Hell, thy name is Moscow

Moscow was oppressive. Not in a Politburo-know-your-every-thought kind of way, but in a Dante's Inferno kind of way. I knew that Moscow could get hot in summer, but I must admit to being completely unprepared for the level of heat that was on offer - even after the very, very warm weather we'd been encountering as we travelled east, Russia's capital was just something else. As Jen and I waited for the train out on Tuesday night, the station information board kindly informed us that it was nudging 41 degrees Celsius at 7 in the evening, and one night whilst walking home from a bar a street sign gave us the comforting news that the mercury was still sitting on 36 degrees - at 11pm. Even as a born and bred Queenslander I was struggling to remember experiencing anything quite like it.

Notwithstanding the fact that we were clearly sitting somewhere between the fourth and fifth circles of Hell, Moscow of course had its appeal. The Kremlin is a hell of a place to seat your government, no matter what their particular leanings, while Red Square - crowned by the wonderfully colourful St Basil's Cathedral - is very impressive, particularly when lit up at night.

The Stalin-era skyscrapers - seven of which are still scattered around the city - give the place a Gotham-esque feel while an evening walk along the river is also quite lovely. And, despite its status as the Most Expensive City In The World, cheap beer can still be found if you look for it. Which we did, of course.

Jen and I also managed a brush with the Hollywood A-List. Walking back to our hostel we passed a movie theatre with a huge crowd gathered outside it. Wondering what the fuss was about, we manoeuvred our way to near the front of the crowd just in time to watch Angelina Jolie pull up and stroll the red carpet for the premiere of her new film (it's called Salt, for those who care) from a distance of about one metre away - and have some great pics to show for it. Brad wasn't there, presumably to save himself the rare embarrassment of being only the second hottest man in any given location.

Incidentally, as I'm sure those of you blessed with sight are now aware, we can now upload photos - look back through previous posts to catch up. Keep in mind that we may not be able to upload photos in our initial posts, but we'll always catch up eventually.

BT5_Moscow 24-27 July 2010

Saint Petersburg

Our flight from Kiev to Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург) went via Moscow. The flight left 50 mins late from Saint Petersburg so in turn our change over in Moscow was reduced from 2 hours to 1 hour 10. As with all flights on the plane they assured us that ground staff would be of assistance. As with all flights, they were not. What would have been useful for example, would have been supplying the landing cards on the plane (that way Sean and I wouldn't have missed the tiny counter where they were dispensed and wouldn't have had to queue at passport control twice). We were saved from missing our flight by the ever so helpful check-out staff who allowed us to check-in even after the check-out was officially closed. Our whole rush was of course topped off by the fact that we arrived on the plane hot and sweaty and the chap we'd sat next to on the first leg was sat next to us on the second leg having sauntered all the way.... of course!

We were picked up at the airport by a wonderful man who spoke perfect English and was kind enough to teach us a few key words of Russian and also give us a quick history lesson on the things we were seeing as we drove into the city. This type of greeting always tends to influence your initial reaction to a city.

Regardless, though, we loved St Petersburg. It was full of fantastic buildings and churches, so a really visual place to be. It was nice to be by water for the first time on our trip and the walks in the hot sun were lovely along the river. It's a big navy port, so of course a main attraction were the moored submarines and battleships. Lots of men in uniform about too!

And also lots and lots of weddings! It seems to be that after their formal Orthodox wedding (most of which appear to be open to the public as we bumped into a few in some of the churches we visited) that the 'done thing' is to wonder the city looking for good photo opportunities. The whole guest list seems to follow with picnic baskets full of champers. There are also two main players in an Orthodox wedding that swap the crowns over (the best man / maid of honour types) and after the wedding they seem to don "Miss World" sashes so you can identify them. Was really quite a site watching all these brides and Miss World winners wondering the streets followed by lots of 'happy' people - quite like the Pied Piper!

It wasn't also as expensive as we were expecting it to be. At least we managed to buy beer for a mere 40p a can. They even have these kiosks alongside the canals, with views of the fantastic buildings, with nice tables and chairs under umbrellas that you can sit on to drink your cheap can of beer so that you don't feel like a tramp! How nice of them!

