Russia

Day 1:
We flew with British Airways from London to Domodedovo Airport in Moscow, where we were met and collected by our tour guide, who accompanied us on the coach to our hotel. Izmailovsky Park has internet cafés and several restaurants and cafes, and we had our first introduction to Russian food … think eating breakfast in a rugby scrum and playing "guess what it’s made of"?

Day 2:
This morning we took a walking tour of Moscow, exploring the Kitay-Gorod and Lubyanka areas, after which we picked up the Metro from Izmailovsky Park to Red Square. As with most cities, you should buy a ‘Travelcard‘ which allows you ten journeys, which is cheaper than paying out for individual fares. Returning later, we visited Lenin’s Mausoleum and did an afternoon tour round the Kremlin (which means 'walled city'), incorporating the seat of the Russian government, the Tsar Bell and the gold-domed Cathedral. You would do well not to wander off the tour path, as they tell me the soldiers’ guns are real! Afterwards we met up again in Red Square at 6:00 to board a packed Metro and go to be entertained for the evening by the Moscow State Circus.

Day 3:
Tour to ‘Star City’ or ‘Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre’, once such an optimistic project, now sad and overgrown with weeds. However, the Mir Space Station and Landing Capsule are absolutely fascinating ~ three people in something so small! ~ as is the huge zero gravity simulator.

Day 4:
Tour of KGB HQ Cold War Museum, where the only photographs you are allowed to take are inside the anti-chamber. The Russian security service is now known as the FSSR ~ Federal Service for the Security of Russia. In true Russian-style, the resident guide speaks Russian and our tour guide translates although by the end of the visit it is quite obvious that he actually speaks very good English. We boarded the train to Gorky Park, Moscow's amusement park, only to discover it’s ‘Navy Day’ and we are surrounded by of drunken, cheerful sailors!! We sit and have lunch in Sculpture Park close by, which is full of (bits) of statues from the Russia Communist era. We play ‘Where’s Stalin?’ and nobody wins … There are several of Lenin and lots of heads of people nobody knows, but no Stalin. Later we take the overnight train to Pskov, located only 30 kms from the Estonian border.

Day 5:
After checking in to our hotel, we take the tour of Pskov, which includes the fortified Kremlin, situated on the riverside, and the Cathedral. Lunch is enjoyed at a local Russian banya (sauna) for vodka and shashlyk, and cold dips in the lake!

Day 6:
This morning we take an excursion to the wonderful 14th century Pechory Monastery and catacombs (no grisly bodies), visiting the lake and the ruined fortress. We have an early dinner ready in time to take the coach to St. Petersburg.

Day 7:
This morning we did a walking tour round St Petersburg, named after its founder, Peter the Great. St Petersburg has undergone 3 name-changes, three revolutions and a 900-day siege (more later). We visited the magnificent Hermitage Collection at the Winter Palace in the afternoon. Unfortunately my son does not appreciate the Rembrandts or Picassos, but I am captivated.

Day 8:
Edwards’s turn came this morning by way of a visit to the Naval museum. After lunch he grudgingly visited Petrodvorets with me ~ also known as Peterhof ~ with it’s magnificent gardens and gold fountains (Russia's equivalent of France's Versailles, perhaps?).

Day 9:
Today we visit the Kunstkammer, which is the museum founded by Peter the Great. Interested at last, Edward liked the anthropological freaks pickled in jars! He also enjoyed the Artillery Museum, giving him three stories of guns, guns and more guns. Now me, I liked the propoganda posters. After this, we walked along the riverbank to the Battleship Aurora, which signalled the storming of the Winter Palace, and carry on over one of the many the bridges and finally back via the Church of Spilled Blood. Surprisingly, Edward baulks at going inside.

Day 10:
As Edward and I seem to be operating on a 'one-for-you; one-for-me' basis, this morning we visit the Russian Museum, which is full of paintings and other artwork. Edward trails behind me in a sulk, until we get to the wartime propaganda stuff, and then he perks up. After lunch on the top floor of a department store, we visit the Siege of Leningrad Museum. Here you can learn about the hardships of the inhabitants of the city when, as if the freezing temperatures weren't bad enough, the city was totally cut off for 900 days, and no food supplies were allowed in. The story of the German blockade of Leningrad was one of the most dramatic episodes of World War II.

Day 11:
This morning we take the tour up to the roof of St Isaac’s Cathedral, and after lunch walk our feet off! We do find the ‘official’ tourist shops, offering goods with prices in euros and dollars. Unfortunately I don’t have enough of either to buy a real fur pelt or caviar (shame!) and then we wander round the gardens with ice-cream. In the evening we board the overnight train to Vladimir.

Day 12:
Today we visit Suzdal, and look around the Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life, where we see models of ‘peasant homes’, churches and yet more churches. We have lunch at another banya, but this one is purpose-built and not as nice as the other.

Day 13:
As if I haven’t seen enough, we visit more churches, this time in Bogolyubovo, and then the group decided to cancel the free time in Vladimir as the majority of us were keen to get back to Moscow and the civilisation of Internet cafés and bars.

Day 14:
Today is the last opportunity to buy some souvenirs in the arcade next door, and I let Edward chose a Russian Today is our last opportunity to buy some souvenirs in the arcade, and I let Edward chose a military uniform. I insisted on travelling the equivalent of our ‘Circle line‘ on the Metro and took some photos of the décor at various stations en-route, much to my son’s embarrassment. Later in the day, we transferred to Domodedovo airport and flew home.

Here are some additional things you may want to bear in mind if you're considering a similar kind of tour ...

Flying direct to Moscow with British Airways was only about £30-40 more expensive than the other flights but well worth it, as most of the others flew via somewhere and involved a stopover or plane change, which added to the travelling time and increased the liklihood of a loss of luggage.

The operator, On the Go, support a clientele mainly of backpackers. This is definitely not a luxury tour. We were a friendly group of about twenty, mainly consisting of Aussies, Kiwis and a couple of older English couples.

U$ dollars, preferably in cash, are easy enough to exchange. Travellers cheques not so, although I did find a place in the a 5* hotel in Petersburg and the cash rate was a lot better.

Follow the advice of the tour brochure and if it says pack a plug and loo roll, do so ~ both came in handy!

Tours are optional – if you want to do your own thing, it's perfectly OK to do so!

Pack a rain mac. Although we only had two wet days at the end of our tour, our guide said this was really unusual, and that it rained every three days in Petersburg.

Only drink bottled water, which is available everywhere. The local water is unfit for drinking, and you will need to as Petersburg is hot and humid at that time of year.