Whew! We just returned home Friday night from a whirlwind of events- so much to share!! I won't hold you in suspense- LINA IS OURS!! :))) But let's start from the very beginning because we had quite the adventure....
Leaving for the airport- Saturday, March 10th. Our drive is about an hour and a half to Dulles and I made a reservation at a nearby hotel for our parking since it is substantially cheaper than parking at the airport. We used a different hotel than our first trip since the shuttle runs every half hour 24/7- the first one only ran once an hour. Flight departs at 4:55 PM so we left the house at noon to arrive for the shuttle around 1:30 to get to the airport around 2 and have 3 hours to get checked in and through security, and hopefully grab a bite to eat for dinner.
Well, this hotel was a little further of a drive so instead of taking an hour and a half it was closer to 2 hours by the time we got to the desk and checked in. The shuttle was there... but JUST filled so we had to wait for the 2:30. Ugh. Not good.
We arrive at the airport around 2:45, wheel in our luggage and find the most ginormous line ever to check in. When we came for our first trip we were leaving on a Friday so the lines were very short. This time we left on a Saturday- BIG difference!! The line wasn't budging either. We. Were. Scared. This line would take at least a couple hours to get through, and then there's security... how would we make our flight???
All of a sudden the line moved.... and moved QUICKLY. It must have shortened by half by some miraculous event. Didn't seem quite as daunting anymore. After a little while longer they asked for all people going to M***** to go to the front of the line. Even better! Or so we thought...
We get to the automated self check-in. I place my passport on the scanner. Won't scan. Try again. Won't scan. Try Mike's. Won't scan. The scanner next to us opens so they have us scan there- it worked. Whew! But... oddly enough- when I scanned mine- both our names showed up for the reservation, yet their computer could not find our reservation in the system. You've got to be kidding me!!! We were told to move to a different line- behind an old lady and what appeared to be her daughter, talking with the man behind the counter.... she had completed whatever she was doing yet still hanging there chatting and asking questions.... Finally we get to the counter.
This guy moves at a snail's pace. I wanted to jump across the counter and type myself so it could go faster. Finally after much more waiting we get our boarding passes. Off to security!
Quite the line at security too..... waiting... waiting to get through passport control.... Waiting and waiting to get through the security screening. By the time we get through there was no time to stop to eat dinner as we'd planned- our first trip we were through so quickly that we had over an hour to eat dinner and still get to the gate an hour early for boarding. This time- we had about 40 mins until departure. YIKES!!
We rush to the gate- the plane is already boarding- no one is left in line even! We quickly check in and board the plane. I have no idea what we would have done had we missed our flight!!! We breathed a huge sigh of relief once we were seated. And now our 10.5 hour flight to M*****!!
Our flight was pretty uneventful thankfully- departed on time... just a little turbulence here and there but nothing too major... flight was quiet though we really didn't get much sleep. So cramped. We arrived Sunday morning at 11:50 AM local time- which is 8 hours ahead of what we are used to at home, so our bodies were thinking it should be 3:50 AM. TIRED. Our driver is there to meet us after we get through passport control and collect our luggage, and he takes us directly to our hotel room- about a 2-hour drive. I couldn't help but fall asleep on the way. I did manage to snap a few pics before I dozed off ;) Don't mind the poor quality- between the fast driving, not so great quality of roads, and dirty car windows- doesn't make the best environment for taking photos.
Leaving for the airport- Saturday, March 10th. Our drive is about an hour and a half to Dulles and I made a reservation at a nearby hotel for our parking since it is substantially cheaper than parking at the airport. We used a different hotel than our first trip since the shuttle runs every half hour 24/7- the first one only ran once an hour. Flight departs at 4:55 PM so we left the house at noon to arrive for the shuttle around 1:30 to get to the airport around 2 and have 3 hours to get checked in and through security, and hopefully grab a bite to eat for dinner.
Well, this hotel was a little further of a drive so instead of taking an hour and a half it was closer to 2 hours by the time we got to the desk and checked in. The shuttle was there... but JUST filled so we had to wait for the 2:30. Ugh. Not good.
