[Blunt]

(05-14-2012 04:27 PM)oldnemesis Wrote:  

(05-14-2012 06:36 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

I think we need to put this myth to bed because it's simply not true.
You just use an agency. Simply fill in a form,attach a photo,send the fee and wait for ten days to get your visa. No pain involved. Don't need to book hotels,flights or anything else. It's exactly the same for Belarus.

No, the hassle just starts here. Sure if nothing happens you'll be fine. But if you lose your passport or overstay your visa for more than a few days (if you get sick, for example) - that's where the real trouble starts. Russia uses the exit visa, and you must have one to leave Russia, and it must be unexpired. So if you lost a passport and got a new one, you'll need to get this exit visa before you are allowed to leave. And while you're waiting for the exit visa (which may take three weeks), you cannot even check into a hotel. In both cases the agency which sponsored your visa need to be involved into that process, you cannot do it yourself.

Check the Department of State article about the exit visa. This is where most of the trouble comes from.

You are highlighting worst case scenarios. How many people lose their passport? A few, not many though.

How many people lose their passport, don't have enough time allowed on their visa to get a new exit visa on their replacement passport, lose contact with the agency that provided visa support, get no help from the embassy, and end up a frozen corpse on Tverskaya Street? I'm going to speculate here and say 0.

Beyond receiving your visa and getting to Russia, the biggest hassle is if you go beyond a hotel and stay in an apartment you need to register your visa. If you find an apartment through a rental agency, and they know that you're a foreigner, they will do this for you and just ask to make sure. If you're their for work, school, or teaching English chances are someone will be taking care of this for you.

You definitely need to treat your documents as if they are your lifeboat; however you definitely should not decide to skip travelling to Russia over such trifles though. Just keep in your phone and in your wallet some numbers to call in case you get in some shit, leave enough time on your visa so you can leave with time to spare, register with the nearest consulate when you arrive, and come with enough money to get you out of a bad place.

[oldnemesis]

(05-15-2012 09:32 AM)Blunt Wrote:  

You are highlighting worst case scenarios. How many people lose their passport? A few, not many though.

I always prepare to the reasonable worst case scenarios. There is no preparation needed for the best case scenario like the airplane doors opens and you have the model chicks lined up on their knees ready to suck your dick.

Quote:

How many people lose their passport, don't have enough time allowed on their visa to get a new exit visa on their replacement passport, lose contact with the agency that provided visa support, get no help from the embassy, and end up a frozen corpse on Tverskaya Street?

I have no idea.
But personally I wouldn't visit a country which has such a complicated visa regime.

[BTman]

(05-14-2012 04:30 AM)K-man Wrote:  

(05-13-2012 09:41 PM)BTman Wrote:  

When I was in Moscow didn’t try to go to high end places like Soho Room, etc. but rather stuck to mid-range places with mid range girls. Girls were very aggressive, and I barely had to make any approaches. Girls would either approach me or just stare at me long enough where all I had to was say was hi. I hooked up every night I went out in Russia

Could you say what these places are, BT Man?
I would appreciate this a lot, because I will be in Moscow on business next week. Staying at the Radisson Slavyanskata, hopefully that is close enough to a few good mid-range places, as I am not going to pretend to be a baller.

Pappa's Place, Real McCoy and Club Che. Also had a good time at this cinema themed bar but can't remember the name. I'm not that familiar with the city so I don't know where that hotel is in relation to these places. Hope you have a good time.

[Antipodean]

(05-14-2012 06:36 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

(05-14-2012 01:30 AM)oldnemesis Wrote:  

Worth explaining here that Ukraine is visa-free for the US and UK/EU, while Russia is not (and the visa process itself is quite painful and time-consuming - although not too expensive).

I think we need to put this myth to bed because it's simply not true.

You just use an agency. Simply fill in a form,attach a photo,send the fee and wait for ten days to get your visa. No pain involved. Don't need to book hotels,flights or anything else. It's exactly the same for Belarus.

Here is a link to an agency explaining how it's done. Used them many times with no hassle:
http://www.realrussia.co.uk/visas/russian/tourist

Just had my Russian Visa application rejected, using the Visa support documents from realrussia.co.uk.
Logistics with all this visa crap is a real hassle.

Australians and New Zealanders still need a visa for Ukraine also.
(Odd, because our passports are well received in most places)

So, being without my passport for 3 weeks plus at the Ukraine Consulate and another 2 weeks plus at the Russian Embassy and what if I want to visit Moldova or Belarus as well?
I can't be travelling while I am without a passport for weeks at a time.

