Hong Kong. A city of man made glass and steel mountains. The journey starts here.

As you travel the 24 hours between Hong Kong and Beijing, the most powerful impression is the staggering size of the unheard of cities, and the vastness of the Yellow River Basin.

The endless bread basket of China

My train to Ulaanbaatur is up there... somewhere. A vast huge intimidating train station. I felt a very long way from home.

Very quickly after leaving Beijing the train climbs relentlessly into the mountains that exit into Inner Mongolia. It is in these mountains the Great Wall of China is found.

Very quickly on the train you become aware of the heating system. It is a coal fired boiler. The smell of burning coal is all pervading. Each carriage has a guard and his major job is to keep the boiler working, and the hot water available. The night the boiler failed was absolutely freezing. At minus 25 outside, I needed to wrap up.

Inner Mongolia. A tough landscape.

Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia

A stop along the way. Inside looking out.

A stop along the way. Outside looking in

Inner Mongolia

The climb up into the hills that surround Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatur: Rush hour.

Ulaanbaatar Station: Waiting for the Trans Mongolian Express. 3000 miles up that line is Moscow.

Moscow calling. The Trans Mongolian Express...

Evening light catches the suburbs of Ulaanbaatar.

Evening Thunderstorms in Northern Mongolia

Frozen Lake Baikal

Frozen Lake Baikal

Fishing Hut: Lake Baikal

Tea and Light

Irkustk

Novosibirsk

Passing ships

The Trans Mongolian meets the Trans Siberian

Ice Flowers on the inside of the carriage

The land of the Gulag. An endless frozen forest East of Novosibirsk

Moscow

My hotel... and a bath!

Leaving

Day of the Tetacle dining car

Changing wheels for the third and final time

Berlin

St Pancras Station was opened in 1868 and is one of the wonders of Victorian engineering. It is a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic Architecture and one of the most elegant stations in the World. It has recently been refurbished to accommodate international train services; its history is a remarkable tale of decay, restoration and spectacular rebirth.... and, by far and away the most beautiful station between Hong Kong and London