Report #10: Orenburg to Chicago
Well this is going to be this season’s final episode of Desperate Adoptive Parents. In last week’s episode Sergei drove DW and me to the OrenburgAirport to catch a flight back to Moscow. When we checked in we were several kilos overweight but the front desk agent waived the overweight fee because Sergei promised to bring her some chocolate on his next visit to the airport. I got stopped at security because one of my bags had all the re-charge cables for our electronic equipment and it looked suspicious. After a quick and friendly had search with Sergei talking to the security agent I was on my way.
Sitting in the terminal waiting for the boarding call I sent a text message to our coordinator in Moscow to confirm our flight number and arrival time. About 30 minutes later came the call to board. Fist we stood in a vestibule area fro about another ten minutes as we waited for the gate agents to allow us to pass. Then it was a 200 meter walk across the open airport ramp out to the stairs to board the aircraft. One thing I really like about Russia is that they open up at least two boarding doors with two sets of stairs so the boarding process goes much faster. Soon we were seated on the plane and in the air.
Approximately two hours later we landed at DomomdedovoAirport in Moscow. Then we went down then stairs and onto a waiting bus to take us to our arrival gate. If you don’t like being close to strangers in crowded places, you are not going to like the bus ride. It’s like the set of a deodorant advertisement and I’m sure it will smell like one when we go back for what I hope to be trip number 2 when it’s warmer.
We exited the bus and went through the arrival gate. Then we stopped at the rest rooms before heading to baggage claim. We always made sure to stop when a restroom was available; we often never knew when the next opportunity would present itself. And contrary to many public restrooms in Russia, both the ladies and men’s rooms at Domodedovo were contemporary and clean. Our bags arrived quickly. I’ve posted some photos of the Domodedovo baggage claim area below. Like the rest of this airport, it is up to contemporary Western standards. Our Moscow coordinator, Pavel Nikolayevich, a/k/a Pasha, met us as we exited the baggage claim area. Then we were out the door, into the car park, and in the car on our way back to Moscow. I’ve posted some photo of the Domodedovo exterior below too.
The ride into Moscow city center took for ever, well actually about 105 minutes. Traffic was very heavy. We parked and went into the coffee bean for coffee. Hungary as we were, we enjoyed some very good pecan pie too.
I finished the book I was reading during the trip, so we walked down Tverskaya ul. to the book store a block or two north of Kamergersky per. So I could buy a new book. They had a pretty good English language section and I was able to find a 500+ page Robert Ludlum novel that made for good travel reading. Then we were back in the car on our way to Sheremetyevo II to catch Аэрофлот flight SU 316 back to JFK.
We were early so we took some time to shift things from one bag to another to lighten our carry-on’s. We went through the first security check-point where they hand searched each bag we were going to check. Then we checked-in, went through passport control and browsed through some of the duty-free stores. The duty-free shopping area at Sheremetyevo II is enormous. Much larger than anything I’ve seen anywhere else. After buying nothing among the duty-free shops, we camped out in the Аэрофлот lounge for about an hour until it was time to go to Gate 1 and board.
At the gate they have another security check-point. We removed our shoes (be prepared to do this at all Russian airport security check-points) and they hand searched all of our carry-on bags. As I stayed with the security screeners as the searched, DW exited the check-point and met up with another set of AP’s from Dallas on their way home from Yekaterinburg.
After clearing the security check-point we compared stories with the other AP’s then boarded. The flight was uneventful. I read most of the way and tried to stay awake so I could go to sleep on local time when we arrived in New York and minimize jet lag. We again were fortunate enough to sit in business class. On Аэрофлот the business class cabin has a 2-2-2 seating configuration. We sat in the middle two seats. I liked this more because DW and I both had direct access to the aisle so either one of use could get up, walk-around, and go to the restroom without disturbing the other.
To my right across the aisle was a very young Russian woman traveling with two young children – a six month old boy and a six year old girl. I thought she was their older sister or nanny; she just looked too young to have a six year old daughter. I’m sure she would have been flattered. However, the little girl addressed her as mama and mom. They also spoke flawless English. The little girl seemed to find me interesting and I picked up toys for her when she dropped them behind her seat. She even drew me a picture with her crayons addressed to Mr. Hart. It was very endearing.
It was also an educational and confidence building experience too. I got to observe international travel with small children first hand without having to be there on the firing line myself. And if one parent can travel with a six month old and six year old for nine hours between Moscow and New York, I’m now confident that two parents can travel with one one year old too.
