There are two nationalities that I feel a particularly strong connection with: Russians and Japanese. I've been to Japan many times but had never been to Russia, so I felt that it was about time that I made my first trip over there.
Based on a recommendation from my Russian friend Mark Piller, I booked my trip using East/West tours. They did a good job and I definitely recommend them to anyone wanting to visit Russia. I scheduled 4 days in Moscow and 4 days in St. Petersburg, traveling between the cities via an overnight train. I stayed in the best old-fashioned hotel I could find in each city because I wanted to get a feel for the opulence of old Russia.
In order to prepare for the trip, I started learning a little Russian. Because I only had a week to study, I didn't learn enough to actually have a conversation, but it did make the trip more enjoyable because I was able to practice a few words with the people that I met. Russia uses a different alphabet from English, and I hadn't learnt any cyrillic before I arrived in Moscow, but by the end of the trip I was able to learn at least half their alphabet.
I got the impression that Russia could be a dangerous place, so I was apprehensive about carrying much cash around with me. I even called my bank to reduce my credit limit while I was away in order to reduce the damage that could be done by a stolen card. As you'll see from the rest of these postings, I think I was overly cautious and will not be so worried on my next visit.
I did quite a bit of preparation for my trip, and highly recommend that you check out the following Internet sites, even if it's just for a bit of light entertainment.
How to pack for a trip to Moscow
Mafia in Russia
Thrill of the Kill; inside the mind of a Russian hit man
Traveling to Moscow, Russia
The wildest bars in Russia
Moscow and St. Petersburg; sample holiday itinerary
The Moscow Times; GO!
David Carlson's Virtual World: Moscow
Exile Field Guide to Moscow
Exile Club Guide
In part 2 of this series, I describe the Moscow portion of my trip.
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