off peak traveler: trans-mongolian train

a journey within a journey, we booked the 'Vodka train' tour from Australia
here is a selection of photos from the journey from Beijing, through Mongolia, to Russia

DAY 1 - Trans-Mongolian train, Beijing, China

if you have the choice, stay on the train during the changing of the bogies, border crossing, China - Mongolia

it was kind of fun being lifted into the air (and not even realising it), but not so fun being shunted around. they should warn you about that

DAY 2 - local train station, Mongolia

American coffee mix on the Trans-Mongolia, quite ok

shipping containers on the back of a Russia train in Mongolia

housing 'ger' estate, Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Chingus Chan, just don't call him Gengis, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

DAY 3 - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

pouring tea, inside a temple, Mongolia

DAY 4 - Ovoo (a type of Shamanistic ceremonial cairn) capture in Mongolia

nomads herding their cattle across the land, Mongolia

traditional ger tent door, Mongolia

a nomad sits and contemplates Turtle rock, Mongolia

during a visit to a nomad lady's home we shared milk tea and sweet cakes. outside her ger tent, she showed us her milking techniques, Mongolia

nomad family, Mongolia

refraction of moonlight from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere create a ring around the moon in Mongolia

DAY 5 - overnight on the Trans-Mongolian then a change to the Trans-Siberian our train engine stands alone, where are our carriages?!

DAY 7 - early morning arrival in Irkutsk before a bus ride to see the ice and water line at Lake Baikal, Russia

pretty shutters, Lake Baikal, Russia

DAY 8 & 9 - an afternoon & overnight in Irkutzk, before the four day train journey to Moscow. this was a decommissioned train from Soviet days at one of the stops