I’m on the IC147 (Inter-City) from Amsterdam to Berlin. It might lack a glamorous train name, but it feels to me like a good one – taking a pretty direct route east to my destination in a little over six hours. I’m used to getting the night train out of Holland, so very much enjoying a daytime alternative this year.

The IC147 isn’t a (high speed) ICE train, but a modern and efficient inter-city express. In first class the carriage has mini compartments of six seats. This is an interesting alternative to the anonymity of the open plan that I’m used to in the United Kingdom. Here people introduce themselves and chat a bit more. It also gives me the very slight feeling of what it must be like to be a POW escapee. I assume this is because in my mind all the WW2 films I have seen involving German trains have carriages like this. To be fair, I think this layout was once the fashion across both Great Britain and much of Europe.

A quick trip to the “Bordobistro” carriage doesn’t disappoint – a full menu, and best of all icy Erdinger beer served in immaculate tall and gleaming branded glasses. The manager pops by my compartment every now and again to take my order – not on a tablet device, but hand written on a beer mat. Old school!

I wasnt expecting it, but at the German border the locomotive was switched from a Dutch railways engine to a DB Bahn loco. It takes just ten minutes to change the crew, change the loco and set off again. The German conductor is very friendly and enthusiastic about her job. She speaks at least three languages. I feel just like I did whilst I was in Japan last year – rather embarrassed that my own country can’t run a railway of this quality. There seems to be a totally different culture and passion for getting it right, but that’s probably down to decades of investment in people and infrastructure.

I spend a couple of hours in the company of a Dutch chap who looks just like Mick Fleetwood. It could of course be that Mick Fleetwood does a brilliant Dutch accent impersonation and was having some fun at my expense. Whilst on the subject of music, I hope you like the subtle homage of the title of this post to Gerry Rafferty and his epic 1978 album of the same name.

I have fond memories of this journey when I used to be a man in a suit, but invairably my journeys would start at a crazy time in the early morning darkness and often finish late at night. But today the sun streamed through the windows of the coach and I sippled fizzy water whilst trying to remember what I might have forgotten to pack. The best I could come up with was some beard oil, so hopefully a good sign that I have indeed brought all the essentials in my overstuffed bag.

First class was full of inter-city shoppers and couples heading off on weekend breaks. They seemed to have few cares in the world, and drank gin and tonic whilst lazily reading the papers. A rather good smelling beef curry tricked my brain into thinking that I might actually be onboard the “International Express” from Bangkok to Penang (one of my favourite trains).

Having just whizzed past a sign pointing back the way I had come from saying “EDINBURGH 50 MILES”, I contemplated that I just had just 20055 km to go until arriving in Kowloon next month. But I was quickly jolted back into the present as the engine put on the brakes and we came to a halt in the outskirts of Berwick upon Tweed. Had Scotland decided not to let me go?

Only in the United Kingdom would the guard announce over the PA that “the PA is not working in all the carriages and if you can’t hear this I would like to apologise”.. A train had broken down in front of us, so we were held for an hour or so until we could switch tracks and “overtake”. As we passed the striken train I could not help but feel sorry for the miserable looking occupants, who I suspect were in for a long day.

As you approach Newcastle at this time of year all you see from the rails are swathes of houses brightly lit with more Christmas fairy lights than you would imagine the National Grid could power at one time. My night out in this fine city was a good one, and included being denied access to a Japanese nightclub as I was wearing my Trans-Siberian footwear. I tried to explain this to the ever friendly bouncer, but I think he just though I was a bit odd. I promised to return in my Crocs next time.

I spent the next day sheltering from the unforecast snow until it was time to get myself down to North Shields to board my ship, the DFDS “King Seaways”. The lady at the foot passenger check in looked a little condescendingly at my luggage. She clearly has not been to Asia via the North Sea before. Anyway she warmed a bit after a quick chat and checked me in to my cabin. Finally she handed me a map which she said would show me where to meet the bus to bring me back to the ferry in Imjuden. “I’m not coming back” I said, and before she could ask any further questions I walked off purposefully towards a big sign saying “TO SHIP”.

If you have read about past adventures on this blog, you will know how things work on the DFDS ferry between North Sheilds and Imjuden. On board the boat offers a tantalisting flavour of the Titanic, having a separate area for Commodore Class passengers, who have access to their own lounge. I have to say this is a worth while upgrade in my view, as it keeps you at arms length from the party goers who are on a so called “mini cruise”. My night was a peaceful one and I fell asleep in my slightly hot cabin fretting about forward travel problems that don’t actually yet exist.

I woke to a discrete tap on the door, and a friendly Philippino crew member served me breakfast. This was a rather strange part continental, part DFDS affair that I could not quite get tuned into.

