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Ordinary Train VS Special Trains
Ordinary Train VS Special Trains
Most of my student days and my salary life I was in the train to go to my study or to go to my work. In The Netherlands the trains are comfortable which made it easy for me to study and work somewhere else than in Utrecht where I lived most of my student days and salary life. A step further are the trains to Germany very neat and comfortable. I went to a lot of German cities to see the Christmas market being built, so I know. This blog I am dedicating to the trains I traveled in the foreign that are different from normal trains. They differ, because of the length of the trip or the landscape they go through and/or the equipment on board.
Nariz Del Diablo
Nariz Del Diablo
I was traveling through Ecuador in 2007, when I stopped at Alusie for the famous and at that moment the only train running in Ecuador, Nariz del Diablo (Duivelsneus/ Devil's nose). It covers only 12 km, but it takes a lot of time. The train is called Nariz del Diablo, because it climbs zigzagging (zigzaggend) the mountain Nariz del Diablo. The views are spectacular, but that is not all. Be prepared for a train that is not a train. It is a bus on rails. Some people sit on the roof of the bus train, but that is a bit dangerous. I stayed in the bus train and could see and follow everything happening in and around the train. Sometimes the driver had to get out of the train to check the rails and change some technical things. It looks from way back before the Industrial time, but it is worth it. Oh and don't forget it is South America so don't expect the train to leave on time and be back on time.
Trans Siberia Express
Trans Siberia Express
I read about the Trans Siberia Express and saw on television travels with the Trans Siberia Express. A travel that seemed far away, nice and one to dream about. In 2010 it became through after some hurdles. I first booked with another travel company and I would had stopped at Jekaterinenburg, but there weren't enough people for the travel group to get a go. Their advice was rebook with them in the summer vacation which was certain to leave or go with another travel company which was sure to travel at the time I wanted to make this travel trip. I booked with the other company and started my visa procedure for 3 countries (Russia, Mongolia and China). The travel agent got me the invite letters necessary to have travel stops in Russia. My Trans Siberia Express started in Moscow and had one stop at the Baikal lake, Irkutsk to get on the train to Mongolia. I can say that the Trans Siberia Express doesn't differ much from the Trans Mongolia Express.
Trans Mongolia Express
Trans Mongolia Express
My Trans Siberia Express was from Moscow to Irkutsk and my Trans Mongolia Express was from Irkutsk, Russia to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The trains Trans Mongolia Express and Trans Siberia Express don't differ much, except for the route. Life in these two trains is the same. I was in second class in both trains (2010), which meant four bunk beds in a cabin. During the day everybody sat on the lower two bunk beds and at night the upper two were opened so everybody could sleep. The conductor is called provodnik in Russian and is the one overseeing the cabins in her or his carriage. The provodnik is the one also standing in the door when the train is leaving, be quick otherwise running along the train is necessary to get in before it speeds away. That is not all there is hot water on tap to eat noodles and boiled potatoes all day. The potatoes can be bought from the babushkas at the stations. There isn't much happening in the train. It is necessary to be able to read, watch the landscape of Siberia with permafrost go by, talk to the persons in my cabin, make pictures, eat some more noodles or have tea. That is all that is happening in the Trans Siberia and Trans Mongolia Express!
Indian Pacific
Indian Pacific
The Indian Pacific train goes from Perth to Sydney through Adelaide and Broken Hill. I got on this train in Adelaide after being a month in Southern Australia including Kangaroo Island. My next destination in Australia was the touristic part of Australia, starting in Sydney the end point of the Indian Pacific. I chose to travel to the endpoint to see the Blue Mountains from the train. I had to travel back with another train to visit the Blue Mountains where I was staying the first days of 2014! Yes I was on the Indian Pacific New Years Eve of 2013 and New year’s day of 2014. I was in second class and had lots of leg space in the train, which was fantastic. Also on this train not much happening like on the Trans Siberia Express and Trans Mongolia Express. I even slept through the year transition from 2013 to 2014. The highpoint of this train wasn't on the train, but at the Broken Hill stop. Normally shops are open and the train stays there for a while, but this time most of the shops were closed and I had to wait a bit longer for the train to carry on because of security reasons. Like most other travelers I went to see the city around the station out of curiosity, but was shocked by the street names of the streets in the city center and around the station. Like most of the other travelers I preferred waiting in the station after discovering that the shops were closed and the names of the streets.
The TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine
Most travelers prefer to have a round trip from Christchurch with the TranzAlpine, because then they can see both sides of the TranzAlpine without having to turn their head. I chose to get on the TranzAlpine at Greymouth, a grey industrial city, and cross the alps to get to the other side of South New Zealand without having to travel through Queenstown. I wanted to see Christchurch, because it was the city that was being rebuilt, occupational deformity (beroepsdeformatie). The Alps were a treat for my eyes. The train had large windows at both sides and chairs that could turn. I could see the Alps go by for hours. The only thing in the way of the train was the disaster caused by the earthquake of 2011. A short part I had to get out of the train, the Arthur Pass. The train would go on with only the driver on it, because it was to dangerous to have travelers on board. I got on a bus with the other travelers and went through the alps to the next station to get on the train again. The bus ride was spectacular on small roads seeing valleys, gorges and rivers. My eyes were spoiled with all the beautiful nature of the Alps between Greymounth and Christchurch. It was an abrupt transition to the reality of Christchurch in 2014. An abandoned city with empty buildings in the state which the earthquake of 2011 left them. The citizens of Christchurch had two options keep on fighting with insurance companies or leave and built a life somewhere else. The museum Quake City was a must for me when visiting Christchurch to get the city and the state it was in (2014).
Related blogs on my website
Related blogs on my website
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