Russia

Im planning a trip to Russia, and in order to get a visa, you need to get a letter of introduction.

Anyway done this? recommend anywhere to get this done?

Ill be doing the trans-siberian from Vladavostok to St.Petersberg, so any suggestions about where to get off and what to see as well! Ill be there in February, so somewhat limited in things to do i guess

£75.85 with these guys, http://ru.vfsglobal.co.uk/.
Apply well in advance.

Irkutsk and Moscow... that's about it. From Irkutsk you can get to Lake Baikal... which in February will be pretty bleak.

make friends with your provodnitsa and you'll be fine

I got a "free" letter from a travel agent in Irkustk, along with a booking for a room that I actually did not rent. February is not the ideal time to go though, it's deadly cold. Just getting out of the train to get food from the babushkas selling their fare from the platform will be too much.

Nonsense, you just need to be better prepared.

Ask Pistanator..he has 'contacts'*

*sorry not very helpful, but couldn't resist.

now i know that isn't to scale, but my tockley is definitely not in those length/width proportions.

am i normal?

that clip thing must be tiny...

Ask Pistanator..he has 'contacts'*

*sorry not very helpful, but couldn't resist.

I heard he yentzed his way from Moscow to Minsk.

I got a "free" letter from a travel agent in Irkustk, along with a booking for a room that I actually did not rent.

This, I think I got mine via a hotel booked in Moscow. According to google temp will be between -11 & -23 in feb so going for a swim in lake baikal is probably out of the question, so a bayna, whipped with birch twigs (stand like a footballer!) and then a roll around in the snow!

Oh and take loads of goodies on the train, the food wasn't the great when i went (mind you that was a few years back).

huh?

now i know that isn't to scale, but my tockley is definitely not in those length/width proportions.

am i normal?

It doesn't 'dangle' in the cold though does it Richie? That shape would work in the shrivelled cold, assuming you tuck your knackers in too!

Trans Siberian Express is a lot of fun. We were in budget cabins but I remember feeling like James Bond because the beds folded down and armed police kept coming in our cabin and checking passports.

I like Russia... I had fun with some crazy drunk russki builders in Moscow once... they are nutters.

They also like to partake in homemade bungee jumping:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qp5QGtUSG4

I heard he yentzed his way from Moscow to Minsk.

molensk. 200 miles west of Minsk. 200 north of Kursk. 1500

      miles west of Omsk.

So as not to start a new thread I'm vaguely considering cycling to Lake Baikal sometime in the next two years.

Any tips? Ways to go, ways not to go, things to do, things not to do? I've been to most countries up to Poland (in fact every country up to Poland) but that's as far as it goes. It's pretty flat from Amsterdam to the Urals anyway isn't it? I notice this exists, the Frohlika Adventure Coastline Trail.

This business about a Russian Visa does confuse me.

Paging Scorch..

Bu-bu-bump. Come on guys! I've only got 2 years to plan this vaguely concieved trip!

I was pretty surprised to see that Google maps can't work out directions in Russia yet. Dunno if that's a political thing.