ORIENT EXPRESS-1982

Way back in 1982 I was fortunate to make the most amazing journey on the "Orient Express" from Istanbul ,Turkey to Interlaken ,Switzerland via Venice . It was not today's glossy, premium "retro" train but one off special journey put on by a Swiss train enthusiast who had access to a set of the original "Wagons- Lits" carriages as used in the authentic Orient Express .
Most of the journey steam locos pulled the train and the passage through a very grim and austere "Iron Curtain" Eastern Europe was surreal .The sleeper carriages were heated at night by coal fired stoves manually stoked all night and the only concession to modern conveniences was a shower car .The amazing meals were cooked by a chef and a couple of assistants from Maxims in Paris in a tiny kitchen at the end of the dining car .
I have recently found my photos of this extraordinary trip.Sadly most of the negatives have seriously deteoriated and stained as I used Ilford XP1 chromogenic film for the black and white shots and colour negative film for the colour and the washing by the processing lab must have been inadequate .So it is a somewhat limited record of a unique journey.