Good morning, my name is ....
And this is the first time I travel to Russia.
Another long-distance travel this year, in fact, it's the largest travel plan I've made so far in the past two years. Again, friends ask me: "Why Russia?" just like the thousand times they have asked: "Why Australia? Why Greece? Why Thailand?..."
"Because I've been to more than half of Europe, but haven't been to the largest country in that continent..." Answer No. 1.
In fact, not only the argest' country in European continent, it's the largest one in the world, even after Soviet Union collapsed and faded into memory. "Because that's the only ig country' I haven't visited in the world." Answer No. 2. In fact, I'm lying. I haven't been to Brazil either. And, I've only been to one city in China.
But Russia is the biggest country in the world. After I visit Russia, I can color this country on the world atlas I have and it will look as more than half of the land area in the world has been visited by me. Even I will only visit very small part of Russia.
"Russia is a country with a very long ad fascinating history. And don't you think those onion-domed churches are just so gorgeous?" Answer No. 3. Sounds like the reason I had when visiting Germany, France, Greece, and Egypt. It is always a reason to visit Europe, the history. The architecture.
"Russia is under constant change in the past few years, and it's just so exciting to visit a dynamic place like that" Answer No. 4. It seems that I don't worry about the rising tides of crime and political instability there.....
"You know I always like exotic places. Don't you think Russia is so exotic only looking at those Cyrillic alphabets?" Answer No. 5.......
"Because I would like to" Answer No. 6. Period.
When I'm determined to do something, I can invent hundreds of reasons for it. Maybe I just want to get away from all these boring aspects of my academic life in Baltimore.
Even I can find so many reasons, I don't expect it would be an easy trip. Thinking about all these visa application procedure, some security concerns when entering in that country, language barriers will be even bigger than traveling in Italy or Spain (the Cyrillic alphabet just looks....so different and they don't include English in their sign as in Greece or Thailand). Also, traveling with mom, we have to settle the difference between each other to accommodate. It's never an easy task since long time ago. And I expect it would even be tougher this time. After I've been used to being alone for the most time in the past five years. And I'm no longer a kid, or at least, mothers' boy.
A lot of unassuming fear fills my heart before I even set off. Will Russia be very cold in September? How can I keep a very close eye on both my camera and camcorder? Will I have enough time to see enough of Moscow and St. Petersburg in three and an half days for each? Will the cruise ship really uncomfortable?
This trip is a cruise trip sailing from Moscow to St. Petersburg. We will start in Moscow, staying there for three and an half days. Then the ship will sail along Moscow Canal and the Volga River, passing by several Golden Ring towns. Entering lake district outside of St.Petersburg, we will visit a newly named UNESCO site -the Kizhi Wood Church. The trip will end in St. Petersburg, the "Venice in the North." All the popular tourist spots and a very standard ravel route' for visiting Russia. Vladiostok? Forget it, it's at he other side' of Russia. Odessa and nearby Black Sea Resort? Oh, it's not even in Russia, it's in Ukraine.
There should be nothing much to worry about. Everything so far has been set, arranged, by me, or by the travel agent. Oh, maybe I should not get too excited........
It has suddenly become much cooler these days in this area. I didn't even expect the temperature will fall like this in early September. It's the season that maple leaves turn red again and students go back to school (glad that I'm not limited by the school schedule since I'm now a candidate and only need to concentrate on my dissertation!). Autumn is almost here.
Is autumn already there in Russia? Is there autumn more like the coldest winter month in Taiwan and November in Baltimore? What kind of weather will be there for us when we arrive Moscow in four days?
And what kind of experience will be there waiting?
I can only know, that this year, my autumn will begin in Moscow.
And I hope it will be one of the most memorable autumn.
Posted September, 10, 1997