Category Archives: Travel

2013 Musings from Togliatti: Russia is Changing.

I have just returned from a visit to Togliatti, so I thought I would make a few notes about the changes I see in this lesser visited part of Russia as an occasional visitor.

Readers may wish to comment, disagree, discuss, ask questions or whatever.

First impressions after a three year absence.

Usually when you get on the road, you get the gargling paraffin taste in your throat that is the pollution. It is normally so bad that I need some antibiotics after a few days to quell my swollen throat.… Click here to continue reading this article

Samara KUF Russia Passport Control Problems

Samara Passport Control

I always found Moscow a bit of a pain to connect internally through (although I gather it has improved since I last went through there), and the flight is shorter from the UK to Frankfurt and from there to Samara. Plus the FRA-KUF route is served by Lufthansa and not Yuri Air so is usually on time and half decent. And being a German airline, the luggage usually arrives at the same time as me. Added to which, the UK to Frankfurt and then Samara is almost a straight line on the map.… Click here to continue reading this article

от чего американцы предпочитают лечиться у себя, в Америке, а не в России, например?

Мне всегда было любопытно выяснить, отчего американцы предпочитают лечиться у себя, в Америке, а не в России, например?

Или не в Китае , или в Мексике. Или где-бы -то ни было еще. Спрашивала я тут разный народ, и пришла к выводу, что большинство людей имущих (кто может позволить себе путешествие в тур за здоровьем в другую страну) свято верят, что в Америке самая- пресамая медицина. Ну, а те, у кого дженег на путешествия нет.. у тех денег ни на что нет и они “вынуждены есть то, что дают”.

Во-первых, – по собственному опыту, – стоматология и косметология здесь оставляют желать лучшего.… Click here to continue reading this article

Could the Mottram Bypass Be Replaced By Shared Space Similar to Poynton?

Anyone who knows Mottram knows about the traffic problems and the lack of funding for the Mottram Bypass.

We have another article on Real Deal about the Mottram Bypass here: e-petition deliver Mottram – Mottram Bypass – Stuck in Traffic?

Local MP Jonathan Reynolds has recently taken up the reins on the issue and sent local residents a long and informative letter on the subject.

The locals of Mottram are glad that someone is finally back on the case.

It is clear to anyone who lives in or near Mottram that the bypass is a much-needed road.… Click here to continue reading this article

Work in North Dakota – ND Employment and Salaries.

America really is a strange country. We have high unemployment and people literally begging for a job, any job, then we have places like Williston ND. North Dakota is experiencing an oil boom. Williston, ND is one of the centers of the oil boom. A decade ago Williston’s population was about 12,000 now it’s 30,000+ and will probably grow larger.

For all the jobs being created in ND, the problem remains, ND doesn’t have enough people to fill all the jobs, jobs that pay well above America’s median income. Why the hell don’t people want to move to ND and work?… Click here to continue reading this article

Driving Through Germany and Holland – Germany is an Odd Place!

This is part seven of a tale about driving from the UK to Estonia, and back again. If you missed earlier segments, and want to start from the beginning, it can be found by clicking this link: Road Trip From the UK to Estonia.

We pick up the tale as we enter Germany from Poland in search of a hotel for the night.

We crossed into Germany, I checked my navigation and drove to the first three hotels on it.

One was wasteland (demolished maybe), one was a small guest house where nobody answered the door, and the third one looked promising: A small guest house run by a widow type woman.… Click here to continue reading this article

Heading Back Through Poland – Eastern European Road Trip

This is part six of a tale about driving from the UK to Estonia, and back again. If you missed earlier segments, and want to start from the beginning, it can be found by clicking this link: Road Trip From the UK to Estonia.

We pick up the tale in the early evening, in the south of Lithuania in Marijampoles, close to the Polish border. We just pulled up at a roadside hotel.

So the hotel is called the Rezidencija Grizulo Ratai – they have a Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/grizuloratai.eu

I was surprised to find my room had a big jacuzzi in there.… Click here to continue reading this article

Estonia to England – a Road Trip and a Breakdown

This is part five of a tale about driving from the UK to Estonia, and back again. If you missed earlier segments, and want to start from the beginning, it can be found by clicking this link: Road Trip From the UK to Estonia.

Planning the route home, I decided to make some changes and save myself the awful drive from the south of England, around London and oop north.This time the plan is to stay one night in Lithuania, near the Polish border, one night in Germany/Poland and last night on the North Sea Ferry from Holland.

… Click here to continue reading this article

Driving in the Former Soviet Union – The Baltics

This is part four of a tale about driving from the UK to Estonia. If you missed parts one, two and three, and want to start from the beginning, it can be found by clicking this link: Road Trip From the UK to Estonia.

Day three: Into Lithuania.

We leave Poland very early, as this is to be a fourteen hour day from Poland, through Lithuania, Latvia and into Estonia.

By late morning, we are at the Lithuanian border, the entry point to the FSU.

Lithuanian border

It looks like a bomb has hit it doesn’t it?… Click here to continue reading this article

Driving in Poland: Trucks, Trees and Tractors.

This is part three of a tale about driving from the UK to Estonia. If you missed parts one and two, and want to start from the beginning, it can be found by clicking this link: Road Trip From the UK to Estonia.

Day Two: We leave Berlin bright and early, we are heading for the border of Poland. That doesn’t take too long and pretty soon we are in Poland.

Poland: Trucks, Tractors and Trees.

This route through Poland is the main pass through route for road freight to the rest of Poland, Belarus, Kaliningrad, Ukraine and the Baltics.… Click here to continue reading this article

A Drive to Estonia – Part Two.