We also chowed down on some nice pancakes and hotdogs as these seem to be the staple fast-food of choice in Russia.

In general the streets were filled with people playing music (really high quality classical or funky jazz), there was artwork everywhere. I don't know if the weather influenced us in anyway, but it was a very romantic experience, and quite 'continental' almost.

BT4_St Petersburg 22-24 July 2010

Kiev

Greetings again, it's The Sean half of theseanandjen taking over for the entry on Kiev, capital of Ukraine - yes, just Ukraine, not THE Ukraine as apparently 97% of the world insist on calling it. After a difficult - and swelteringly hot - introduction, it's definitely a place that grows on you - a fascinating combination of grand old buildings and churches combined with plenty of leftovers from the communist era too. Lots of lovely open green space for such a big city, and eating and drinking are insanely cheap. I even managed to chow down on a hearty meal of chicken kiev. Though they just called it chicken.

Kiev's infrastructure isn't all that it could be, which while not overly surprising could be an issue in two years when Ukraine co-hosts the Euro Football Championships. The metro system is fine once you're on it but absolute chaos to try to get into and buy a token for while the airport is very provincial, quite out of place in a major European capital. It is also still very insular - exceedingly few people speak anything that isn't Ukranian or some variant of it, meaning even fewer in the rest of the country do. I imagine this will be a particular problem for the England team, who can barely speak English let alone a language with an entirely different alphabet. Then again, they probably won't qualify.

I know what you're all asking - this is supposed to be a predominantly overland trip, so how do they know what Kiev airport is like? Well, dear friends, the answer to this question is Bela-sodding-rus. A visa is required for Belarus, even if you're just transiting through it, and we didn't get one due to time constraints, and the fact that we had the foolproof plan of going to to Russia via Ukraine, thus avoiding Belarus totally. All well and good, until we rock up at Kiev train station with our ticket to St Petersburg (via Moscow, we were reliably informed) only to be asked for our transit visas for Belarus. Why the sodding train had to go that way I don't know, but I was then treated to a friendly local telling me that it was "impossible" to get to Russia from Kiev by train without going through Belarus. He even crafted a crude map that showed Belarus directly in the middle of Ukraine and Russia with no way around, which is just a lie. I wanted to tell him such but decided, wisely in my opinion, that giving a geography lesson to a local wasn't going to improve my situation in the slightest. In times past I would have given him charts, border crossings, mercator projections, the lot - I've clearly grown as a person. Or maybe it was just Jen dragging me away and telling me to let it go. Probably a bit of both to be honest. But that's why we had to go to the airport to get a flight into Russia.

Anyway, handing over to my lovely other half...

Jennie's bit: Things Jennie will Remember:

• The sound of clicking heels on the pavements (so many stilletoes)
• Tango dancers and a rock n' roll dancing session in the park
• Padlocks and ribbons on the bridge, being hacked off by council workers

• Puzatahata.kiev.ua - kinda like the Golf Club meal in Newcastle Australia (for Sean's mum and dad). Loads of different food on display that you can point and and nod approval to (useful when you don't know the alphabet being used and so can't read anything). We ate there (with beers) for the equivalent of 3 pounds each - hooray!
• The massive rain storms to break up the crazy heat at 6pm each day and the nice friendly security guard who let us into the building reception to avoid one!
• Cars that think they are people and drive on the pavements.
• Zac's quote to me on our first Skype chat. When asked where we were we replied 'on holiday'. Zac's statement was "You're not on holiday, you're in my house!" :)

Russia up next, and we will start uploading photos as soon as we find a computer that will let us.

BT3_Kiev 20-22 July 2010

We came, Warsaw, we conquered

Warsaw was an unexpected pleasure! It's very pretty and very cultured with great tourist information at the station, easy bus system, great signs and info everywhere. The central part of Warsaw (the Old Town) was easily negotiated on foot for the two days we were there - when we arrived at our hostel there was a jazz concert going on in the main square, and throughout our stay there could be found frequent musical interludes in the streets around the old town.