Last year I got Ukraine and Moldova visas "on the fly" in nearby countries.
Still a lot of expense and hassles, and like a lucky dip. You are not sure if you will get it, so screws up your forward planning.

The official Russian policy is that you should apply for a Russian Visa in your country of residence (or in the UK, if you can prove 90 days residency).

Anyone here got any positive experiences of getting a Russian visa "on the fly" in a Russian Consulate in a neighbouring country?

Any other suggestions?

[LostGringo]

Long time no post. Might as well throw in my Georgia post here. I just returned from three weeks in Georgia, most all of it in Tbilisi. In a word, I loved the place even though I didn't hook up with any women. I've never encountered nicer people that I can remember. Even the flatheads were decent enough. Honest, almost to a fault - a taxi driver who we arranged a 20 lari fare with for a tour in Gori - wouldn't accept my proffer of 24 lari as a tip. I had to explain that it was a tip for a good experience.

Pro: The women are beautiful, on par with Ukraine, but with the darker features you expect from Armenians. They are also extremely friendly - I never have received more eye tag on the street except maybe Cali. This friendliness extends to virtually everyone I met in three solid weeks. I have no question that you could pull a stunner if you have your shit together. They also seem to have huge tits. BUT......

Con: Very conservative. Unless the woman you are hitting has spent time in the west, it's going to be a very long trip to the sack. The notion of living together for unmarried couples is heavily frowned upon - so you can figure out the rest. They are also somewhat religious. This is certainly changing, but slowly for the expectations of a western man looking for easy women.

Bottom line: If you are willing to spend some time establishing yourself in Tbilisi, you could have a pretty nice gig. No doubt, a gorgeous girlfriend or even wife if you decided to stay. Very cheap and you will not find nicer people. Easy for gringos as a 365 day visa is issued upon arrival. Minimal corruption compared to other FSU - police actually are there to help - my friend lost his passport and required a report from the police. They were extremely helpful - to the point where I was shocked by their professional and pleasant demeanor.

If the women didn't tend towards being sexually conservative, it might be the best place I've been. On the flip side, if you are looking for women who actually act like women and who haven't been destroyed by American culture.....maybe it ain't so bad?

FYI; I actually went to the club where that video was shot. Its called "CityClub", next to the Avlibari metro station. They have a separate roof-top bar which was great, with an incredible view of the city and a good crowd of beautiful women. The club is downstairs and it basically sucked balls.

Food - decent, heavy on the starch.
Wine - surprisingly mediocre
Beer - piss. drink the Czesky imports

[LostGringo]

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Batumi is the place to go this summer if you are in the neighborhood. The Georgian coastal playground on the east side of the Black Sea. The place is flooded with drunken Russians on holiday - the ones who can't afford Turkey and the western Balkans. The joke in Tbilisi is that single men should go to Batumi because its only takes two hours to bang a drunken Russkie......as opposed to two years for a Georgian girl. I'm planning on heading back in July and renting an apartment. I plan on being the only gringo in town. FYI, most of the younger women (under 30) speak some degree of English.

[Antipodean]

(05-17-2012 09:50 PM)LostGringo Wrote:  

Long time no post. Might as well throw in my Georgia post here. I just returned from three weeks in Georgia, most all of it in Tbilisi. In a word, I loved the place even though I didn't hook up with any women. I've never encountered nicer people that I can remember. Even the flatheads were decent enough. Honest, almost to a fault - a taxi driver who we arranged a 20 lari fare with - wouldn't accept my proffer of 24 lari as a tip. I had to explain that it was a tip for a good experience.

Pro: The women are beautiful, on par with Ukraine, but with the darker features you expect from Armenians. They are also extremely friendly - I never have received more eye tag on the street except maybe Cali. This friendliness extends to virtually everyone I met in three solid weeks. I have no question that you could pull a stunner if you have your shit together. BUT......

Con: Very conservative. Unless the woman you are hitting has spent time in the west, it's going to be a very long trip to the sack. The notion of living together for unmarried couples is heavily frowned upon - so you can figure out the rest. They are also somewhat religious. This is certainly changing, but slowly for the expectations of a western man looking for easy women.

Bottom line: If you are willing to spend some time establishing yourself in Tbilisi, you could have a pretty nice gig. No doubt, a gorgeous girlfriend or even wife if you decided to stay. Very cheap and you will not find nicer people. Easy for gringos as a 365 day visa is issued upon arrival. Minimal corruption compared to other FSU - police actually are there to help - my friend lost his passport and required a report from the police. They were extremely helpful - to the point where I was shocked by their professional and pleasant demeanor.

