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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Aug 29, 2016 06:00 PM "Rodina" river boat
This will be my home for next 4 days/3 nights
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Aug 28, 2016 06:00 PM 10 hours in "platskartny"
At 8.30 local time I boarded long distance train. Passport is always checked while boarding - your name is always printed on the Russian Railways ticket. "Platskartny" car category is like a 3rd class similar to the europen couchettes but not divided into compartments. There are also extra 2 tiers of bunks along the aisle. Upper berths are little cheaper. sheets, pillow and little towel are included.
Siberian flat plains on the other side of the window. Wild country, huge unused areas... Birch forests. In the corner of every car there is distributor of free "kipyatok" - boiling water - people use it to prepare tea, coffee, instant soup...
Soon we started a talk with local people - they are very friendly and courious that the foreigner speaks their language.
After 7 hours I left the train in Tyumen. Soon I boarded another train for 3-hours trip to Tobolsk. Society in the car was completly different: rude, noisy, drunk people. The weather changed, it was already raining when in the dark we reached Tobolsk. My friend Alla was waiting for me at the platform - soon in her flat I was enjoying hot tea with honey and bliny with cottage cheese. It is so good to have such a friend!
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Aug 27, 2016 06:00 PM Ship departed, but without me...
Omsk. I took a walk around the city centre enjoying again well known places. They just finished the renovation the best preserved street in the Old Omsk. The name of the street is still... Lenin Street. Old brigh, stylish buidings houses now Subway and many elegant shops. Western brand names are very common. Funny monument of Liubochka - daughter of the rich merchant from the past has Irish Pub in the background.
Rechnoy Vokzal (River Passenger Terminal) do not exist any more. I recognized that the only ship cruising Irtysh and Ob - 50-years old "Rodina" is departing now from the distant jetty on the outskirts of the city. There should be a free bus from the former Rechnoy Vokzal to this place 3 hours before sailing but it did not arrive. With the other passengers we shared the taxi to be on time at the jetty.
I was filming the ship departing at 6 pm local time (in the timetables they use Moscow time, which is very confusing).
Why I did not boarded the ship? Well, living out of Russia it is not easy to buy the ticket for "Rodina" Online sale does not exist. You have to be in Omsk a month before sailing when they open the ship for ticket sale. Or you must have Russian friend to do it for you. I did not find friends in Omsk, people from Couchsurfing simply refused to help me. But I was lucky anyway to have the friend in Tobolsk, which is the next port on "Rodina"'s route. I will follow the ship by train to board it in Tobolsk.
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Aug 26, 2016 06:00 PM Omsk in Siberia
Aeroflot - Russian flag carrier - do not use their Tupolev, Yak or Iliushin planes but airbuses. On the flight to Moscow I got a sandwich and a cup of coffee. Then I was waiting an hour in Sheremetyevo airport for connection. They advertise that they offer free wifi there but today it was broken. You still need your Russian mobile number to write down and to receive access code...
On the second flight to Omsk (3,5 hours) we received hot meal and tea. Omsk time is 3 hours ahead of Moscow and 4 hours ahead of Kaliningrad so my night was very short. We landed well after sunrise. Bus took us to the little, poor terminal. Taxi drivers will bother you since the first moment. No bus stops in front of the terminal, no info - you are in Asia! Once you exit the terminal building cross the little car park and go straight - the tiny street will leads you to "Aviatsyonnaya" bus stop. A choice of junk buses here. I took no 414 to my Hertsen Street. You pay 25 rou to the driver as you enter. People are friendly - ask them, where to get off!
I booked my room through booking.com Institution called "Akademia Uyuta" (something like Cozy Academy) stands in the street without pavement reminding rather countryside then the city. It is just extended private house with tiny walls and doors. For just 1000 roubles (like 15 USD) you have little but clean room with bath, two towels and surprisely good wifi connection. Dogs are barking around - bring your earplugs!
Hot, sunny day. In the afternoon I took the downtown walk. Why the people do not smile? Welcome to Siberia!
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Aug 25, 2016 06:00 PM Bla bla to Kaliningrad
There is Russian bus going daily from Gdansk to Kaliningrad, but it goes early in the morning and sometimes is cancelled so I de idet to try for the second time Bla Bla car institition. Russian drivers are bringing people to Gdansk airport an they are ready to take you back to Kaliningrad for the price of the bus or even lower. My driver -Victor was 30 min late and he arrived to railway station instead bus station but fortunately We contacted by mobile. For the first time I was crossing the border in Grzechotki crossing point -recently opened, but completly empty. No waiting at all!
Once in sunny Kaliningrad I left my backpack in the junk left luggage locker box at the bus station (buy tokens for 150 rou in the information window) and went to the city for the long walk. I found the money changer giving the best rate for USD - 64,40 roubles. I enjoyed adain well-know places - cathedral on the river island converted to museum (entry fee), nice parks and new sobor on the central square.
In the evening I took the bus to the Khabrovo airport (buy 80 rou ticket in advance in the window) and pay extra 20 rou for the luggage to the driver). Normally it takes 40 min to the airport, but due traffic jams wecwrere traveling 70 minutes. KGD airport terminal is still miserable. No space, crowd, long line tomthe only security stand -allow a lot of time! But the fares from here are domestic fares - that' why I use this route!