It was about 5:00 PM when we arrived at JFK. Because we were the only arriving flight at that time, we breezed through baggage claim, immigration and customs. After exiting customs a driver with a sign with our name on it met us and took u to his waiting car. This time the car was in much better condition and the driver’s foot patterns on the gas and brake did not induce severe nausea.
About an hour later we arrived at my godparents’ townhouse in Smithtown on Long Island. My godfather welcomed us, we stowed our bags, and went out for a fine Italian supper. I hadn’t had an Italian meal in at least two weeks and sure tasted good. DW had not had salad fro two weeks either and she dug into that chicken Caesar. We saw no lettuce in Russia and the conventional wisdom is to avoid uncooked and unpeeled fruits and vegetables anyway.
The next morning the same driver took us from my godparents’ top LaGuardia for a United flight back to O’Hare. When we went through security at LaGuardia they seized the folding scissors out of the trail first-aid kit I took with us. After all the security check-points and multiple searches we’d been through without the slightest mention of the scissors, on the last leg of our trip, they stop me and take my scissors.
After another uneventful flight, my parents met us in the O’Hare baggage claim area and drove us back to our house where we started.
It was a long trip with more surprises than we expected. I know that in adopting from Russia not everything is going to go according to plan. I just didn’t expect to deviate that far and that early. In any event, there is nothing DW or I can do to change it so we take what comes. Still the image of the candidate we went to see in Ulyanovsk is burned onto my mind. I wonder what could or should have happened. I just now hope that all of the problems with his paperwork get sorted out and that a there is a family for him. Even though I’ll probably never know for sure, I’ll always wonder and the joy of meeting the boy in Orenburg who may become our son is tempered by the thought of another boy in Ulyanovsk and many others like him.
Let me take this opportunity to say thank you to each of you who participate on this forum. I have learned a tremendous amount form your posts and private messages. Your own stories have inspired DW and me and, in difficult times, your kind works have brought us consolation for the past, comfort for the present, and hope for the future. Thank you.
Now DW and I are back at home waiting to hear when the judge will schedule a hearing date and we can return to Orenburg and become parents. As you would expect, we are eager for a hearing soon and hope that the bumpiest part of the road is already behind us.
Stay tuned.
DW at Domodedovo baggage claim
Sitting in the terminal waiting for the boarding call I sent a text message to our coordinator in Moscow to confirm our flight number and arrival time. About 30 minutes later came the call to board. Fist we stood in a vestibule area fro about another ten minutes as we waited for the gate agents to allow us to pass. Then it was a 200 meter walk across the open airport ramp out to the stairs to board the aircraft. One thing I really like about Russia is that they open up at least two boarding doors with two sets of stairs so the boarding process goes much faster. Soon we were seated on the plane and in the air.
Approximately two hours later we landed at DomomdedovoAirport in Moscow. Then we went down then stairs and onto a waiting bus to take us to our arrival gate. If you don’t like being close to strangers in crowded places, you are not going to like the bus ride. It’s like the set of a deodorant advertisement and I’m sure it will smell like one when we go back for what I hope to be trip number 2 when it’s warmer.
We exited the bus and went through the arrival gate. Then we stopped at the rest rooms before heading to baggage claim. We always made sure to stop when a restroom was available; we often never knew when the next opportunity would present itself. And contrary to many public restrooms in Russia, both the ladies and men’s rooms at Domodedovo were contemporary and clean. Our bags arrived quickly. I’ve posted some photos of the Domodedovo baggage claim area below. Like the rest of this airport, it is up to contemporary Western standards. Our Moscow coordinator, Pavel Nikolayevich, a/k/a Pasha, met us as we exited the baggage claim area. Then we were out the door, into the car park, and in the car on our way back to Moscow. I’ve posted some photo of the Domodedovo exterior below too.
The ride into Moscow city center took for ever, well actually about 105 minutes. Traffic was very heavy. We parked and went into the coffee bean for coffee. Hungary as we were, we enjoyed some very good pecan pie too.
I finished the book I was reading during the trip, so we walked down Tverskaya ul. to the book store a block or two north of Kamergersky per. So I could buy a new book. They had a pretty good English language section and I was able to find a 500+ page Robert Ludlum novel that made for good travel reading. Then we were back in the car on our way to Sheremetyevo II to catch Аэрофлот flight SU 316 back to JFK.
