Travelling day from hell...
I arrived safe and sound in Romania (but not without problems). On June 30th, I went to visit the Red Square by myself and as I was walking (purposefully and without a camera around the square), a police officer stopped me for no apparent reason. This is a well-known tourist scam where a police officer checks your passport and tries to find irregularities in order to extract a bribe to supplement his meagre wages. Although totally illegal, it usually works. It goes a little something like this:
"Passaporte, spasiba"
"What for?"
"You speak English?"
"Da... Yes"
"Passport, please"
"Ah, your passport misses stamp. You need stamp from Moscow police if stay for more than 3 days..."
"Oh, I wasn't aware. I have the stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia and the entry stamp? That isn't enough?"
"No, need more stamps. See (shows me a crumpled piece of paper with illegible English regulation). You need stamp if stay in Russia more than 3 days"
"When you leave?"
"I wasn't aware I needed more stamps. Where can I get the stamp?"
"When you leave?" They ask this because they want to pressure you by telling you that the police station is far and that you won't have time to get the stamp but that he can issue you one on the spot for a "fee".
"Do you have a badge?"
He shows me his badge. I note that ID number 148553. So, this is Mr. 148553.
"When you leave?"
"Where is the police station?"
"One moment" He calls somewhat on his walkie-talkie while holding my passport.
"You want to go to the police station?"
"Sure, why don't we go together, you and me?"
"You French citizen?"
"No, from Canada"
"Okay, go"... He gives me my passport. Scam doesn't work... I get off scot-free.
I told Nina's mom about it and she said she remembered there was a rule in Russia that I needed a stamp from a hotel to get out so we contacted the agency that gave us the original stamp. It was all very complicated (as is often the case inRussia) and we needed to wait for an hour for the processing of thestamp. Finally, we received it and I had to pay $60 for it (call it an exit visa!).
However, when I arrived at the airport in Shemerodov the next day, I discovered that it wouldn't be so easy. First, we had to go through a queue to check our baggages at the entrance of the airport (I imagine this is to find Chechen rebels wanting to blow up tourists leaving Russia?). Then, I needed to lineup to get to my gate for registering (another security check-point). I waited in line while Russians cut in at all points of the line. But I was patient. When I finally arrived and got my luggage checked, a security guard stopped me and asked me for which flight. I told him that I was going to Budapest and he told me that the check-in only starts at 12:00 (it was 11:30). So I had to leave the secure area. I waited for 30 minutes and then got in the queue again only to see it had doubled in size since the last time I had gone.
At 13:00, I was able to check my luggage again. This time, the security let me go to the registration desk. Upon arrival to the registration desk, there was also a queue but not very long. At13:10, I was served and showed my electronic ticket. The Russian woman looked at me blankly and asked me where my ticket was. I told her that my travel agency had issued this electronic ticket and assured me this was enough. She said that she could not do anything and that I needed to go to the ticket desk to get my ticket issued...which was outside the security area... grrrrrr! Okay, back out again. To the ticket issuing desk of aeroflot. At 13:15 (my flight leaves at 14:15), I was able to talk to the ticket agent. He looked at my electronic ticket and said:"yes, you have a reservation". Thanks! I knew that but I want my ticket (I thought). But he replied that I had not paidf or my ticket (but I had I said!). He stoically looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. I said how much? He said 9400 roubles(that's about $400). I said ok (what was I to do... My visa expired the next day... I decided I had more chances of getting my money back from Travel Cuts that this Russian bureaucrat, and I just wanted to get out of Russia at this point).
So, he issued the ticket. Now, it was 13:20. I ran back to the secure area and made like a Russian. Looking straight ahead, without making eye contact, I slipt through the line and made my the way to the front of the line (which was now even longer). No one even said a word (I was now somewhat Russian). I then went to the check-in. Then went to the check counter and was able to get rid of my bags…Ouf! Wait, there is a 100 person line for the passport check! Shit! I ran to the line and waited patiently as time flickered away. The line was slowly moving ahead. Wait, a whole Russian family of 7 make their way past everyone in the line… grrrr! And another 7 person family tried to cut in front of me... but I managed to hide inside their group and made my way through the line (which sped up the process significantly... you can cut in front of foreigners but don't try your luck with locals!).
Finally, I made it to the passport check and all was clear so this was very good! Unfortunately, I only had 30 minutes to make in it my gate... And guess what! There was another line to enter the gates 6-8... double grrr! This one only took 15 minutes to get in. So I made it 15 minutes before my flight and they had just started to board it. Finally made it through and took a seat. I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, I arrived in Budapest and everything went like clock-work... I had entered the European Union :) I waited for my bus driver... and waited and waited. Finally, it was 4:30 (30 minutes after he should have arrived and 30 minutes before our scheduled departure). So I called him on my mobile only to find out he couldn't speak English or French (only Romanian). But at least I talked to him... Then my phonecard was emptied... grrrr... So I went to a pay phone and phoned him again. I was able to talk to him a bit more and he told me he would be there in "cinch minuti" which meant 5 minutes. He arrived 20 minutes later. But I had been found. He went scurrying to find the other passengers so instead of leaving at 5:00 PM, we actually left at 6:00 PM which was fine in the grand scheme of things.
The drive was fine (we were 10 in the minibus) but when we arrived atthe Romanian border, the driver realized he had not renewed his papers for the car! Grrrr.... So we had to wait 20 minutes while the driver negotiated a "facilitation fee" with the border guards. After much haggling for a "fine", a price was settled and we made it through the border. We were in Romania around 11:00 PM but we still had 150km to do in treacherous road conditions. We finally arrived in Cluj around 2:15 AM. Ioana and Florin came to pick me up and my horrible travelling day came to an end (20 hours later).
