Springtime in Russia: My Remarkable Journey - Day 1: The Long-Awaited Encounter

The text you provided is in Thai. Here is the translation in English:

"Before, I knew Russia as the Soviet Union. The clearest memory I have is of it being a communist superpower during the Cold War. Until the day the communist shadow collapsed, Russia opened up more. Images of its beauty in various aspects appeared more often. Russia became a destination I wanted to visit at least once, a country that secretly hides its magnificent beauty. And when I learned that Thai people can visit Russia for up to 30 days without a visa, my desire grew even stronger."

Coincidentally, a budget airline promotion offering flights to Russia for less than 20,000 baht was released. Without hesitation, the two friends quickly gathered their companions and made the swift decision to book these affordable tickets. This was the only way to bring their blurry dream into focus. Ultimately, the trip commenced with a group of six intrepid travelers ready to embark on their shared adventure.

The travel plan was hastily conceived. We opted to visit Russia in the "spring" season, eager to experience a different side of the country than what we had seen in reviews. We yearned to witness Russia on a clear day, with vibrant trees, and believed that visiting during the spring, with its extended daylight hours, would allow for longer sightseeing. The weather wouldn't be excessively cold, and some tourist attractions would be closed during the winter. Trying something different might yield unique and refreshing experiences.

We had only a few months to prepare for the trip, which was challenging due to our busy schedules. Despite our extensive travel experience, we were apprehensive about this particular trip because the country we were visiting has limited English communication, both in signage and among the locals. This presented a significant obstacle to our travel plans. However, we were determined to make the best of it, believing that we could overcome this challenge and have a successful trip.

The Misadventures Begin: A Series of Unfortunate Events Before Our Russian Trip

Our journey to Russia was plagued by a series of unfortunate events even before we embarked on our trip.

• Flight changes: After booking a seemingly affordable roundtrip flight from Hanoi to Moscow with Qatar Airways, various airlines, including Qatar Airways itself, released even cheaper direct flights to Moscow around the same time. To add insult to injury, our flight route was modified to include a stopover in Bangkok before heading to Doha.
• Visa complications: While tourist visas are typically not an issue for those staying in hotels, our decision to stay in Airbnbs presented a challenge. The new Russian law requiring tourist registration within 24 hours for certain cities, coupled with the complexities of Airbnb host requirements, made the visa process unexpectedly difficult and expensive.
• Last-minute flight change: The budget airline flight we booked from Bangkok to Hanoi, intended to connect us to our Moscow flight, was rescheduled from 11 am to 2 pm just two weeks before our departure. This change meant we would miss our connecting flight to Moscow, as the revised arrival time in Hanoi coincided with the departure of our Moscow flight.

These unforeseen circumstances added a layer of stress and complexity to our trip, highlighting the importance of thorough planning and flexibility when traveling.

Each task was a headache, so before the trip, I was busy with everything until almost the day of departure. Not to mention having to finish my work because I would be away from my desk for almost 10 days.

Our journey began with an early morning flight from Bangkok to Hanoi on a familiar airline. Due to a schedule change, this was the only flight that would allow us to connect to our evening flight to Moscow, which was scheduled to depart at 5:00 PM.

Entered the land of Vietnam.

Initially, the group planned a one-day trip in Hanoi and had backup sightseeing options ready. However, upon considering their luggage, they lost all motivation to go anywhere. All members unanimously decided to sit and lie down at the airport, making it the least lively trip they had ever experienced.

Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi

This restaurant, where we have lunch, is very affordable.

The phrase "เฝอ" refers to a type of Vietnamese noodle soup. The sentence translates to:

"A delicious bowl of pho, straight from the original recipe."

As the check-in counter opened around 2:00 PM, a renewed sense of excitement filled the air. The journey was about to begin, although it could hardly be considered the first step. We still had to make a stop at Suvarnabhumi Airport before the actual journey could commence. It was a series of suspenseful moments, eagerly anticipating the moment we could finally set off.

After a long journey from Bangkok on a low-cost airline at 6:40 AM, connecting to Qatar Airways from Hanoi at 5:30 PM, arriving in Doha at 11:05 PM, the comfort and deliciousness we received during the flight to Doha were excellent.

The original text is in English, so no translation is needed. However, I can provide a more formal and concise version of the text:

Savoury pastry and cake.

Soba noodle salad with julienned vegetables, red curry chicken, and mango cheesecake.

Stroll through Duty Free

The flight departed from Doha at 6:55 AM, even though it was an economy class flight. However, the flight was empty enough that many passengers, including us, were able to stretch out and sleep comfortably as if we were in first class.

This menu item features Apple raisin bread pudding with creme anglaise sauce and Fruit yoghurt.

Big brother's menu: Mushroom and leek frittata, Fruit yoghurt

The Qatar Airways flight finally landed at Domodedovo Airport (Домоде́дово) in Moscow (Москва́), Russia (Росси́я), at 12:00 p.m. (Moscow time is four hours behind Thailand time). The total travel time was a mere 33 hours.

But our journey didn't end there. The accommodation we booked for the first night wasn't in Moscow, the capital, but in St. Petersburg (Санкт-Петербу́рг). So, we had to continue our journey. This was just the beginning of our grueling tour.

Moscow has three airports, with Domodedovo being one of the three located furthest from the city center, approximately 42 kilometers away. The journey takes at least 40 minutes, assuming there is no traffic congestion. There are several ways to get to the city from this airport, with the most popular option among Thai tourists being the Aeroexpress train (Аэроэкспресс). Many reviews suggest that this is the best and easiest way to travel, taking only 45 minutes and costing 450 RUB.

