The Big Trip
In May 2017, I undertook the trip of a lifetime - travelling Moscow to Beijing on the train. The trip took 6 weeks; the first part in St Petersburg and Moscow, I shared with my wife; the remaining 5 weeks were traveled by train. There was a 5-day stop-over in Chernobyl and 10-days in Mongolia
![](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/DSF2271-1_thumb.jpg)
![Church in Moscow](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip001_thumb.jpg)
Church in Moscow
![Red Square - May 8th - Snow](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip002_thumb.jpg)
Red Square - May 8th - Snow
![St. Basil's Cathedral - Moscow](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip003_thumb.jpg)
St. Basil's Cathedral - Moscow
![St Petersburg Metro](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip004_thumb.jpg)
St Petersburg Metro
![Writing Home - Avoto Station](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip005_thumb.jpg)
Writing Home - Avoto Station
![Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Station](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip006_thumb.jpg)
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Station
![Moscow Metro](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip007_thumb.jpg)
Moscow Metro
![Arbatskaya Metro Station](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip008_thumb.jpg)
Arbatskaya Metro Station
![Komsomatskaya Metro Station](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip009_thumb.jpg)
Komsomatskaya Metro Station
![The Trans-Siberian Railway](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip010_thumb.jpg)
The Trans-Siberian Railway
![The Trans-Siberian Railway - a busy rail system](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip011_thumb.jpg)
The Trans-Siberian Railway - a busy rail system
![Sunrise](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip012_thumb.jpg)
Sunrise
![Nothing to do for hours except look at the other trains!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip013_thumb.jpg)
Nothing to do for hours except look at the other trains!
![Perm 36 - Gulag prison](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip014_thumb.jpg)
Perm 36 - Gulag prison
![Another station in the middle of the night](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip015_thumb.jpg)
Another station in the middle of the night
![Listvyanka Museum Retro Park](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip016_thumb.jpg)
Listvyanka Museum Retro Park
![Listvyanka Museum Retro Park](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip017_thumb.jpg)
Listvyanka Museum Retro Park
![Chernobyl Reactors 1 - 4](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/DSF2579_thumb.jpg)
Chernobyl Reactors 1 - 4
![Gas Masks Store](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip018_thumb.jpg)
Gas Masks Store
![Pripyat Phone Box](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip019_thumb.jpg)
Pripyat Phone Box
![Hairdressing Salon - Pripyat Services Centre](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip020_thumb.jpg)
Hairdressing Salon - Pripyat Services Centre
![The Swimming Pool](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip021_thumb.jpg)
The Swimming Pool
![The Ferris Wheel](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip022_thumb.jpg)
The Ferris Wheel
![Pripyat Amusement Park](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip023_thumb.jpg)
Pripyat Amusement Park
![School #3 Kindergarten](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip024_thumb.jpg)
School #3 Kindergarten
![The Gas Masks Room](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/DSF2627_thumb.jpg)
The Gas Masks Room
![Kindergarten sleep area](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip025_thumb.jpg)
Kindergarten sleep area
![Surreal image posed by another photographer](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip026_thumb.jpg)
Surreal image posed by another photographer
![School of Music](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip027_thumb.jpg)
School of Music
![The Music Hall](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip028_thumb.jpg)
The Music Hall
![Pripyat Cultural Centre](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip029_thumb.jpg)
Pripyat Cultural Centre
![Cooling Towers Grafitti](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip030_thumb.jpg)
Cooling Towers Grafitti
![Pripyat Central Square Grafitti](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip031_thumb.jpg)
Pripyat Central Square Grafitti
![At the Hospital](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip032_thumb.jpg)
At the Hospital
![Vehicle Graveyard](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip033_thumb.jpg)
Vehicle Graveyard
![Industrial Left-overs](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip034_thumb.jpg)
Industrial Left-overs
![Mongolia Storm Clouds](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip036_thumb.jpg)
Mongolia Storm Clouds
![Car travelling through Gobi at sunset](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip037_thumb.jpg)
Car travelling through Gobi at sunset
![Gathering the herd at sunrise](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip038_thumb.jpg)
Gathering the herd at sunrise
![Herding - what Mongolian nomads do](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip039_thumb.jpg)
Herding - what Mongolian nomads do
![Moving them along](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip040_thumb.jpg)
Moving them along
![Female Goat Herder](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip041_thumb.jpg)
Female Goat Herder
![Relocating herd to summer pastures](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip042_thumb.jpg)
Relocating herd to summer pastures
![Taking a break](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip043_thumb.jpg)
Taking a break
![Getting the water](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip044_thumb.jpg)
Getting the water
![The Water Hole - a place to meet](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip045_thumb.jpg)
The Water Hole - a place to meet
![Camel Shearing](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip046_thumb.jpg)
Camel Shearing
![Goats at play](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip047_thumb.jpg)
Goats at play
!["Will ya look at yer man with the camera!"](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip048_thumb.jpg)
"Will ya look at yer man with the camera!"
