Report #3: Chicago to Moscow
Ladies and gentlemen:
Sorry it's been a while since you've heard from me, but, a you woul all expect, events since DW and left Chicago last Sunday have been murcurial. In this tgread and as series of other new threads, I'll update you on our journey so far and include as many phos as possible too. So you can see the photo without having to go open links, I'll post each photo as my own reply to my original post in each respective thread.
Last Sunday morning we finalized the last minute things to go into our bags (you know those things that you can't pack the night befoe becuase you need them right until the time you depart like your cell phone charging cord), packed up my parents' car, and headed for an 11:00 AM departure from O'Hare to LaGuardia on United Airlines. After arriving at the airport we checked in with no problem and headed for our gate. Becuase we had a lot of carry-on bags - a backpack and a duffel/gym bag each - plus jackets, we stopped at a shop on our concourse and bought one of those fold-up luggage carts. Great idea. Now all those bags were on one cart. I pulled it along with one hand free, DW with both hands free to stop and grap us some breakfast and what might be her last Starbucks latte for a couple of weeks.
Our flight to LaGuardia was unevenetful and we arrived about 15 minutes early. A dcar with a driver named Joe arrived shortly after we claimed our bags to drive us from LaGuardia to JFK. As it turns out Joe is a Moldavian jew who emigrated to the US in 1988. Consequently, I was able to start practicing Russian in the car. Joe drove us from Laguardia to JFK, with and intermediate stop at a Queens Rite Aid Pharmacy to pick up some water and Venus razor blades fro DW. In retrospect, the stop was not necessary; you can get Venus razor blades at stores in Moscow and Ulyanovsk.
We arrived at JFK at apprximately 3:30 PM and got into the queue forming up for the evening Аэрофлот flight to Moscow. A Delta agent said that the Аэрофлот agenst should arrive at 4:30 to starts check-in. The arrived promptly at 5:15 PM. Here is a few observations for those of you decding whether to fly first or business class instead of economy class. Аэрофлот has a seperate queue for first and business class passengers. The queue is about 10% of the length of the econmy class queue. Moreover, if you are not a Delta Crown Room member, a business class ticket comes with passes to the JFK Crown Room. DW and I decided to fly business class and both thought the shorter check-in queue and subdued Crown Room atmosphere to be featutres that recommend business class for a again.
While DW relaxed in the Crown Room I headed downstairs into the main terminal to get some supper and what I was certain would be DW's final pre-departure Starbucks latte. I got a sandwiches at the Starbucks too. Then I headed over t the Duty Free store t get some last minute gifts. I wagered that our Moscow coordinator would appreciate a good bottle of Laphroig (single malt scotch). I also bought two cartons of Marlboro Reds for unexpected gift giving. I'm told that the composition of marlboros sold in the states is different than in Russia and that many smokers prefer the American formula. We still have yet to find out. In any event, I thoughthat buying gifts at duty free was a good way to circumvent baggage weight restrictions because you pick up your purchases as you board the plan long past any scales. It was not necessary. No one weighed our bags, and if they did, they said nothing about their weight even though with all of our stuff, we were approaching the Аэрофлот's published 30kg business class weight restriction. More reassuring was a look at the size of the loads many of the Russians on the flight were taking. I've seldom see bags so large. We're talking cordura steamer trunks.
Our flight (Аэрофлот SU 316) boarded promptly at 7:30 PM. Boarding a Russian airliner is not for the timid. Imagine a standing-room only crowd fleeing a burning theater. I'm only modestly exaggerating. We quickly found our seats, stowed our bags, and setled in for the nine hour flight. The lady in the row infront of us approached me and started speaking rapidly is Russian. In my best Russian I replied that I did not understand her in Russian and asked if she could repeat in English. She was asking me to move some of our bags so her's would not crush the items she saw in my duty free bag. I cheerfully obliged and then sat down. She then turned to me to apologize for accosting me in Russian, explaining that from my appearance she was certain I was Russian. I replied that no apology was necessary and I was actually flattered.
At least in business class, Аэрофлот's flight attendants are very curteous and attendtive. The food was also very good. They served some apaetizers of thos little quiches passed about at cocktail parites topped with caviar and cheese blintzes. Then a seafood plate with salmon, caviar, and shrimp followed by a Ceasar salad. The entree was filet mingon. Luckily mine was rare.
