We've been planning for 3 months now for this trip and now it has finally come to be. 4 nominations stood: Greece, Scandinavia, Japan, Russia... After much weighing, this was the path laid out. We would travel...by Bus from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Make our way by air to London. Connect to our first destination St. Petersberg for our first 4 nights. Take a morning flight to Moscow 3 nights. Back to London where team 1 will make their way to Michigan, while I make my way back home via Singapore.
The Russian Saga actually begins on Thursday 28th of May 2009, after a 12 hour long flight from Singapore to London, and a 4 hour one from London to St.Petersberg. Thanks to my contact, Alene in Moscow, we pretty much prepared for the worst scenario that one traveler could ever have.
Communication Barrier.
Russia is a country that has been cold to America and the other English speaking countries. Hence, Russians speak Russian. Alphabets are different, grammar and the fact that it is their prime language (only language) makes it harder to communicate. But with A "Inyourpocket" guide of both Russian states in hand, and a podcast on Russianpod101, we pretty much survived on russian numbers. And Some International Signs like this one.
Well as alwiz, first leg of the journey after the customs starts with the ride to the hotel. You are filled with baggage and have no clue where your hotel is and you have to skim through Conmen and honest Taximen to get there. We bought our taxi voucher as a precaution to our hotel costing about 700 Rubles (Russian money). Not fluent in Russian, we tried to be on the safe side of bargaining, which apparently is a trend.
Russ Hotel or what's it spelled like in Russian.
As always the trend after settling our luggage is to survey the area for kwiky-marts and the metro. We needed to head to a 24 hour money exchanger as we did not have enough rubles to last us. We walked to маяковская or Mayakovskaya metro area. we did not find our tour agency but we found our money exchanger.
With haste we replenished our local currency stash then took a metro one stop to Nevksiy Prospekt. There we saw the most colorful Church.
Deciding to have a look around, we located a Bazaar and our hop on hop off alternative instead.
Thought of the Day "With each passing wrong turn, we learn something new and unexpected. Be not afraid of the path less traveled, and explore what you find to justify the journey in the end."
29th May 2009We journeyed to the hop on hop off stop at the "Blood spilled Church".
Trius Fact: Number of Interesting Tour Guides holding interesting objects = 3
Took a round city tour for an overview.
The plan was that after lunch, we would concentrate on particular places of interest and spend alittle bit more time getting to know them.
Our first stop was at the Aurora stop. A Russian war ship favorite to a monarch himself.
Unfortunately, a jam started and after a while of waiting we decided to walk to the next stop.
We wounded up at a Blue mosque @ Kamennoostrovskiy prospekt
and tried to take a tram South back to the city. But it went the other way. And so started our 18rb per person trip round to the otherside.
Luckily all was not lost as we came across a gorgeous Russian lady, Natalia who helped us translate.
We got to know how to head back and after a good bye found ourselves at the Rostral columns stop.
Thought of the Day: Lost is a state of mind known as Laziness to think. Once you start down that path, nothing will make sense. The good news is, All one has to do to remedy laziness...is just opening up and ask. This anti-ego act cures all thoughts of Laziness.
30th May 2009
After much discussions, we took a journey to Peterhof! down to Авото station and a 224 bus to Petershof. we spent a splendid afternoon there.
When we came back, St Petersbergers were all around us celebrating their holiday! What a Sight!
31st May 2009
Peter and Paul Fortress was first up.
We were suppose to take a train to Gor'kovskaya st. but the station was closed. so we had to take a 46 down to the stop. (thx macdonald person)
The Island was also known as Hare Island hence his icon of a hare on the side of the Bridge leading to the Fortress.
The afternoon we made our way to Hermitage to spend the last hour looking at artifacts....before it closed its doors.
After 4 days @ St.Petersberg,
i find that the ppl here are
in Love,
Helpful and curtious! the place is gorgeous!
Thumbs Up for Saint Petersberg
Next up...Moscow!