This is part two of a tale about driving from the UK to Estonia. If you missed part one, and want to start from the beginning, it can be found by clicking this link: Road Trip From the UK to Estonia.

We pick up the tale in Belgium, just after a scheduled stop at the famous Tobacco Road.

So off we go through Belgium towards Holland.

Through the corner of Holland and then we hit Germany. You can see the blue sign on the right that is the German border.

Germany is where road travellers from all across Europe start to be seen.… Click here to continue reading this article

Road Trip From the UK to Estonia and Back.

I recently had some business to do in Estonia. Flying there wasn’t really an option as I had some bulky stuff to transport. Additionally, I wanted to buy something there that is commonplace there but overpriced in the UK: A sauna.

So, I decided to drive there from Manchester to Tallinn.

I have done this drive many times since 1998, and much has changed in this time. On this journey, I decided to take my eight year old lad with me and plan to grab a few pics along the way.… Click here to continue reading this article

e-petition deliver Mottram – Mottram Bypass – Stuck in Traffic?

Searching for ‘e-petition deliver Mottram‘? Start here!

Mottram bypass information.

If you saw one of the yellow signs on the A57 Hyde Road in Mottram or are seeking information on Mottram bypass you may have landed here.

Perhaps you are stuck in the traffic queue right now and looking at this on your phone bored to tears?

Well actually, you are not stuck in traffic – you ARE traffic. But you want to get to where you are going like everyone else, so lets talk about the badly needed Mottram bypass.… Click here to continue reading this article

Peter Hitchens: If Not Putin, Who?

Peter Hitchens is UK Daily Mail columnist. I tend to find him a bit ‘holier than thou’ and he usually writes in such a finger wagging style, and from such a moral high ground that you would think he never ran a red light or parked on a yellow line even.

However, he has spent a lot of time in Russia, and in todays Mail on Sunday, he wrote what I thought was a very interesting article. Here is an excerpt with a link to read the rest:

If not Putin, who?… Click here to continue reading this article

The Shashlik! The Barbie, Barbecue, BBQ, etc. The Grilling Meat Topic.

I thought we could use a lighter-hearted topic that may also allow us all to learn something from each other.

I was never too much into the barbie. In the UK they typically consist of a drunk bloke giving his guests food poisoning with a few nasty burgers and sausages [made from mechanically recovered meat] that are burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. :sick0012:

When I was first invited to the dacha in Russia, there was a big pan full of pieces of pork that were sat in water with chopped onions and a heavy weight on top all day.… Click here to continue reading this article

Should You Avoid Ukrainian Women from Odessa and Kiev?

So you are seeking a woman from the former Soviet Union? Likely Russia or Ukraine. Ukraine has no visa requirements, so is easier right? In Ukraine, all the pretty girls seem to be from Odessa and Kiev. Why is that?

I think this is one of those topics that is ignored, or the meat hidden away on page 10 of other unrelated forum topics across the net. Call it the elephant in the room if you like………

I was talking to a guy on the telephone today, who as may seem to do, was fixated on the idea of travelling to Odessa and/or Kiev to meet a multitude of women – none of which he even had a number for, all of whom claimed to be seeking improbable age gaps – you get the idea. … Click here to continue reading this article

The Best Restaurant in Togliatti (Tolyatti) Russia. Orient Express.

At last I have found a restaurant in Togliatti that is good.

Orient Express.
35 Victory 40 Street.
Avtozavodsky.
Togliatti

Tel: (8482) 555777

http://www.vostok-express.com/

Stop Press! The service is polite, efficient and attentive! Yes, you read that right; the service is beyond superb by any standards. By Russian standards, the service is out of this world.

The place is done up in the style of an old time train as you might expect. Not in a tacky way but rather like a gentlemen’s club I would say. You could easily imagine yourself to be in an up market London club with the decor.… Click here to continue reading this article

The Russian Embassy (Consulate) in London. How to find it and what to expect.

The Russian Embassy (Consulate) in London. How to get there, find it and what to expect whilst there.

We have had cause to go to the Russian Consulate in London several times lately, the last of which being today. I thought I might share a few snippets of info about the joint.

Getting there: I previously sought the advice of a few guys I know from the South.

City of Westminster Parking

I was advised not to drive in central London as parking is £40+ if you can find anywhere to park at all. Not to mention the congestion charge.… Click here to continue reading this article

Visit to a Russian Girl in Penza, Russia.

One day before Miss Penza and I had a very strong discussion and fight in a 3 way call with the help of Ladagirl I did not know if she would be there at the airport in Penza or not, but I decided to go anyway.

Flight from Mexico City to Madrid took around 11 hours, later I waited at Barajas airport more time and the flight to Moscow with Iberia was delayed around 5 hours….. finally I arrive to Moscow with 5 hours of delay….. the guy at Russian customs was taking all the time in the world to check the visas and passports… after customs one guy had my name on a card he was the contact from the travel agency he spoke English and told me to hurry because the flight to Penza was about to leave……..… Click here to continue reading this article

Canadian to Odessa, Ukraine, to meet a Former Soviet Union lady

This is how it all started……….

In the fall of 2001 I was given a laptop and after knowing what little I knew about the internet, I spent my time looking at porn, HEY! It was easy to find!

Then one day I came across and FSU date site, I was looking for some eastern nudes, but I did manage to find my first FSU dating site this way. I was stunned by the beautiful girls, and even more bewildered to think how it was even possible that they had no guy in their life.… Click here to continue reading this article