Preparing

8 days till we go!!

Reg has organised the whole holiday via the internet.  The website "hostelworld" was brilliant for booking hostels in the various countries. There are no hostels in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan - you have to stay in hotels.

After 6 trips to London to get our visas (nightmare) we've finally got them all except Cambodia and Thailand, which we should be able to get on the border. The Russian visa was the hardest to get - first you have to get an organisation in Russia to invite you. Then it took about 2 weeks to get the visas from the time we sent off our passports.  This really set us back in getting the other visas.  A big mistake to apply for the Russian visa by post - all the rest we got in person.  The visas cost us a fortune.  Our train journey will take us to Belgium, Germany, Poland, the Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, Tibet, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, & Singapore - from where we will fly home - always supposing we finally get there!!  Cambodia will be by bus as no train where we are going.

We've had several injections, including Japanese Encephalitis.  No ill effects so far.  The website "fit for travel" tells you what injections are advisable and whether you need malaria tablets for the areas you are visiting.  We will need malaria tablets for part of our travels. In some countries, certain areas are malaria-free, other regions are high-risk.

What to pack?  When we come home I'll know what we should have taken and what we could have left behind.  As some of the trains could be iffy, I was advised by a seasoned traveller to take my own sheet sleeping bag - nothing like your own bedlinen next to your skin - could keep out all sorts of unthinkable germs!

Have bought Paraclens tablets - they are apparently really good at preventing sickness through eating food your stomach doesn't like!

I'll be packing teabags, travel mugs and a teaspoon - can't manage without my cuppa.  Whatever we take we have to consider the weight restriction on the flight home.  I may post home anything I buy that is bulky or heavy.

It's really strange to look at the calendar on my wall and see that there's nothing on it for the next 3 and a half months - it's like disappearing into a time pocket.

I know that more than once we are  3 days and 3 nights on a train.  How will I cope?  How will I wash my hair?!