Amsterdam looked welcoming in the sunshine. The Central station construction project looks now to be finally completed, after several year’s serious work. My top tip is to head up to platform 1 and use the range of bars, restaurants and lounges there – they are far better here than in any other part of the station.

I had just over an hour to wait before my connecting train, and spent it making the most of the facilities and fast wi-fi in the EuroCity lounge. Sadly there was no time to find my favourite Malay restaurant in the red light district on this visit to Amsterdam.

In passing there is a very high profile campaign at the moment warning visitors about the dangers of buying drugs on the street. As I understand, it’s a batch of dodgy white heroin as a substitute for cocaine. Even my bus driver tells me to go to a coffee shop for my drugs. If only she were to know that the purpose of my visit to Amsterdam was in fact Trans-Siberian exploration…

I spent much of the day on a few fairly mundane housekeeping tasks. These included using my new VPN app on the iPad to download the penultimate episode of “The Apprentice” (this possibly needs a whole post as much to my amazement, as its a bit of tech that works), uploading various blogs and treating myself to a rather fiery and pimped up Nasi Goreng “Nonya” in my favourite Malay place at the back of the red light district.

Amsterdam has been rebuilding its historic station for a long time now, and from what I can see it’s almost complete. What I discovered today is that it presents its best side to those using platform 2, the line that serves the German high speed trains to Frankfurt. Here you are treated to a choice of nice bars and coffee shops as well as a small but comfy first class lounge, all just a few feet from the platform. Perfect! In fact if you were new to Amsteram CentraaI, I would suggest just you forget about the rest of the station and hang out on platform 2 until your train is due to depart. Elsewhere in the station there is now a piano in the main concourse (which is free for anyone to play) and an ever wider choice of slightly weird Dutch snack foods in plastic boxes.

So just to update you on my progress. I took the East Coast train from Edinburgh down to Newcastle in the morning. A very smooth 90 minute journey. I travelled on the Aberdeen to Kings Cross train (seat 55, coach M for the log book), and there was a fine vista of sea views with a low winter sun peering over the hills behind me once we reached the Borders. Mrs Richards from “Fawtly Towers” would undoubtedly have been impressed, as any train closer to the sea would actually be in the sea.. “Toad in the Hole” was on the 1st Class menu, but I abstained as I was meeting an old friend for lunch in Newcastle.

I headed out to North Shields in the afternoon to catch the overnight DFDS ferry “M.V. King Seaways” to Imjuden. (Just in case you are a ship anorak, it used to be known as “M.V. The King of Scandinavia”). The ship is full of detailed models of the boat and I’m reminded of that scene in “The Spy Who Loved Me” where James Bond (Roger Moore, sans safari suit) suspiciously eyes up Herr Stromberg’s model of his latest supertanker (the one that swallows nuclear submarines). What a film – perhaps my personal favourite, as it is my favourite Bond and favourite Bond car. Don’t get me started, but if you were a small boy in 1977, seeing Q drive the Lotus Esprit off the ferry in Sardinia was pant wettingly exciting.

The boat is pretty comfy and has a mixed bunch of passengers, but on this trip mainly Dutch Christmas shoppers with bags of presents from various slightly dull British high street stores. I wonder how they market Newcastle as a glamourous mini cruise destination in Amsterdam?! Dutch men like a good smoke, and the decks have a gentle fog of rough shag and cheap cigars. No sign of the “Geordie Shore” community today, so they are either asleep in their cabins (unlikely) or out partying in Newcastle. I bet the DFDS marketing analysts have a proper segmentation of who travels when, but of course it’s a secret to you and I. I mention this as this time last year I recall someone actually managed to set fire to one of the cabins in an alcohol fuelled misadventure.

If you are wondering about “The Columbus Club”, sadly it’s not a secret explorers society but the ship’s main nightclub on deck 9. It’s well run and offers the possibility of a freshly made strawberry daiquiri or a half litre of foamy Heineken. I’m really only here to people watch, as this boat has a club within a club – a “deluxe” Commodore Club class with suites and a private lounge. I’m treating myself for not much cash and mindful that my next boat will be Korean, and I’m sharing a dorm room with seven other passengers in third class. I’m getting a bit mean in my old age and the £800 for a very simple private cabin with a mat on the floor felt totally wrong. More of the consequences of this decision to come in a few weeks time!

Finally, just in case I forget, just a note to thank you very much for reading my blog, and especially those who have managed to motivate and inspire me to crack on with this new route. Please do feel free to share it with anyone you think might like it..

