Letter of the week
I am living in Beijing for a year and plan to travel home to Britain overland when my contract finishes in June 2006.
The trans-Siberian rail route sounds good but the central Asian route looks far more interesting. I would like go through Pakistan and Iran, and then up through Turkey and continental Europe.
I'd be grateful for advice on the Pakistan and Iran part. How easy is it to travel by bus and train there, and would you please recommend useful reading? I have about two months and will be on a tight budget. I want to see the traditional sides of the countries involved.
Ned Brown, Beijing
You'll have a fantastic and largely affordable adventure by taking the southern path you describe to the Mediterranean, rather than the central Asian or trans-Siberian routes.
Your first choice is whether to head into Pakistan via the spectacular Karakoram Highway via the frontier town of Kashgar in China's north-west, or to go via Lhasa in Tibet, Kathmandu and northern India. Transport links don't favour one route over another, but the Karakoram Highway is a more adventurous choice.
In Pakistan, bus travel is extensive and cheap but not always terribly comfortable. Even air-conditioned inter-city buses will cost only a few pounds, and there will be plenty of choice. Trains are of a similar standard to Indian services. Those in Iran are similarly cheap, but can be extremely crowded, so book a day or so ahead for long-distance services.
This route can be done in the time you suggest, but do try to get visas for Pakistan and Iran in advance. A good book is The Silk Roads: A Route and Planning Guide (Trailblazer, £12.99).
On our way back from Bangkok in January my boyfriend and I have a 12-hour overnight stopover in Moscow. We are aware of Russia's visa restrictions but want to spend the time comfortably. Is it possible to book into an airport hotel for the night, or are there any airport lounges we could sleep in?
Stefanie Sahla, by email
With a transit visa you can leave the airport and choose from numerous airport hotels. There's a good selection on www.hotelsrussia.com but they are not cheap - prices start at around £90pp a night. Be sure of which airport you're using before booking.
The website sleepinginairports.net says you can doss down for the night in lounges at both Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports, though your back probably won't thank you next morning.
If you're a frequent traveller, think about joining a lounge access scheme such as Priority Pass (prioritypass.com), which gives you access to 450 airport lounges worldwide for £69 a year.
I'm planning to visit New Zealand in July and August with my husband and three teenage daughters. I would welcome advice about when to book the flights.
We want a good airline and flights at the right time, but we could save money by waiting until nearer the time for special offers and late deals. So how risky is it to wait?
Barbara Cain, by email
You shouldn't rely on last-minute deals. By leaving it until later you reduce your choice of airlines and dates, and are far less likely to get the fare you are after.
Generally speaking, special offer fares are released between six and three months before departure. July and August is a peak time for New Zealand (even though it's winter) so start shopping around six months ahead. The choice is between flying west with Air New Zealand or BA and Qantas (changing in Los Angeles), or via Asia with the likes of Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways or Cathay Pacific. Trailfinders (020 7938 3939; www.trailfinders.com) may get offers on all of these, and alternatively has cheaper fares on Korean Air (change in Seoul).
My husband and I are to tour China in November as part of a group exploring the Jewish heritage there. We start in Beijing, fly to Harbin and go on to Xian and Kaifeng, and finish in Shanghai. What will the weather be like? Will there be much variation between the most northerly cities and the southerly ones?
Penelope Mann, by email
Autumn is generally a pleasant time to be in China, as you avoid the crowds and humidity of summer but don't suffer what can be extreme winter cold in northern parts.
You should, however, pack winter clothes, especially for Harbin and Beijing, where temperatures will be around freezing. In Xian and Kaifeng things will be a few degrees warmer. Shanghai should be the most comfortable, around 20 degrees C. See www.travelchinaguide.com/climate/.
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