Just got back - The report part 1

[AKguy 1]

Let's see, where to start...

I'll run through the initial getting there details.

Anchorage to Minneapolis, nothing to report.

Minneapolis to Amsterdam, nothing special comes to mind.

Amsterdam to Moscow, Moscow...

I arrived at the Moscow SVO airport terminal 1 and took a short "refreshing" bus ride to the building. It was a little cold, say

around 0 degrees F. Coming from Alaska this wasn't too bad for me, I still didn't need my hat. We arrived at the building, offloaded ourselves inside without too much of a problem and I also didn't run into a problem finding my baggage, just follow everyone

else. So I now have my baggage and I need to get to terminal F, the new terminal. At this point the journey is really starting to wear

on me. I didn't sleep well on the plane(s) and the last wake up of cold air had started to wear off, I'm beat. So I meander to the front of the terminal and start to look for some English signs telling me where the bus is. Well, I had to just about fight off all the people asking if I needed a taxi. I'm tired, my baggage onsomble isn't staying together and I couldn't find a sign. I couldn't see well outside since it was snowing so damn hard and it was also night... so I gave in and got a taxi. Now here is a warning to everyone else, learn from my stupidity and keep your wits about you by never forgetting the exchange rate! *shakes head* It took me 2 weeks and an ad on the television to realize my mistake. I thought I spent 10 dollars on the taxi and was quite pleased with myself for finding such a good deal... guess how much I really paid. The taxi people have quite a system going. There are at least 3 "scanners" on the floor trying to drum up business. Once they secure someone they pass that person on to someone else "go with him", I assume this is so they never have to leave the floor. So this other guy walks you outside where he phones the actual driver who is waiting down the way. Now the real taxi driver actually shows up in some old beat to hell station wagon and takes me to the new terminal. This guy was nuts. Old as sh*t and nuts. Couldn't see 30 feet in front of the car because of the snow and he doesn't seem to care about driving on the wrong side of the highway, jumping curbs and cutting people off to get to where he's going. People in the airport were saying it might take hours to get to the new terminal... I made it there in 15 minutes.

Now I'm at the new terminal... Russia, you can keep it. There was an #### ton of Aeroflot desks and only 5 or so people to man them and MOBS of people that were tying to check in. (and if someone pissed off the clerks, the clerks would just walk away) People that have been to Russia and have had to stand in any sort of a long line know how the Russians do lines, they don't. Picture a triangle on the floor with the base of it spanning all the desks and at the top of it standing was me... with hundreds of people filling it up. That

was 45 minutes of fun right there. Finally got my boarding pass and headed to the next huge "line" for the initial passport & boarding pass check. 30 minutes in line and now it's my turn to show my pretty blue American passport to the person whose been staring at nothing but pretty brown passports all day. Well one of the security guys keeping an eye on the line sees it and points to me and motions me to see him. I hand him my passport and he's thumbing through it and he asks me something in Russian, I ask "speak englaskie?" which he barely did. Turns out he wanted my tourist invitation letter, which of course I didn't have! So he calls over to a tiny little security lady to check it out. They are both pawing over my passport telling me I have problems and they can't let me in, they didn't know what they could do. blah blah blah. 20 minutes now of them doing this and me being on parade in front of everyone coming through this place. Finally they let me through and tell me I'd better not see police or I might go to jail. Great. After talking with Anna and other people I've come to the conclusion they just wanted a little bribe. I was actually mad I didn't offer them anything! The rest of the security process was trivial and I made inside the terminal to wait 2 hours for my flight. In case anyone is wondering, the new terminal is nothing special at all. The boarding process was uneventful. I got to my window seat and waited for the flight to Ekaterburg to start. And waited. And waited. The plane was having issues now, as soon as the engines started to spool up everything died. 3 times this happened. After the last time one of the flight attendants began talking about what the issue was(I assumed) so I quietly asked the girl next to me if she spoke English, which she promptly replied yes with a huge smile. I asked her what the attendant had said and she went on to explain that there was some "mechanism" in the rear of the plane that was clogged up with snow. If they couldn't fix it we might have to change planes. I have to make a mention about this gal and word it so as not to cause any grief on myself in the future if this is read by a certain someone. She was very cool, just came back from Germany and spoke English with a German accent that kept messing with my head. I was fortunate she was there and we BS'd for 2 HOURS while the plane was fixed. Yeah, 2 hours.

