Trans-Siberian Railway


Alas, no :(

Thanks friend for your encouragement!!
You'll have plenty of awesome portrait pics besides your landscapes soon! Hehe ;)

Nice tilt-shift pics from the S95. So was it repairable?

Already seen the photos as I have been following your trip on your blog. Just to say again, awesome pics bro!
 

I think figures will vary widely depending on your style of travel. I find food the most expensive part relative to accomm and transport.
Also, since its part of a longer trip, I'll exclude airfares, although my 1-way tix from SG to Beijing cost S$495
My total expenditure, including the international trains/bus for 28D is abt S$2200

This seems like an inexpensive way to travel from Beijing to London, crossing central Asia and Europe. Which are the countries that the train passed by and stop?

I am interested in making this travel and will stay tune to your thread.
 

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This seems like an inexpensive way to travel from Beijing to London, crossing central Asia and Europe. Which are the countries that the train passed by?

I am interested in making this travel and will stay tune to your thread.
The Trans-Siberian Rail technically refers to Moscow-Vladivostok route. Now it also refers to Moscow-Beijing, via Mongolia (Trans-Mongolian) or Northeast China (Trans-Manchurian). So basically, the rail travel across Russia, a large part being Siberia, hence trans Siberia ;)
From Moscow down to central Europe/London, there are of course trains. But I will not be covering here. For more info on train travel, check out Seat61,
http://www.seat61.com/Trans-Siberian.htm

And like I say, some pple do it alot more ex, the food u eat, the trains u take, and the places u stay. YMMV
 

After crossing the Ural mountains, I made another "detour" off the main Trans-Siberian line to Kazan, capital city of the Republic of Tartarstan Russia. Also known as the 'Istanbul of Russia', it certainly sounds interesting.

The Tartars in Kazan are from a Turkic ethnic group, and in the city, churches and mosques stand side-by-side.

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And the city's pride, its Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Many of the city's architecture though, appears European it seems.

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But unfortunately, my Canon S95, barely a month old, fell and become damaged. A little gem that I have come to rely on so much...

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But unfortunately, my Canon S95, barely a month old, fell and become damaged. A little gem that I have come to rely on so much...

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now it is your modified tilt shift. just like some ppl downgrade their D70 for IR.
 

now it is your modified tilt shift. just like some ppl downgrade their D70 for IR.
Eh, it is spoilt.. the lens can't retract and when the cam detects that, it refuse to work... :(
 

Eh, it is spoilt.. the lens can't retract and when the cam detects that, it refuse to work... :(

time for u to change to abstract photography. maybe u do lomo style and swirl your cam with slow shutter speed.

but then s95 not too expensive rite? got more horror stories of cam drop into river etc. and the bad ones are whole camera bag missing.
 

haha, I am clueless at lomo and abstract stuff!

s95 is one of the more expensive compacts!
yeah, of course there r more horror stories - just lamenting that it happened so early (it was barely a month old!)

time for u to change to abstract photography. maybe u do lomo style and swirl your cam with slow shutter speed.

but then s95 not too expensive rite? got more horror stories of cam drop into river etc. and the bad ones are whole camera bag missing.
 

Well, disappointing or not, the trip must go on. Another overnight train, and I arrived in Moscow!! The morning light filtering into the station

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The Moscow Metro station-hopping can be considered one of the attractions, as some of the stations are wonderfully designed/decorated

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And as evening descends, a walk by the river provides some nice setting

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And the streets as well..

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And what is Russia without an obligatory pic of these dolls?...

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Guard outside the Kremlin walls

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And of course, almost the icon of Moscow, the St Basil Cathedral

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I am planning for a trip too. How do u get the visa? Is it easier to do it here or in Beijing?
 

And a pano of the Red Square.
Sorry for the poor stitching; think I accidentally shifted or adjusted the setting when taking the pics

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I am planning for a trip too. How do u get the visa? Is it easier to do it here or in Beijing?
I did it here since there's a embassy/consulate here. The key is the Letter of Invitation, of which the easiest is to buy one online. Check out the Seat61 website I mentioned which provide some links to get one.
 

I did it here since there's a embassy/consulate here. The key is the Letter of Invitation, of which the easiest is to buy one online. Check out the Seat61 website I mentioned which provide some links to get one.


thanks!

I got a letter of invitation for Ukraine for last year and the previous but did not take it due to my travel schedule. What a waste. I hope i m invited again this year

I was waiting for the letter but it came late. I already booked a ticket for slovakia and could not wait. What a waste as slovakia is next to ukraine.

In short, it is very troublesome to visit countries in which visas are needed. :)
 

haha, I am clueless at lomo and abstract stuff!

s95 is one of the more expensive compacts!
yeah, of course there r more horror stories - just lamenting that it happened so early (it was barely a month old!)

yah, true. i will feel extra heart pain if anything happen to my panasonic GF1. i spent quite a sum on the accessories as well, went through a lot just in order to get what i want from europe, japan and korea. if i get lees 75mm GND filter set (which i have been holding off for a long time) for the compact, it will swell up the compact price more than the DSLR.
 

wah, what a waste indeed!

visas are troublesome but the LOIs are plain annoying!! :p

thanks!

I got a letter of invitation for Ukraine for last year and the previous but did not take it due to my travel schedule. What a waste. I hope i m invited again this year

I was waiting for the letter but it came late. I already booked a ticket for slovakia and could not wait. What a waste as slovakia is next to ukraine.

In short, it is very troublesome to visit countries in which visas are needed. :)
 

wah, whats so special abt these accessories must get from europe, japan, korea??!
As for Lees filter, I rather spend the money on travel ;p ;p

yah, true. i will feel extra heart pain if anything happen to my panasonic GF1. i spent quite a sum on the accessories as well, went through a lot just in order to get what i want from europe, japan and korea. if i get lees 75mm GND filter set (which i have been holding off for a long time) for the compact, it will swell up the compact price more than the DSLR.
 

lovely shots! would love to visit that entire area someday and will be planning it soon.. a very interesting place to visit, and thanks for sharing those pictures with us!
 

wah, whats so special abt these accessories must get from europe, japan, korea??!
As for Lees filter, I rather spend the money on travel ;p ;p

it's a chrome leitz brightline finder from ebay, a korean jnk leather jacket, and elastic wrist-band-type strap from roberu japan. the first and third have nothing similar to them on the market. i later found cheaper but still nice leather half case, but too bad already bought one.

it is a moment of vanity. it still is. and of cos, it doesn't help in producing better photographs in anyway... hahaha....

and i have long wanted a pistol type leather holster that isn't too thick for my DSLR. there is so far nothing on the market that suits my desire. the same goes for the hinge type lens cap that is available from optechusa only available up to the size of my 50mm lenses, dunno why such a good design they never made bigger ones, and should have a durable metallic one too. i find it very good to use but something others have hardly heard about.... hahaha....
 

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lovely shots! would love to visit that entire area someday and will be planning it soon.. a very interesting place to visit, and thanks for sharing those pictures with us!
Thanks thedarknight!
Hope that you'll visit soon!