Passport problem

[Neonred 3,562]

Pre-arranged price for taxi from airport in Moscow to city is about $40 to $50.

[Cam 0]

OK I'll ask them as I think of them. 1st I read there is an airport shuttle in Kazan. My hotel (Ryan Johson Hotel) is a few kilometers on the other side of the city from the airport. Does these shuttle go to all hotels or do I take it to the city centre then take a taxie?

What happened to the girl who was going to pick you up?

First of all, taxis are a prime way to lose cash and get taken advantage of. Do not, under any circumstances, just take an unarranged taxi cab from the airport. You will definitely pay way, way, way too much - or worse, end up broke, naked, and in a ditch a long way from anywhere. The best way to go is with a pre-arranged car. Contact your hotel and tell them you want them to arrange a car to pick you up at the airport, and find out what the fee is. My wife says that last time she did this (year and a half ago), it was $25. Today, up to $35 is the max you should pay. For that price, they will pick up at the airport and take you directly to where you want to go in Kazan.

For what it's worth, this advice is even more important in Moscow, There, the pre-arranged fee from the airport to downtown is about $100.

Wife says that if you do NOT do this, if you are fool enough to just show up at the airport and look for a taxi, you will pay at least $100 in Kazan, and $200+ in Moscow. They know you are stuck and simply will not take you for less. Pay heed!!!

This advice is also for getting from your hotel to the airport. Try to get the same driver both ways.

Also, the pre-arranged prices include tip - do not pay the driver extra.

In Russia (as in Egypt, and everywhere else in Africa where I have been) it is absolutely critical to at least act like you know what you are doing and to have an aire of confidence about you!! Otherwise, bad mojo will come your way.

Finally, get yourself a copy of the Lonely Planet guide for Russia. You will need it.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Still have my girl picking me up. But never hurts to have a backup plan.

OK I'll ask them as I think of them. 1st I read there is an airport shuttle in Kazan. My hotel (Ryan Johson Hotel) is a few kilometers on the other side of the city from the airport. Does these shuttle go to all hotels or do I take it to the city centre then take a taxie?

What happened to the girl who was going to pick you up?

First of all, taxis are a prime way to lose cash and get taken advantage of. Do not, under any circumstances, just take an unarranged taxi cab from the airport. You will definitely pay way, way, way too much - or worse, end up broke, naked, and in a ditch a long way from anywhere. The best way to go is with a pre-arranged car. Contact your hotel and tell them you want them to arrange a car to pick you up at the airport, and find out what the fee is. My wife says that last time she did this (year and a half ago), it was $25. Today, up to $35 is the max you should pay. For that price, they will pick up at the airport and take you directly to where you want to go in Kazan.

For what it's worth, this advice is even more important in Moscow, There, the pre-arranged fee from the airport to downtown is about $100.

Wife says that if you do NOT do this, if you are fool enough to just show up at the airport and look for a taxi, you will pay at least $100 in Kazan, and $200+ in Moscow. They know you are stuck and simply will not take you for less. Pay heed!!!

This advice is also for getting from your hotel to the airport. Try to get the same driver both ways.

Also, the pre-arranged prices include tip - do not pay the driver extra.

In Russia (as in Egypt, and everywhere else in Africa where I have been) it is absolutely critical to at least act like you know what you are doing and to have an aire of confidence about you!! Otherwise, bad mojo will come your way.

Finally, get yourself a copy of the Lonely Planet guide for Russia. You will need it.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Still have my girl picking me up. But never hurts to have a backup plan.

Thanks for the advice.

[slim 1,525]

Get the Lonely Planet Guide....

That's about the best advice I've heard on this forum! (That book is worth it's weight in gold!)

[Cam 0]

Get the Lonely Planet Guide....

That's about the best advice I've heard on this forum! (That book is worth it's weight in gold!)

Hey Slim old buddy old pal. Give me the top 3 things in the book so I dont have to buy it.

Cam

[akdiver 3]

Get the Lonely Planet Guide....

That's about the best advice I've heard on this forum! (That book is worth it's weight in gold!)

Hey Slim old buddy old pal. Give me the top 3 things in the book so I dont have to buy it.

Wow! Stupid, lazy AND Cheap. Your beloved is getting the trifecta of the perfect man.

Honestly man - if you can't figure what a "blank page" in a passport is, and you're too lazy to do even the most basic reading on traveling to Russia, odds are real good you should stay home.

Hot tip: most people actually LOVE to read about traveling to an international destination they plan to visit, even more so when they are in desperate need of practical advice for doing so.

Another Hot Tip: The $20 or whatever for the LP guide will be the most inexpensive thing you buy with respect to your trip, and it could save you a LOT of time and money in the future.

Don't be a fool. Take a stand against your own stupidity! Buy the LP Guide and read it cover to cover until you get home from Russia.

Jezz...

Cheers!

AKDiver

[desert_fox 32]

hahahahaha

I wonder what turnip wagon he fell off of.

blank pages.....hahahaha

wait until he finds out that they speak russian in russia....hahahaha...I dont believe it.

Edited August 15, 2006 by desert_fox

[slim 1,525]

Cam.....

These guys are poking fun at you, and they should be! Because unless you "knuckle up", you're going to get more than fun poked at you in Russia.

I'm not sure where you're from, but before you go to Russia, go to your local "hood" and start walking down the street by yourself at about midnight wearing a nice suit and carrying a briefcase. And I don't mean the "hood" where all the "poor people" live. I mean the "hood" where if you're not from there, you don't go there, don't drive through, and if you do HAVE to drive through, you drive really, really, fast and don't stop at any red lights. The "hood" that's not even on the news every time someone gets shot because it happens so often it's not even news anymore.

