heidiandrew's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member heidiandrew on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/heidiandrew en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:58:53 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com Last stop before Russia! — Tallinn, Estonia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1130505960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1130505960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1130505960/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:58:53 -0500 London to Sydney...
Tallinn, Estonia

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]]> A lift to Estonia... — Tallinn, Estonia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129986840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129986840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129986840/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:58:28 -0500 London to Sydney...
Tallinn, Estonia

After a few emails back and forth between Australia, Estonia and various internet cafes around the Baltics, we met up with a new friend Oliver and Ireene who drove (yes drove!!) us up to Tallinn (thanks for the lift!). Tallinn was another rest stop and had a beautiful medieval old town, plenty of tasty food and good company. We read in our guide book that you shouldn't try to keep up with a Russian when drinking vodka - This information came a day too late...
]]> Riga, the search for a 'Baltic Porter' continues — Riga, Latvia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129663560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129663560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129663560/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:58:02 -0500 London to Sydney...
Riga, Latvia

Very cool place to spend a few days, good bars and excellent cheap food (for those on a budget!). HIghlight for Andrew was finding a Baltic porter beer that he had been searching for...

Almost at the end of the middle leg of the trip, which means the last leg is not too far away... Russian nerves/anxiety, homecoming day dreams, reflection of the 6 months so far, bit sad but so exciting to be REALLY on the way home.
]]> The Baltics — Vilnius, Lithuania http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129317840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129317840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1129317840/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:57:33 -0500 London to Sydney...
Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnius, Andrew has been waiting for this to try the famous Baltic Porter beer. Well we failed but found a really nice chilled out city trying to shrug of the old USSR. We also did a lovely day trip to Trakai, an area covered in lakes, castles and Autumn colours.
]]> St Petersburg — St Petersburg, Russia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1130866080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1130866080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1130866080/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 19:26:13 -0500 London to Sydney...
St Petersburg, Russia

Wow! St Petersburg has been great. Beautiful architecture, Churches, Rivers, parks and Tons of History. We have also managed to have a bit of Vodka and Caviar...
]]> Home sweet home.... — Sydney, Australia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1134694920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1134694920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1134694920/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 02:23:51 -0500 London to Sydney...
Sydney, Australia

English on all the signs, scarily friendly duty free staff and customs officials, blue skies, posters of beaches and people enjoying good food, weather, wine and beer - Sydney airport was a smiling and happy welcome home...

There's a few pics of us after we found a the harbour, hairdresser, on Christmas day and NYE by the harbour bridge too.

So I guess now it's time to start procrastinating looking for one of those 'job' things... Mmmm apparently South America is nice this time of year, as are the Canadian mountains, African savannahs, pacific islands and...

Thanks for logging on every now and then, a happy and safe 2006 to you all xox
]]> First plane in 8 months... — Kualar Lumpur, Malaysia http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1135645260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1135645260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1135645260/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jan 2006 00:02:56 -0500 London to Sydney...
Kualar Lumpur, Malaysia

The hot and humidity was a killer, especially after -20 in Mongolia and only slightly better in China... And there were flies. After 3 years in the northern hemisphere it was quite a shock to be reminded of their annoying existence. But there was freshly squeezed tropical fruit juices and excellent cheap shopping.

First plane in 8 months felt kinda strange after so many trains, buses, cars, taxis, boats, ferries and long walks. Very surreal sitting at the airport knowing we would be seeing the 222nd day of our trip in Sydney...
]]> Shanghai — Shanghai, China http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1134176340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1134176340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1134176340/tpod.html Fri, 06 Jan 2006 23:56:15 -0500 London to Sydney...
Shanghai, China

Pretty much exhausted by now we (well Heidi really) was not up for roughing it anymore and we got the soft sleeper overnight train to Shanghai and booked into a posh hotel in Shnaghai. The grand foyer was one of those when in travelling clothes and a backpack you look around and think; 'we don't belong..'

Shanghai was a place where we were so close to home we couldn't be bothered doing much, but did manage to eat very well, see the Bund, go up the Grand Hyatt building to a fab night view and stroll through a colourful market (with a 'Kingdom of Eating').

Oh and Andrew's beard gradually disappeared, there's photos of the progression if you're up for a laugh...
]]> Xi'an - terracotta warriors... — Xi'an, China http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1133917080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1133917080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1133917080/tpod.html Fri, 06 Jan 2006 23:32:08 -0500 London to Sydney...
Xi'an, China

Xi'an was a good break from Beijing's never-ending hugeness, even though it was still a huge city, it had old ancient city walls and traditional streets with markets and food. The pollution however was disgusting, only about 400m visibility.

Also saw temples and hot springs, and of course the Terracotta warriors from here which were amazing to see, even got the book signed by the old farmer who reported his discovery to the government(they had to teach him to write his name for the autographs). The size of the pits are hard to comprehend and the work that has gone into piecing together the soldiers is amazing.
]]> CHINA! — Beijing, China http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1133422860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1133422860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidiandrew/journey-2005/1133422860/tpod.html Fri, 06 Jan 2006 23:01:12 -0500 London to Sydney...
Beijing, China

We arrived in Beijing after a fairly painless border crossing from Mongolia (only 7 hours!)- although the train had to change it's wheels to a different gauge, and each carriage was individually lifted up inside a shed, passengers still on board while the changes were made, quite cool to see.

The trek from London to Beijing saw us collectively shed 32 kgs, however the much anticipated food of China saw us fly out of Shanghai with another 13kg extra. Ooh it was goooooooood food.

5 days in Beijing was probably not enough but managed to eat Beijing duck several times, see Tianamen Square, the Forbidden City, Summer Palace (I'm sure it IS more pleasant in summer), the Great Wall, Kung Fu, see Mao (same unreal waxy appearance as Lenin), eat odd things at a food market, drink fancy tea and get excited about almost being in the same time zone as the east coast of Australia...
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