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Russia trip

  • 19-04-2005 6:37am
    #1
    pinkkaz77
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭


    Hi guys

    I'm going to travel thru Russia later on in the year. Starting from St Peterborough than Moscow and than travelling by land to Mongolia. I'm in a dilemma whether to do an organized tour or rough it on my own???

    Any advice?????


Comments

  • #2
    Coney Island
    Closed Accounts Posts: 344 ✭✭Coney Island


    Are you a guy? If yes, I think you should travel on your own...I am sure there will be plenty of local "beauties" happy to show you around in St Petersbourgh and Moscow.....don't get trapped into organised tours.
    I have never been to Mongolia though, so I have no idea......


  • #3
    sci0x
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,319 ✭✭✭sci0x


    I spose it depends on the reasons you are going. If you are travelling to uncover the cultural and historical background of Moscow then an organized tour would be best. However, if you are just going just for a break and want to go to an interesting place dont go on an organised tour. I wouldnt recommend going on your own though. Bring a few friends or something, could get very lonely over there on your own, at least with friends you could "have the craic".


  • #4
    Cavman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭Cavman


    when are you thinking of going?im planning to go to russia this summer with a mate, i dont know to much about it but it seems like a cool place to go to, any 1 here beent here?any advice?


  • #5
    Rossonero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 396 ✭✭Rossonero


    Did you see "The Long Way Round" with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Brookman?
    They travelled on motorbikes through Russia (St Petersborg-Moscow), and on to Khazakhistan and Mongolia and back into Siberia.
    If not, you should get it out on dvd.

    They were surprised to see the natural beauty of the Altay region in south/central Russia border with mongolia. Mongolia was their favourite destination.

    I knew someone who has been to St. Petersborg and Moscow and loved it, especially St. Petersborg as the people are nicer there. She said she's def going back.


    A cool trip like that, it's probably worth going on your own, IMO


  • #6
    Cavman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭Cavman


    any body been here get any trouble from the militia our abouts?
    ive heard alot of story's, as well as consant paper's check(passport visa etc)
    which they always make up something i wrong i.e a 200 ruble fine or rather a bribe,people just pay the fine so they done have 2 go to the police office and waste their trip?

    ive heard alot of stuff about russia, any one could give me any light it would be great!!


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  • #7
    michaelanthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 741 ✭✭✭michaelanthony


    Cavman wrote:
    any body been here get any trouble from the militia our abouts?
    ive heard alot of story's, as well as consant paper's check(passport visa etc)
    which they always make up something i wrong i.e a 200 ruble fine or rather a bribe,people just pay the fine so they done have 2 go to the police office and waste their trip?

    ive heard alot of stuff about russia, any one could give me any light it would be great!!

    I was in Moscow for a week and never had any trouble.


  • #8
    davros
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭davros


    I did that trip on my own in the opposite direction 6 years ago (my info might be out-of-date). It's some hassle to arrange a trip through Russia because you need the help of a tourist agency or hotel within Russia to arrange a visa. There is also no hop-on/hop-off ticket for the Trans-Siberian train so you need to book separate tickets for each leg.

    I found a small agency in Hong Kong that does nothing else but take the hassle out of TransSib journeys from East to West. They have a sister company in London that arranges trips from West to East.

    My experience with this company was great. At every stop, a local representative met us (there were six of us who had booked the same way), gave us our tickets for the next stage and brought us on a walking tour of the town. Apart from that, we were entirely free to do what we wanted. They also arranged accommodation, which included homestays. It's all pretty low budget but entirely adequate.

    I stayed in Ulan Bator (and also a ger camp on the steppes), Irkutsk, Listvyanka (on Lake Baikal), Moscow and St Petersburg. The homestay in Listvyanka was particularly good. Not only is it a beautiful area, it was also thoroughly Russian (Buryat actually) with a traditional banya for bathing/washing clothes.

    So I would recommend this way of travel, even if you like travelling independently. The intervention of the agency was just enough at each point to remove inconvenience without feeling intrusive. I also met an interesting bunch of international travellers, several of whom I kept in touch with afterwards.


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