Doing the Trans-Siberian in a couple weeks and looking for some ideas for things to do
we already have cards, books, dice, vodka, but what is a good way to occupy our time, any thoughts?
Reply to this that is one of the ideas already included, haha thanks though
Reply to this me and myself and perhaps i will show up 😉 we are a traveling group of MBA students, next stop is china from poland... so train seems like a good way to get there
Reply to this I've got a Nintendo DS. It's great for occupying yourself on long journeys.
Reply to this We did the Transmongolian last year. We took lots of games, etc., like you but, apart from cards and chess - which we played with the chinese/mongolian/russian/ american/european tourists - there was too much else to do to be bored.
John
Reply to this Make sure you have one of the guidebooks that gives a km-by-km commentary of the route (get the Trailblazer one so that you have an alternative to the Lonely Planet one that everyone else will have). You're also never going to have a better opportunity to plough through something like "War and Peace" - I got through "Crime and Punishment" between just Krasnoyarsk and Yekaterinburg, so "War and Peace" is definitely achievable for the full journey.
You might want to learn a bit of Russian beforehand (if you don't know any already) as you will no doubt encounter plenty of locals who'll be interested in a chat or at least an exchange of food. Or, if you want a greater challenge, learn a bit of Mandarin for when you get to the other end.
Any reason why you're not stopping off along the way? It seems a shame to travel the length of Russia without spending a bit of (stationary) time there.
Reply to this Thanks, i picked up "managerialism's and its discontents"... along with the other four of us all have another book to swap with. Our group is pretty blessed with languages, thankfully - polish, english, german, spanish, chinese, and some russian -- unfortunately i am not one with russian or chinese so i should do some minor learning.
This trip for me starts in Warsaw (living now), then to Kiev and Chernobyl, to Moscow (probably day trip to vladamir or suzdal) then we stop in Irkutsk and a few days around Baykal lake, then to Ulaanbaatar, Kharkhorin, desert, national park, and such... then to Beijing and to Dalian, China (where i will be living next)
Reply to this Talk to everyone on the train and hear their stories. You can play games when you get back home!
Reply to this Read Paul Theroux's account of travelling on it in the seventies - The Great Railway Bazaar.
Reply to this If you speak some Russian or run into Russians who speak some English, you'll end up talking with them for the entire trip 😊 Otherwise, drink tea, read, and look out of the window. Either way, I'm insanely jealous of your upcoming trip!
Reply to this thanks for all the info! I went with the communist manifesto / the master and the margarita - many games of cards and many many many bottles of vodka
the train was interesting, especially the first 5 days in 3rd class, overall the trip was GREAT - just finished it with 8 days in mongolia
Reply to this Really depends on where you are and the train you are aboard. If I am on the run from Germany to Holland then I am looking out the window at the multitude of castles that you will see on that trip, If I am going up the East Coast of the USA to New England, I sleep.
Reply to this bring anything that would occupy you time.. bring PSP or nintendo.. or an ipod whatever you wish just to make you feel not bored.
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