1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The train journey from Beijing to St Petersburg with stops in Mongolia, Siberia and Moscow- the whole trip was fantastic. Most memorable? staying at the Ger camp in Mongolia surrounded by beautiful scenery. And the banya by the side of the world's deepest lake, Lake Baikal. Most exciting- probably taking the luge down from the Great Wall of China.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Don't take much luggage, wait till Mongolia to have all your clothes washed for US$5, buy bread and cheese at the central market in Irkutsk for the longest train ride (3 nights), buy food on the platforms. Vegetarians are well catered for throughout the trip, even at the ger camp.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

Benefiting the local people- I guess so, we only bought things and food from local vendors rather than faceless big name stores. The company we used also use local guides and drivers (the Mongolian ones were especially good). Minimizing impact on the environment- train travel impacts v little compared to planes (though we did initially fly to Beijing and back from St Petersburg). Appreciated the operator's "Responsible Travel" policy.

4. Any other comments?

Definitely the best holiday we've ever been on. Such diverse peoples met and such huge distances covered within such a short space of time.

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

All of it: from meeting fellow travellers to travelling in a small group of like-minded people with the freedom of going off to do my own thing if I want, to the actual train travel and site visits as well as variety and quality of accommodations. And the choice of travel leader as well as site guides all worked really well. This was I trip I had always wanted to do and had considered organising it all on my own, but the organisation provided was great and flexible enough, all at a good price considering what I would have paid otherwise.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Pack light, bring a good camera, something to write on, something to read, games to play and a good sense of humour! Being open to other cultures and trying out new things food-wise and language-wise is also good.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

We tried to minimise our waste and use of water and energy, and only used public transport or our feet where possible. We re-used plastic bags and were given cloth bags by our leader to carry shopping. I felt that the greatest benefit to local communities was in Mongolia where we used local companies for accommodation and local guides for visits. And of course spending a bit of cash on food and drinks as well as local craft.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

Amazing! I've had loads of great holidays, all different, but this one was special because it brought me closer to the people and cultures along the way, as well as got me half-way across the world on public transport (the train)!