ClairePM

Hello

I know that this might sound silly but my parents want to come over next year and my Dad is terrified of flying. He is flown long haul before and even with the help from the doctor and relaxation pills he still gets really stressed out, I don’t want to put pressure on his heart or anything. We have looked into cruises that P&O do, they are 50 days from Portsmouth to Aus, look fantastic but would work out extremely expensive.

I know that he could manage a shorter flight from Asia somewhere (I know, I have told them to stop over on the way). My mum said that when her Kiwi friend went back to live in New Zealand about 13 years ago she went on a cargo boat!

Has anyone been on the Trans-Siberian and have any experiences of this please?

Thank you

Claire

lerato

Hi,

My uncle is also terrified of flying! And I'm emigrating later on this month so we were discussing it a bit, we saw some cruises that were about £2,000 but included a fairly long stop-over in sydney or somewhere at the end of it. Which I didn't think was too bad to get there and stay for a while, plus te actual cruise, as it can be £1,000 for a flight anyway.

It may be that you or he just need to keep looking out for them to see what is cheapest and when etc?

lerato

pompeyblonde

I know people who have cruised over, but it obviously takes a while and is more costly, the other option is to break the journey up? get a round the world ticket and stop off on the way (they are very good value) and get some valium! Good luck! (I hate flying too but rely on meds its just a necessary evil!)

Graham and Maria

We took the plane but I sooooo would have liked to do this:

http://www.oz-bus.com/

My wife wasnt keen about our 9 nine year old doing this trip though

jond

I was on a course recently and got talking to an aussie who was a teacher in Bedfordshire. When it was time to come home along with his wife they decided to cycle it it took 11 months.

Vanessa

Try this online course - it may help

http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/intro.shtml

Red_V_Roger

Wow! that looks brill

Mipik

I have taken the Trans-Siberian.
(but it was almost 20 years ago)

It is an interesting trip, better in Northern winter, great views, comfortable train compartments, worth doing.

You can take train to Moscow, than Trans-Siberian to Beijing, than train to Hong Kong and fly from there, which is much shorter flight than from Europe.

The issue with doing it nowadays is that you have to go through Moscow, Beijing and Hong Kong and these are rather expensive places to stay.

themerlin

I have done china by train, not good if you have a phobia of dirty toilets (craponseatophobia)

derf

try here
http://www.seat61.com/Australia-overland.htm

Thee are still several shipping companies doing UK to australia, Usualy about 44 days via panama.

mavine1

Hi there, I just wondered if you could post the details of the cruise you mentioned? I also have family who won't fly...Also most of the cruises I have looked at are a round trip...do you know how it works? Can you just get off and then buy a return ticket for a few weeks later? Thnx

lerato

Sorry, I don't have the details else I would have done - we were just browsing on his PC and in brochures, papers etc. I can't even remember what site or brochure it was in. I'm sure it was a special reduced deal tho...

lerato

MarkMC

Charlie Boorman managed it fine.....

fish.01

Some relocation cruises are cheap. Ocean Village II is due to sail from the UK to Brisbane later this year to become the Pacific Jewel. They may not offer a cruise the whole way here depending on where the refit is being done. ie Singapore or Brisbane drydock. You can buy segments on round the world cruises - you don't have to do the whole thing.

Kath & Graham

Have a look at this

www.cruisepeople.co.uk but the only problem is you cant travel over 78 and under 11 years old.

We enquired for my Dad sounds really good, but hes 79 so no good to us