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Author Topic: Leaving Russia  (Read 10399 times)

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Offline Anotherkiwi

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #25 on: January 24, 2018, 04:33:14 PM »
GRRR ... and I was travelling through it in the dark - in a blizzard ((

Think the lakes along the Ireland-Northern Ireland border - but more beautiful.  ;D

Offline SANDRO43

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #26 on: January 24, 2018, 05:44:21 PM »
Och! Nae lakes, LOCHS 8)!
« Last Edit: January 24, 2018, 05:46:38 PM by SANDRO43 »
Milan's "Duomo"

Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #27 on: January 25, 2018, 01:22:22 AM »
They're Scots Lochs, laddie...

A Lakes to Limerick boat trip is on my bucket list, AnotherKiwi !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon%E2%80%93Erne_Waterway

Ditch crawling the UK canals, for now ..( me doing my Benny Hill impression )





Offline Anotherkiwi

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #28 on: January 25, 2018, 04:38:26 PM »
Och! Nae lakes, LOCHS 8)!

C'mon, Sandro!  It's not like you to get your geography muddled up!

If you want to go down that stream, Irish lakes are loughs, not lochs.  I was thinking especially of the Upper and Lower Loughs Macnean.

Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #29 on: January 25, 2018, 11:43:52 PM »
C'mon, Sandro!  It's not like you to get your geography muddled up!

If you want to go down that stream, Irish lakes are loughs, not lochs.  I was thinking especially of the Upper and Lower Loughs Macnean.

and *I'd*d be thinking of Lower and Upper Loughs Erne ;)


Offline SANDRO43

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #30 on: January 26, 2018, 06:53:25 AM »
Va bene, allora LAGHI!

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Offline Anotherkiwi

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #31 on: January 28, 2018, 03:21:02 AM »
and *I'd*d be thinking of Lower and Upper Loughs Erne ;)



That prompted me to look at my old photos (from the days before digital photography, so there are only a few).  I drove across the border at Belcoo, so had the Loughs Macnean on either side.  The main reason for going that way was that it looked very scenic on a map  8) (which it was), and to visit the ruins of Castle Archdale, on the north side of Lower Lough Earne about 12 km north of Enniskillen.  I carried on the same way, and re-entered the Republic at Pettigo, finishing up in Donegal, and drove out to Slieve League (the world's highest cliff) to see some even more spectacular scenery.

Sorry to derail your thread, Moby - I'll stop now!  :-[

Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #32 on: January 28, 2018, 05:44:18 AM »
))

You are very polite..no problem AK and it's Erne - no 'A' ;) 

Donegal in May / June ... WONDERFUL ..

Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #33 on: February 01, 2018, 05:05:46 AM »
Some Finnish History


1/ Raija's family are from Vyborg ...  which is now in RUSSIA - the place I stopped for the Beer - part of ( Southern) Karelia - 'lost' during the Winter war of 1940 with the USSR

2/ EASTERN Karelia was lost to the USSR as part of reparations for siding with Nazi Germany

3/ Finland was long under many nations rule - most recently Sweden and Russia 

http://www.britannica.com/place/Finland/Finland-under-Swedish-rule

4/ Before the spread of 'Lutherism' a payment of 4 Squirrel Skins was required - as tax - to the Vatican - in Raija's town - hence the town's emblem





5/ Finland is a member of the EU ( joining in 1995 - with Sweden and Austria ) - but NOT NATO ... 

6/ The island archipelago of The Alands is v.close to Finland and administered by Finland - but the language is Swedish - they have autonomy  and it is a de-militarised zone  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85land_Islands 


It's only when you go to plays that the history befores clearer


Offline SANDRO43

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #34 on: February 01, 2018, 05:23:16 AM »
If you are in the vicinity, I suggest a visit to the 15th-century castle at Savonlinna:


When I visited it in 1977, I was told they rented its hall for weddings ;D.
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Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia - Goodbye Finland - hello Sweden
« Reply #35 on: February 08, 2018, 10:04:36 AM »
The original plan was to leave the car in Russia- pay the duty and fly home - but the duty required was too high

THEN, the plan was to leave the car in Finland for the winter and drive it back when the weather was better

Even though Raija and her family were happy to look after my trusty stread I had the wonderlust and wanted to crack on - seeing new places.