Things Jennie Will Remember:

• The main square in the old town and the woman who sat down next to us on our bench and proceeded to throw bread into my sandals to feed the pigeons (needless to say we got up and moved after being attacked by loads of them)

• Singing benches. There are benches that play Chopin and have information on the buildings near to them on a trail around the city.
  
• Arkadia Pub. We spent an interesting night in the cellar bar. We were first in. Then a few others, notably Johanna and Michael (sorry for spelling!). We were then joined by Tomas (aka Gumar which means Rubber apparently - @Jacek, by all means comment please on our very bad Polish). He was blind drunk and didn't believe we didn't speak Polish. He also had one finger missing and, most disturbingly of all, really fancied Sean. Johanna and Michael helped translate what they could of his drunken rants/chat-up lines. We then were visited by a homeless lady who had a very strange stare and very wide eyes, who had a cup of hot water in the corner with tea bags and watched the ongoings with Tomas. Afterwards Johanna and Michael invited us to catch up and drink on with two of their friends (Alice and Caroline - again, sorry that we know in advance this is not how you spell your names!), but before we could do that we had to lose Tomas in the cobblestone streets of the old town by hiding behind cafe stalls. Much fun indeed!

• That Chopin's heart is buried here:

• The railway trip from Warsaw to Kiev with the woman who did nothing but either eat berries, snore or talk on her mobile (literally all three of these in 40 minutes cycles for the entire 18 hour journey). And of course that wonderful 3 hour Ukrainian border crossing with passport control and the track change (this was very loud and during this period there was no air into the berths so was very hot - all at midnight when you're trying to sleep so you can imagine the weird dreams)
  

And speaking of Kiev, we will, in the next entry...

BT2_Warsaw 17-19 July 2010

Wir sind zwei Berliner

Greetings all,

Well with Jen having well and truly monopolised the early entries of this blog, I figured it was time I joined in the fun now that we're actually on the road. We've spent the past couple of days easing into backpacker mode in Berlin - not exactly the hardest of introductions to the year ahead, what with first-rate infrastructure and flushing toilets. The hostel was a gem, though being filled with uber-fashionable 20-somethings it did make us feel rather old and uncool. I couldn't help but hark back to my previous backpacking days of several years ago - I wasn't remotely cool then either, but at least my age began with a 2. It's my second visit to Germany's capital but Jen's first, meaning I've had the pleasure of rediscovering Berlin with her as a first-timer, and I reckon I've enjoyed it all the more because of it.

The history of the place, both good and bad, is almost tangible, and what impressed us both so much is that for all the "bad" part of the history of Berlin, not a bit of it is covered up or swept under the carpet as it might be in certain other countries that we might just happen to be visiting in a couple of months in Asia.* It's to Germany's immense credit that the past, no matter how horrible, has been recognised and put in its place as an example of what not to do - as Jen correctly noted on our wanderings, the acute awareness that the Germans have of their past is surely what makes them such a strong and successful modern nation, and also virtually guarantees that fact that if there's one country in the world where something like that definitely won't happen again, it's Germany.

A couple of observations:

• German women, much like their Dutch counterparts, have the endearing habit of wearing very short skirts and dresses to ride bicycles. Strangely enough, Jen has not noticed this nearly as much as I have.

• I am expecting both Jen and myself to lose significant weight over the course of this adventure, due to the fact that in addition to the amount of walking we're doing, the trend has already been well and truly established that when budget constraints allow for the purchase of either food or beer, we buy beer. Every single time. This is good as it means I will no doubt arrive back home as a relatively trim and fit man with a drinking problem, as opposed to what I am now which is a rather large man. With a drinking problem.

Things Jennie will remember:

• That this is a city of bears. When Sean was here last they were all on one central display, but now they are scattered around the city and make for amusing little games of eye spy.

• Prezlauer Berg is not very good. (Sean reckons he heard this street was amazing, we walked for an hour to get there only to find it was probably the least inspiring street of the entire city - and we walked a lot of this city!)
• Check-point Charlie - had an amazing history display on the street pavements and I really enjoyed it. Didn't know that the Berlin wall only went up in 1961 for example!
• That Kreuzberg is a very cool area. We only discovered that it was close by accident and it's full of bars, restaurants etc. Great atmosphere!
• That Berlin has very cool traffic light crossing signs - little tubby red and green men in hats.
• Bikes that think they are people and ride on the pavements, even though there are very clearly signed cycle paths everywhere.
  