![Mongols at play with incoming sandstorm](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip049_thumb.jpg)
Mongols at play with incoming sandstorm
![More herding](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip050_thumb.jpg)
More herding
![Young rider](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip051_thumb.jpg)
Young rider
![Children at play](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip052_thumb.jpg)
Children at play
![Horses at Khangoryn Els Sand Dunes](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip053_thumb.jpg)
Horses at Khangoryn Els Sand Dunes
![Nomad Family](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip055_thumb.jpg)
Nomad Family
!["There's still work to be done!"](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip056_thumb.jpg)
"There's still work to be done!"
![Milking the Yaks](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip057_thumb.jpg)
Milking the Yaks
![Herding the horses](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip058_thumb.jpg)
Herding the horses
![More herding the horses](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip059_thumb.jpg)
More herding the horses
![Lasooing a horse with he Urga](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip060_thumb.jpg)
Lasooing a horse with he Urga
![Herdsman with Urga](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip061_thumb.jpg)
Herdsman with Urga
![Catching a horse](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip064_thumb.jpg)
Catching a horse
![Still trying to catch that horse](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip065_thumb.jpg)
Still trying to catch that horse
![And the chase continues!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip066_thumb.jpg)
And the chase continues!
![Picking up the Urga while at full trot](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip067_thumb.jpg)
Picking up the Urga while at full trot
![Oops!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip068_thumb.jpg)
Oops!
![Never mind the man - is the horse OK?](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip069_thumb.jpg)
Never mind the man - is the horse OK?
![Oops - again](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip070_thumb.jpg)
Oops - again
![Another Oops](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip071_thumb.jpg)
Another Oops
![And another oops](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip072_thumb.jpg)
And another oops
![The last oops - I promise!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip073_thumb.jpg)
The last oops - I promise!
![See! It can be done!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip074_thumb.jpg)
See! It can be done!
![Horse refusing to be mounted](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip076_thumb.jpg)
Horse refusing to be mounted
![Volleyball](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip077_thumb.jpg)
Volleyball
![Time for tea](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip078_thumb.jpg)
Time for tea
![Father and daughter](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip079_thumb.jpg)
Father and daughter
![The naughty boy!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip080_thumb.jpg)
The naughty boy!
![Gobi Mirage](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip081_thumb.jpg)
Gobi Mirage
![Dead thing in the desert](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip082_thumb.jpg)
Dead thing in the desert
![Chinggis Square - Ulan Bator](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip083_thumb.jpg)
Chinggis Square - Ulan Bator
![Changing wheels on the train at the China border - photography prohibited](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip084b_thumb.jpg)
Changing wheels on the train at the China border - photography prohibited
![The Great Wall at Badaling](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip085_thumb.jpg)
The Great Wall at Badaling
![The Forbidden City](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip086_thumb.jpg)
The Forbidden City
![Another part of the Forbidden City](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip087_thumb.jpg)
Another part of the Forbidden City
![I got there before anyone sat down!](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip088_thumb.jpg)
I got there before anyone sat down!
![The Forbidden City in the centre of Beijing](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip089_thumb.jpg)
The Forbidden City in the centre of Beijing
![The Long Walk](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip090_thumb.jpg)
The Long Walk
![The Birds's Nest](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip091_thumb.jpg)
The Birds's Nest
![Another view of the Birds's Nest](https://amazon.clikpic.com/pmcgroder/images/Trip092_thumb.jpg)