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ronin1
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| Location: | S.F. Bay Area, California USA |
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Posted: Friday April 28th, 2006 04:40 am |
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Special Items for Traveling to Russia…
Lets take it for granted that most people know what to take for a 2 week visit to your average Western country. Travel to Russia is a bit different. You will need to be specially equipped for the rigors of Russian bride hunting. You may consider packing the following before you depart:
1) Toilet Paper - A subject near and dear to my heart and even closer to my bottom. Standard Russian toilet paper is like 120 grit sand paper and is more related to a painter's favorite tool for prepping old paint than something that belongs in a bathroom. To boot their always appears it be a shortage of this necessary commodity. The lack of TP is so bad that organized crime is seizing this as a opportunity. Do yourself a favor and pack a couple of your favorite rolls. I think Shakespeare said it best when he wrote the words, "Aye, there's the rub!"
2) More Toilet Paper - If you plan to go out and about in Russia, carry along a packet of traveler's toilet tissue in your daypack or messenger bag. You can assume that most Russian public restrooms are short of this precious commodity. Even if they are not, do you really want to rub your bottom, raw?
3) Paper Seat Covers - Speaking of Russian public restrooms, you may also want to bring a travel pack of paper toilet seat covers. When you consider what you may find in public restrooms and train restrooms you will be glad you did. That's for those toilets that have seats to begin with.
4) Drinking Water - Perhaps one of the first things you will want when setting up your base of operations is a long cool drink of water to wet your whistle. Don’t drink the tap water!!! Even boiled tap water can still have viable crypto in it. Even avoid using tap water to brush your teeth and stay away fro, ice cubes. Best to take a couple of bottles of drinking water in your carry-on (if it is allowed, check airline policies)to hold you through until you can score some jugs of the clean stuff. Don’t buy Russian drinking water! Be careful which water you buy. There will be regular water and carbonated water. The carbonated is often the default water if you don't specify which type you want.
5) Coffee - Russian coffee is a poor substitute for what we are used to. If you need that familar kick in the morning, bring enough of your favorite grind to last your visit. I prefer the Folger’s coffee singles (grinds in tea bags).
6) Drugs OTC - Can’t rely on getting your favorite OTC drugs in Russia. Make sure that you take the usual for the season that you will be visiting. Even if the local Russian drug store has your favorite Western brand name medicine, it might be a knock-off. The usual suspects to consider are for: motion sickness, indigestion, headaches, cold & flu.
7) Shots - For those that want to hedge their bets or have a compromised health condition, the CDC for Eastern Europe Travel Alert says shots for hepatitis A & B, diphtheria, typhoid, malaria, rabies and measles are in order.
8) Luggage - Has a higher rate of being… misplaced or things missing. If you are allowed, take two pieces of check-in luggage and fill each with enough items to get by with. This reduces your chances of being left high and dry. Make sure that your luggage is well and easily identified in several places, inside and out.
9) Carry on Luggage - Alway take your valuables in carry-on. Never stow valuables in checked in luggage, unless you want it to be stolen.
10) Luggage Locks - OK, you should know about this already, but it's worth mentioning it so that you don't forget. Use plastic tie wraps or TSA approved locks on your luggage. Make sure you take extra locks or tie wraps for the return home if Customs cuts the locks anyway.
11) Umbrella - If you are traveling in between the beginning of August to the beginning of June, an umbrella is a certainty in most areas. Even summers are not immuned to sudden and occasional down pours.
12) Flashlights - With the advent of light weight high output LED flashlights, its no hassle to carry one along for those evening walks. They are handy especially to avoid snow and ice hazards. On the flip side, its use may peg you as a foreigner.
13) Convo Items - Bring some conversation pieces for you to talk about with the ladies. Definitely bring a Photo Album. Some will bring coffee table books about were you live. Some go so far as to make a slide show. video presentation with music on their laptops. Bring whatever works for you as an ice breaker.
Follow these items and you will be ahead of the curve when you arrive.
Ronin
P.S. Don't forget to check the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
site for procedures for special items.Last edited on Tuesday December 9th, 2008 07:53 pm by ronin1
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