To be continued...

[mox 298]

Ahhhh, makes me misty-eyed for SVO. Er...NOT! I don't know what it is about Sheremetyevo, but I don't think anybody gets through there without a story or two to tell.

What are they calling the new terminal, SVO3?

[slim 1,525]

I acutally pictured that big triangle in my head - with you at the top! Too funny!

[Steve S 2]

I can identify exactly with that experience with the taxi. The first time there, I was also completely beat from the trip, disoriented, and unable to do simple arithmetic in my head. I think they count on it. I was easy prey for those jackals. On subsequent trips, I have ignored them and made my way by public bus for a tiny fraction of the cost. There is no shame in blowing an absurd amount of money on that taxi ride between terminals. I think it is like a rite of passage

I was also amused at their style of forming a big horde pushing to get onto the plane instead of a queue -- a triangle just like you say!

I have never been detained and have never carried an invitation letter with me. A valid passport and visa, and the slip of paper they give you when you go through immigration, are all you need to make your domestic transfer. I do not have enough language skill to try to attempt a bribe of any kind, so I would have done just as you did.

Looking forward to the next installment . . .

[AKguy 1]

Just noticed the structure of my writing... hehe. That was a copy paste from Notepad with no editing... and it shows.

[1HappyGuy 45]

I enjoyed your story even though a bit hard to read at times. It looks like you're still exhausted from the trip. Remember that when your sweetie arrives.

[AKguy 1]

Yeah sorry about that, I'm still pooped. Couldn't sleep last night so now I'm at work operating on reserves that aren't there.

Next installment probably won't look much better, but I'll try to keep it clear.

[slim 1,525]

I'm enjoying the saga so far.

I know what you mean about other "opportunities" popping up too, right when you don't need them. I'll never forget my buddy, at about 5:45 AM, standing out in the street in front of the Hungry Duck - "Dude, you can't bring that girl home with us... you have to pick up your fiancee in a few hours. I don't think she'd be too happy if she came back to the apartment and found a girl asleep in your bed." He's always telling me the truth!

[nyhazmat 2]

......Still waiting for the next chapter.......

[AKguy 1]

Tonight! I was going to do it this afternoon after lunch, but they've got this whole "work" thing they need me to take care of.

[mox 298]

Well come on, chop chop! Your fans await!

[nyhazmat 2]

Tonight! I was going to do it this afternoon after lunch, but they've got this whole "work" thing they need me to take care of.

There will be time for work later

[slim 1,525]

Tonight in Alaska is tomorrow in most other places!

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

i kinda want to know about the russian girl with german accent. sounds interesting.......

i kinda want to know about the russian girl with german accent. sounds interesting.......

joking if u dont know hahaha

[sivad 0]

I can identify exactly with that experience with the taxi. The first time there, I was also completely beat from the trip, disoriented, and unable to do simple arithmetic in my head. I think they count on it. I was easy prey for those jackals. On subsequent trips, I have ignored them and made my way by public bus for a tiny fraction of the cost. There is no shame in blowing an absurd amount of money on that taxi ride between terminals. I think it is like a rite of passage

I was also amused at their style of forming a big horde pushing to get onto the plane instead of a queue -- a triangle just like you say!

I have never been detained and have never carried an invitation letter with me. A valid passport and visa, and the slip of paper they give you when you go through immigration, are all you need to make your domestic transfer. I do not have enough language skill to try to attempt a bribe of any kind, so I would have done just as you did.

Looking forward to the next installment . . .

i love the taxis in russia...these people have bad driving down to an art,next time just sit back and enjoy the ride,they have been doing it for so long they know how to drive like ####### and survive...imagine it like .....mr toads wild ride for real.last time i was there i didn't even flinch when they crossed into the oncoming lane,nor winced when the they squeezed the car in between other cars jockying for position,i want to take some friends on a tour of moscow in one,and video them freaking out on the ride as i am showing them all the sights.