Finally, late in the evening we arrived in China. Well, maybe I should not write "finally" because the journey didn't seem to be too long and I could have continued the train trip still for some days.

( arrived in Beijing... )

 

Finally, we crossed the border and continued our trip. The landscape changed, less green and much much more sand...

( one day in Mongolia... )

Early in the morning we arrived in the Lake Baikal area. The lake view opened after a tunnel and was something different. There are very few lakes along this railway.

 

Fishermen trying to catch some fish. The lake was still frozen but close the beach there were open waters.

( Lake Baikal... )

 

Novosibirsk, Krasnojarsk, Angarsk, Irkutsk...

( the journey continues through Siberian landscapes... )

 

In Moscow we hopped on a Chinese train that was going to be our "home" till Beijing.

( Train... )

A herd of Russian souvenir dolls. Which one does not belong to the group?

 

( Moscow... )

Day one.

I started my trip from Tampere by a local train to Helsinki from where the adventure was truly going to begin. The map shows the route. The Russian train "Tolstoi" was waiting for us.

 

( more... )

Everything is packed. Ivan and I are ready to go - Beijing, here we come!

I have a plan. Next April, I have a chance to travel to China through Russia and via Mongolia - by train! I'm so excited.
( map... )