Tips for travelling to and staying in Gomel, Belarus?

[Charlie_M]

Hi all,

I'm in the early stages of planning a trip to Gomel, Belarus.

I'm a very experienced international traveller (well used to travelling and living in foreign countries, out of my comfort zone, language barrier etc) but this is my first trip to Eastern Europe and only speak very basic Russian. I'm a "meet one" (with a backup plan) type of guy, have been speaking to a lady who lives near Gomel, now in the early stages of planning to meet. She speaks English well (but not fluent) and has offered to meet me in Minsk but I like to make my own plans independently and have backup plans etc. My overall attitude is that if this lady is "the one", that's great but if not, there are plenty of other fish in the sea and I will have enjoyed discovering a new country.

I'm looking for tips from people who have spent time in Gomel. I like the idea of renting an apartment instead of staying in a hotel, paying for a local guide/interpreter for a couple of days if I need to etc.

I welcome any tips for travelling to/from Gomel (from Minsk), places to stay, places to date, things to do/see etc. My trip will be in winter.

Thanks in advance!

[krimster2]

moy dva kopec....

buy new shoes!
they MUST have a “clean smell” and new socks (you won’t understand until you get there!)
buy new clothes as well... dress “sharp”
COLD WEATHER GEAR!!!
ski boots with thick treads....

tripadvisor always has recent travel info....
but 99% of your focus should be on the WOMAN
and not on the local geography....

and THAT is where you REALLY need the advice....

so first-up, how’s your “scam detector” working?
what level is it set on?

second-up, is I’m gonna tell ya how to seduce a woman from Belarus...
whether you want to or not, is totally up to you...

FIRST
it goes without saying that your appearance and hygiene must at ALL times on a scale of 1 to 10, be an 11, you ALWAYS LOOK AND SMELL GOOD!!!!!

OMG, Bela Russian men are REALLY brutal with the ladies!
so use that Anglo-Saxon tenderness to woo her....

what that means is that as soon as you meet this woman
you must take COMPLETE charge of her comfort and happiness and you do your BEST to maximize everything for her
and make it your HIGHEST priority that her experience of meeting you is EXCITING and FUN and you build up a sexual tension with her
you do this by “innocent intimacy”
so you HAVE to be outgoing and really engage with her up close
I would take her to some place like this:
http://www.free-style.by/en/home/

I always start by cooking them a nice meal (I know how to do a great and easy to make lasagne!)
and by the end of dessert they are literally EATING OUT OF MY HAND!!!!
and by the SECOND date I’m giving them foot massages...

however, if by the fourth date, you are not in bed naked with her, with her head resting gently on your shoulder and her hand spread across your chest
then she’s playing you for money and so you should move on...

[Trenchcoat]

Charlie, I've been to Minsk once before but not in winter, it was a warm weekend in September last year. I noticed that the locals tend to dress in clothing from their own department stores. Since its is still a society that still somewhat closes of trade from the outside world they tend not to dress the same as Ukrainains or Russians. I would not say they are badly dressedm their department stores carry a rough version of general fashion elsewhere, general standard style of jeans, etc, a bit like a mid range non brand clothing department store in your country might. In our country maybe a shop like Next, Debenhams, Matalan or Primark might be comparable. There is the odd Hugo Boss store or KFC in Minsk but that is about it, most main stream fashion brand stuff hadmn't pentrated there, not last year anyway. I saw no one wearing or particualarly interested in Hugo Boss type of stuff.

Basically Belarusian society tends to be very worked based, the girl I met didn't know the area of Minsk I was staying in even though she lived there, she seemed to work most of the time.

On the plus side it is a very orderly society though that may be seen by some as a negative also. Generally keep a low profile and avoid talk about their President unless she ventures and even then keep your voice down. They are generally welcoming enough and you 're unliely to get bother unless you stick your head in where you shouldn't into their affairs.

The one other thing to mention that is big in Belarusian society apart from work culture is the physical form. For most Belearusians its a big thing it shows them that you are healthy and an attrative trait in Belarusian society. Some Belarusians have a real, real big thing for the Physic. So make sure you're in decent shape, get on a healthy diet if not already, muscles are in out there, belly flab is out.

