This is our first Blog on our coming trip to Russia.We depart Brisbane on 27th August on Emirates Airline for a flight of 15 hrs 45 min to Dubai , there for 4 hrs then reboard the flight to Moscow for another 5hrs .We then proceed direct to our vessel , the MS AmaKatarina and spend the next 12 days doing a river cruise from Moscow to StPetersburg along the Volga, Svir, and Neva rivers.
We depart StPetersburg on 8th September for Rome via Berlin and after having a night in Rome, board the " Crown Princess " for a 12 day cruise of the Greek Isles. This will end on 21st September and we then fly to Dubai and have 2 nights there before flying home, arriving in Brisbane at 6.40am on 24 th September and no doubt very tired.
One Week to Go
I am still trying to get the hang of this IPad so hope it all comes together before we leave next Monday. We have clothes all over the spare bed and wonder how much of it will fit into suitcases. No doubt we will have to cull some of it and hope we won't need it.If anyone knows how to downsize a photo before posting to the blog, I would appreciate your comments or email to help me out.Actually I am having trouble posting any photo so I will take all the advice I can get.
Day 1 - 2
Jim and Bev dropped us at Emirates at 6.10 and pretty quick thro checking.Flt left 9.15 and 13hours and 26 mins later we are in Dubai at 4.45am and 33deg - pretty warm.Then it was on to a bus to the terminal and queues everywhere!then the LONG walk to our gate.We walked past all the beautiful shops and now it is too far to trek back so maybe next time.I am absolutely amazed at the throngs of people -so many it is difficult to find a seat and the line up at the toilets!!! Our Flt was very smooth and the food tasty tho they ran out of Scrambled Eggs for brekky.Eric has gone off to find the showers - may never see him again! It is daylight now so we are feeling more normal again. Our next Flt leaves in 4hours.Eric has had his shower and feels refreshed. Got into shower straight away but then had to queue up at the toilets.The distance to Dubai was 12,300km and another 3,800km to Moscow.Eventually we left Dubai and had a smooth flight to Moscow in 5.5 hours arriving at 3.45pm. After Customs etc.we were met by APT but then was 2.5 hrs in very heavy traffic by coach to get to the ship arriving at 7.00pm after 32hours from home base!!!!Dinner was already under way so off we went to enjoy a sit down meal in comfort.
DAY 3. Moscow - Red Sq, Kremlin,Moscow Circus
Well what a first day of touring as we left the ship at 8.30and some 14 yes 14 hours later we returned!!! very tired . I wouldn't,have believed it if I hadn't done it.Everyone was looking for their bed but no, then we had to have our dinner. That would be a first for us sitting down to dinner after 10.30pm.We sure hope that isn't, a regular thing.
However the day did have other new experiences although most of it was marred by rain which of course didn't help the photos.Luckily we have coats and umbrellas tho we aren't sure how long the umbrellas will last as they have been turned inside out a few times already esp when we stood in the rain for 30mins waiting for our bus to fight his way thru the horrendous traffic.It took us 1.5 hours to travel to city centre to visit the Kremlin and Red Square where we walked around jumping the puddles.Red Sq is barricaded as they prepare for a huge Military Tattoo and celebrations in honour of it being 200yrs since they defeated Napoleon so we saw beautiful horses going thru their paces ans heard a band practicing.There are ever so many churches, buildings and museums in honour of their various victories over the centuries.One church took 45years to build and Stalin destroyed it in 45mins but it has since been rebuilt.St.Basils Cathedral was just as pretty as I imagined tho we did not go inside.Talk about Icons - wow they are everywhere you look in the churches.Our visit to the Armoury Museum overpowering such beauty in the garments, silver and gold pieces of crowns, jewels,and the most beautiful golden carriages and don't mention the Faberge Eggs - exquisite!Because of the heavy traffic they kept us in city and took us to The Moscow Circus - great show but it felt strange seeing performing animals like lions and bears and monkeys which we don't see at home these days. A long day but worth doing.
Sounds like you are definitely being busy over there. Is the traffic just the normal thing over there or is it being affected by the celebration that they have coming up? We went to the coast yesterday and had a BBQ down there. I then had to go to work at 6p targeting cab drivers. Surprisingly, of the 300 that we checked, they all had licences, none were wanted and there were only 2 that needed a mechanical inspection. I was surprised that there weren't more problems.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is much the same here. There were a few spots of rain at 3am this morning but thats all.
You guys must be very tired after a very long few days. Stay safe.