Katla close to blowing...

[shikarnov 7]

Hi all,

For those of you who don't know, Iceland's big brother volcano seems to be close to eruption...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37371442/ns/technology_and_science-science/

What the news seems to be avoiding is whether it'll blow within hours, days, weeks, or, maybe, longer...

I guess I'm just griping because my wife is still in Russia, visiting family and renewing her passport - which won't be ready for another 20 days or so. And the prospect of her getting trapped there for weeks or months more is less than appealing. Assuming she doesn't get out before the skies become hazardous to planes, does anybody know other ways of getting back to the US from Russia? Do they still do transatlantic passenger trips on boats?

Thanks,

Z

[JVF 0]

Hi all,

For those of you who don't know, Iceland's big brother volcano seems to be close to eruption...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37371442/ns/technology_and_science-science/

What the news seems to be avoiding is whether it'll blow within hours, days, weeks, or, maybe, longer...

I guess I'm just griping because my wife is still in Russia, visiting family and renewing her passport - which won't be ready for another 20 days or so. And the prospect of her getting trapped there for weeks or months more is less than appealing. Assuming she doesn't get out before the skies become hazardous to planes, does anybody know other ways of getting back to the US from Russia? Do they still do transatlantic passenger trips on boats?

Thanks,

Z

Why can't she renew her Russian password here in Russian Embassy? Most of my friends in US did that.

[Darnell 8,478]

Moscow to BeiJing to SFO or LAX or NYC. Don't go west, travel east !

She could transit through Dubai, as well - Emirates Airlines is having some special deals.

[JVF 0]

Moscow to BeiJing to SFO or LAX or NYC. Don't go west, travel east !

She could transit through Dubai, as well - Emirates Airlines is having some special deals.

If this happens they will shut down the airport, like they did in April.

I got stuck in Ukraine for a week because of that. If you ever wonder how is in HELL there was it.

[JVF 0]

Why can't she renew her Russian password here in Russian Embassy? Most of my friends in US did that.

I meant say Russian Consulate in US

[Darnell 8,478]

well, there's a train run from Moscow to BeiJing, as well. She could pick up a flight in BeiJing coming into USA.

[JVF 0]

well, there's a train run from Moscow to BeiJing, as well. She could pick up a flight in BeiJing coming into USA.

Can you imagine how many people will try to get on that train?

[slim 1,525]

Iceland's big brother volcano seems to be close to eruption...

This is scary not just because it'll close airports, but because the last time it erupted (1783, right?) it caused global temperatures to drop by 2 degrees C and preceeded several famines which led to millions of deaths as a result.

While I'm sure we're better equipped to deal with that sort of thing now, people don't seem to grasp the impact a serious eruption can have on our environment and our world societies. It could literally change the world.

And let's not forget... 2012 is right around the corner!

Assuming she doesn't get out before the skies become hazardous to planes, does anybody know other ways of getting back to the US from Russia? Do they still do transatlantic passenger trips on boats?

It's possible even if the skies are closed in Europe she could still fly domestic to Khabarovsk or Vladivostok. (Or even Seoul, Beijing or Tokyo.) Regardless of where she could go, she'd have to head East for the long way around. If the skies are closed over her head, she'll have to take rail. They do still offer transatlantic passenger trips on boats... but they're usually for tourists!

It is possible to hop a ride on a freighter but it takes a long time. She'd get here quicker jumping on the transsiberian train east and then catching a flight back to the USA.

Moscow to BeiJing to SFO or LAX or NYC. Don't go west, travel east !

She could transit through Dubai, as well - Emirates Airlines is having some special deals.

All good suggestions but dependent on having the airport open in Moscow. She could maybe take a train south but you may not want your Russian wife passing through such nice places as Chechnya, Georgia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, Syria... etc. There are numerous places she could catch a flight to Dubai but most of the places that would be served by rail from Moscow would likely be closed as well. Simply put, if Moscow is closed, she probably wouldn't have many options by air.

Getting to a Russian city by rail, flying domestic to the Russian Far East and then finding an available flight back to the U.S. is about the best option she'd have if the European skies are shut down.

well, there's a train run from Moscow to BeiJing, as well. She could pick up a flight in BeiJing coming into USA.

Very true. However, that same train has numerous stops in Russian cities that will likely still have open airports. She could hop a flight from one of those and eliminate the train the rest of the way.

Can you imagine how many people will try to get on that train?

The average Russian isn't going to try to leave Russia simply because the skies are closed. The average European won't either, for that matter.

For everyone else with a valid need to leave Europe and return to America, this is where Russia's rules will actually benefit your wife. Most business folks or other Americans will likely take rail and/or ferries to MENA airports. They won't make the effort (days and days of travel plus high costs) to travel through Russia and all the way across Asia, they'll simply head south then back across the pond. Your wife has the "luxury" of cheap domestic travel across Russia and then a flight across the Pacific that would be quite similar to the flight she would've taken back to the US that she'd make from Moscow. Only it'll be a few hours longer, a few hundred dollars more expensive... and several days later than she would've left. Oh, and let's not forget about her flying all the way across the U.S. too!

Isn't traveling fun?

Good luck with all this. Keep us posted on what happens. I'm sure we'll hear about the volcano, but definitely let us know if you guys start to make alternate travel plans and what you come up with for the "volcano special." You'd think there's a Russian travel company (or twelve) out there right now offerning some kind of alternate travel deal in case this thing pops off. They're pretty enterprising. I'd be willing to bet a paycheck there's already a "service" available. Or maybe that's how I make my millions! "Slim's volcanic travel service. 'I'll smuggle you through Russia and get you back to the U.S. in less than a week or your trip's free!'"

