First Time In Moscow
by tara - 2007-10-06 00:56:26 ( in family, adoption, holmes, travel) [php version] rebuild
Well, we made it to Moscow!
After a long plane trip, we managed to get through passport control and customs with no problems. And all of our luggage made it!
Our CHI Rep and driver were late getting to the airport and we were worried, but they did eventually show up. We got our first taste of traffic, and let me go on record to say -- I will never complain about Nashville traffic again. These people are nuts when they get behind a wheel! And you have NO rights as a pedestrian! They'd sooner run over you than slow down.
We are staying at the Holiday Inn while in Moscow. It's very nice. It's a high-rise and very modern. It's brand new, only been open for a year. They have staff that speak English -- that's a very good thing. And there is a bank in the lobby where we were able to exchange our money. Our Rep said that they have the best rates right now. But it's 24 rubles $1.00. So, we're trying to do quick math everytime we buy something. We just tried to buy a couple of bottles of water and a coke at a nearby grocery store and we mis-calculated how much it would be, when Bill underpaid the clerk, she started yelling at him in Russian. Of course, we had no idea what she was saying. We finally figured it out when she pointed to the screen on the cash register.
We met another couple that are adopting from Kemerervo. They are on their first trip too. They were able to get another flight out tonight to Kemerevo but had about 8 hours to kill. So, we all went to lunch together and walked around a little. They left their luggage with us in our room and they went out again to check out more. The hotel was going to charge them to store it for a few hours. Bill and I are pooped. I figure we still have a chunk of tomorrow to see more of because our flight to Astrakhan doesn't leave until 4:30pm. Below are some pictures I took while out today. Hopefully better pictures are to come!
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Here is the complete blog of the adoption experience in paperback form, Russian Adoption: From Nashville to Astrakhan and Back (PDF). And here is the fictionalized, future "homeland tour" (action adventure) version in various forms: on Kindle, various electronic formats, and in paperback.
This Time Next Week -- Preparation for Our First Trip to Russia -- Travel Day -- The Day Before -- Tuesday (10/2/2007) -- In the Air -- We're in Moscow -- Adoption Videos -- -- First Time in Moscow -- It's Only Monday? -- Check-Out Time -- We're in Astrakhan -- What a Day -- It's a Girl It's a Girl -- Great Visit -- Sights of Astrakhan -- Wednesday in Astrakhan -- Last Visit for a While -- Thursday in Astrakhan -- Another Great Visit -- We're Home -- Back in Atlanta -- Round Two -- Skora Mweh Tam Boojum -- Elizabeth's Room -- Internet Access -- Back in Moscow (11/26/2007) -- Tuesday (11/27/2007) -- Mweh Yeddum V Aeroport Eta Ootra -- In the Air Again -- Back in Astrakhan -- Comments Welcome -- Russian Adoption Consultant -- Russian Bureaucracy -- It's Showtime -- And the Judge Says -- Success -- Went for a Walk -- Much Better Visit Today -- The Day After -- Beet Salad -- Saturday Morning -- It's Going to Be a Good Week -- She's Warming Up to Us -- Light at the End of the Tunnel -- Picture of Us Before Court -- She's Ours -- The First Hours of Parenthood -- More Pictures (12-09-2007) -- Bowel Movement -- Nothing Much to Update About -- Sleep, What a Concept -- Here's Your Update -- 51-1/2 Hours -- Back in Moscow (12/18/2007) -- Pictures of Our Life in Astrakhan -- Just Another Week to Go -- Riding the Metro, Part Deux -- Update to the Update's Update -- Moscow Update Continued -- Can't Leave Early -- To the Embassy -- Still in Moscow -- Riding the Metro -- We're Home! (For Good, this Time) -- A Few Pictures -- Stay Tuned -- Summary of Our Russian Adoption Experience -- Baby Shower -- Doctors Say She's Normal -- Recent Photos of Elizabeth -- Holmes Russian Adoption Videos -- Elizabeth's First Video -- A Few More Videos -- Adoption Videos Updated -- Our Russian Adoption Story -- Our Adoption Story -- Gotcha Day and Merry Christmas