Entering BELARUS (as a non-CIS citizen) + bad luck with hotel
I almost thought I wouldn't get into Belarus while waiting for the extremely lengthy border check. I took the train from Kiev to Gomel.

For the border check; first they went through the train compartment with 2 different dogs. Then everyone had to identify their bags, and I had to open my small backpack, containing my laptop and some makeup (thankfully not my larger bag!).

Several officers came and investigated my passport. One officer spent well over 5 minutes, examining my particular passport. Checking every page in the passport (I don't have a lot of stamps, there is nothing to see...) checking all the laser marks, computerized information. At two different ocassions, he actually pulled out a magnifying glass and checked the construction of the passport.

While all this was happening I maintained an uninterested look and said nothing, but I was really quite blown away by the thoroughness and was wondering what was going on. It has NEVER happened to me before; usually they just take a look if it's you in the photo, scan the pass and that's it. I have no idea why my passport was so suspect.

The people sitting next to me on the train were Russian, Belarussian, Ukrainian and Uzbek. (first time I meet an Uzbek person, I think - he was very nice and helped me with my bag). The processing of their passports took about a minute each, still quite thorough though.

I am not happy with my hotel in Gomel (too pretentious, expensive and they messed up my reservation, then gave me a smokers room that smells like an old ashtray). So I am changing tomorrow. This is allegedly the new chic hotel in town. I'll swap to the old "un-chic" hotel.

For hotels and some other things, Belarus has different tarriffs for local people, CIS citizens and everyone else. Rubbish, I think - that particular policy is straight from the USSR, only thing is; Belarus now has market economy (or mixed economy), so how can such policies be justified?

Actually, I am just irritated about this useless, smelly hotel room. I'll write more tomorrow. Gomel is very nice indeed, just not in a mood to write anything right now.