Stuff Krim mentioned is also good, new socks, underwear, etc is generally cheap enough. I tend to buy some new stuff in before each venture otherwise you're going a long way and risking a bad first impression on the back of a cheap outlay. 

Oh, I would add that meeting her in her home town of Gomel is best in my opinion, it means you can straddle that hurdle upfront and she won't just be with you to enjoy an all expenses paid trip away. You stand a better chance of finding out about what her life is really like that way. Do treat her and yourself to whatever is good in Gomel though within reasonable price of course.

[Charlie_M]

Krim,

Good advice, thankyou.

My scam radar is normally on 11/10 (dating is otherwise). For this reason I don't/won't use dating agencies and will make my own arrangements fir meeting, accommodation, dates etc. If you have tips for specific scams to look out for in Belarus I'm happy to hear those.

I'll be skiing in Europe before/after this trip so will have my cold weather gear with me. My physique, wardrobe etc is well covered. I dress nicely, have tailored suits etc, even black tie if I need to.

Cheers,

CM

moy dva kopec....

buy new shoes!
they MUST have a “clean smell” and new socks (you won’t understand until you get there!)
buy new clothes as well... dress “sharp”
COLD WEATHER GEAR!!!
ski boots with thick treads....

tripadvisor always has recent travel info....
but 99% of your focus should be on the WOMAN
and not on the local geography....

and THAT is where you REALLY need the advice....

so first-up, how’s your “scam detector” working?
what level is it set on?

second-up, is I’m gonna tell ya how to seduce a woman from Belarus...
whether you want to or not, is totally up to you...

FIRST
it goes without saying that your appearance and hygiene must at ALL times on a scale of 1 to 10, be an 11, you ALWAYS LOOK AND SMELL GOOD!!!!!

OMG, Bela Russian men are REALLY brutal with the ladies!
so use that Anglo-Saxon tenderness to woo her....

what that means is that as soon as you meet this woman
you must take COMPLETE charge of her comfort and happiness and you do your BEST to maximize everything for her
and make it your HIGHEST priority that her experience of meeting you is EXCITING and FUN and you build up a sexual tension with her
you do this by “innocent intimacy”
so you HAVE to be outgoing and really engage with her up close
I would take her to some place like this:
http://www.free-style.by/en/home/

I always start by cooking them a nice meal (I know how to do a great and easy to make lasagne!)
and by the end of dessert they are literally EATING OUT OF MY HAND!!!!
and by the SECOND date I’m giving them foot massages...

however, if by the fourth date, you are not in bed naked with her, with her head resting gently on your shoulder and her hand spread across your chest
then she’s playing you for money and so you should move on...

[jone]

Krim,

Good advice, thankyou.

My scam radar is normally on 11/10 (dating is otherwise). For this reason I don't/won't use dating agencies and will make my own arrangements fir meeting, accommodation, dates etc. If you have tips for specific scams to look out for in Belarus I'm happy to hear those.

I'll be skiing in Europe before/after this trip so will have my cold weather gear with me. My physique, wardrobe etc is well covered. I dress nicely, have tailored suits etc, even black tie if I need to.

Cheers,

CM

LOL, Charlie,

Welcome aboard.  I've been to meet leaders of Eastern European countries and at their cultural events.   Never have I been required to wear a black tie.   (Can't say the same about Southern California.)  I would keep a nice suit to impress the ribbon clerks, but beyond that, button down business shirts and a winter jacket is really all that is required to impress.   I did take an over-the-suite wool coat one year.  But only wore it once.

Hope that helps with your suitcase planning.

Udachi

P.S. - My favorite is Kitzbuhel.

[msmob]

Welcome, Charlie M

Firstly, I hope wherever you're going to Ski will have snow - we are having a VERY mild winter, so far

Secondly,  I reckon it's a pretty cool thing to dress in a business suit and tie, with a quality overcoat ( if cold) for the first meeting  - assuming it's going to be at an airport - which will mean Minsk.


Gomel is way west, near the Polish border  - so you CAN arrive via Warsaw - but you'd need to have a BL Visa sorted before you arrive. Many ladies from Gomel will have had a few Schegens ( EU Visas)  may well have travelled to Warsaw or beyond even more regularly than Minsk ladies .


