Monday, November 22, 2004
russia to china, the long way.
and so phase 3 complete. Overland from one corner of Russia to the other corner of China. From the grey and cold of St Petersburg to the glitz and neon of Hong Kong.
the statistical roll call? well, the entire 9,000km took us 227, give or take a couple, hours. 192 of those hours were spent on trains, 34 hours on buses and finally an hour on a ferry. 16 stages in all. The longest stretch was 75 hours from Moscow to Irkutsk and the shortest, 1 hour from Macau to Hong Kong.
China we loved, Mongolia we went to at the wrong time of year, and Russia.... well, we only wished they'd smiled a bit more.
From here we fly to Kathmandu, via 45 minutes in Thailand, for 3 months in the Indian Sub-Continent.
Voting is still open in the great painting debate, but with all the usual suspects - plus a few new welcome additions - having casted their votes, it seems that we are in a position to declare a draw. 4-4 at the last count.
Belated anniversary wishes to Marsha and Bryan and even more belated to Janet and Graham.
In a vague attempt to make sure we aren't forgotten, everyone (at least all those we have addresses for) should be expecting a Christmas card. Half of you should get yours next week as it is being sent airmail. The other half shouldn't expect anything till at least Easter - as yours went surface mail. Why the difference? - it's a long and boring story but regular devotees of the site wouldn't be wrong if they detected the whiff of budget concerns about it... So either too late or too early - you can't win.
Anyone keen to return the gesture can post to Peter Wylie (or Courtney Middleton) c/o poste restante, GPO, MI Road, Jaipur, India. No items of any value (save all cash gifts and offers of lodging till you see us on our return to the UK), no playing silly monkeys with my name (if the name on the envelope doesn't match the passport then they won't surrender the goods to us), and don't delay, as our schedule may change and we may be there rather sooner than expected.
Till the next time..
the statistical roll call? well, the entire 9,000km took us 227, give or take a couple, hours. 192 of those hours were spent on trains, 34 hours on buses and finally an hour on a ferry. 16 stages in all. The longest stretch was 75 hours from Moscow to Irkutsk and the shortest, 1 hour from Macau to Hong Kong.
China we loved, Mongolia we went to at the wrong time of year, and Russia.... well, we only wished they'd smiled a bit more.
From here we fly to Kathmandu, via 45 minutes in Thailand, for 3 months in the Indian Sub-Continent.
Voting is still open in the great painting debate, but with all the usual suspects - plus a few new welcome additions - having casted their votes, it seems that we are in a position to declare a draw. 4-4 at the last count.
Belated anniversary wishes to Marsha and Bryan and even more belated to Janet and Graham.
In a vague attempt to make sure we aren't forgotten, everyone (at least all those we have addresses for) should be expecting a Christmas card. Half of you should get yours next week as it is being sent airmail. The other half shouldn't expect anything till at least Easter - as yours went surface mail. Why the difference? - it's a long and boring story but regular devotees of the site wouldn't be wrong if they detected the whiff of budget concerns about it... So either too late or too early - you can't win.
Anyone keen to return the gesture can post to Peter Wylie (or Courtney Middleton) c/o poste restante, GPO, MI Road, Jaipur, India. No items of any value (save all cash gifts and offers of lodging till you see us on our return to the UK), no playing silly monkeys with my name (if the name on the envelope doesn't match the passport then they won't surrender the goods to us), and don't delay, as our schedule may change and we may be there rather sooner than expected.
Till the next time..
// posted by courtney and pete @ 13:39 
Comments:
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Well it's a shame that despite all this continent-hopping you're horizons haven't expanded enough to get your grammar, spelling and tenses correct. I see it's even rubbed off on the wife. Anyway, don't hurry back as by the time you get here everything will be illegal. Including the right to wear yellow t-shirts. Still, you'll be alright as plod will be too busy chasing hunts to see if foxes are being flushed out for pest control reasons by no more than two dogs (the drink, hopefully). Still maybe the huntsman will be arrested for having an oily down the battle cruiser instead.
And don't forget your id card......
And don't forget your id card......
Well it's a shame that despite all this continent-hopping you're horizons haven't expanded enough to get your grammar, spelling and tenses correct. I see it's even rubbed off on the wife. Anyway, don't hurry back as by the time you get here everything will be illegal. Including the right to wear yellow t-shirts. Still, you'll be alright as plod will be too busy chasing hunts to see if foxes are being flushed out for pest control reasons by no more than two dogs (the drink, hopefully). Still maybe the huntsman will be arrested for having an oily down the battle cruiser instead.
And don't forget your id card......
And don't forget your id card......
Right, well, I've clearly missed a few tricks here, but I'm back on-(the yellow t-shirt trail)-line. I havent voted in the great painting debate. No question my vote goes to Ms Love.
You may ask why (or you might not care). Anyway, I've just realised that yellow T-shirt shortens to YTS, which is where Pete's painting skills must have come from.
The one condition for my vote, that Ms L burns the YTS and buys Pete a new one in Kathmandu (even your budget should stretch to Nepali prices!)
Will - many thanks for both comments, although I suspect there must be some senility creeping in since the wedding - no need to repeat yourself old man!! Someone get him a brandy...
Keitho / Bear
You may ask why (or you might not care). Anyway, I've just realised that yellow T-shirt shortens to YTS, which is where Pete's painting skills must have come from.
The one condition for my vote, that Ms L burns the YTS and buys Pete a new one in Kathmandu (even your budget should stretch to Nepali prices!)
Will - many thanks for both comments, although I suspect there must be some senility creeping in since the wedding - no need to repeat yourself old man!! Someone get him a brandy...
Keitho / Bear
# posted by 
: 1:16 pm
: 1:16 pm
Bear - yeah not sure what happened there, it posted twice. I think after Pete failed creative writing and art on his YTS, he turned his hand to IT. Then it was back to the labour exchange....
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