cgksheff Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 If you can take the time to learn the Cyrillic script, you will be a big step forward. Signs may look strange, but suddenly when you can read the script, you realise that more words are understandable than you first thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjodeano Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 I'm going back to Moscow first then over to st Petersburg then over to Yeltsa but that is in ucraine but not booked a flight carrier ,will do that near the time .i find if you stick to the tourist places people will just walk past you regardless of colour and unless someone tells them someone is gay etc they will never know .most rooms I've stayed in have twin beds as well so even harder for them to figure it out. I must also say make sure ALL your travel documents are in order as the immigration control don't mess about Thanks for the info, i will bear all that in mind Watch the brilliant Richard Ayoade as TravelMan on Channel 4 next week. He is doing Moscow. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/travel-man-48-hours-in I watched him doing Copenhagen this week in preparation for my trip there in 2 weeks Cheers, i will watch that... Russia is a big country with many ethnic minorities. They aren't any more racist then we are. If your partner won't be standing out like sore thumb in native African apparel they will not take any notice. Homosexuals were illegal some time ago and are not tolerated as much. No, she dresses just as any westerner....except i guess when we go she will have an extra three layers more If you can take the time to learn the Cyrillic script, you will be a big step forward. Signs may look strange, but suddenly when you can read the script, you realise that more words are understandable than you first thought. Thanks, i will definitely try and learn a lot of the language etc before we go, but at my age, it takes a bit of sinking in but if i just learn a few basic P's and Q's it will give me a start....i am just wishing the Russian that i worked with was still at our work place, he did learn me a little but it has all gone now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy lady Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 If you can take the time to learn the Cyrillic script, you will be a big step forward. Signs may look strange, but suddenly when you can read the script, you realise that more words are understandable than you first thought. Very good point. During my gap year we backpacked into Bangkok. The street signs were all written in ตัวอักษรไทย, which wasn't a great help when the tourist maps all have street names in English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidorry Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 (edited) Any restaurant ,cafe,bar,hotel or any place where you have to pay,then they will speak English.I would go to St.Petersburg if I was you it is great.You can fly to Moscow via Manchester direct by easy jet and it is the nearest airport on to the city centre.Don`t flash your cameras or jewels, or you may loose them.you can apply for your visa on line.If you want to learn a few words of Russian go to the Gleadless library in Sheffield every Monday at 3pm and there is a Russian group who will teach you a few essential words,for free. Edited January 21, 2016 by Kidorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrinkly67 Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Took a long haul coach trip some years ago through Poland, Belarus etc and included Russia; a brilliant experience. Visited both St Petersburg and Moscow. Moscow probably the highlight as would recommend that you visit Red Square at midnight (unforgettable) and a must to travel on their underground, ornately tiled stations with candleabras! Didn't venture too far at night on our own but never felt intimidated though even in our hotel which was really good, the presence in the foyer of some very well-dressed young women with their "madam" was part and parcel and we were warned that we may get a phone call at night offering their services - which we did! We were careful with cameras etc and anything of real value - but a precaution to take in any city worldwide. Learnt a few words such as please and thank you and this was appreciated though many of the younger people spoke English. Also at that time a "tier system" of which cars drove in what lane on their roads, the cheap ones in the inside lane, moving upwards in wealth with the more expensive cars in the fast lane. A strange mix of wealth and poverty - saw "odd" dealings from the backs of white vans - in fact we exchanged currency from the back of a white van en route. Also a large Sainsburys supermarket lorry which appeared abandoned in Moscow, assumed hijacked, as it was there the length of our stay and no-one went near it. Never did understand that one!! Make sure your visas etc are o.k. and enjoy. I'd do it again tomorrow if I were a bit younger!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy lady Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Try to avoid any internal flights on Russian airlines. In fact make sure you fly in on Lufthansa or any other reputable carrier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidorry Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Crikey....... Thanks for that Orzel, the plan was not to drive, just use taxis once we get off the plane, was thinking about Moscow or St Petersburg Using the local Mashrout buses are better.They are like 20 seater transits and they run from all airports to the centre of town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Went to Saint Petersburg in 2014. Loved it, absolutely loved it. Admittedly I had the advantage of having friends there that collected me from the airport and took me back, showed me round too. Also another friend who I spend most of my time with. But it was just really nice. The Hermitage is huge, the architecture is great, very nice being on a huge river and a river tour is definitely worthwhile. We were going to do one in the early hours of the morning when the bridges open to let the big ships in and out but were too knackered. Got my invite from the hotel I stayed in, got visa from the Russian Tourist Agency and got my cash from Sainsbury's before I went. Honestly I loved it and would go again. I imagine I enjoyed it more because I can speak some Russian and being taken around by people that live there means you go places tourists wouldn't usually go. I flew direct with British Airways from Heathrow purely because I couldn't be bothered with swapping and BA always have a sale in the new year Never managed to use the metro but use it if you can, unfortunately the airport doesn't have it's own metro station just yet but there's a bus to the nearest one and then you can get into the city centre. If you do want a taxi, book one from the airport desks, not from the random men hanging around offering taxis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjodeano Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Thanks for all the info, it gives me plenty to think about, its very much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudds1 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Thanks for all the info, it gives me plenty to think about, its very much appreciated There is a Russian meet on the last Friday of every month I believe and I think it's held somewhere round broom hall area .you could go there and learn a little Russian and also get more dos and donts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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