If the women didn't tend towards being sexually conservative, it might be the best place I've been. On the flip side, if you are looking for women who actually act like women and who haven't been destroyed by American culture.....maybe it ain't so bad?

FYI; I actually went to the club where that video was shot. Its called "CityClub", next to the Avlibari metro station. They have a separate roof-top bar was great, with a incredible view of the city and a good crowd of beautiful women. The club is downstairs and it basically sucked balls.

Did you fly in there, or travel over land?
Maybe I should have a look at Georgia, if the Russians won't let me in.
Problem is that if I travel over land I still need to go through Russia.
Or Turkey, but that's too far out of my way.

[The Fantasist]

(05-17-2012 09:50 PM)LostGringo Wrote:  

Long time no post. Might as well throw in my Georgia post here. I just returned from three weeks in Georgia, most all of it in Tbilisi....

Awesome post and awesome timing LG. Was asking just yesterday if anyone had any info. I'll be there early July. I have a mate who lived there three years back and described the girls as you did I.e beautiful and friendly but very conservative, certainly not a ONS destination. How do you think me using Russian to get by will be received by the locals,no problem? Did Tibilisi seem like a place you could spend an extended period in? And finally costs,what are some typical prices for food,beer,accommodation etc?

I was expecting Abkhazia was going to be the highlight of my trip but seems Tbilisi is going to be equally as interesting.

[The Fantasist]

Antipodean: The way round the problem is to DHL your documents to an agency in your home country and apply there then get it sent back the same way. Still looking at a fortnight though I guess. Why were you refused,was it purely because you applied at a place you're not supposed to?

[Antipodean]

(05-17-2012 11:08 PM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

Antipodean: The way round the problem is to DHL your documents to an agency in your home country and apply there then get it sent back the same way. Still looking at a fortnight though I guess. Why were you refused,was it purely because you applied at a place you're not supposed to?

That's what I did.
It appears that they failed it because the Voucher (from realrussia.co.uk) is a downloaded copy and not an original. But the Embassy's "failure notice" is a bit ambiguous and they have not responded to my further questions yet.
Have asked realrussia.co.uk for advice, but they sent me an email that did not even address my questions, so no help at all.

[Greek kamaki]

I think Georgia is a conservative country and not worth t the effort.Georgians regard Abkhazians as Georgians too.

[The Fantasist]

(05-18-2012 01:23 AM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  

I think Georgia is a conservative country and not worth t the effort.Georgians regard Abkhazians as Georgians too.

I bet Abkhazians don't consider themselves as Georgians though.

[Greek kamaki]

I am not sure.Several Greeks have come from Abkhazia where they have lived for centuries.Why not go to Sochi instead which is a highly popular resort close to Abkhazia in Kuban region?

[Deb Auchery]

I don't think I would go to Sochi or Abhkazia as I suspect they will be family orientated places. Russian girls who are DTF will travel overseas instead.

Fcuk me!! I just found this, disregard what I just said

http://puthinamy2k.blogspot.com/2008/08/...break.html

[Deb Auchery]

But outside of teenage bikini contests, Sochi(and probably Abkhazia) looks a bad idea

http://www.discussionworldforum.com/foru...php?t=2434

[Greek kamaki]

Do not be distracted.Slavs like to vacate with families children etc.It is part of the scenery and makes things better.It is the same in Crimea,in Paralia and Chalkidiki and wherever Slavs stay.Much better than the youth only Brit places where everyone feels free to drink and piss in oblivion and every possibly outrageous behaviour can take place since there are no families etc to put decency limits.
Girls also feel safer when there are families around and Russian families are not very strict meaning you may see a daughter with a tanga and next to her her mother with an even more revealing outfit while the father drinks during watersports.

[The Fantasist]

(05-18-2012 06:36 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

But outside of teenage bikini contests, Sochi(and probably Abkhazia) looks a bad idea

http://www.discussionworldforum.com/foru...php?t=2434

Nice find!

It all depends on what your priorities are in travel. If your overriding priority above all else is banging a lot of women and not the place itself then your best bet is to head to places like Aya Napa,Thaliraki etc. where you could bang as many girls as you want. I have mates who go there every year and their lay numbers are insane as in they sometimes bang more women then days spent on holiday.

