Observer at a Black Sea Resort
News from Hong Kong
Today marked the midday launch of the direct high-speed rail connection between Hong Kong West Kowloon and Nanjing South. Utilizing Fuxing CR400AF-AE trainsets—distinguished by their sleek white and red-orange livery—the service offers a quiet, smooth ride. The 1,200-kilometer journey clocks in at roughly 7.5 hours, arriving in Nanjing by evening. Passengers benefit from a streamlined immigration process, with AI-powered gates utilizing facial recognition to clear immigration in as little as seven seconds.
Travellers can enjoy first or second-class amenities before exploring Nanjing’s rich heritage, including:
- Imperial Sites: The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and the towering Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.
- Culture & History: The Nanjing City Wall, the Presidential Palace art exhibits, and the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) district.
- Spirituality & Cuisine: The ancient Jiming Temple and a vibrant local culinary scene.
Next, you can take a four-hour bullet train to Beijing. From there, the iconic 7,600 km Beijing-Moscow train journey awaits. This epic trip takes 5-6 days and departs weekly; ensure you have a ticket to avoid being inconvenienced during border checks, or thrown off the train in rural Mongolia.
In Moscow, key attractions include the Kremlin, Red Square, and St. Basil’s Cathedral. Don’t miss the Bolshoi Theatre, the Tretyakov Gallery, or the unique Bunker-42 experience—a Cold War-era underground nuclear bunker.
Finally, take the train to St. Petersburg – it is easy via a 3.5-hour high-speed train (Sapsan/Nevsky Express) or an overnight sleeper train (Red Arrow/Grand Express), which saves on hotel costs. Prepare some snacks for the journey; sharing food like sandwiches, boiled eggs, and tea is a common Russian custom you should embrace.
St. Petersburg attractions include the Hermitage, the Faberge Museum, Peterhof Palace, and the famous Mariinsky Theatre. This city offers a different, friendlier atmosphere than Moscow and is more budget-friendly. The total distance from Hong Kong to St. Petersburg is roughly 10,000 km. To conclude the trip, take a 10-hour flight to Paris for a fresh atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the Australian Government advises its citizens not to travel to Russia, not because the country is inherently dangerous, nor due to perceived high risks associated with the current political situation; it is because the Australian government fucked the relationship; and, like their British counterparts, are anti-Russian. After all, Mr. Albanese declared: “I am anti-Russia”. If you are not going there to stir up problems or do something stupid like photographing military installations, then you can still visit Russia safely.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
