I quarreled a bit with the girl just the day before leaving for Beograde. My spirits were very low. I did not want to go anywhere and to do anything. My train was leaving almost at midnight. The pleasant thing was my short walk on the Nevsky Prospect just before leaving. When I arrived to Moscow I felt still sleepy and gloomy due to the lack of sleep. I was falling asleep all the morning before the flight. We had very shaky landing in Beograde, due to the clouds, perhaps. I was getting more excited little by little. I arrived to Belgrade and took a city map at the information desk. It was necessary to take the bus to the city centre. I asked the bus driver for information, showing him the map and the required ... read more

They say that Moscow never sleeps. There is a popular Russian song “Ya lyublyu tebja, Moskvaaaa”. Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation, by the way. They also say that Moscow is not swayed by tears and that Moscow was not built in a day. I’ve never been for more than one day in Moscow. This is of course a city which needs no introduction and no advertising, so my story will be just an account of what and when I saw there, and my emotions. It’s too overwhelming and big a city for me to feel comfortable there. In St. Petersburg I feel much more comfortable and there were times when I felt St. Petersburg to be my second home. No doubt, I like Moscow’s sights, but generally the city looks very disordered, it ... read more

Yesterday I had a lovely evening. Me and my girlfriend have decided on our relationship. Finally! I cannot describe how happy I am. There’s a life for us. I am simply going mad sometimes. Like a child in a fairytale land. This is what St. Petersburg brought into my life. Many hearty thanks. I’m drowning in lyricism and romantic ideas and expectations. I feel very incomplete about my blogs, there being no stories about St. Petersburg and Moscow. I have realized that I simply have to write something about Moscow, because a) it deserves it; b) I’ve been there many times, though always only within one day and on a way to some other place; c) some people might be interested to read my impressions about this city. Concerning St. Petersburg, it’s a different situation, because ... read more

It’s a long time since I wrote my last ‘report’ about a trip. Well, much has happened since my trip to Baku and I’ve managed to visit several places. Blogs will be appearing as soon as I write them. I spent three months with no particular purpose (or a purpose I don’t want to reveal) in St. Petersburg, made some trips to several places, and missed my home badly. Living in a hostel in St. Petersburg (being no traveler there) and comparing that to life in the rented apartment in 2007-2009, I understood that I don’t want to spend time in hostels in St. Petersburg (emphasizing, though, their low prices and other conveniences). Also, staying in St. Petersburg this season brought a girl on my mind (if I can call it ‘a renewed friendship’, meaning that ... read more

Annapurna Base Camp trek 16-26 November 2010 It’s now time to immerse again into the beautiful land of Nepal and take the final effort to put down the long story about the ten day trek in the Himalayas to the Annapurna Base Camp arranged by Royal Mountain Travel, though the initially planned trip was to the Everest Base Camp. Much time has passed since the Nepal journey, but the thoughts and emotions are still lively. There might be no names of the villages, or persons, or rivers and other objects, but never mind, a map can guide you through the trek, and I will give the names which I remember. All the other Nepal experiences have been already described. Our team consisted of a guide, porter, an Australian, and myself. November 15 and 16 This day ... read more