Thread: Thanks to everyone!

hi. last week before i went to russia i started 3 topics asking for advice on my forthcoming trip to moscow - buying a russian mobile phone; getting from domodedovo to moscow and scanning some documents. thanks to this forum i found answers to these questions and the information was useful to me last weekend in moscow. i had a wonderful time - i love moscow. so thanks again to everyone who helped. peter

Could you tell us more how it was? I mean the three above-mentioned situations, plus something more if you don't mind.

Originally Posted by peternorhtampton

hi. last week before i went to russia i started 3 topics asking for advice on my forthcoming trip to moscow - buying a russian mobile phone; getting from domodedovo to moscow and scanning some documents. thanks to this forum i found answers to these questions and the information was useful to me last weekend in moscow. i had a wonderful time - i love moscow. so thanks again to everyone who helped. peter

Might you be posting anything about your trip? I've never been so would love to hear others experiences.

firstly a brief description:
i arrived moscow domodedovo from london at 4.30 in the morning. and although the airport can be very busy i managed to get through passport control really quickly - i guess because of the time of day. also i had a nice friendly welcom - the woman on passport control was very friendly and even joked about my passport photo . i then ran through the airport to the far end and just managed to catch the one and only train that would get me to moscow in time - the 5am to paveletskaya. this was a stopping train and took about 1hr 10 minutes. but the seats were heated and it was cheap i think 99 rubles (about £2.50). so i parked myself next to a window and slept most of the way to moscow. where i got on the metro. i had to ask the way and although i have only just started learning russian i luckily know left right and straight on. so i made it to polyanka. i arrived a little early but as i came out of the metro i turned left and left again along the main st boshoi polyanka where i had seen on google earth there is an italian cafe which (checked website beforehand) was open at 06.30. i had the most wonderful cappucino. then on to the block of flats where i had rented an apartment for 4 days. i range the agent who said he was already waiting in the flat for me. but i could not find the entrance . it turned out to be around the back of the flats (this is not unusual in russia i later discovered). also the agent only spoke a little english. but he came down eventually and met me at the metro station. the apartment was ok and cost about 3800 rubles a night (£95). then i slept till lunch time. then out and about in moscow. i went out to the university with a wonderful view of the olympic stadium and over the city. the weather was perfect. minus 20 c but clear blue sky and loads of snow. then i went to a restaurant that served russian food (lovely!!). then more sleep. the next day i went to Sergiev Posad (can get a train) http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...ed=0CCEQsAQwBA

amazing place. also had very nice and cheap meal in a place almost directly across the main road from the monastry

then back to moscow. the next day i wandered around central moscow. red square. near the kremlin. all very beautiful. had a meal at a restaurant chain which was again good and cheap.

finally on sunday i went to the tretyakov art gallery. amazing - again! then in the evening to the bolshoi to see coppelia. brilliant - it was always going to be good as the bolshoi really are the best ballet company in the world.

regarding my questions. well i managed to get the train so the taxi problem did not arise. i could have got one from one of the official (i think) places in the airport for about 2000 rubles. i found a copy bureau next to polyanka metro. and i went to the two electrical chains mentioned to me. i found cheap mobiles but in the end decided to wait until a few months before i buy one.

so thanks again. i shall be going back to moscow in the not too distant future and shall doubtless be on the board asking more questions. peter

sorry. forgot to mention. i had in fact asked four questions. i also asked about what to wear. i am so glad for your advice! i wore tights (marks and spencers thick footless tights) under my trousers. two pairs of sockes - thin with thick on top, padded boots with a thick sole with a good grippy sole. vest, shirt, jacket, lands end parka (one of their extra warm with thermal lining), hat with ears, gloves. only problem was my fingers which got cold. but on the whole i was wonderfully warm. my cheeks and lips were also cold and i wished i had taken a scarf to wrap around my face. thanks again everyone

Hey, it's great to know that you're enjoying your trip!
Thanks for sharing with us.

Yes, thanks for sharing -- it was interesting!

Originally Posted by peternorhtampton

only problem was my fingers which got cold. but on the whole i was wonderfully warm. my cheeks and lips were also cold and i wished i had taken a scarf to wrap around my face. thanks again everyone

That's why I prefer mittens when it's too cold, like -30C -- somehow when your fingers are all together, except for the thumb, they're much warmer than in gloves. And as for the nose and cheeks, it's not uncommon to see people walking around shielding their face with their hands. That way you both warm your hands with your breath and warm your face as well. The nose is especially vulnerable as it's.. er... protruding. Limbs usually get colder much quicker because they are farther away from the heart.

thanks for that - i guess if you live in novosibirsk you understand about cold weather )

Originally Posted by starrysky

That's why I prefer mittens when it's too cold, like -30C -- somehow when your fingers are all together, except for the thumb, they're much warmer than in gloves.

Yes, but you won't be able to do manipulations that require all your fingers and if you have to do something outside you will have to take them off and work with bare hands.
Ever tried to fix a broken car when it's -30? I did and it wasn't pretty.

Winter hunting gloves are what you need in such situations. I comfortably changed a wheel of my wife's car wearing Roshunter gloves. The shooting openings are probably of no use for you but they don't make one feel cold.

http://www.dmazay.ru/index.php?productID=985

Originally Posted by Ramil

Yes, but you won't be able to do manipulations that require all your fingers and if you have to do something outside you will have to take them off and work with bare hands.
Ever tried to fix a broken car when it's -30? I did and it wasn't pretty.

Well, I hope I'll never have anything to do with cars, especially fixing them. As for other manipulations -- if it's extremely cold, I usually wear both gloves and mittens.

peternorhtampton
Why does the beginning of your story sound so Russian to me?
Maybe because of the following,
'the woman on passport control' instead of 'the woman at the passport control',
'that would get me to moscow in time' instead of 'that would get me to moscow on time'.
Do people really talk like that in England?