Moscow - part two

---

MOSCOW - part two ... freedom isn't free

But it does have a price. In Moscow it $750. Apparently due to a small misunderstanding on my part and definitely my fault. Talking with the visa agent in the States while in the planning stage I came to understand that Date of entry was the date you actually entered the country. World travelers stop laughing. It is of course the date on the passport. With my plans I has a 6 day safety factor. But was over the exit date.

At the boarder I was escorted from the train, taken to the ticket office my ticket was reprinted back to Sochi or some place not sure where and I was given a refund of the unused portion. Never did anyone suggest that we could "solve" the problem there. No attempt at a shakedown; or I am pretty dense.

Had to wait 4hrs for the return train. Made a new babuschka friend, no English, she was had also been ejected. Don't know why. At least time as we waited for loading the handheld radio traffic ... blab blab . American.. blha blah with a response DA! American... blah. We get on and find our bunks ... handles for climbing were different on this one something missing ... or a handle is not where it should be, Babaskha notices starts laughing ... palms my ass and puts me on the the far end of the bunk. Made me thing of Rich and Becky on the Oak Creek hike. Snuggled in bed safe and sound; confident things will be resolved quickly in Moscow. Arrive 08:00 is the city the ticket took me to... the next train is that same train but the next day.

Decided to the bus at 1/10 the cost and 2/3 the time. What was I thinking. Remember you get what you pay for. If your lucky. In this case it less. The old buses are decrepit the bathroom does not work is use for storage. At stops you run for the bushes but there are no bushes. Would not have been so bad but it was cold, snowing and near gale conditions.

Arrive Moscow. Back to the Hostel. Call the embassy, no they can't help. Called the visa agent. Fortunately they had a Moscow office. Unfortunately they could not help. Went to the embassy. An appointment is required. Vladivostok SIM does not work in Moscow. Nice Russian guard lets me in to the compound to use the phone. Visa section, want me to make an appt, when I explained the phone thing and that I was in the Embassy they let me in to wait for the visa guy, a Russian Employee, to get back from lunch. Nice guy. He called my visa agent. They talked for nearly 20 minutes about something. Now the agency could help.

Got the Metro to the nearly impossibly to find visa agent office, .... this is taking to long
The basic fix need will be $250 for the hospitalization records showing that I could not leave be country because I was in the Hospital and $500 for the fine. Word on the street is the hospital records should be $120 and the fine $200. I hope the charges were because I looked rich not stupid. I can only guess. Turned in my passport, national holiday, a weekend 7 day later I have a new 10 day visa, was not deported, did get put on the five year black list, no jail time up to 20 days hostel manager says it a light duty thing not Siberia; and your not in with the hard time criminals. The bureaucracy here is out of control according to both Medeve and Putin as reported in the Moscow Times , English edition. I spent the 7 day in seclusion reading Sherlock Holmes { like it only bad guys ended up dead except the German teacher}, not going out at all because if picked-up by the police they still may have taken me to the airport and deport me ... just to be mean. But they are getting better, Moscow has had a new Police Chief for the last year and according to the MT is proud to report that police crime in the City is down 18%! (MISSING)
In retrospect I guess I am happy that my extra $430 is going to some kids Christmas instead of the govt coffers. Ended up flying to Beijing via Dubai for $359 nice airline, made a new friend in the process, Nick, Russian IT manager, 30ish going to Thailand for vacation. He was a big help getting through the Moscow airport.

---

Comments

[karen murray]

only WOW! exciting!
better you than me. k

[Becky & Rich]

Oak Creek
Well Dave glad to hear you are thinking of us!! We are so glad you are out of there and look forward to your return. Ellen misses you, too. You should know we went to see "Blind Side" and Rich may have given my butt up for Sandra Bullock's. Of course he lied and said he never noticed hers. God Speed.