The Purple Penguin

The last pre-trip update!

First, it has been pointed out to me that I need to state that although Joe’s name is on the reports, it is me that actually writes them. Not that it makes loads of difference as he tells me what he’d like me to write and the entry is approved by him before publishing.

Second, we can both now be reached on my web address: kwilliamsatpostmaster.co.uk
Please don’t use other e-mail addresses as we won’t be checking those til we get back in June.

Third, a blatant advert for Karrimore and YHA in London. The rucksack didn’t get out to be mended until late last week so it isn’t done. However, they have loaned us a 65l rucksack for the trip – with the condition that we take a picture of it in a crocodile’s mouth. So now we have to find a crocodile somewhere along the Trans-Mongolian railway! Not only have they loaned us a rucksack, free of charge, because Joe’s isn’t done, when they learned I had a list of stuff to get they asked for the list and ran about the shop getting the stuff for us. If they didn’t have it, they told us where we could get it and gave us directions! Excellent service.

And an advert for the Japan Centre in London. Went in today to get our flight tickets and Japan Rail pass. While the assitant organised our tickets I mentioned to Joe that we should ask him what not to miss in Japan. So he organises our tickets, gets our air tickets, sells us two Japan passes, then gets up and brings us a huge stack of information! Most of which we can’t take because it’s just too heavy; however, there are two excellent booklets with information that will definitely come in handy and several really nice maps. So we’re now set for Japan.

So up early tomorrow morning (very early). We’ll change in Brussels and Cologne tomorrow and will arrive in Moscow on Saturday morning at 0908 local time. I may not get a chance to do an update from the train so the next update will probably be Monday!

Joe 16:48