Tag Archives: On The Rails

The Long Road Back To Yerevan

By Tom | Published: July 13, 2010
Coming home meant two things: a very long journey by public transport, and lugging an unwieldy collection of funny-shaped bags and bits of metal through a variety of cities in the summer heat. Choosing to travel exclusively by land meant that the excursion was really much more than just a bike ride in Mongolia. It [...]
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On The Rails – Sochi to Ulaanbaatar

By Tom | Published: May 23, 2010
As I write, it’s 5:30am in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Through the window of my host’s flat I can see the pale orange of the morning sun picking out the shapes of the new industrial complexes and apartment blocks that are sprouting at great speed. After a couple of years they will be crumbling, [...]
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Rain, Train and Pain – Yerevan to Sochi

By Tom | Published: May 18, 2010
Her familiar, tearful, smiling face was framed by the tinted window, then a silhouette, receding; finally she joined the flecked shapes swaying within the departing bus as it began its 24-hour journey to Tehran. I put my hands in my pockets and trudged towards the subway. For the next few days I would put loneliness [...]
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Mountain Biking Across Outer Mongolia

By Tom | Published: May 4, 2010
A couple of weeks ago, I went to watch Armenia play ice hockey. The match was part of the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships. Being a 3rd division group match, it featured countries not usually associated with winter sports – South Africa, North Korea, and on this occasion, Mongolia, who were promptly thrashed [...]
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Hitching Armenia to England – Ultralight Style

By Tom | Published: August 21, 2009
I arrived at my parents’ home in England nine days after I left my home in Armenia to try and hitch my way there. The trip began well, progressed through a lot of self-inflicted suffering, continued into ill health, and ended on a happy note. I have to be honest – it was a lot [...]
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