We rattled through valleys and over mountains, peering through grimy windows at the stunning scenery. We visited ruins steeped in history and bustling modern cities. And we had adventures galore. In Italy, we fell in with some locals who were celebrating a village festival. We partied for hours and, when everyone had gone home, we camped out under the stars. In Russia we were visiting the Kremlin! We became impervious to the vicissitudes of train travel. Roasting in sweltering compartments by day and shivering in unheated carriages by night all seemed part of the adventure. We learnt to cope with the vagaries of foreign timetables and became adept at communicating by means of hand signals. By the time we reached India, we were already seasoned travelers. What have the travellers learned?