However, for budget-conscious travelers like myself, I recommend two alternative options, albeit with the caveat that they are not as time-sensitive as the train. These options are the 308 bus and minibus. During my research, I learned that the bus is preferable if you have luggage, as it has dedicated storage space under the carriage. The fare for both the bus and minibus is 100 RUB.

Upon exiting the airport, proceed to Exit 3. Cross the pedestrian crossing and walk under the sunshade to find the bus stop, where you will see a line of vehicles. Buses operate from 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM and depart every 15 minutes. Minibuses, on the other hand, depart once they are full.

Following the instructions we had read, we arrived at the designated location where a young man immediately beckoned us to his car. Upon closer inspection, we noticed the car's license plate displayed the number 308, seemingly confirming our expectations.

However, it was strange that there was no luggage space under the belly. Did he ask us to put our luggage next to the driver, or did he have several types of cars? The fare was listed as 120 RUB, which was possible because the reviews I read were written some time ago, and the fare might have increased. In a short while, the car was full and left immediately. After driving for a while, the car stopped at the roadside before leaving the airport. The driver got out of the car and walked around to collect the fare.

From the city center, we took a long ride to the final stop, where everyone disembarked. Following the crowd, we descended into the subway, confirming our arrival at Domodedova Station (Домодедовская). Recalling our Russian 101 lessons and utilizing the Yandex app, we identified Komsomolskaya Station (Комсомо́льская) as the closest subway stop to Leningrad Station (Ленинградский вокзал), our gateway to St. Petersburg. To reach this station, we needed to purchase subway tickets. Initially, we attempted to use the automated ticket machines.

However, our banknotes are all of high value, which makes things quite complicated. The easiest way for us on the first day is to buy from the staff at the counter. Just tell them how many rides you want to buy and that's it. Easy.

We then took the metro to Komsomolskaya station. We had booked our train tickets in advance through the website http://pass.rzd.ru/. The tickets indicated the carriage and seat numbers. However, the tickets may be confusing as they list the train station as Moskva Oktiabrskaya.

Passage to the platform below

Although the train looks old, it runs extremely fast.

Beautiful sculptures inside the station while changing lines

Upon arriving at Komsomolskaya metro station, locate the Leningradsky railway station. There are multiple stations in the vicinity, so look for the old building on the main road. Note that there is another station inside, Yaroslavsky suburban railway station. We arrived early, having chosen a train departing at 18:08, to account for potential delays on our first day. We grabbed a bite to eat near the station before heading inside to wait for our train to arrive at the platform. We then boarded the train.

The back is the Komsomolskaya metro station.

Sapsan high-speed train schedule, platform to be announced upon arrival.

We took the Sapsan high-speed train (Сапсан) from Moscow to St. Petersburg. It is a high-speed train with a journey time of 4 hours and an average speed of 166 km/h. Typically, there are 8-10 departures per day. This is the fastest, most convenient, and more economical option than flying, as it takes you directly to the city center. Otherwise, we would have to pay additional costs to get from the airport to the city. From here, we will sit and sleep for another 4 hours before reaching our destination. This means that we will arrive around 10:00 PM and then travel from the station to our booked accommodation.

This is the train that will pick us up.

It was fortunate that we visited Russia during the season when the days are longer than the nights. Although we arrived in St. Petersburg around 10:00 PM, it was still as bright as if it were only 5:00 PM. However, the Ploschad Vosstaniya (Плóщадь Восстáния) metro station on the red line, which we needed to take to get to our accommodation, happened to be malfunctioning. It was temporarily closed for about 15 minutes, so we had to wait before we could start our journey. We had to transfer to the orange line to get to Novocherkasskaya (Новочерка́сская) station, which was the closest station to our accommodation. We walked to our Airbnb, which we had booked in advance, and arrived around 11:30 PM.

We have arrived in Saint Petersburg.

The descent to the subway station is very deep.

Novocherkasskaya Station (Новочерка́сская)

The darkness that descended, coupled with the isolation and unfamiliarity, made it impossible for us to find our way. We were forced to contact the host to pick us up and take us to our accommodation. When we finally met, the host turned out to be a bright-eyed Chinese woman who could not speak English at all. Previously, she had communicated through the Google Translate app, so we had to use it to converse about everything.

Our newly renovated accommodation boasts a luxurious and comfortable atmosphere, despite being housed in an old European building. While the three flights of stairs with heavy luggage may seem daunting, the spacious apartment, which perfectly matches the pre-booking photos, makes it worthwhile. We will be staying here for four nights before returning to Moscow.

The host informed us that we must register our visas by tomorrow. She will take our passports and immigration documents to process the registration. However, she could not tell us when she would be finished and able to return our documents. We will not be able to leave the house without our passports and immigration documents, so we will have to stay inside all day. If we are stopped by the authorities, it will not be a pleasant experience.

The journey to Russia was brutal, but we finally made it to our cozy apartment in the heart of St. Petersburg around midnight.

Our journey took approximately 43 hours. This unique experience is not for everyone, and our travel style is not about collecting destinations. We prefer a relaxed pace, exploring at our own leisure. If we can visit a place, we do; if not, we don't force it. Traveling is about relaxation, not checking in. We travel to experience life, not for Facebook or Instagram. Therefore, we keep things simple and avoid unnecessary stress. Otherwise, this trip would have been a "brutal Russian adventure."

The original text is in Thai and translates to:

"Follow the journey, stop by to see photos and say hello to the big brother and little sister at https://www.facebook.com/TravelWithPiyaiAndNoolek/"

Here is the translated text in English:

"Follow the journey, stop by to see photos and say hello to the big brother and little sister at https://www.facebook.com/TravelWithPiyaiAndNoolek/"