Raija woke me up at 0400 local and I drove to the port of Turku - which had been the 'seat' of Finnish nationalism



Turku is is the SW corner.

I had booked a ferry to Stockholm - car and I - with a cabin for 400 Euro ( 50 USD)  and expected the worst - but the ship ( Galaxy) was huge clean and wonderfully appointed



The cabin had a forward looking CCTV and I was shocked to see the route was tortuous - negotiating many rocky islands - including the Alands - part of Finland- but SO Swedish

We docked in Stockholm at 1930 - local and almost immediately entered a tunnel - it went on for several miles and it was pouring with rain.

I needed to fill up - as the top up I'fd done in Piter was running low and the rain was forecast to turn to serious snow - chasing me SW to Malmo and the port of Trelleborg.

Eventually, I emerged - I was worried about a toll and I had no Swedish Krona - only GBP, Roubles and some Polish Ziloti and plastic !   Not to worry - no toll and I found a Garage and a McDonald's - where I drank a double Espresso and tried a Swedish Big Mac= tasted just the same.

I was on the southern end of the city and the McDs was staffed by dark skinned people - from the Levant and it's clients were the same.

A black women was met by a 'native'' looking Swede and they embraced VERY gratefully- a baby between their arms and I'd guess their VERY emotional greeting told a fantastic story.  Naturally, there are some that might suggest I should have felt 'unsafe' - but all I saw was families starting the weekend in various states of emotion - other than sinister. ))

Once again, I could fill up and pay AFTER and - of course - everyone spoke good English

I had to push on - as I'd ( foolishly) booked a mid morning ferry from Trelleborg - over 700 KM to the south..

The rain turned to snow and I found only one land remained 'open' - the Trucks making tracks that were too wide for me and my car was weaving in those track - but I learnt that the Winter tyres just 'bit' and I relaxed my death-like grip on the steering wheel and relaxed - stopping for Espresso top-ups and wiping the snow from the headlamps.












Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #36 on: February 08, 2018, 01:28:14 PM »
Nearly forgot

A little more Finnish history



100 years of independence flags

and

A souvenir from the 1940 Winter war with the Soviet Union - A Vickers 6t ?



 




Offline msmob

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Re: Leaving Russia
« Reply #37 on: March 03, 2018, 02:04:29 AM »


Wow! that was quite a long journey and a very detailed description. Interesting to know so much stuff on travelling by car :) I didn't know there was a carriage for cars to take with you on a train. And seems that it requires some knowledge on documents which you have to carry with you.  :)

I wonder what you job is about. And what is has to do with spending a lot of time in Sochi.

I knew about the possibility - as a friend from Moscow brought his motor-bike down from Moscow on the train - but I could NEVER have organised it - without the help of my RU biz partner, Mikhail - a programmer and database wiz kid. 

He was my partner for the journey there and he helped me buy the tickets back - but I was on my own - re finding the depots - arranging to pick up the car / leave it at the correct depot to be loaded . But my 'navigator' and basic Russian got me through.


My beloved lives in Sochi, so I tried to make business contacts there and I like sailing and Formula 1 motor racing


I was there for the first time in December and it mostly rained so I can't say I got much impression.

I wish I had known you were there - Sochi in December and dampness is normal - not the best time to come - unless you seek snow in the mountains



As far as I understand your sim card provides you free roaming across EU without any extra service to be set up by your mobile operator?

That's the theory - sadly - as we found out - doesn't always work out in practise. We were also testing a sim that works in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine as well as the EU


Sad to know that the russian staff at Finland's customs gave you cold greetings. Hopefully it didn't spoil the impression of the whole trip. How long did it take in total for the whole trip? What about russian visa? What is the shortest period it is issued the first time you get it?

It did leave a sour taste and the friendliness of the Finnish made me glad to be 'home' - in an EU country - where staff are less aggressive.  However, the Latvians were ignorant and the Russians when we entered from Latvia were wonderful

UK / Irish citizens can only get a max 1 year biz visa, currently (

P.S you are a good writer :) accept my admiration  :clapping:



Ha, it is easy to write, well, when you are enthusiastic ))

 

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