Have ticket/no date. Where to spend my vacation?

[J1]

I'm flying out in September to Belarus.  I have three weeks in country available.  It seems I don't have a date as communications have seemingly ceased.  Even if communications pick up, I'm already less than impressed.  Emails take a full two weeks to return, already asked one to not bother any more.

OK, so people get scammed.  Lemons, need to make lemonade.

Looking for advice for where I should go with my time.  The objective continues to be to find a wife.  Can go were visa issues will not be a problem.

Thanks

[Jack]

oh my, I am chuckling but dead serious.   Yea, I would imagine there has been some problems with communications.   J1 now is certaintly not the time to being going to Belarus.  The best possible lemonade you can make would be heading a couple hundred kilometers south,  ....  land of Rus,  Ukraine.    Or second choice if you have time to get a visa, try to make some cherry lemonade, a few hundred kilometers north, land of the czars,  Russia.

[J1]

Thanks for the reply.

I am going to St. Petersburg first, but scheduled for only sightseeing.  My Russian visa is already with an  exit date.

My non-scheduled (post Russia)  time is about Sept 26 through Oct 17.

I'm certainly open to ideas.  I intend to have fun even if I head west to Oktoberfest!  But been there.....etc.  Really would like to keep to the trip's purpose.

[I/O]

now is certaintly not the time to being going to Belarus.

Why?

[Gator]

J1,
 
 
 
You have three weeks.  That is a lot of time.  Too much for just sightseeing.  You need to make arrange for some dyevushka-seeing.
 
Getting your visa changed for Russia would be a royal pain in the ass.  Jack says look south.  There you will find Ukraine, and Ukraine will grant you a visa upon arrival.  No problem!
 
You can check Jack's list  of young pretty UW eager to meet men from the West.  Perhaps something can be arranged.  You can also join Elena's Models for $100 and write a few UW.   So many men write these women but never get on the plane.  The mere fact that you definitely will fly there and soon, makes you a prime candidate.
 
Good luck.

[Vincenzo]

I would recommend places near the Black and Mediterranean Seas.
Bulgaria, for example. Have fun!

[TwoBitBandit]

now is certaintly not the time to being going to Belarus.

What's wrong with going to Belarus?  If I had to pick between chasing women in Ukraine and Belarus, I'd pick Belarus.  Less competition, foreigners are more of a novelty, there's not so many agencies and the girls are probably less jaded from sex tourists and foreign relationships that don't work.


Sure, the political situation is a little dicey there.  Keep a low profile, don't voice your opinions about what an idiot Lukashenko is, don't get yourself arrested at some pro-democracy rally and you'll be fine.


Perhaps it's just me.  I've always been a bit of a contrarian...

[chivo]

I'm flying out in September to Belarus.  I have three weeks in country available.  It seems I don't have a date as communications have seemingly ceased.  Even if communications pick up, I'm already less than impressed.  Emails take a full two weeks to return, already asked one to not bother any more.

OK, so people get scammed.  Lemons, need to make lemonade.

Looking for advice for where I should go with my time.  The objective continues to be to find a wife.  Can go were visa issues will not be a problem.
Thanks

Technically you'll need a visa for both Belarus and Russia. I'm a little confused. Do you have a Russian visa and one for Belarus? Since you're going to Piter when does your Russian visa expire?
 
I do think the south of Ukraine would be nice because the weather will still be good and yes, no visa required.
 
Belarus is not a problem other than you'll need a visa. Prague is an idea for a few days, while Egypt, Greece and Turkey remain RW hot spots (Greece is much cheaper these days because of its economic situation).
 
 

[Jumper]

I do think the south of Ukraine would be nice because the weather will still be good and yes, no visa required.

 
I'd second this (also  gator and jack) 
if you intend to *keep to the initial intent of your trip*

and there is plenty of time to find interested UW.
 
 
 
 
If you just want a pure vacation i'd visit prague, vienna , etc..
 

[GQBlues]

I'm flying out in September to Belarus.  I have three weeks in country available.  It seems I don't have a date as communications have seemingly ceased.  Even if communications pick up, I'm already less than impressed.  Emails take a full two weeks to return, already asked one to not bother any more.

OK, so people get scammed.  Lemons, need to make lemonade....

Pay the penalty, get a refund or credit (which should be good for a year, mostly) and either a) Start over again until you have a solid reason to 'go', or b) date locally (if an easy option for you)...I'd do the latter if i were you.
 
Sometimes you just can't fight 'fate'.

[J1]

Pay the penalty, get a refund or credit (which should be good for a year, mostly) and either a) Start over again until you have a solid reason to 'go', or b) date locally (if an easy option for you)...I'd do the latter if i were you.
 
Sometimes you just can't fight 'fate'.

Dating locally the odds are good, but the goods are odd.  I'm not looking overseas because I can't get anything here.  Quite the contrary, women in USA are too easy to get,  but not many of quality.  Don't know what I'll find elsewhere but I already know it is a waste of effort looking here.

I'm taking the trip, no matter if I meet someone or if I just go have fun.  I know how to enjoy myself so there will be no loss.