Contrary to the conventional wisdom and my better judgment, I decided to enjoy some vodka with supper. What I got was a snifter with about 2.5 ounces of vodka in it. When it ran out, our flight attendant asked if I would like more. I said "just a little". A few minutes later, poof, another 2.5 ounces of vodka. She was relentless and everytime I emptied my glass, there she was again filling it again. I think I drank more vodka on that flight than I did the entire time I was in college.
About the time our aircraft was heading out over the Atlantic from Newfoundlad, we prepared to go to sleep. Two things that I highly recommend. First is a good blindfold like the ones sold by Magellans or the Tempurpedic ones offered by Brookstone. I have the fomer, DW, the latter. They really form fit to te contiurs of your face and keep all of the light out. They are really worth the extra $15-$25 if you can swing it. Second is relaxing sleep music. I loaded some of DW's onto my iPod and it was great. It relxed me and concelaed the cabin and engine noise.
DW didn't get much sleep. I awoke about half-way between St. Petersburg and Moscow. About an hour later we were on the ground at SVO II and deplaning. I hired the VIP Lite service offered by Peace Travel (www.go-russia.com) and was very pleased. Their agent litterally escored us to the very front of the passport control queue ahead of everyone else. The same at customs too and we were not hasseled about our bags at all. I recommend this service to everyone as long as you can endure the icy stares of all the people you cut in front of on the passport control queue. Our bags arrive quickly; much faster than I usually get them in a US airport.
After departing customs we entered the man public arrival terminal area. As planned, I headed upsatirs to the TGI Fridays and met our coordinator. Soon we were in his car headed into Moscow. We spent the next 5 hours driving about Moscow accompanying our coordinator on his errands. If you are prone to motion sickness, like DW, bring some dramamine becuase Moscow traffic is bad and it's a lot of stop ' n go. We also stopped to buy DW a hair dryer and have some lunch. Then we headed south out of the city to Vnkovo Airport to catch our 8:30 flight to Ulyanovsk.
Stay tuned, Moscow to Ulyanovsk and What we found there next.
Final Departure Preparations
Sorry it's been a while since you've heard from me, but, a you woul all expect, events since DW and left Chicago last Sunday have been murcurial. In this tgread and as series of other new threads, I'll update you on our journey so far and include as many phos as possible too. So you can see the photo without having to go open links, I'll post each photo as my own reply to my original post in each respective thread.
Last Sunday morning we finalized the last minute things to go into our bags (you know those things that you can't pack the night befoe becuase you need them right until the time you depart like your cell phone charging cord), packed up my parents' car, and headed for an 11:00 AM departure from O'Hare to LaGuardia on United Airlines. After arriving at the airport we checked in with no problem and headed for our gate. Becuase we had a lot of carry-on bags - a backpack and a duffel/gym bag each - plus jackets, we stopped at a shop on our concourse and bought one of those fold-up luggage carts. Great idea. Now all those bags were on one cart. I pulled it along with one hand free, DW with both hands free to stop and grap us some breakfast and what might be her last Starbucks latte for a couple of weeks.
Our flight to LaGuardia was unevenetful and we arrived about 15 minutes early. A dcar with a driver named Joe arrived shortly after we claimed our bags to drive us from LaGuardia to JFK. As it turns out Joe is a Moldavian jew who emigrated to the US in 1988. Consequently, I was able to start practicing Russian in the car. Joe drove us from Laguardia to JFK, with and intermediate stop at a Queens Rite Aid Pharmacy to pick up some water and Venus razor blades fro DW. In retrospect, the stop was not necessary; you can get Venus razor blades at stores in Moscow and Ulyanovsk.
We arrived at JFK at apprximately 3:30 PM and got into the queue forming up for the evening Аэрофлот flight to Moscow. A Delta agent said that the Аэрофлот agenst should arrive at 4:30 to starts check-in. The arrived promptly at 5:15 PM. Here is a few observations for those of you decding whether to fly first or business class instead of economy class. Аэрофлот has a seperate queue for first and business class passengers. The queue is about 10% of the length of the econmy class queue. Moreover, if you are not a Delta Crown Room member, a business class ticket comes with passes to the JFK Crown Room. DW and I decided to fly business class and both thought the shorter check-in queue and subdued Crown Room atmosphere to be featutres that recommend business class for a again.