[Terry&Tigger 4]

Just for your information, the train trip from Moscow to Beijing will take about one week. Week, like seven or eight days.

As slim said, she can get by train to any Russian city with an airport open at the moment, then fly to either Khabarovsk or Vladivostok.

There are flights from KHB and VVO to Seoul (Incheon), Kharbin and Beijing - see Vladivostok Air company site for the cheapest fares both to Vladivostok and from VVO to Seoul or Beijing. She can get virtually anywhere from Seoul - LA, Seattle, Chicago... Check Korean Air and Delta sites for details.

Hopefully, she won't have to use any of our advice

[SMR 368]

Just for your information, the train trip from Moscow to Beijing will take about one week. Week, like seven or eight days.

Yeah, I just wanted to reiterate this. The Moscow to Beijing ride is an interesting one, especially for Americans. But most Russians would shy from it since it would be unpleasant and mundane at the same time. Remember that there are no showers, no flush toilets, no AC, and the beds aren't particularly soft. Now, consider that the only available form of entertainment is often vodka so that will be what a fair number of your neighbors are doing. The food consists of what you can bring with you and prepare with nothing more than hot water, and anything you might be able to purchase on a train platform during the stops. Additionally, a lot of the passengers are gypsy smugglers with their cargo for the Russian markets.

Now, don't get me wrong; I love a good train ride. In particular, the shorter rides like Moscow to Peter or Krasnoyarsk or Omsk to Novosibirsk have more of a business class feel. But Moscow to Beijing is a little too much of a good thing and decidedly more proletarian. It's good for an adventure and a lot like camping. With the right company and preparation, it could make a really fun trip. But I would never do it alone and not with too much focus on the destination.

[JVF 0]

As I mentioned to shikarnov in my initial reply, I would not go to Russian to renew my Russian passport known there is good chance I will not make it back. It can be easily done on US soil in Russian Consulate.

Remembering the hell I went through when airports were closed in Ukraine and Russia, I would bring her back ASAP.

Note, people in old Soviet Union countries tend to take advantage over someones grief. Americans tend to unite during the crisis.

I remember 911, when strangers in NY were offering you food, water even rides. In Kiev, as soon the airport closed prices on goods, taxi went up by x10. The airport was packed will millions of people. Officials were extremely rude. You had to pay them off to get on the next available flight. There were shortage of food and water. And no one cared. Same thing happened in Moscow after the metro bombing back in March 29th.

[slim 1,525]

As I mentioned to shikarnov in my initial reply, I would not go to Russian to renew my Russian passport known there is good chance I will not make it back. It can be easily done on US soil in Russian Consulate.

Remembering the hell I went through when airports were closed in Ukraine and Russia, I would bring her back ASAP.

I'll give you $1 if you can explain to me how to make a Russian woman understand the logical way to conduct business here in America.

I'll give you another if you can explain to me how to get your Russian wife back to the U.S. without a passport.

[shikarnov 7]

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies... Traveling east makes a lot of sense and I have no idea why I didn't think of it...

As for my wife's passport, she didn't go specifically for that purpose. She went to visit her family that she hasn't seen in two years, and while there, she decided that it made sense to renew. But, even in the US -- so she understands from reading the Consulate's website -- the process would be convoluted, with her needing to appear in person to start the process, and again a month later retrieve the passport. Given that the consulate is more than 1300 miles away, being forced to make multiple trips was not palatable to her. So she took the initiative and started taking care of this while in Russia. I was actually proud that she was [finally] taking care of something without having been prodded, but this volcano makes things interesting.

Slim -- Your points about the global effect of the eruption are certainly valid, but I don't think the impact will be as severe as it was the last time. Setting aside our technological advancements, industrialization has been responsible for a 1 to 1.3 degree increase in global temperatures. Perhaps the volcano, should it erupt, and should it effect global temperatures, will have helped *restore* something closer to our natural climate (I grant that's wishful thinking). It could buy us some extra time to deal with our problem before the events depicted in Water World become a reality...

Anyway, I'll start having her look into alternate plans, although I suspect she'd rather stay at her mom's place than ride the trans-siberian train with no plumbing or any amenities -- and I know I'm not particularly fond of the idea of her flying on Russian domestic jets... <sigh>. I'll keep y'all apprised.

Z

[JVF 0]

I'll give you $1 if you can explain to me how to make a Russian woman understand the logical way to conduct business here in America.

I'll give you another if you can explain to me how to get your Russian wife back to the U.S. without a passport.

That's a tricky one, therefore you can keep your $1

I am not sure I understand your question. Are you referring to shikarnov's wife or in general?

[JVF 0]

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies... Traveling east makes a lot of sense and I have no idea why I didn't think of it...

As for my wife's passport, she didn't go specifically for that purpose. She went to visit her family that she hasn't seen in two years, and while there, she decided that it made sense to renew. But, even in the US -- so she understands from reading the Consulate's website -- the process would be convoluted, with her needing to appear in person to start the process, and again a month later retrieve the passport. Given that the consulate is more than 1300 miles away, being forced to make multiple trips was not palatable to her. So she took the initiative and started taking care of this while in Russia. I was actually proud that she was [finally] taking care of something without having been prodded, but this volcano makes things interesting.

Z

I was not aware it was 1300 miles away, plus Russians making renewal process extremely difficult in US. You are right it makes a lot of sense to renew while visiting her relatives. I hope she makes it back with no problems.