Chivo:  yes I have Russia and Belarus visas.  I don't think I'll go anywhere that needs another advanced visa, but I'll not be able to reenter either country during this trip.  The thought of going back into Russia and taking the Trans Siberian would really interest me given that I may have time on my hands, but it isn't going to be possible this trip.

[onlyFSU4me]

I agree with Gator about joining elenas models, there are many women from Belarus on there too. You don't have to look for Ukrainian ladies if you just want to stay in Belarus and elenas has a decent reputation for having legitimate ladies on it who really are interested in meeting foreign men.
 
 You still have over 3 weeks to make contact with some ladies there and I'm guessing that if they know that you will be coming soon there would be many interested in meeting with you. I suggest trying to find ladies who will correspond with you using video chat like skype so you get a better idea who it is you are meeting with since you have such a short time period before your trip.


 Good luck!

[I/O]

Punter. The Transib isn't what you imagine. I've spent more time on it than most punters here ever will. Stay with your current plan for this trip and simply fill the gaps with different names.

[mendeleyev]

If you have permission to visit both then the days spent in each don't really matter because of the union treaty. In fact if you'll check your "migration card" you'll fill out prior to landing you'll discover that it is issued from the Union of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. However even though Russia and Belarus use the same migration card, each country issues its own visa regime.

Now that does NOT mean that you can cross the border back and forth if you hold only an invitation and visa from one country. A citizen can but you can't but it seems you already know that. Unless you hold a multi entry visa it will be impossible to leave Russia, enter another country, and then return to Russia to fly home.

As Russia now coordinates customs activities for itself, Belarus and Kazakhstan, the same rule of registration within 7 days applies.

While agreeing with IO that the Transiberian isn't what many Westerners have experienced, rail travel is very common in that part of the world and if you have a knack for adventure then I'd recommend trying it sometime. But if I understand correctly you have just 3 weeks and IO is right that it is too much to try to include that with the other things you have planned for this trip.

[J1]

I've decided to abandon Belarus and go somewhere else after St. Petersburg. I'll also (mostly) abandon an active wife search for this trip.  I'll use my time for pleasure, tourism, and just plain relaxing.  I'll learn a bit about eastern European culture.  I'll get more serious about meeting someone next trip.

Thanks to all for the input.

Now I'll busy myself finding places that seem nice to visit.  I'm not a party person, I'd really prefer a mountain village or quiet sea shore over the big cities.  Suggestions welcome as I'll be free to roam.

[mendeleyev]

One could spend 45 days in just St Petersburg and Moscow and still not see everything in my opinion. Take the river cruise from St P to Moscow, then tour the "Golden Ring" on your way back up.

[TwoBitBandit]

While agreeing with IO that the Transiberian isn't what many Westerners have experienced, rail travel is very common in that part of the world and if you have a knack for adventure then I'd recommend trying it sometime. But if I understand correctly you have just 3 weeks and IO is right that it is too much to try to include that with the other things you have planned for this trip.

After I watched the movie Transsiberian I became fascinated with the idea of taking the trip myself.  Speaking fluent Russian and having spent a lot of time in the FSU, I figured I'd get along just fine.


I have a Russian colleague from Omsk who had been on that railroad and asked him about it.  He told me, "I advise you to do it.  But don't do it in the summer!  Do you think the railroad cars in Russia have air conditioning?"  After my trip to Novosibirsk last summer it was pretty clear that summers in Siberia are HOT.

[I/O]

I have a Russian colleague from Omsk who had been on that railroad and asked him about it.  He told me, "I advise you to do it.  But don't do it in the summer!  Do you think the railroad cars in Russia have air conditioning?"  After my trip to Novosibirsk last summer it was pretty clear that summers in Siberia are HOT.

Too bloody right they are...!!! I did Omsk to Novosibirsk (as I have many times in cooler seasons) early July 2009 in the middle of the day, NOT a good move. The water fights at the various stops were good fun but they soon paled once back aboard. 1st class ain't much better than cattle class when if comes to the airconditioning.

[GoodOlBoy]

I'll use my time for pleasure, tourism, and just plain relaxing. 

Bon voyage J1!
Please post a TR (trip report) with pictures when you return.
 
GOB

[GQBlues]

...I have a Russian colleague from Omsk who had been on that railroad and asked him about it.  He told me, "I advise you to do it.  But don't do it in the summer!  Do you think the railroad cars in Russia have air conditioning?"  After my trip to Novosibirsk last summer it was pretty clear that summers in Siberia are HOT.

I've taken the train from Novo to my wife's grandmother's village ( don't remember the name). Took a couple of days and this was in late May. It was a bit uncomfortable, I would have to admit...but I'm thinking, is the winter any better than the summer for these train trips?

[mendeleyev]

I'm hooked on Russian train travel but will admit that it has some drawbacks; like the condition of some toilets, lack of AC, body odor in summer, etc. For years we made the spring trip from Moscow to the Volgograd dacha trip and I just like that way of travel.

Winters can be challenging too as some of those wagons are heated to within an inch or so of making the devil feel warm and if your window doesn't open it will be just like summer, only worse.

Best times: early spring and early autumn.