Monisha Rajesh

'Monisha Rajesh has chosen one of the best ways of seeing the world. Never too fast, never too slow, her journey does what trains do best. Getting to the heart of things. Prepare for a very fine ride' Michael Palin When Monisha Rajesh announced plans to circumnavigate the globe in eighty train journeys, she was met with wide-eyed disbelief. But it wasn't long before she was carefully plotting a route that would cover 45,000 miles – almost twice the circumference of the earth – coasting along the world's most remarkable railways; from the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet's Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Packing up her rucksack – and her fiancé, Jem – Monisha embarks on an unforgettable adventure that will take her from London's St Pancras station to the vast expanses of Russia and Mongolia, North Korea, Canada, Kazakhstan, and beyond. The ensuing journey is one of constant movement and mayhem, as the pair strike up friendships and swap stories with the hilarious, irksome and ultimately endearing travellers they meet on board, all while taking in some of the earth's most breathtaking views. From the author of Around India in 80 Trains comes another witty and irreverent look at the world and a celebration of the glory of train travel. Rajesh offers a wonderfully vivid account of life, history and culture in a book that will make you laugh out loud – and reflect on what it means to be a global citizen – as you whirl around the world in its pages.

A 45,000-Mile Adventure

Around the World in 80 Trains

To understand India you have to see it, hear it, breathe it and feel it. Living through the good, the bad and the ugly is the only way to know where you fit in and where India fits into you. In 1991 Monisha uprooted from England to Madras in the hope of making India her home. But fed up with soap-eating rats, severed human heads, paying bribes, and the creepy colonel across the road, she returned to England with a bitter taste in her mouth. But twenty years later, she turns to a map of the Indian Railways and takes a page out of Jules Verne's classic tale, embarking on an adventure around India in 80 trains, covering 40,000km the circumference of the Earth. Indian trains carry over twenty million passengers every day, plowing through cities, crawling past villages, climbing up mountains and skimming along coasts. Monisha hopes that 80 train journeys up, down and across India will lift the veil on a country that has become a stranger to her. As one of the largest civilian employers in the world, featuring luxury trains, toy trains, Mumbai s infamous commuter trains, and even a hospital on wheels, Indian Railways has more than a few stories to tell, not to mention a colorful cast of characters. And with a self-confessed militant devout atheist in tow, her personal journey around a country built on religion isn't quite what she bargained for...

Around India in Eighty Trains

In 1991, Monisha Rajesh's family uprooted from Sheffield to Madras in the hope of making India their home. Two years later, fed up with soap-eating rats, severed human heads and the creepy colonel across the road, they returned to England with a bitter taste in their mouths. Two decades on, she turns to a map of the Indian Railways and takes a page out of Jules Verne's classic tale, embarking on an adventure around India in 80 trains, covering 40,000km - the circumference of the Earth. She hopes that 80 train journeys up, down and across India will lift the veil on a country that has become a stranger to her. Along the way, Monisha discovers that the Indian Railways - featuring luxury trains, toy trains, Mumbai's infamous commuter trains, and even a hospital on wheels - have more than a few stories to tell, not to mention a colourful cast of characters. And with a self-confessed 'militant devout atheist' in tow, her personal journey around a country built on religion isn't quite what she bargained for...

Around India in 80 Trains

"When Monisha Rajesh announced plans to circumnavigate the globe in 80 train journeys, she was met with wide-eyed disbelief. But it wasn't long before she was carefully plotting a route that would cover 45,000 miles - almost twice the circumference of the earth - coasting along the world's most remarkable railways, from the cloud-skimming heights of Tibet's Qinghai railway to silk-sheeted splendour on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Packing up her rucksack - and her fiancé, Jem - Monisha embarks on an unforgettable seven-month-long adventure that will take her from London's St Pancras station to the vast expanses of Russia and Mongolia, North Korea, Canada, Kazakhstan, and beyond"--Provided by publisher.

احول العالم في 80 قطارا

De reis om de wereld in 80 treinen: Monisha Rajesh ging van Londen naar de vlaktes van Mongolië, naar Noord-Korea en verder, 2 keer rond de aarde. National Geographic: Beste reisboek van het jaar. Van de hoogst gelegen Tibetaanse Qinghai-spoorlijn tot de luxueuze Oriënt Express – Een reis om de wereld in 80 treinen is een ode aan reizen per trein en aan de unieke blik op de wereld die dat geeft geeft. Monisha Rajesh, Britse journalist en doorgewinterde treinreiziger, maakte met haar vriend een onvergetelijke reis die haar in zeven maanden bijna twee keer rond de aarde bracht: van Londen tot Kazachstan en van Canada tot de vlaktes van Mongolië. Terwijl ze vriendschappen sloot en verhalen uitwisselde met hilarische, irritante en innemende reizigers genoot ze van de adembenemendste uitzichten. Rajesh voert de lezer mee en doet geanimeerd verslag van het dagelijks leven, de geschiedenis en de cultuur van de landen die ze bezoekt en viert het reizen per trein in al haar glorie. ‘Rajesh is een rijzende ster binnen het genre. Ze schrijft aanstekelijk, ziet alles en luistert naar iedereen. Ze is grappig als ze dat wil en serieus als het moet.’ – Daily Mail ‘Een heerlijk boek vol schitterende vergezichten, hilarische ontmoetingen en ongure types, en dat alles ineen!’ – The Times 'Een van de beste manieren om de wereld te zien: nooit te snel, nooit te langzaam. Haar reis doet waar treinen goed in zijn: tot de kern komen. Bereid je voor op een zeer fijne rit.' - Michael Palin

Een ongelooflijk avontuur van meer dan 70.000 kilometer

De reis om de wereld in 80 treinen

Taking a page from Jules Verne's classic tale, Monisha Rajesh embarked on an adventure around India in eighty trains. Indian trains carry over twenty million passengers daily, plowing through cities, crawling past villages, climbing up mountains, and skimming along coasts. Monisha hopes that her journeys across India will lift the veil on a country that had become a stranger to her.

A riotous tour of India by train and a stunning debut by a young writer with verve and style.

gestalten

From a journey through the Alps on the Bernina Express to a ride from Colombo up to Sri Lanka's tea plantations, there are endless possibilities to explore the world through fabulous train rides. Train Journeys will provide inspiration and practical tips for people who want to experience the joys of traveling by rail. The book features descriptions and details of 50 amazing rail journeys across the globe, from short trips that last a few hours to multi-day, cross-continental journeys, ranging from budget-friendly trips aboard local transport to iconic luxury liners.

Epic Train Journeys

Als Monisha Rajesh verkündet, dass sie die Welt in 80 Zugreisen umrunden möchte, zweifelt ihr Umfeld stark an der Durchführbarkeit. Doch tatsächlich macht sie sich kurz darauf auf eine atemberaubende, über 70.000 Kilometer lange Reise durch zahlreiche Länder und Kontinente. Dabei lernt sie nicht nur die spannendsten Bahnstrecken der Welt, sondern auch jede Menge interessante Menschen kennen. Ein humorvoller, intimer Blick auf die Welt und eine Hommage an das Reisen mit der Eisenbahn.

Monisha Rajesh

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