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Aug 23, 2016 06:00 PM I pack my backpack again!
Summer is not over yet, but I already start a new journey. This is because the route leads up to the Arctic Circle, where it is cold now, and later it will be VERY cold. I want to sail on the old river boat down Irtysh and Ob to Salekhard - lying on the Arctic Circle, and from there - the next boat will take me even further north - to the regions inhabited by Nenets tribe. After returning train take me to the infamous Vorkuta, V. Ustiug and Arkhangelsk. Then I will fly back to Kaliningrad. This will be another interesting trip - to the areas in which I have not been yet.
It was not easy to prepare this expedition. The main problem was how to book the space on the ship. Russians do not allow to book the tickets online! You must be there and stay in the line in front of the ticket office exactly the month before departure! Fortunately my friend helped me...
I hope that you will keep fingers crossed for me! :) Short messages from this route you will find in my travel log.
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Jul 31, 2016 06:00 PM Travellers in Wojtkówka
June, July and August I always spend in my dacha located close to Gdansk airport. I have plenty of visitors this summer, including my friends and guests from international organizations. That's because this is exactly the time when you can find me in Poland. In June, for the first time I hosted in Wojtkówka friendly Russians from Moscow: Katia, Kristina, Maja and Misha. Imagine that they came from Kaliningrad by bikes, checking by the way, that the border crossing Mamonowo - Gronowo do not accept pedestrians, but cyclists are allowed to cross the border. I offered them "what Wojtkówka is rich". We talked about travel, about Russian music, I like so much and about their plans. All of this group were in Gdansk for the first time so I had the opportunity to show them the most interesting objects in the city, to tell about its history and today. Few hours walk around the Old Town required fitness, because it was an extremely hot day and the temperature exceeded 30 degrees. Tight schedule did not allow them to stay longer, which is a pity, because we had a lot more to talk about.
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May 14, 2016 06:00 PM Vilnius to Gdansk
On Sunday early morning in Vilnius buses to the airport start operate after 6 am. For my low-cost flight I should be at the terminal before 6, so I was forced to order the taxi. Fortunately Vilnius airport is not far from the city centre. I paid for the ride only 6 euro.
The guy at security control asked me twice after X-ray screening if I have any liquids in my backpack. -No! So they probably do not trust this sophisticated machine.
Then we were walking about 200 m to the wizz plane. Take-off and after 1 h 20 min in the air I landed in Malmo. I like this little airport. It is clean and quiet, offers good and free internet connection and if you have the connection there is no need to go off and in again.
I am waiting for the flight to Gdansk. The another short voyage to the countries of Eastern Europe is almost over. I had excellent weather (except one day), I saw new places and I had a chance to meet interesting people. OKAY, now my Wojtkowka is waiting for me :)
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May 13, 2016 06:00 PM Baltic coast of Lithuania
Lithuania has only 99 kms of the sea coast. The most attractive for the tourists is Couronian Spit - a long and narrow peninsula protecting very long lagoon. The peninsula (southern part belongs to Russia/Kaniningrad Oblast) is famous for the beaches and sand dunes. Two ferries sail there from Klaipeda. I took passnenger-only ferry from the old town. It costs 0,80 euro and in 5 min will take you to the other side of the lagoon. If you are lucky the bus will wait on the other side to take you 44 km south to the nice fishermen village Nida (3,40 eu). Just few kms south of Nida is Russian border and this is the dune area. They planted vegetation on the rest of the dunes - regarding landscape it is disappointing.
Back in Klaipeda I took in the afternoon marshrutka (1,40 eu) to the seaside resort town of Palanga -25 kms away. Apart from the wide beaches it is famous for the Amber Museum located in the former palace of Polish comte Tyszkiewicz. The palace is surrounded by beautiful park. For sure worth to see!
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May 12, 2016 06:00 PM By train to Klaipeda, Lithuania
Lithuania isn't a big country. I decided to go to the coast of Baltic Sea to see the Lithuanian port Klaipeda. Lithuanian railways offer 3 trains per day from Vilnius, it takes around 4 hours to reach the destination. I found the website of LR, made a choice of the train. They made me happy announcing, that I will get an extra discounts for buying ticket via internet and for buying round-rtip in advance. I proceeded to the payment keeping in hand my 3 different credit cards. Can you imagine how angry I was when they announced that I cannot use ANY card to buy their ticke online - you have to have an account in Lithuanian bank. Finally I jumped on the trolleybus going to the station. I did not get there any discount and I spent extra 2 euro for trolleybus.
This was the fast train. There were only 3 carriages and the conductor in every carriage. I reached Klaipeda after 2 pm. Klaipeda has a kind of ols Prussian charm with many cobbled streets, old theatre on the square near the port and two-storey houses. I stay in the outskirts of the center in the little pension "Varsutine 9". The old lady -the owner is exceptional host: she is welcoming guests not only with smile, but also with chocolate candies, cakes and coffee. I am impressed.
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