From Hong Kong to Bristol - by train

It took her 30 days and took in 12 different trains and nine different countries, but Kesty Morrison is one of the few people to travel from China to Bristol solely by rail.

Kesty, 27, from Totterdown, decided to do the epic mile trip after spending 18 months touring around Hong Kong with a travelling theatre company in a production aimed at educating schoolchildren on the dangers of global warming.

Putting her money where her mouth is, Kesty decided not to fly back home, but to take the train, and thus began an incredible journey, taking her through mountain ranges, deserts and forests.

"It was amazing, absolutely amazing," Kesty said.

"I saw some beautiful sights, met some wonderful people and have so many cool stories to tell. It truly was an awesome experience and one that I will never forget."

Kesty did not book any advance tickets for any of her trips, instead turning up at the stations and buying a ticket there and then, sometimes being able to leave immediately and sometimes having to wait a few days.

She said that the waiting in foreign cities, including bustling Beijing, scenic St Petersburg and perfect Paris was one of the highlights of her trip.

She also took a slight detour from Brussels to Paris via Toulouse, for the birthday celebrations of her step-mother in the southern French city.

Kesty said: "I decided to return to Bristol by train because I knew it could be done. I'm not a train spotter, but love travelling and love travelling by train.

"When I looked into it and planned my route, that was it, my mind was made up. I did it because I could do it and I did it to prove that you don't have to travel everywhere by plane."

Kesty grew up in Montpelier and went to Cotham School.

She left Bristol aged 17 to study acting in London. She has acted in theatres across London, and when the opportunity came to be part of a troupe touring Hong Kong, she jumped at the chance.

Now safely back in Bristol with her wanderlust quenched, Kesty spends her time working on new material for CCQ, the band she is lead singer in.

Kesty added: "I had a great time travelling half-way across the world by train, but I think that next time I will just get on an aeroplane. It's so much easier."