For me I would use one word to encompass what my trips are about: Adventure. I get a kick out of visiting countries or cities where there are few other foreigners,where there is a slight element of danger,where the Lonely planet is not covered,where I have to use my wits a little more to get about and of course where I can have a go at banging women I find incredibly attractive. I also like Russian speaking places as I get a kick out of using the language. That's why I've chosen to holiday in places like the Urals,Belarus,Transdniester,Mongolia,Kyrgyzstan,Abkhazia etc. Does it mean I don't bang as many girls as if I went to Ibiza? Abso-fucking-lutely! But I'm willing to compromise on that in order to have the other things that my trips provide. I get laid but not as much as I could if I went to different places. I've got respect for dudes who do it my way like Hooligan Harry ( the dude went to Turkmenistan ffs! ) or dues who go for the bangs like Deb and Greek,we're all out there having a blast and not just talking about it like half the betas in the world. That's the important thing.

[timmy21]

LostGringo, are you saying Americans; I guess also West Euros, can obtain a 365 day visa upon arrival, is this done with customs at the airport? It's not neccessary to get a visa prior to your arrival.

[Deb Auchery]

(05-18-2012 06:51 AM)Greek kamaki Wrote:  

Do not be distracted.Slavs like to vacate with families children etc.It is part of the scenery and makes things better.It is the same in Crimea,in Paralia and Chalkidiki and wherever Slavs stay.Much better than the youth only Brit places where everyone feels free to drink and piss in oblivion and every possibly outrageous behaviour can take place since there are no families etc to put decency limits.
Girls also feel safer when there are families around and Russian families are not very strict meaning you may see a daughter with a tanga and next to her her mother with an even more revealing outfit while the father drinks during watersports.

Not good places for gaming IMO, you might get some results in a place like that, but I can imagine it will be tougher. I prefer to find the independent women who are dtf, (albeit without the masses of W Europeans)

[Deb Auchery]

(05-18-2012 07:13 AM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

(05-18-2012 06:36 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

But outside of teenage bikini contests, Sochi(and probably Abkhazia) looks a bad idea

http://www.discussionworldforum.com/foru...php?t=2434

Nice find!

It all depends on what your priorities are in travel. If your overriding priority above all else is banging a lot of women and not the place itself then your best bet is to head to places like Aya Napa,Thaliraki etc. where you could bang as many girls as you want. I have mates who go there every year and their lay numbers are insane as in they sometimes bang more women then days spent on holiday.

For me I would use one word to encompass what my trips are about: Adventure. I get a kick out of visiting countries or cities where there are few other foreigners,where there is a slight element of danger,where the Lonely planet is not covered,where I have to use my wits a little more to get about and of course where I can have a go at banging women I find incredibly attractive. I also like Russian speaking places as I get a kick out of using the language. That's why I've chosen to holiday in places like the Urals,Belarus,Transdniester,Mongolia,Kyrgyzstan,Abkhazia etc. Does it mean I don't bang as many girls as if I went to Ibiza? Abso-fucking-lutely! But I'm willing to compromise on that in order to have the other things that my trips provide. I get laid but not as much as I could if I went to different places. I've got respect for dudes who do it my way like Hooligan Harry ( the dude went to Turkmenistan ffs! ) or dues who go for the bangs like Deb and Greek,we're all out there having a blast and not just talking about it like half the betas in the world. That's the important thing.

Yeah, but isn't the idea of the forum banging as many girls that are as hot as possible?

We all like to mix it up, I like hiking, watersports etc as much as the next guy.

Not that interested in the Med resorts, too many foreigners, couldn't handle seeing so many package holiday idiots from UK, Germany etc, seeing as I have barely met any Westerners at all in the last year.

Saying that I might join a Serbian coach holiday to Northern Greece at some point, a chance to have fun on the journey, make friends. Although the competition will be high with the Serb girls at least, the guys will have been doing steroids and working out the whole winter for their annual holiday

[LostGringo]

(05-17-2012 11:05 PM)Vorkuta Wrote:  

(05-17-2012 09:50 PM)LostGringo Wrote:  

Long time no post. Might as well throw in my Georgia post here. I just returned from three weeks in Georgia, most all of it in Tbilisi....

Awesome post and awesome timing LG. Was asking just yesterday if anyone had any info. I'll be there early July. I have a mate who lived there three years back and described the girls as you did I.e beautiful and friendly but very conservative, certainly not a ONS destination. How do you think me using Russian to get by will be received by the locals,no problem? Did Tibilisi seem like a place you could spend an extended period in? And finally costs,what are some typical prices for food,beer,accommodation etc?

I was expecting Abkhazia was going to be the highlight of my trip but seems Tbilisi is going to be equally as interesting.