"Passaporte, spasiba"
"What for?"
"You speak English?"
"Da... Yes"
"Passport, please"
"Ah, your passport misses stamp. You need stamp from Moscow police if stay for more than 3 days..."
"Oh, I wasn't aware. I have the stamp from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia and the entry stamp? That isn't enough?"
"No, need more stamps. See (shows me a crumpled piece of paper with illegible English regulation). You need stamp if stay in Russia more than 3 days"
"When you leave?"
"I wasn't aware I needed more stamps. Where can I get the stamp?"
"When you leave?" They ask this because they want to pressure you by telling you that the police station is far and that you won't have time to get the stamp but that he can issue you one on the spot for a "fee".
"Do you have a badge?"
He shows me his badge. I note that ID number 148553. So, this is Mr. 148553.
"When you leave?"
"Where is the police station?"
"One moment" He calls somewhat on his walkie-talkie while holding my passport.
"You want to go to the police station?"
"Sure, why don't we go together, you and me?"
"You French citizen?"
"No, from Canada"
"Okay, go"... He gives me my passport. Scam doesn't work... I get off scot-free.
I told Nina's mom about it and she said she remembered there was a rule in Russia that I needed a stamp from a hotel to get out so we contacted the agency that gave us the original stamp. It was all very complicated (as is often the case inRussia) and we needed to wait for an hour for the processing of thestamp. Finally, we received it and I had to pay $60 for it (call it an exit visa!).
However, when I arrived at the airport in Shemerodov the next day, I discovered that it wouldn't be so easy. First, we had to go through a queue to check our baggages at the entrance of the airport (I imagine this is to find Chechen rebels wanting to blow up tourists leaving Russia?). Then, I needed to lineup to get to my gate for registering (another security check-point). I waited in line while Russians cut in at all points of the line. But I was patient. When I finally arrived and got my luggage checked, a security guard stopped me and asked me for which flight. I told him that I was going to Budapest and he told me that the check-in only starts at 12:00 (it was 11:30). So I had to leave the secure area. I waited for 30 minutes and then got in the queue again only to see it had doubled in size since the last time I had gone.
At 13:00, I was able to check my luggage again. This time, the security let me go to the registration desk. Upon arrival to the registration desk, there was also a queue but not very long. At13:10, I was served and showed my electronic ticket. The Russian woman looked at me blankly and asked me where my ticket was. I told her that my travel agency had issued this electronic ticket and assured me this was enough. She said that she could not do anything and that I needed to go to the ticket desk to get my ticket issued...which was outside the security area... grrrrrr! Okay, back out again. To the ticket issuing desk of aeroflot. At 13:15 (my flight leaves at 14:15), I was able to talk to the ticket agent. He looked at my electronic ticket and said:"yes, you have a reservation". Thanks! I knew that but I want my ticket (I thought). But he replied that I had not paidf or my ticket (but I had I said!). He stoically looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. I said how much? He said 9400 roubles(that's about $400). I said ok (what was I to do... My visa expired the next day... I decided I had more chances of getting my money back from Travel Cuts that this Russian bureaucrat, and I just wanted to get out of Russia at this point).
So, he issued the ticket. Now, it was 13:20. I ran back to the secure area and made like a Russian. Looking straight ahead, without making eye contact, I slipt through the line and made my the way to the front of the line (which was now even longer). No one even said a word (I was now somewhat Russian). I then went to the check-in. Then went to the check counter and was able to get rid of my bags…Ouf! Wait, there is a 100 person line for the passport check! Shit! I ran to the line and waited patiently as time flickered away. The line was slowly moving ahead. Wait, a whole Russian family of 7 make their way past everyone in the line… grrrr! And another 7 person family tried to cut in front of me... but I managed to hide inside their group and made my way through the line (which sped up the process significantly... you can cut in front of foreigners but don't try your luck with locals!).
Finally, I made it to the passport check and all was clear so this was very good! Unfortunately, I only had 30 minutes to make in it my gate... And guess what! There was another line to enter the gates 6-8... double grrr! This one only took 15 minutes to get in. So I made it 15 minutes before my flight and they had just started to board it. Finally made it through and took a seat. I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, I arrived in Budapest and everything went like clock-work... I had entered the European Union :) I waited for my bus driver... and waited and waited. Finally, it was 4:30 (30 minutes after he should have arrived and 30 minutes before our scheduled departure). So I called him on my mobile only to find out he couldn't speak English or French (only Romanian). But at least I talked to him... Then my phonecard was emptied... grrrr... So I went to a pay phone and phoned him again. I was able to talk to him a bit more and he told me he would be there in "cinch minuti" which meant 5 minutes. He arrived 20 minutes later. But I had been found. He went scurrying to find the other passengers so instead of leaving at 5:00 PM, we actually left at 6:00 PM which was fine in the grand scheme of things.
The drive was fine (we were 10 in the minibus) but when we arrived atthe Romanian border, the driver realized he had not renewed his papers for the car! Grrrr.... So we had to wait 20 minutes while the driver negotiated a "facilitation fee" with the border guards. After much haggling for a "fine", a price was settled and we made it through the border. We were in Romania around 11:00 PM but we still had 150km to do in treacherous road conditions. We finally arrived in Cluj around 2:15 AM. Ioana and Florin came to pick me up and my horrible travelling day came to an end (20 hours later).
posted by Serge LeVert-Chiasson at
12:35 AM
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