Don't want to do that? Wouldn't go there without someone who knew the place, and could "vouch for you"??? EXACTLY!!! But, that's kind of how Russia is. I see on your profile that you have some martial arts training. (Or that's someone else's photo) Those guys in Russia, the ones that wear the track suits, they all know Russian Judo. "Ju-don't know if I got a gun." And in all actually, they probably do have a gun!

And guess what? The girls there aren't going to "save you" from getting all your $#!^ taken, they'll probably be in on it, and helping the guys in the track suits by calling them on their mobiles and telling them where to pick you up. If they don't kill you, they'll just take everything you own, beat you to a bloody pulp (or until after you've emptied out your bank accounts... all of them) then drop you off out in the middle of nowhere, bukkid-nekkid. And what really sucks about that is that no one in the middle of nowhere speaks English, or has any desire to help out a bukkid-nekkid stranger that doesn't speak Russian. (And whom they know was dropped off by the guys in the track suits.)

Now... this is all worst-case scenario. That's why you need to head over to Amazon.com and pick up that Lonely Planet book. (And a whole shitload of other books about Russia.) If you know a little bit about Russia, the way they do things there, the culture, the people, THE LANGUAGE, then maybe you will be able to have a good time and not get hoodwinked.

Start learning the language ASAP. It will go a long way with the ladies, and it will help you get around a little better over there. Lonely Planet Russian Phrasebook is only $7.95 and another thing that will help you out greatly is the Pimsleur Quick and Easy Russian CD set. That's only $19.95 at Barnes&Noble and will give you a pretty good jumpstart on getting the language down. I can't stress enough... LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!

That all said.... the three biggest things from the phrasebook are:

1. The language lessons (from a simple "hello" to "use your tongue")

2. The cultural lessons (how/when to toast, superstitions like odd flowers)

3. The fact that it will fit in your pocket and you can take it everywhere with you when you get there, using the dictionary in the back or pointing to phrases/words that you want translated after you get picked up by the guys in the track suits.

GOOD LUCK CAM!!! And in the mean time, EDUCATE yourself on everything you can about Russia and travelling to Russia. YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT!!!!!

[Satellite 1]

Slim,

You are too harsh on Cam. For all you know he could be picked up by a nice sincere girl who speaks decent English and will be with him 100% of the time and not expose him to the men in track suits.

But I doubt it

So am I the only one who did just fine in Russia without that book? But I'm almost a local so that doesn't count.

[Neonred 3,562]

One additional observation......

If you haven't yet been to Russia then perhaps you should be visiting some different forums, you know, the ones like Russian Women Guide, or Russian Fiancee.

Your interest in visajourney may be a little premature....

Just my thoughts.

Oh yes, and get the Lonely Planet book and learn some basic Russian.

[Cam 0]

One additional observation......

If you haven't yet been to Russia then perhaps you should be visiting some different forums, you know, the ones like Russian Women Guide, or Russian Fiancee.

Your interest in visajourney may be a little premature....

Just my thoughts.

Oh yes, and get the Lonely Planet book and learn some basic Russian.

Yeah I might be on the wrong forum. So how did you out of shape clowns handle the guys in track suits, grab your ankles and say He He He He He He He. Maybe buy them some flowers. Or run the other way.

[Chuckles 0]

Uh, no. I never met 'guys in track suits' when I have been there, I never tried to. If you think you are a big billy badass and want to take on a few, be my guest. I am sure they will oblige.

I guess you are just trying to be funny, but you sooooo miss the point of what people are trying to tell you. I am amazed at all the good information people are giving you since you seem to just ignore it all anyway. You got to wake up and ask yourself why you are going to Russia. I don't mean to say anything personal, but if the girls here don't like you, they won't like you over there either. Yes, the girls over there are sweet and many have a great attitude tword relationships, but they won't marry any clown who shows up on their doorstep. I really hope you don't act like this with you girl cause you come off as a dork, maybe even semi-retarded.

[Cam 0]

Uh, no. I never met 'guys in track suits' when I have been there, I never tried to. If you think you are a big billy badass and want to take on a few, be my guest. I am sure they will oblige.

I guess you are just trying to be funny, but you sooooo miss the point of what people are trying to tell you. I am amazed at all the good information people are giving you since you seem to just ignore it all anyway. You got to wake up and ask yourself why you are going to Russia. I don't mean to say anything personal, but if the girls here don't like you, they won't like you over there either. Yes, the girls over there are sweet and many have a great attitude tword relationships, but they won't marry any clown who shows up on their doorstep. I really hope you don't act like this with you girl cause you come off as a dork, maybe even semi-retarded.

And here I thought guys in tracks suits where everywhere. I get more insults than information on this forum. I can give as good as I get. Semi-retarded dork, have you see some of the pictures on here?

[Chuckles 0]

Cam, I don't know you, I'm just saying that is the impression you are making here on this message board. You might be quite different in person. I hope so.

Good luck in Russia, I hope you take the advice that was given to you in this forum.

Edited August 15, 2006 by Chuckles

[Cam 0]

Cam, I don't know you, I'm just saying that is the impression you are making here on this message board. You might be quite different in person. I hope so.

Good luck in Russia, I hope you take the advice that was given to you in this forum.

I never said I wouldn't take the advice, in fact I said Thanks for the advice.

And thanks for the Goodluck.

[Satellite 1]

...if the girls here don't like you, they won't like you over there either.

I got to disagree with you on this one. It's the whole reason mail order brides from Russia is so successful in the eyes of American men. Or at least the girls there will pretend to like you until they receive a financial or immigration benefit from you