We arrive at the airport around 2:45, wheel in our luggage and find the most ginormous line ever to check in. When we came for our first trip we were leaving on a Friday so the lines were very short. This time we left on a Saturday- BIG difference!! The line wasn't budging either. We. Were. Scared. This line would take at least a couple hours to get through, and then there's security... how would we make our flight???
All of a sudden the line moved.... and moved QUICKLY. It must have shortened by half by some miraculous event. Didn't seem quite as daunting anymore. After a little while longer they asked for all people going to M***** to go to the front of the line. Even better! Or so we thought...
We get to the automated self check-in. I place my passport on the scanner. Won't scan. Try again. Won't scan. Try Mike's. Won't scan. The scanner next to us opens so they have us scan there- it worked. Whew! But... oddly enough- when I scanned mine- both our names showed up for the reservation, yet their computer could not find our reservation in the system. You've got to be kidding me!!! We were told to move to a different line- behind an old lady and what appeared to be her daughter, talking with the man behind the counter.... she had completed whatever she was doing yet still hanging there chatting and asking questions.... Finally we get to the counter.
This guy moves at a snail's pace. I wanted to jump across the counter and type myself so it could go faster. Finally after much more waiting we get our boarding passes. Off to security!
Quite the line at security too..... waiting... waiting to get through passport control.... Waiting and waiting to get through the security screening. By the time we get through there was no time to stop to eat dinner as we'd planned- our first trip we were through so quickly that we had over an hour to eat dinner and still get to the gate an hour early for boarding. This time- we had about 40 mins until departure. YIKES!!
We rush to the gate- the plane is already boarding- no one is left in line even! We quickly check in and board the plane. I have no idea what we would have done had we missed our flight!!! We breathed a huge sigh of relief once we were seated. And now our 10.5 hour flight to M*****!!
Our flight was pretty uneventful thankfully- departed on time... just a little turbulence here and there but nothing too major... flight was quiet though we really didn't get much sleep. So cramped. We arrived Sunday morning at 11:50 AM local time- which is 8 hours ahead of what we are used to at home, so our bodies were thinking it should be 3:50 AM. TIRED. Our driver is there to meet us after we get through passport control and collect our luggage, and he takes us directly to our hotel room- about a 2-hour drive. I couldn't help but fall asleep on the way. I did manage to snap a few pics before I dozed off ;) Don't mind the poor quality- between the fast driving, not so great quality of roads, and dirty car windows- doesn't make the best environment for taking photos.
Traffic, traffic, and more traffic. Yes, it snowed on and off our entire trip... and all those cars to the right are double parked. Parking is absolutely INSANE here!!
Yes, people regularly park up on the sidewalks.
Apparently it's just fine for the tail end of the car to stick out in the middle of the street if they can't get up on the curb, too!
Lots of public transportation... and weaving around it!
Some familiar sights
This was the first McDonald's built in Russia and is the largest in all of Europe (this was as close as we got)
We get all checked in around 2:30 and log onto Skype to wait for the kids to wake up at home. We had a great routine our first trip and it continued very smoothly this trip as well- Skype around 3:00 PM our time, 7:00 AM at home when the kids are getting up and ready for school. We were so thrilled our busy schedule allowed us to be available at this time everyday! :) And even better- our hotel room this trip overlooked the lobby with the free wifi- so we were able to get a signal in our room without having to walk all the way downstairs and chat in the big open and echo-ey room. ;)
After Skype we grabbed some dinner in the hotel restaurant and came back to our room to get some rest.
Their teaspoons are smaller than ours, and their soup spoons are equivalent to our serving spoons! They do know how to serve up some DELICIOUS tea here... even if it costs over $10 for a pot! LOL
Next day's adventure: MEDICALS!!
YAY!
ReplyDeleteYippie! I prayed so hard every night in March since I didn't know when the exact court date was. So glad she's yours! Are we allowed to call Lina by her real name now?
ReplyDelete