You will find this thread useful.. it contains many vids - some of Gomel

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=23629.msg508765#msg508765 


Apartments are good if you are on a Visit one trip and you are comfortable with using a translator .. If you ARE on a VO trip ( with a backup) then the primary target can be involved in helping you book a place from booking.com / airbnb that is convenient for you to the centre and not too difficult for her to get to

Minsk apartments and hotels are more expensive .


Good luck !

PS

Trenchcoat is a fellow UK citizen but rare is the time I concur with any of his observations or advice  - especially re dating advice / his observations re the locals


Please be sure to let us know how you get on..Trench could do with tips

[Omega82]

I've been to Gomel twice.  Besides the palace there's not much there.  The first time I made the mistake of renting an apt thru a woman.  This was in 2013 before airbnb was big.  I started using airbnb in 2014.  So I definitely recommend using airbnb to get your own apt.  The apt owner should be able to pick you up from the train station.  The train from Minsk is slow but very relaxing and comfortable.  I enjoyed the train rides a lot.  You must arrive early otherwise you will miss the train.  I wouldn't dedicate too many days to Gomel since there's not much to see there.  If you hit it off with the woman you can go see Minsk, or Brest which is really nice.  Brest is more Polish, more European and has an impressive fortress worth visiting.  As a side note, the most beautiful Belarusian women I've ever dated and the most tender was from Gomel.... 

[ML]

As a side note, the most beautiful Belarusian women I've ever dated and the most tender was from Gomel....

women was.
I am confused, was it one or were there two or more?

[Omega82]

women was.
I am confused, was it one or were there two or more?

I like to have four engines in case one fails mid flight

[LAman]

I like to have four engines in case one fails mid flight

I could tell....  that at least couple times.... all four engines have failed!!

[Charlie_M]

Thanks msmob but Gomel is in Southeast Belarus, near the borders with Russia and Ukraine.

Re visa, one of the attractions for me to travel to Belarus is that people from certain countries (including Australia) can now visit for up to 30 days without a visa, as long as they arrive via Minsk airport.

Gomel is way west, near the Polish border  - so you CAN arrive via Warsaw - but you'd need to have a BL Visa sorted before you arrive. Many ladies from Gomel will have had a few Schegens ( EU Visas)  may well have travelled to Warsaw or beyond even more regularly than Minsk ladies .

[msmob]

Thanks msmob but Gomel is in Southeast Belarus, near the borders with Russia and Ukraine.

Now that WAS a howler on my part.....*I* was referring to Grodno

I am caring for my Mother, who has Alzheimer's and I may be showing early symptoms, too ?!)



Thank you for pointing bit out in such a gentlemanly fashion )

I am surprised no one else picked up on it!

Re visa, one of the attractions for me to travel to Belarus is that people from certain countries (including Australia) can now visit for up to 30 days without a visa, as long as they arrive via Minsk airport.

Quite.. you get more freedom to move about..

If you drive across Belarus, in your own car, one is even restricted on how far one can deviate from the fastest route !

We had it in mind to visit Minsk whilst traversing from PL to UA, but we would have been in breach of our visa and a tracking device is fitted for 'toll' purposes.

[Patagonie]

The main problem with Gomel is the level of radiations.
I had been with a girlfriend from Minsk, but Gomel has a real problem there.

[2tallbill]

I am surprised no one else picked up on it!

I was thinking you were talking about Brest.
I've never been to Gomel, so I didn't see the
need to chime in.

[Trenchcoat]

Now that WAS a howler on my part.....*I* was referring to Grodno

I am caring for my Mother, who has Alzheimer's and I may be showing early symptoms, too ?!)



Thank you for pointing bit out in such a gentlemanly fashion )

I am surprised no one else picked up on it!

Yes, yes, I have notice too! On Brexit you keep forgetting your a 'Leave' supporter, a most ardent Brexiteer at that! Now write down on a piece of paper that you must support Leave during any electoral vote won't you old boy

[msmob]

Dear Trench,

There is an appropriate thread to discuss the accuracy of your 'predictions' re the 'B' word....

...It is not this thread..