Quote: (03-28-2013 10:36 AM)slubu Wrote:
Vorkuta, great report man. Timing couldn't have been better. I'm planning a month in Kiev, a month in Moscow, then a month in a second-tier city in Russia. Any suggestions? I will be with a friend so I will have a wing the whole time. I'm thinking Novbovorisk, Samara maybe? So many cities I have no idea how to choose. This will be in August too, if that helps with university students being away, etc.
I presume you are traveling from June to August. If you are on the hunt for students forget about it. The university academic year runs from September to May with exams first two weeks in June. From end of June until first week of September, the studenkas will be away either in the village, along the coast on vacation/work or the more affluent ones will be in the States on the J1 visas. I wouldn't spend that August in Samara. I would go to the coast, try Sochi or Crimea where you will get more action and bang for your buck. Moscow in July will suck too given the oppressive weather and humidity not to mention the smog.
If you are looking to hit provincial Russia, September is the best time to do it. The weather is good and the students are back. If I were you, I would do the following, July - Kiev, August - Sochi, September - provincial city. I highly recommend Ekaterinburg. Its nicely located on the Urals which makes great hiking, not to mention being easy to get to (Trans Siberian) and its within the Golden Triangle (Perm, Kazan, Samara, Ufa, Chelyabinsk).
You should check out my Ekaterinburg datasheet. Everything there in a nutshell. If you need any more info, just hit me up.
http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-19441....aterinburg