• That it's really easy to cross Germany-Poland border - but everyone wants to see your rail ticket... all the time!

* This is just as a hypothetical statement and bears no reference to any country, real or imagined. Honest.

BT1_Berlin 14-17 July 2010

Everything but the Kitchen Sink.... or rather the Sofa.

Briefly:
Saturday/Sunday - thank goodness for mum (window cleaner) and Philip (gardener). Had lovely picnic out and the fair on Turnham Green with Jill, Zac-man and Squishy, followed by a meal out with mum and Philip at Yupa's Thai which was great. Yet more tears when said goodbye to them on Sunday - I think you're getting the drift of how I operate.
Monday- bed at 3am having just spent last 30 mins with the TV trying to get it into the crate (I don't recommend doing this, at this time, when this tired by the way).
Tuesday - up after 3 hours sleep to finish taping up the final few boxes. Storage men arrived at 7am and took everything except the sofa which wouldn't fit into the 35sqft container 'cause apparently we have too much stuff. Oh well!
Tuesday - cleaning. And somehow I managed to get on my list of 'to dos' the oven, kitchen and bathroom - and Sean got charity shop runs. hmmmmm.
Wednesday - check-out. So everything seems ok (except pink stain from rug on carpet - oops). And then a lovely final afternoon with Jill, Glen, Zac and Scarlett with the world's best roast dinner. More tears (although I did pretty well at composing myself eh Jillo?). And then a rather hairy race to Gatwick in Glen's car with an accident on M25 and detour around Staines - only to of course get through passport control to find out flight was delayed by one hour - typical.
Another tear filled phone call to mum to say final goodbye and we were on the plane and on our way.
The Big Trip starts here.

Testies - I love you!

I said goodbye today to my best friend, Issy. I haven't cried that much in public ever. I was that person on the tube in floods of tears under her sunglasses that everyone wanted to avoid.

Then I came home, went to Blacks and had some retail therapy with Drew and Kylie's amazing gift voucher (and the Blacks super sale!).

After that it was a trip to the Temperance near Putney Bridge tube for drinks with the Monday netball crew. And wow - I was so shocked by my gifts. Ben would have been proud of the head band wind-up torch (he said this was invaluable for hostel staying), also a wind up mobile phone charger thingy (awesome) and a survival pack of water purifying tablets, glow stick, flint, matches, sewing kit, compass, fishing line/hooks, pencil etc - all in a personally engraved "Testies" tin (we're called "The Test Eagles" in case you hadn't guessed).

Again - I was in tears on the bus home - just too much kindness. People are really lovely.

Expect for middle-height man Kath - he was a prat ;)

Netball really is a go go

Geez - this is just killing me now.

Tuesday netball has been so lovely this last season - what a wonderful bunch of friends they are.

We won our last game comfortably by the last quarter, and had a few cheeky drinks after the match.

This is so hard now. Leaving people that are genuine and kind.

I have to remember that this isn't permanent and that I'll be back.

Netball a Go Go!

Oh my god.

Nothing more to say than we beat Jagerbombs.

Finally.

6 all after first quarter.

14-13 to us after second quater.

23-21 to us after third quarter.

and then final score was 2 goal difference to us (but I was so happy I can't really remember more than the anouncement that we'd won!!!)

After 5 seasons of hurt - Netball (on Mondays) has come home.

I am so pleased you have no idea.

Especially since we were so close to giving it all up after my hideous final quarter "let's give away our centre by me breaking too soon" moment - I could have hated myself, seriously.

But our new team addition, Nic, was incredible against Tash (the "is she on springs" shooter) and the rest of the team was on fire. We nailed it. It was awesome. I leave a happy, happy lady.

Wedding Dresses

So today I went to try on some wedding dresses.

