Du bist hier

Hurrah, I've arrived in Moscow, beautiful capital city of Russia.

I arrived at Heathrow T2 at 4.40 a.m. but, thanks to Austrian's policy of checking everyone in at a check-in desk, and a manic full service, followed by a crush to get through security, I came close to missing the flight! Oops!

Nonetheless, made it and enjoyed good Austrian hospitality and bad Austrian food (mmm - powdered eggs!) on the way to Vienna. At Vienna, I disembarked, got a bus, went through passport control (twice) and security (once), before getting back on the exact same plane and sitting in the exact same seat. Vienna - Moscow was a pleasant flight with a good quality lunch (everyone else seemed to get meatballs, while I got a lovely thyme-infused chicken with a zucchini salad - I have a feeling that, by the back of the plane, they might have been running out of food) washed down with a few glasses of wine and accompanied by a film.

Domodedovo was absolutely manic, and it took about 90 minutes to clear passport control - which, once you got to the window was officious and efficient if nothing else! Picked up my bags and headed into Moscow. Found my hostel eventually (quite well hidden away, and they'd forgotten to mention that their sign was stuck to the third-floor window, rather than the ground) and settled in to there - it's more than adequate, with very comfortable facilities and, best of all for when I arrived, a hot shower with good water pressure!

I'd gotten to know a few people on the flight, so I arranged to meet up for drinks last night, and went to a Russian restaurant and a bar along the way, bringing yet more people - all of whom will be travelling (at least on parts) on my train.

Navigating around the Metro is quite difficult at first, but great fun once you get the hang of it - prompt services every 90 seconds or so, amazing architecture in the stations, and at about 30 pence a journey, just cannot be faulted!

I'm off to move to my hotel for tonight now, then hopefully head back into town and do some sightseeing - Moscow, here I come!