Would you go back?

[viking]

For those of you who are married, or perhaps have found your woman and  the paperwork is in progress, my question is once it is all over, would you go back to Russia again? I am not talking about a family visit, but to travel back because there were things you enjoyed about this country and you want to either go someplace new or re-visit a city that you found interesting. Or is the FSU a place to go for a search only and now that you found her, never again. Comments?

[KenC]

Viking,
My answer is yes.  I still want to see St Petersburg and more of Moscow.  I also would not mind visiting Socchi and that area.  I am very intrigued by the country and would love to experience more of it.
KenC

[Voyageur]

Other than visiting Babushka and Dadushka, I would like to return to St. Petersburg someday with my wife. But other, non-FSU, warmer potential vacation spots are higher on our family's vacation "wish list".

[catzenmouse]

Absolutely! St. Pete, the Black Sea area, Ukraine, and (just for a different outlook) Italy are all on our list of desired destinations.

[Jet]

Yep! Like the others, there are quite a few things and places I'd like to explore. Piter, Astrikhan, Lake Bakail, Samara, and of course the Crimean peninsula.

[bgreed]

Definately a big yes!! Lena would love to show me all the beautiful spots she travelled to as a curator of a travelling exhibition of wax figures.  Personally I's like to have the time to do nothing but travel the country and take photos of all the beautiful churches for a coffee table book.  Not exactly sure why but I'm really intrigued by them.

[viking]

My major interest in RW started when I went to Moscow to buy a dog. Yes, a real woof woof type of dog. My Black Russian Terrier, Tasha. I found Russia to be so interesting that every time I went back, I had to spend some time exploring. I only have gotten through about 10% of St. Pete and although I have been to the Black Sea it was Bulgaria not the FSU, and there are many places down there I would love to visit. Some how, all this is in my blood now and just does seem to want to go away. I was hoping I was not alone in my feelings.

[Simoni]

is the FSU a place to go for a search only and now that you found her, never again. Comments?

We have gone back the last two summers.  As well as this Christmas.

We usually spend half the time in her home city, and the rest on the Black Sea.

Dnerp has changed in the four years I have been going there, and now has all the modern conveniences in place, which makes the trip easier than before.  And the Black Sea is just your typical kick back and rest place, unchanged at all.

So yes, we do go back and will continue to.  After all, it is her homeland.

[Son of Clyde]

I would spend every summer in Yalta if I could afford it.

[I/O]

Absolutely....!!! Interesting places (for me Baikal) were the reason I went to Russia way back when and those things have certainly not lost their attraction. I will be in Siberia for an extended period in the dead of winter either next winter or the following one, this is simply a goal I set myself sometime back. My wife tells me that I am welcome to go in winter, but she has no interest in doing so, she states quite firmly, she will remain here in Aus for the northern winter and if I am stupid enough to go to Siberia in winter, her sister can take care of me, which is not such a bad option if you knew what I knew.

I/O

[Shadow]

Definetely I want to see more of Russia as I have seen so far!

[Wayne]

Crimea is very interesting and has many mountains, caves, history, wineries, art, old cities, etc.  Eventually, I would be able to retire and, hopefully, we could travel a lot in USA and other countries.  There are many places right in USA that I have not yet seen. 

[groovlstk]

Count me as the philistine among us married guys. I will likely return to Moscow with my wife for a week or two sometime this year, but after a dozen trips to Ukraine and Russia in 2005 and 06, I've had my fill of it, at least for now. I spent every available vacation day in the FSU during my pursuit and right now I want to vacation in the US and visit some Western European cities I've never seen. Since my wife arrived we spent a week in New Orleans (if anyone is looking for a good deal on a Bourbon St. hotel, PM me) and a week in Vegas. We plan to go skiing in Vermont in Feb. and now that my wife has her green card our options have expanded.

 

[catzenmouse]

Count me as the philistine among us married guys. I will likely return to Moscow with my wife for a week or two sometime this year, but after a dozen trips to Ukraine and Russia in 2005 and 06, I've had my fill of it, at least for now. I spent every available vacation day in the FSU during my pursuit and right now I want to vacation in the US and visit some Western European cities I've never seen. Since my wife arrived we spent a week in New Orleans (if anyone is looking for a good deal on a Bourbon St. hotel, PM me) and a week in Vegas. We plan to go skiing in Vermont in Feb. and now that my wife has her green card our options have expanded.