Issy found this very designer place off Kings Road initially where she, Jill and I went to make a first attempt of finding dresses that suited my figure - we fell in love with one here that was a mere £6k - obviously not within budget . After that I have found 2 dresses that were potentially "the one".

However, today there was one that my mum picked out which was lovely. I had approval from all important parties present, and have my sister booked in to see it on Friday.

If she loves it too then it is agreed - this is the one I'm having!

It's very similar to the original Kings Road ludicrously expensive one, but with a price tag far diminished!

Fingers crossed!

PS: Did I mention that I love my mum to pieces?

xxx

Bon Voyage!

Our leaving party / engagement do was on Saturday.

This is where life really starts to get hard (for good reasons).

We went to the Hole in the Wall pub, just up the road from our lovely flat in Chiswick. A pretty good turn out for London standards - made up of 5 main groups, my Muzicall work mates, my Tuesday netball team, my AP chums, my family and close friends of ours.

I had the sincere pleasure of meeting (finally!) my close cousin Jon's girlfriend, Sally. And she's really lovel. :)

I was also completely bowled over by how nice people can be.

Drew and Kylie (Sean went to Uni with Drew, and I know them equally as friends) were very generous with vouchers for a travel store place. Lyndsay (my oldest friend) gave more shopping vouchers to add to them. We also got some amazing wedding help offers which will be fantastic to cash in on our return.
Did I mention it also went on until 5am???

After the Hole in the Wall, we went back to our Chiswick flat. We had 16 beers in the fridge which we knew wasn't enough. So Sean bought a case of Becks from the local off-y. At 1am this supply was getting low, so an online order went in for more beer. At 3am a crate of Fosters arrived.... and after that I learned how important sausages were to the balance of the human race (or at least those with the munchies).

At 5am, I learned that my sister loves her husband (quote "I want to share our bed together") and I learned that taxi drivers need to know how many passengers they are taking when they quote you prices and that if you haggle apparently you get 50% off the difference. I also learned that my neighbours are the most tolerant of any I have ever met to put up with 80s classic anthem singing until 4am from my living room with the garden doors open and most of us joining in.

It's also where i got the first glimpse of how lovely people are and how many wonderful friends I really have.

Thank you to all of you for celebrating with Sean and I - we will miss each and every one of you.

xxxx

Leaving Work

Well blimey eck - I should leave work more often. How much fun was that! The usual Kings Arms drinks and Chutney & Lager curry - followed by a rather interesting visit to the basement of The Social where they have hip-hop karaoke (I said it was interesting!?!) Was like being in a middle-class 8 Mile.

Nursing my hangover this morning I read all the kind messages in my leaving card. Am now very scared 'cause they were all very worried about me being eaten by lions. However they did give me some kind tips on how to avoid this, so I think I'll be ok (as long as I have some clean underpants to hand of course Will).

What I am going to have to worry about of course is how to avoid getting my wonderful new iPhone stolen - can you believe I got an iPhone as my leaving present?! Incredibly generous! Thanks very much everyone!

So now what do to with my day? A question I will have to ask myself every day for the next year. Well I have a wedding dress fitting with my sister and erm, well that's kinda it. I just have time to 'relax' apparently. Hmmm - going to take some adjusting to from the manic life that was Muzicall.

A new chapter has begun. But friends stay with you:

Beginning

The trip starts in less than 2 weeks. Sean collecting Russian visas today. Will take in for Indian ones tonight. Had second round of jabs on Monday with the final lot the Monday before we travel. Starting to get really excited and nervous!

Thank God for sysadmins and their knowledge of all things weird and technical - am now a part of the blog world, with the blog integrated into Facebook and email and Google Reader, Picassa. Also off to buy myself a GPS camera so that photos automatically overlay onto Google Maps - amazing. Thanks Ben for all this!

Last day at work today for me. Sean at home already of course watching World Cup (although there are no games today and so he's not quite sure what to do with his day!). Was our final pub quiz last night too before we go - and we won - hooray! Thanks to Eric, Ysabel, Sophie and Glen of course! Sean won on a tie-break question yet again.

Now - at some point I have to start packing... oh yes - and get the wedding invitiations sorted....