Our Europe 2020 Trip (#Introduction Part 1 )

Our Europe Trip – #Russia #SaintPetersburg #IntroductionPart1

As the world’s largest country in total area, Russia is a transcontinental country located in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia and covers more than 11% of the Earth’s landmass. Due to its size, Russia is borders as 14 countries, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland, and Ukraine. It also shares maritime borders with Japan, Sweden, Turkey, and the United States. Covering an area of 17,125,200 km, the country is incorporating a great range of environments and landforms from clad sequentially in tundra, coniferous forest (taiga), mixed and broadleaf forests, grassland (steppe), and semi-desert (fringing the Caspian Sea) and as the changes in vegetation reflect the changes in climate.

Russia is known all over the world for its megacities like Moscow and St. Petersburg with many remarkable that create the unforgettable architectural⛪🏰, as cultural and historical sites, incredible architecture in design new era, galleries, museums and restaurants🍽🥢. Situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of Western Russia, Moscow, as Russia’s capital city, is the northernmost and coldest megacity on Earth. Moscow attracted world attention as a centre of international business and has one of the world’s largest urban economies, being ranked as an alpha global city. Today Moscow is not only the political centre of Russia but also the country’s most populous city and its industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational.

E-Visa:
Most foreign passport holders to enter the Russian Federation are required to apply for a visa, which is a permit to travel to, enter, and remain in the country. Good News!!😀😀 For now have been conformed FREE electronic visa (or E-Visa) to visit Russia for a short-term stay, with provide for that citizens of the listed 53 countries which including our living Country, Malaysia. FREE e-visa is more practical way to apply with only for enters to https://evisa.kdmid.ru/ is it convenient？ By the way the E-Visa is only valid for a maximum of 8 travel day. With valid E-Visa you can ride any transport such as Airplane✈✈, Bus🚌🚌, Car🚗🚗, Train🚆🚆 and etc to entry the designated area. It is easy step for apply, no need go to Russian embassy or consulate, just sit in front your laptop💻💻 or computer and simply click, click and entirely online in minutes for complete your application.

How to apply:🤔🤔
Firstly, you must prepared standard visa size photo, enter https://evisa.kdmid.ru/ and fill out the application form. You must fill in some simple personal detail, Russia accommodation detail and date of entry WITHOUT invitation hotel booking confirmations or any other documents that confirm the purpose of your journey to the Russian Federation .The most IMPORTANT is email address must be correct. Processing would take few days on business hour and the Official Website would send the E-Visa to your email. NOTE: You must print out confirmation E-Visa and Adobe Acrobat Reader is recommended .Customs officer must direct check your confirmation E-Visa, simultaneously you must always bring the confirmation E-Visa with foreign passport during the period of travelling in Russia because officer would check for anytime. Application must be made no later than four days and no earlier than 20 days before expected date of entry. Currently, E-Visas are available for specific Russian regions, while our country (Malaysia) in order to enter for 3 of the regions. During our Europe Trip 2020, we choose for the region of St. Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad Region as our travelling Journey.

From our country Malaysia, we take our backpack and baggage, ride the Turkish Airlines and upon arrival in the Helsinki Finland Airport. Although as freedom traveller, well-researched itinerary and planning is one of the important parts for our Europe Trip but observed and on-site response also is significant on this adventures trip. Well, now we were start share our experience for what we are view, learning, discover and difficulty during our Europe Journey. On our planning, Russia as our first destination, before fly to the Europe we have already plan for take long-distance bus as our best route from Finland to Russia and directly book on the website.

Transport departure to Saint Petersburg:
Choose Lux Express🚌🚌 which has connect multiple journeys to neighbouring countries and the bus have departure from the Helsinki Finland Airport. Well, it good for us save the cost and time. Lux Express, the look of long-distance buses exteriors are sleek black with gold colour logo and the interior same as long-distance bus that we ride on the last year of Europe Trip, offering comfortable and style at a premium. Thank🙏🙏 for the Lux driver patient for waiting us during the custom checking and help us carry our luggage after checking, well we admit it take a few time for checking because our big and heavy luggage are difficult to carry. Sit back with relaxing, the distance take about 8 hour to Saint Petersburg, Russia and the bus ticket price is 18.00€ per adult.