There's always one isn't there... 

We'd like to mix it up over the next few years. One trip to Russia, next trip to someplace in the US or Canada, next trip to Europe, and hopefully one trip down under as we'd both very much like to see Australia and New Zealand.

Ken

[Simoni]

next trip to someplace in the US or Canada

That would be Florida, Catz 

[LiveFromUkraine]

There's always one isn't there... 


Ken

Make that two. 

I have had my fill after living here close to a year.  We don't plan on coming back for a couple of years and that would be a week or two to visit her brother if he won't fly to us.


Australia is awesome Ken.  I loved it when I lived there.  We will visit Oz for a couple of months to see if Sveta likes it and may relocate there after she gets her citizenship in the US.



Thomas

[catzenmouse]

Australia is awesome Ken.  I loved it when I lived there.  We will visit Oz for a couple of months to see if Sveta likes it and may relocate there after she gets her citizenship in the US.

Thomas,

 I hope you'll post Sveta's impressions and if you decide to relocate how that process works as well. Always nice to know about the possible future options.

That would be Florida, Catz 

I know one person who would be out the door in a heartbeat to someplace warm right now...

Ken

[LiveFromUkraine]

Thomas,

 I hope you'll post Sveta's impressions and if you decide to relocate how that process works as well. Always nice to know about the possible future options.


Ken

Sure will Ken. 

It seems there are three options for me to get residency in Oz.
Skilled Visa
Business Owner
Investor (you need to cough up 100k for government bonds I believe)

For now we have direct filed a k3 in Kiev.  We will wait until that goes through and spend the majority of time in the US so she gets her citizenship.  Then we will figure out if we want to pursue Oz or not.  Sveta wants to go back to school so it may not happen for awhile.



Thomas

[timothe]

Make that three.

I suppose I wouldn't mind a longer trip to St. Pete with Olga and I would love to see Lake Baikal, but there are many other places in the world I'd rather visit, like Australia or Italy or Spain or the Great Wall of China or Montreal.  And she would rather go to Disney World than St. Petersburg, Russia, so why fight it. 

(of course, we've already been to Moscow and Sochi and Kiev and Yalta and Kislovodsk) 

[catzenmouse]

Alright you stinky poopy panted naysayers! Back! BACK I say! We'll have no more of this talk! 

[groovlstk]

Alright you stinky poopy panted naysayers! Back! BACK I say! We'll have no more of this talk! 

Ken, my "I ain't goin' back to Russia anytime soon" statement was made without prior approval from my wife. So don't tally my score as of yet

[catzenmouse]

Ken, my "I ain't goin' back to Russia anytime soon" statement was made without prior approval from my wife. So don't tally my score as of yet

For shame upon you groovlstk! You are now a married man and you KNOW that you have to get approval in writing for any thought, hint, idea, or (Lord help us!) plan that is posted here.

Go say a dozen Hail Babushka's and ask for forgiveness. 

[viking]

Uh-uh. Groov spoke without permission? Tsk tsk. Thanks Ken for letting him know where he stands ( which is where Polina tells him).  These young married guys have sooooo much to learn.

[Jumper]

it's not that i wouldn't want to go back-

it's more that there are other places ,
that are  of more current interest to both of us.
she will/and does/ certainly make trips home to see family and friends.

as far as just visiting places in Russia-or Ukraine-
I would be more likely to be interested than she would.
as for her mexico (we went recently and had a blast)
or some warm islands are more interesting ...lol
 
as for me? The FSU just covers so much various terrian-
 i would love to see st.pete,, and Moscow!
conversely i would really love to explore the kamchatka pennisula area.(not a very likely possibilty,,but certainly a big interest to me)
 also I was recently offered an invitation /bike- logistics/ to compete in a big desert race (similar to paris to dakar) across Kazakastan..and am considering it...who knows!

personally there are a lot of rather remote places on the planet i'd like to go..
that arn't really most peoples idea of a nice vacation spot..


As far as a vacation.. as a couple...
 i'd certainly rather go to a lot of other places! 

[SANDRO43]

conversely i would really love to explore the kamchatka pennisula area.(not a very likely possibilty,,but certainly a big interest to me) also I was recently offered an invitation /bike- logistics/ to compete in a big desert race (similar to paris to dakar) across Kazakastan..

How about a record-breaking bike jump across the Bering strait ? That should earn you some sponsors.