Newbie needing a little trip help

[latstaley]

Well, it looks like I am going to be making my first trip some time in June. I have looked into the costs and do you know what the highest potential cost is going to be? The kennel costs for the dogs. They want $45 a piece a day, or $90 collectively. In 2 weeks, that would make their lodging expenses more than mine. So, what I think I am going to do is take them to my parents place in Oklahoma and then catch a flight from DFW to Moscow. Surprisingly, it is cheaper for me to buy a round trip ticket through travelocity that it is to buy a 1 way ticket. I've found them for about $550.

I am then planning on taking a trip to Tomsk to meet one special lady. She offered to meet me in Moscow, but said she would feel more comfortable having me come to her home town so I could meet her mother and her mother would know who she was with. I couldn't really argue with this, and I think I would rather have her mother feel comfortable with me. When it comes to traveling to Tomsk, would I be better off flying or taking the trans Siberian railroad? Also, can anyone suggest anything to do once we get there? I don't want to spend all my time in transit, but I understand it is a little isolated there. Also, does anyone have any suggestions for lodging accomodations once I get to Tomsk?

[Albert]

Surprisingly, it is cheaper for me to buy a round trip ticket through travelocity that it is to buy a 1 way ticket.

I am then planning on taking a trip to Tomsk to meet one special lady.

 

If you are surprised, then I guess you haven't done much airplane travel.

And since you are going to a distant place to meet one lady, you might as well go whole hog and make a short trip to Vegas first and gamble all your trip money on one role of the dice.

[latstaley]

Well, I live 15 minutes from the strip, so there's really no need to make a trip out of it. I've done some traveling before, but I've never priced them one way vs. round trip before. Some times, Southwest does have them cheaper buying them one way, though, some times. I was just surprised to see them go up about $400 for a one way vs. a round trip.

[John Doe]

 When it comes to traveling to Tomsk, would I be better off flying or taking the trans Siberian railroad? Also, can anyone suggest anything to do once we get there? I don't want to spend all my time in transit, but I understand it is a little isolated there. Also, does anyone have any suggestions for lodging accomodations once I get to Tomsk?

Fly to Tomsk, the railroad trip is more than 2 days so you are wasting valuable time. I was in Tomsk 4 weeks ago, I can find out the hotel/apartment I stayed in as my lady organised it. What to do in Tomsk? Well, I imagine a hell of a lot more in June than when I was there in -45C! There is some good restaurants on the main Lenin St. A good Japanese restaurant called Tokyo Cafe (written in English) is in the central part next to a large roundabout on Lenin St. Another restaurant called 'Food Master' (also in English) serves good pizza and pasta. I visited a banya, or sauna. Well, one of lifes more interesting experiences! A university professor offered to take me and if you are game, then you should try it.

[al-c]

I can't help you with Tomsk since I haven never been to that city, but I have been to Russia twice and can offer general advice.

By all means, meet her in her home city, even if she offers otherwise.  Take the plane because you don't have the time for slower transportation.

As far as the plane ticket goes, have you checked www.priceline.com?  I consistently get lower prices there than travelocity or other travel sites.  And get a round trip ticket.  It is cheaper.

Also, try your best to avoid Siberian Airways.  It is a dismal airline, with dirty planes, poor service, and cramped seating.  Stick with Aeroflot for domestic flights in Russia.

One more travel secret:  Moscow has two airports in different parts of the city for domestic and international flights.  So if you fly into Moscow and connect to Tomsk there, plan on getting a taxi or van ride in Moscow between airports.  I try to get a flight into a Western European city from the U.S. and fly directly to my destination city in Russia from there.

 

[Looking53]

Don't get a hotel get an apartment. They are better and cost 1/2 the amount. Also ask your lady to get one close to her. Taxi's are cheap but why not get an apartment is walking distance. Oh eating out is restaurant is not the way to go. It is much more fun to go to the out door market and get stuff and bring it home. Fix a mean breadfast or lunch from this. Your lady will be impressed.

Biggest tip make her feel special. Forgot about what you want and concentrate on her wants and needs. This is huge, look deep into her eyes and note there color. And comment about her eyes and smile. But mean it. Do this and watch out for sparks. Oh if she want to go shopping for clothes with you not good. Wait a while if you want to do this you suggest. She may agrue if you want to buy here something. This is a very good sign you got a good one.

Most have fun and be yourself and go for it.

[Looking53]

Oh forget the one that think you are making a mistake only going to meet one lady. They are probably still single and if they did meet a lady and married the chances for divorce are high. Why they are too concerned with finding the perfect lady instead of building the perfect relationship.

[groovlstk]

[user=843]Looking53[/user] wrote:

Oh  forget the one that think you are making a mistake only going to meet  one lady. They are probably still single and if they did meet a lady  and married the chances for divorce are high. Why they are too  concerned with finding the perfect lady instead of building the perfect  relationship.