 

 

 

 

Saint Petersburg：
Saint Petersburg, as Russia’s second-largest city and get the local of the proud of their city with its strategically located on the north-western bank of the Neva River and reborn as a centre of culture, art, science and architecture. Because it lies on a series of islands separated by canals and tributaries of the Neva River delta, Saint Petersburg also is an important Russia port on the Baltic Sea. Gone are the days of drab Cold War Russia and a city divided by the Wall. Energetic Saint Petersburg has grabbed the us attention with its exuberant urban life and vibrant arts scene. It’s central is large and spread over several islands that made the city’s with have canals and bridges criss-cross on the waterways, art-filled🗿⚱ public spaces and rich on cultural traditions that were create the unique atmosphere of the city. In these bustle and infinite variety of streets with a lot of restaurants🍕🍟, cafés🥞🍰☕, and nightlife🍷🍸🍺 there’s always something to see, hear, taste, or feel. Simultaneously, hundreds of the museum🏛🏛, palaces, basilica, and monuments provide a window into Saint Petersburg’s rich art history, offering the best view of the scene across centuries and styles.

 

Language and Money Changers💲💲/ATM🏧🏧:
Although, Russian is the only official language and Saint Petersburg also using Russian as their socialize but they also can speaking the simple English and it’s well for foreigners especially for us (freedom traveller). Meanwhile, the city is called “the cultural capital” not only for its sightseeing due to the manners sported by its inhabitants. Because of its residents are friendly😊😊 and if you need for any help such as ask directions, even though they would not smile for you but they were tried to help for you. The Russian Ruble is used in Russia, If you same as us want to exchange money prior to your trip, most likely, the bank or money changers in your home country doesn’t carry Russian Ruble. So the best money bring is dollars or euros, Saint Petersburg city got a lot of money changers convenient for you to exchange. Withdrawing money from ATM🏧🏧🏧 is the easiest and best way to get Ruble currency. You can find ATM everywhere and most ATM in Russia don’t charge you for withdrawing. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of establishments in Russia will accept debit or credit card💳💳💳 with any financial company such as VISA, MASTER and etc. Sometimes you might get charged a small fee for card transactions, so you should check with your local bank before departure.

 

 

Internet Data Sim Card🌍🌍：
Connect to Internet is very important way on our journey when you travel abroad especially for those same as us (freedom traveller). We know international roaming fees are very expensive. Before departure, we already purchased an Internet data card (Sim Card ) on internet and our country sellers inform us the Sim card of internet can use in Schengen countries and Russia. But we never expected, when we arrived Euro the Sim Card cannot be connection and we direct message to the Sim card telecommunications company which the name as CM Link but they didn’t reply to us😡😡😡. Fortunately, our country sellers direct refunded money to us. While during our Europe Trip, CM Link as Irresponsibility Company not only haven’t reply us and always message to us for top up the money. So when buy the Sim Card from your home country maybe must take of this risk.

A telecommunications company we buy the Sim Card at Saint Petersburg from them…….

 

 

 

Don’t worry😏😏, buying a Russian prepaid SIM card for connect to Internet or make calls in or from Russia is very economical. It’s easy, only going to mobile stores, by the way in Saint Petersburg mobile stores are easily look on the street which including in shopping streets or shopping centers, near metro stations and etc. Just take out your passport, there is no fee especially aimed at tourists and you only pay the amount for your consume. They offer several prepaid plans with data, text messages and minutes for calls. The shop assistant recommended us take the unlimited data with Credit Validity: 30 days and the price is 415 RUB ( 5.06€ ).

To be continued………………

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#TwoSistersTravellers
#Russia
#SaintPetersburg
#IntroductionPart1
#EuropeWinterTrip2020