berlin we are on the move again. Currently on board Zug 241 from Berlin to Krakow we are heading to Zagan in Poland to visit the Museum of Allied Prisoners of War Martyrdom Stalag Luft III where my Herorsquos grandfather was a POW during the last part of WWII. We are happy to be on the train again as both Keira and I have fallen in love with train travel and http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/District-of-Berlin/Berlin/blog-198475.html Today was quite disastrous. Poor Carly had dramas trying to pick up our train tickets to Ulaanbaatar and the rest of us got worried when she didnrsquot turn up at our meeting spot the bus station for ages. When she arrived still without the tickets she and Chrisy decided to skip the Wall in order to sort out the ticket issues while Hero and I went on ahead. So Hero and I ventured out on o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/Great-Wall-of-China/blog-192882.html We had a late start this morning taking our time to recover from the process of making our way from Vietnam and relishing in the comfort of our first real bed in a couple of days. We headed out at about 11 into central Beijing to the main shopping strip. We visited a really flash and absolutely massive shopping centre on Wangfujing St the best part was definitely finding a Transformers Disp http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-192881.html Getting the cheapest flights to Beijing from Vietnam meant having to make a few more stops along the way the overnight at Singapore and then another domestic flight within Chinahellip three flights all up to travel only about 7 hours The result of this process meant that we spent most of the last 36 hours in airportshellip today we have been hanging out at Guangzhou airport mostlyhellip w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-192880.html Having crossed another time zone and with one more to come we are currently sitting in transit at Riga International Airport Latvia waiting for our flight to Berlin Germany. After a late night last night we woke fairly early to organise our gear and repack ready for a day of travelling. So far all has gone to plan despite having to negotiate our way to St Petersburgrsquos international http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Latvia/Riga/blog-192479.html What can we say We love it here. We have walked all over the city heading out at about 10 in the morning and not returning until 12 or 1 at night the sun doesn't set here until 11.30 so more daylight means more walking... and we spent three days at the Hermitage. Definitely not enough time... We are leaving tomorrow and are both feeling a little forlorn as we are wishing that we could stay http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Saint-Petersburg/blog-192476.html We are now in St Petersburg and travelled here on the overnight train last night without Carly and Chrisy. When Carly and Chrisy met us at Jaggernath last night we discovered that they hadnrsquot had quite the dream day in Moscow that we had. Carlyrsquos passport along with her other ID her credit cards her cash and other valuables has been lost andor stolen at the train station. Also http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Saint-Petersburg/blog-192473.html After four nights and four days on the train from Irkutsk having travelled around 7000 kms and having crossed 5 time zones we have finally arrived in Moscow stinky overfed and showing early but distinct signs of cabin fever but incredibly excited to be here Thanks to our previous train trips we all felt as if we had got our lsquotrain legsrsquo and it was with this new confidence tha http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Moscow/blog-192466.html Wow. We have just spent four days in the Siberian kind of... technically Russian I think but 'Siberian' sounds a lot more impressive wilderness... hiking in the Sayan Mountains situated near Lake Baikal about 70ks outside Irkustsk. The mountains were like heaven after the cramped and stuffy though incredibly enjoyable confines of our train kupe the air was pure and beautiful to breathe http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Siberia/Irkutsk/blog-192457.html Well they let us in After 7 or 8 hours at the border first on the Mongolian side at Sukhbaatar and then on the Russian side at Naushki we were finally accepted along with the rest of the train as being worthy of leaving Mongolia and entering Russian territory. Very generous of them It was a long few hours waiting in sweltering heat as the Russian guards told us that we must have our http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Mongolia/blog-192449.html Wersquore currently in Singapore Airport Changi we arrived this afternoon at 345pm and fly out tomorrow morning at 620am headed for Beijing via Guangzhou. Given the short time between flights wersquove decided to hang out at the airport for the nighthellip itrsquos cheaper than paying for accommodation and transfers and at least we know wersquoll definitely get to our flight on http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/Changi/blog-189275.html We left Australia notquiteorganised for recording our adventures and as yet havenrsquot caught up on our blogging for the early part of our trip. So for now we have only pictures of Vietnam to share and a promise that we will complete our Vietnam blog as soon as we get the chance. And therersquos probably a lot to write as we both loved Vietnam and left it wishing that we could have http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Southeast/Ho-Chi-Minh-City/blog-189261.html One week before we set off on our longawaited journey overseas we enjoyed an 8day adventure in the Snowy Mountains with my Hero's mother Deborah good friend Kirsty and her son Ethan... and it was a beautiful way to say au revoir to our gorgeous home country. Throughout our time in the Snowy Mountains we had two magnificent days of fresh snow that provided a wonderful and fast foundatio http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Snowy-Mountains/blog-178723.html