Absolutely I could see it as a place to spend some time in. I also have no doubt that you could work your way into a more "liberal" community if you made social inroads. Remember, the place is changing, quickly and for the better - for example, the first gay dance club just opened. As more liberal attitudes take shape, so will sexual mores. I also travel like you do - hot women are certainly a must on my list, but I highly value the adventure aspect of travel. If I were to play the contrarian, the fact that GK does not like it, is probably good. That means that the "river has not been overfished" - by the time he likes it - instead of smiles, it might well be "where's my present".........
Cost: I paid $60usd for a pretty nice touristic hotel, but you could get a nice modern apartment, say 60m for probably around $400/mo. Food is cheap, if you eat the local fare. A beer is a couple of bucks in most bars - tops. Excellent Metro is 25 cents and cabs have basic rate of about $2.50 almost anywhere. For a cheap hotel/hostel affair, check out a place called "Formula one" - it's a knockoff, but excellent value. It was full when I was there.
Certainly Russian would help, as it was taught in the schools at least until '92, but the ladies you would be targeting should speak passable English by now.
Here's the rub; other than lots of Russians on holiday, there were almost no foreigners around - which is huge for me. No horny clowns from the likes of Italy and Turkey killing the vibe. I have to think that Batumi will be filled with lower income Russians (read: regional girls).
Ant: I flew via IST. Fare was around $320
t21: yes, my friend is French and he got the same visa - on arrival, as part of the entry stamp. Still hard to believe.
Oh yeah, the highway between the airport and the city is called; "The George W. Bush Road"

[Deb Auchery]

(05-14-2012 01:07 AM)Hooligan Harry Wrote:  

(05-12-2012 11:03 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

I always imagined that Russians were hotter than Ukrainians, but I haven't made it to Russia as yet. Maybe those who have been to both places would like to give their opinion, Kamaki perhaps?

As for Belarus, I was disappointed with the browsing i did on mamba/vk, but if the foreigner status Is suitably high then one could solely concentrate on top tier.

People are very quick to forget places like Georgia, Armenia and Uzbekistan, likewise the east of Russia.

For me, the hottest women come from Russian Samara and the surrounding cities. I dont know if its the Georgian/Kazakhstani influence, but that whole region produces 10's off a conveyor belt.

Samara seems to be bit of a centre point, but all the towns and cities around it would turn the Pope himself into a sex predator. This includes Ufa, Ulyanovsk, Perm, Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, which are all within about 250km-500km of it.

Most of these places will not have more than a million people living there and are highly industrialised crap holes. You will not get around if you dont speak some Russian and they see very few foreigners, but that is the real Russia. Moscow and St Petersburg are not an accurate reflection on the country as a whole. Its like being on another planet when you are in deep Russia and for my tastes, the women are tough to beat.

Got Russian Visa, will be in Samara next week. Yay!

[chochemonger1]

(06-14-2012 08:09 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

(05-14-2012 01:07 AM)Hooligan Harry Wrote:  

(05-12-2012 11:03 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

I always imagined that Russians were hotter than Ukrainians, but I haven't made it to Russia as yet. Maybe those who have been to both places would like to give their opinion, Kamaki perhaps?

As for Belarus, I was disappointed with the browsing i did on mamba/vk, but if the foreigner status Is suitably high then one could solely concentrate on top tier.

People are very quick to forget places like Georgia, Armenia and Uzbekistan, likewise the east of Russia.

For me, the hottest women come from Russian Samara and the surrounding cities. I dont know if its the Georgian/Kazakhstani influence, but that whole region produces 10's off a conveyor belt.

Samara seems to be bit of a centre point, but all the towns and cities around it would turn the Pope himself into a sex predator. This includes Ufa, Ulyanovsk, Perm, Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, which are all within about 250km-500km of it.

Most of these places will not have more than a million people living there and are highly industrialised crap holes. You will not get around if you dont speak some Russian and they see very few foreigners, but that is the real Russia. Moscow and St Petersburg are not an accurate reflection on the country as a whole. Its like being on another planet when you are in deep Russia and for my tastes, the women are tough to beat.

Got Russian Visa, will be in Samara next week. Yay!

Lucky you Deb, but I am betting you will always do better in Ukraine.
We will be waiting for the data sheet.

[The Fantasist]

(06-14-2012 08:09 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

Got Russian Visa, will be in Samara next week. Yay!

Nice. Samara has some awesome women in it,you'll have fun.

I've been waiting on my Abkhazian entry permit to be issued for a few weeks,was getting worried. I decided to phone the foreign ministry in Sukhumi this afternoon,got put through to a really helpful woman in the consular department who promised to issue and email it immediately. 10 minutes later I received it. Awesome!

[trainwreck]

Just came back from a week long Russia trip. Definitely not the place to hook up for just 1 night. Went to St. Pete and Moscow, liked St. Pete more, even for the girls but barely any good English speakers