(Apologies for some slightly rough formatting here – I’m trying to sort a few things out)

Well, its official – the winter timetable is now out and Europe now has even fewer night time express trains. From my point of view the main loss is the brilliant “Jan Kiepura” (EN447) from Amsterdam. It seems that Holland is now literally “A Bridge Too Far” from Germany and Poland – so I will have to get a train to Oberhausen where my Warsaw train now originates from. Why Oberhausen I have no idea – its not even as far away as Cologne… It feels a bit like travelling from Euston to Watford Junction on a train before being able to get on the sleeper train to Scotland..

Ah, that reminds me about “junctions” again – I mainly think of them as romantic places (as in Bhowani Junction). I will have to add Watford to my list of probably unromantic junctions. I caught Michael Portillo on the television the other day on one of his British train trips. He interviewed someone on the platform at Watford Junction who was evacuated from there to the countryside during WW2. Apparently of the 3 million children evacuated, a large number started their journey at Watford Junction. Just thought I would sure that junction fact with you!

First Class living on an ICE 3 train (courtesy of VagonWeb)

Oberhausen is actually only 1 hour 50 minutes away from Amsterdam (at 300 kph) so I am looking at this as a chance to enjoy Germany’s latest ICE 3 high speed train before getting on board the “Jan Kiepura” later in the evening. I have had a quick look online to familiarise myself with what Mark at Seat 61 says is “the most civilised train in Europe”. It looks quite comfy in First Class with most mod cons and even a forward facing panorama lounge with funky glass wall. Definitely the place to listen to some Kraftwork whilst speeding down the Rhine valley en route to Oberhausen. If by chance you are a train anorak, can I commend Wikipedia’s page on the ICE 3 (406)

I don’t seem to have too much left to do now after a busy month or so of organising. My passport has been doing the rounds over the last couple of weeks and is due back today. Its much simpler than my last trip as I don’t need to complete any Chinese or Mongolian red tape – just a Russian visa and a Belarus transit visa (Japan and South Korea are also visa free). The trans-sib ticket goes on sale 45 days before departure, so perhaps that is the final hurdle. I have given up trying to get much sense out of the agent in Vladivostok – I’m just going to have to hope things work out regarding the ferry. Communication has proved really challenging and the phrase “hell is the impossibility of reason” frequently comes to mind. I have got as far as getting a letter from the shipping company of the timetable (in Russian!) which is very different again to its website. A booking reference or a ticket seem to not be possible..

Last week I got all my train gear out once again – lots of it! One of the benefits of having a couple of these journeys under my belt is that I now already own nearly all of what I need, as well as quite a lot that I don’t! My objective this time is to carry much less. I seem to have managed to chuck out quite a lot of clothes already (and also the Christmas decorations). My biggest sacrifice so far is to risk not taking my winter boots but swapping them for some trail type running shoes. These seem to have super grippy soles that will both work on icy platforms and will also be useful in the jungle after my rail journey. However I doubt they are very warm or snow proof and might lead to frostbite – something I will have to look out for.. maybe I can buy some heated socks?

Being a Moscow old hand now, I also know where to get provisions for the Trans-Sib, so I can cross Europe with just some basic rations this year (mainly porridge and red wine!). I must remember that my Trans-Sib ticket is “with services” so it includes meals – I’m not used to this as its not the same on the Trans-Mong. Its a great value deal in my mind – a first class “business class” ticket from Moscow to Vladivivstok, 6 days & nights, with meals for £750. I have two tickets as I want my own compartment guaranteed. I wonder if that means I can have two meals as well? Is this a result of the weak Rouble or just that domestic Russian trains are quite cheap?

Think thats all for now. I will report back on the packing and maybe take some pictures of my kit.

On the equipment front, the first thing I have to report is the joy of wheels – eight of them actually, four on each of my two bags. Unlike last year (looking like a deranged pack animal carrying a huge duffel bag) this time I glided onto the MV King Seaways at Newcastle. Minor safety tip – no parking brake, so need to be careful on slopes, especially station platforms!

My new big case looks a bit flash, so a quick search at Customs, and a lift right up to my Commodore Class suite. Complimentary mini bar, wifi, walk in shower and breakfast in my cabin. I’m being spoilt ahead of a more simple life on the rails..

This ship is not that big, but has done a good job at isolating the “Geordie Shore” set from the more mainstream passengers. The best defence of all is the glass security doors that keep the party goers well away from my deck of the boat (think “Titanic”!). You only realise what a lucky escape you have had when you share the shuttle bus with them from Imjuden into Amsterdam. I think that I am fast becoming an official grumpy old man.

I meet people that I would never normally come across when I travel. In the morning I found myself cruising the canals with a Brazilian football player and his close flag waving entourage. You might know that I’m not big in terms of football knowledge (or speaking Portuguese) but I gathered that his team are playing the Germans next week. I didn’t mention the war, but wished him “good luck”. He gave me the thumbs up sign and smiled at me before he headed off. He obviously didn’t know that was the oldest trick in the book and would have given the game away in “The Great Escape”!