We were early so we took some time to shift things from one bag to another to lighten our carry-on’s. We went through the first security check-point where they hand searched each bag we were going to check. Then we checked-in, went through passport control and browsed through some of the duty-free stores. The duty-free shopping area at Sheremetyevo II is enormous. Much larger than anything I’ve seen anywhere else. After buying nothing among the duty-free shops, we camped out in the Аэрофлот lounge for about an hour until it was time to go to Gate 1 and board.
At the gate they have another security check-point. We removed our shoes (be prepared to do this at all Russian airport security check-points) and they hand searched all of our carry-on bags. As I stayed with the security screeners as the searched, DW exited the check-point and met up with another set of AP’s from Dallas on their way home from Yekaterinburg.
After clearing the security check-point we compared stories with the other AP’s then boarded. The flight was uneventful. I read most of the way and tried to stay awake so I could go to sleep on local time when we arrived in New York and minimize jet lag. We again were fortunate enough to sit in business class. On Аэрофлот the business class cabin has a 2-2-2 seating configuration. We sat in the middle two seats. I liked this more because DW and I both had direct access to the aisle so either one of use could get up, walk-around, and go to the restroom without disturbing the other.
To my right across the aisle was a very young Russian woman traveling with two young children – a six month old boy and a six year old girl. I thought she was their older sister or nanny; she just looked too young to have a six year old daughter. I’m sure she would have been flattered. However, the little girl addressed her as mama and mom. They also spoke flawless English. The little girl seemed to find me interesting and I picked up toys for her when she dropped them behind her seat. She even drew me a picture with her crayons addressed to Mr. Hart. It was very endearing.
It was also an educational and confidence building experience too. I got to observe international travel with small children first hand without having to be there on the firing line myself. And if one parent can travel with a six month old and six year old for nine hours between Moscow and New York, I’m now confident that two parents can travel with one one year old too.
It was about 5:00 PM when we arrived at JFK. Because we were the only arriving flight at that time, we breezed through baggage claim, immigration and customs. After exiting customs a driver with a sign with our name on it met us and took u to his waiting car. This time the car was in much better condition and the driver’s foot patterns on the gas and brake did not induce severe nausea.
About an hour later we arrived at my godparents’ townhouse in Smithtown on Long Island. My godfather welcomed us, we stowed our bags, and went out for a fine Italian supper. I hadn’t had an Italian meal in at least two weeks and sure tasted good. DW had not had salad fro two weeks either and she dug into that chicken Caesar. We saw no lettuce in Russia and the conventional wisdom is to avoid uncooked and unpeeled fruits and vegetables anyway.
The next morning the same driver took us from my godparents’ top LaGuardia for a United flight back to O’Hare. When we went through security at LaGuardia they seized the folding scissors out of the trail first-aid kit I took with us. After all the security check-points and multiple searches we’d been through without the slightest mention of the scissors, on the last leg of our trip, they stop me and take my scissors.
After another uneventful flight, my parents met us in the O’Hare baggage claim area and drove us back to our house where we started.
It was a long trip with more surprises than we expected. I know that in adopting from Russia not everything is going to go according to plan. I just didn’t expect to deviate that far and that early. In any event, there is nothing DW or I can do to change it so we take what comes. Still the image of the candidate we went to see in Ulyanovsk is burned onto my mind. I wonder what could or should have happened. I just now hope that all of the problems with his paperwork get sorted out and that a there is a family for him. Even though I’ll probably never know for sure, I’ll always wonder and the joy of meeting the boy in Orenburg who may become our son is tempered by the thought of another boy in Ulyanovsk and many others like him.
Let me take this opportunity to say thank you to each of you who participate on this forum. I have learned a tremendous amount form your posts and private messages. Your own stories have inspired DW and me and, in difficult times, your kind works have brought us consolation for the past, comfort for the present, and hope for the future. Thank you.
Now DW and I are back at home waiting to hear when the judge will schedule a hearing date and we can return to Orenburg and become parents. As you would expect, we are eager for a hearing soon and hope that the bumpiest part of the road is already behind us.
Stay tuned.
DW at Domodedovo baggage claim
Domodedovo baggage claim carousel
Nungesser at Domodedovo baggage claim
Main front entry to Domodedovo Airport
Retired Tupelov airliner on display outside Domodedovo Airport
posted by Nungesser at
10:32 PM
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