The strategy of meeting many vs. meeting one has been  beat to death here, the only consensus is that it's really a personal  choice.

However, to travel 5000 miles without a backup plan to meet others in  the event you don't hit it off with your 1st choice is extraordinarily  foolish.   

[Vaughn]

True, groov, but the fact that there will be other available women there is backup plan enough. If he's uncomfortable "booking" several ladies at once (especially in an outpost town like Tomsk) and keeps his expectations reasonable, he'll be OK. The foolishness is in expecting a guaranteed engagement, not in traveling to merely meet a woman.

[latstaley]

That's exactly why I was not wanting to set up more than 1 girl in a town like Tomsk. Strolling arm in arm with another woman in the town square is likely going to end in disaster because I tend to get caught whenever I try to pull a fast one.

I was also planning on spending some time in Moscow or St. Pete's alone, so don't think I'm just going to see one lady. I just don't want to get in the position of trying to date several women in a small to medium sized town. Doing something like that would end in disaster, I have a feeling.

[catzenmouse]

Even if you go to Tomsk and strike out then perhaps you would make a  trip to Novisibirsk which is a larger city and is reasonably close to  Tomsk. Omsk is also fairly close and I have seen plenty of beauties  there. In fact, I married one!

Ken

[Vaughn]

latstaley:

Strolling arm in arm with another woman in the town square is likely going to end in disaster because I tend to get caught whenever I try to pull a fast one.

A buddy of mine rolled into town the day after I had arrived, so my wife and I met him at the station to exchange a few items. He was armed with a Hot List of six local women that he'd been writing -  made no secret of his arrival date, but also made no appointments to be met as he disembarked the train. I surveyed the crowd to see who was there to meet passengers, and who were trying to inconspicuously observe. One woman in her 50's stood out like a sore thumb, staring at my friend from a distance. She watched us shake hands, and her eyes followed him until he disappeared in a cab. She turned out to be his future mother-in-law. Great lady, really - she and I have shared a few laughs about that moment.

 

[latstaley]

When I first started to consider this endeavor, I sat dawn and did some thinking about things. I realized I would have better numbers in a city like Kiev, Moscow, or St. Petersburg than I would in some of the smaller towns. Of course, I decided to take a look at myself and what I like to do. I soon realized that I would probably not be compatible with a woman from one of the larger metropolitan areas of the FSU. I am not a Martini type of guy, I don't care for art galleries, I would rather live in the suburbs than a down town loft, and I prefer an SUV to a Mercedes or a Jaguar.

I'm not saying there aren't women that could appreciate those things in the larger cities, but I just felt like the chances of finding one that is more compatible with me would be greater in one of the smaller towns. I realize this is going to cost me more money than sticking with the larger towns, but my primary objective is to find a woman for marriage, not a progressive series of one night stands. I definitely appreciate the advice everyone has given me on this thread, though.

[Turboguy]

I have just finished a few trips which were primarily planned to meet one gal who I had high hopes for and have to say they were all pretty much a disaster.   It can work out well though.  I wish you luck.   When you find yourself in no mans land with a gal you have no chemistry with and no back up plan, believe me time passes very slowly.  

My best rusults for cheap flights are www.kayak.com and www.orbitz.com   My best source of hotels is www.hotels-russia.com    I would recommend an apartment also.  Just remember if it does not work out there are likely some agencies in town that might be able to find a few you can meet in your free time.   To me the worst part of WOMO is when you find yourself sorta stuck somewhere feeling obligrated cause the girl helped plan the trip and all the while knowing she does not want to be with you any more than you want to be with her but you are sorta stuck with each other or have to be more blunt than you want.

 

[Jet]

[user=527]al-c[/user] wrote:

 Take the plane because you don't have the time for slower transportation. 

Agreed!

Also, try your best to avoid Siberian Airways.  It is a dismal airline, with dirty planes, poor service, and cramped seating.  Stick with Aeroflot for domestic flights in Russia.

YIPES! My wife told me that the only time in her entire life that she contenplated her own mortality was the Areoflot flight from SVO-1 to GOJ (upon touchdown there were literally pieces falling off the plane onto the runway). She was so afraid of domestic Aeroflot flights that she arrainged a car to drive her back to Moscow rather than use the return ticket she was holding! Aeroflot Domestic (the baby 'flots) IS NOT the same as Aeroflot Int'l. We've been quite pleased with Aeroflot's transatlantic service.

Touching on

One more travel secret:  Moscow has two airports in different parts of the city for domestic and international flights.  So if you fly into Moscow and connect to Tomsk there, plan on getting a taxi or van ride in Moscow between airports.

Ummm.... actually they have FIVE airports and TWO handle international flights. Domdedovo is on the south end of Moscow and runs International AND Domestic flights out of the same terminal. A terminal wich is much newer, cleaner, friendlier, and easier to navigate than either SVO 1 or 2. Internationally they are serviced by British Airways and SwissAir, their website is here: http://www.domodedovo.ru/index_en.asp