My mood was considerably lifted at lunchtime with the chance discovery of a Nonya restaurant with food so authentic I felt like I had actually sailed to Penang last night. This reminds me to tell you that I tried out my Mandarin language skills at a rather good Chinese restaurant in Newcastle last week. Not a word I used made any sense to the staff, so I’m keeping my brilliant “Point It” picture book close by at all times..

I’m spending the rest of the day hanging about here dodging bicycles before I head over the bridge at Arnhem tonight en route to Warsaw. Let’s hope that it’s not “A Bridge Too Far”! (I had to get that in – now ticked off my list of “favourite film blog bingo”!)

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I thought some of you might like to know how the left luggage service works now. Although the station is being redeveloped, there is still a big left luggage area and a security guy on duty at the entrance. There is no traditional service though, you have to use lockers and the automated system.

If you read this blog you will know of my luggage issues, so my first mission this morning was working out how to use this facility. I’m spelling this out as I found very little detail about this online. For those that have used these machines before I know its so simple, but as there are no real instructions there, I’m going to recap for first timers like me.

1) The first thing you do is find an empty locker – it will have a green flag on the door (red means its being used). There are two sizes, I found the bigger ones further down the passageway on the left. Big ones are about 90x40x60 cms – I have guessed those dimensions, but my bag is 90cms long and it fitted in fine.

2) Put your luggage in the locker and close the door – it will lock straightaway, but don’t panic!

3) Very close to your locker will be a ticket machine – as you have just closed your locker door, the number of your locker (its printed on the locker door) will appear on the LCD screen (with multi language options).

4) The deal is that you pay a flat fee for the first 24 hours, and a supplement after this time up to a maximum of 72 hours. This means its as simple as putting in your chip & pin type credit card, entering the PIN, and it charges you and issues your ticket. The large lockers are E 12.70 today. I didn’t see the price of the small ones.

5) When you collect your luggage you insert your ticket back in the machine (it has a bar code) and hey presto, your locker door opens.

6) Bear in mind that once opened you have to pay for another 24 hours to re-lock it.

7) The machines don’t take cash, but I hear you can buy a token card elsewhere in the station. There are lots of helpful information people about in the station concourse who are also massively multi lingual

8) The man guarding the room doesn’t look like he is going to help anyone. I may be wrong, as I guess if you lost your ticket he is the man who would have to sort it all out. If you have any problems I suggest you get someone who is leaving their own luggage to help you.

9) if you can’t find the left luggage facility, as you enter from the front of the station turn right and head to the East side – it’s clearly signed but it is behind the ticket barriers. I didn’t find the barriers working ( maybe its just in rush hour?). Anyway, someone would let you through..

I hope that’s helpful – possibly the only guide to the luggage machines at Amsterdam Centraal on the web!

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I visited North Shields yesterday afternoon to board “Princess Seaways”, the daily DFDS ferry to Imjuden. The only attractions in North Shields appear to the visitor to be the ferry port and a Mega Bowl, so don’t ever make a special trip out here!

Once aboard (another mammoth workout session with the baggage, this time with extra climbing) I did a deal with the Purser and upgraded to Commodore Class for what seemed like a pretty reasonable E 50. For this I got a cabin 8012 (more like a suite), a complimentary mini bar, a flat screen satellite TV and breakfast in bed. The best bit was actually the bed itself, which was the most comfortable I have ever encountered on a ship, and I include the QE2 in this comparison.

I took dinner in the steakhouse which whilst pricey, turned out to be excellent. The advantage of it being pricey was the the cast of “Geordie Shore” (who I was sharing the crossing with) would probably rather spend that sort of money on another couple of bottles of vodka. I avoided the disco and retired to my cabin later in the evening. I know what you are thinking – sad old man!

Sleep was blissful until the party goers left the bar, which went on from about 2am to 5am. I was quite shocked to see them all still drinking vodka out the bottle on the bus to Amsterdam at 10am. Frankly, between you and me, I was pleased to leave them to get on with whatever they planned to do with their 4 hours in Amsterdam before returning to the ship to do it all over again..

I’d definitely use the DFDS crossing for getting to Amsterdam, but next time I would ask for a cabin further away from the bar (the premium cabins are all on deck 8, which is the highest deck, shared with the casino, lounge and cinema).

I’m now chilling out in Amsterdam until my train to Warsaw later on. I’ll keep you posted on my progress towards Moscow when I have some wifi. Time for some proper train travel now – 2596km to Moscow..

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