While DW relaxed in the Crown Room I headed downstairs into the main terminal to get some supper and what I was certain would be DW's final pre-departure Starbucks latte. I got a sandwiches at the Starbucks too. Then I headed over t the Duty Free store t get some last minute gifts. I wagered that our Moscow coordinator would appreciate a good bottle of Laphroig (single malt scotch). I also bought two cartons of Marlboro Reds for unexpected gift giving. I'm told that the composition of marlboros sold in the states is different than in Russia and that many smokers prefer the American formula. We still have yet to find out. In any event, I thoughthat buying gifts at duty free was a good way to circumvent baggage weight restrictions because you pick up your purchases as you board the plan long past any scales. It was not necessary. No one weighed our bags, and if they did, they said nothing about their weight even though with all of our stuff, we were approaching the Аэрофлот's published 30kg business class weight restriction. More reassuring was a look at the size of the loads many of the Russians on the flight were taking. I've seldom see bags so large. We're talking cordura steamer trunks.
Our flight (Аэрофлот SU 316) boarded promptly at 7:30 PM. Boarding a Russian airliner is not for the timid. Imagine a standing-room only crowd fleeing a burning theater. I'm only modestly exaggerating. We quickly found our seats, stowed our bags, and setled in for the nine hour flight. The lady in the row infront of us approached me and started speaking rapidly is Russian. In my best Russian I replied that I did not understand her in Russian and asked if she could repeat in English. She was asking me to move some of our bags so her's would not crush the items she saw in my duty free bag. I cheerfully obliged and then sat down. She then turned to me to apologize for accosting me in Russian, explaining that from my appearance she was certain I was Russian. I replied that no apology was necessary and I was actually flattered.
At least in business class, Аэрофлот's flight attendants are very curteous and attendtive. The food was also very good. They served some apaetizers of thos little quiches passed about at cocktail parites topped with caviar and cheese blintzes. Then a seafood plate with salmon, caviar, and shrimp followed by a Ceasar salad. The entree was filet mingon. Luckily mine was rare.
Contrary to the conventional wisdom and my better judgment, I decided to enjoy some vodka with supper. What I got was a snifter with about 2.5 ounces of vodka in it. When it ran out, our flight attendant asked if I would like more. I said "just a little". A few minutes later, poof, another 2.5 ounces of vodka. She was relentless and everytime I emptied my glass, there she was again filling it again. I think I drank more vodka on that flight than I did the entire time I was in college.
About the time our aircraft was heading out over the Atlantic from Newfoundlad, we prepared to go to sleep. Two things that I highly recommend. First is a good blindfold like the ones sold by Magellans or the Tempurpedic ones offered by Brookstone. I have the fomer, DW, the latter. They really form fit to te contiurs of your face and keep all of the light out. They are really worth the extra $15-$25 if you can swing it. Second is relaxing sleep music. I loaded some of DW's onto my iPod and it was great. It relxed me and concelaed the cabin and engine noise.
DW didn't get much sleep. I awoke about half-way between St. Petersburg and Moscow. About an hour later we were on the ground at SVO II and deplaning. I hired the VIP Lite service offered by Peace Travel (www.go-russia.com) and was very pleased. Their agent litterally escored us to the very front of the passport control queue ahead of everyone else. The same at customs too and we were not hasseled about our bags at all. I recommend this service to everyone as long as you can endure the icy stares of all the people you cut in front of on the passport control queue. Our bags arrive quickly; much faster than I usually get them in a US airport.
After departing customs we entered the man public arrival terminal area. As planned, I headed upsatirs to the TGI Fridays and met our coordinator. Soon we were in his car headed into Moscow. We spent the next 5 hours driving about Moscow accompanying our coordinator on his errands. If you are prone to motion sickness, like DW, bring some dramamine becuase Moscow traffic is bad and it's a lot of stop ' n go. We also stopped to buy DW a hair dryer and have some lunch. Then we headed south out of the city to Vnkovo Airport to catch our 8:30 flight to Ulyanovsk.
Stay tuned, Moscow to Ulyanovsk and What we found there next.
Final Departure Preparations
Loading Up The Car
United Check-In
posted by Nungesser at
4:26 PM
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