ENGL 202C

Planning To Visit Russia

Aimira Sharipova and Mahmood Al Mujaini The Pennsylvania State University 11/4/2013

Background
Russia is a land of snow and harsh winters, blooming meadows and mighty rivers, midsummer sun that never sets a hospitable country with a big heart, talented businesses and amazingly artistic people. There are countless natural, historical and cultural attractions in Russia. It really is a must see destination! Russia covers more than 17 million square kilometers. It takes about a week to cross the country's ten time zones by train, and ten hours by air. Russia's population is about 150 million. The national language is Russian. Sixty percent of Russians are atheist, while the majority of believers are Orthodox. Russia has the largest river in Europe, the Volga; the world's largest lake, the Caspian Sea; the world's deepest freshwater lake, the Baikal; and Europe's highest peak, Elbrus.

Top 10 locations in Russia

St. Petersburg Moscow Kazan The Golden Ring Novgorod Veliky Volga Cruise Lake Baikal Yekaterinburg

Sochi Trans-Siberian Railway

Note: Each location has a hyperlink to give you better understanding of the place. The hyperlink provides a website with pictures, most popular places, and things to do in this region.

Materials Needed:
Computer with Internet access Phone Pen and paper for taking notes and making lists About 2-3 hours of your time

Troubleshooting
Note: Before arranging to visit Russia, people from most countries must apply for a visa Note: One of the best times to travel to Russia is summer Note: Always have important phone numbers with you, and always have backup plans for everything, money, documents, etc. Caution: Be careful of pickpockets when using the metro system. Do not flash money. Caution: Keep important documents in safe location, preferably not on you all the time. Warning: You should avoid riding in cabs that already have a driver by phoning ahead for a taxi or asking your hotel to arrange one for you Warning: Do not walk alone at night. Warning: Do not use suspicious ATMs such as ones on the street and in metro stations. Use the ATMs located in hotel lobbies and other safe places like Bank.

Instructions
1. Go to the website given below to check visa requirements/regulations to enter the country.

http://goo.gl/2CGnjC

2. Choose the regions/areas you want to visit in this country from the list above. Note: You can find the list Top 10 locations in Russia under the Background section. 3. Determine the date of your travel. Note: Remember that it is best to travel to Russia in the summer. 4. Plan your budget wisely. 5. Choose between travel agencies or travel websites as an option to get airline tickets/hotel reservations in your destination 6. Find available flights/hotels to your destination using one of the sources below: Travel Agencies - AAA Travel Agency: (814) 237-2701 - Accent on Travel: (814) 238-9602 - Avian Travel Associates: (814) 944-5905 Travel Websites - http://www.hotwire.com/ - http://www.cheapoair.com/ - http://www.kayak.com/

- Carlson Wagonlit Travel: (814) 944-0841 - Centre for Travel: (814) 238-4987 - Kish Travel: (814) 643-5240 - Heritage Travel: (800) 822-8068 - Omega World Travel: (814) 238-6000 - Uniglobe Heritage Travel: (814) 946-1600 - Universe Travel Inc.: (814) 234-1822 - World Wide Travel Service: (814) 355-9660

- http://www.orbitz.com/ - http://www.priceline.com/ - http://www.expedia.com/default.asp - http://www.farecompare.com/ - http://www.farecast.com/ - http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/ - http://www.cheapair.com/ - http://www.momondo.com

Note: Russia has 9 time zones across the country Kaliningrad Time: UTC+03:00 Moscow Time: UTC+04:00 Yekaterinburg Time: UTC+06:00 Omsk Time: UTC+07:00 Krasnoyarsk Time: UTC+08:00 Irkutsk Time: UTC+09:00 Yakutsk Time: UTC+10:00 Vladivostok Time: UTC+11:00 Magadan Time: UTC+12:00

UTC stands for Coordinated Universal Time. It is another name for GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). 7. Check the weather forecast for the region/area you are visiting during the time of the visit using different weather authorities:

The Weather Channel (http://www.weather.com/) Accuweather (http://www.accuweather.com/)

8. Check health information for travelers in Russia on the following websites:

-

http://goo.gl/C6vcdf http://goo.gl/m6jOIZ

9. Research the area/region for most popular sights http://goo.gl/7yKPUR Go back to the list of top locations and use the hyperlink addresses to view most popular places to visit

10. Make a list of sights you want to visit. 11. Google some basic words/phrases in Russian, get an idea about the culture/customs and get a translator book or electronic device with translator in it.

12. Find out the currency exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Russian Ruble by Googling US Dollar to Russian Ruble or using any other currency convertors such as XE (http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/)

Note: Currently, the currency exchange rate is 32.4042, meaning that 1 US Dollar is equivalent to about 32.4 Russian Ruble.

13. Make a list of the important items you would want to take with you when travelling. Note: e.g. travel/immigration documents, phone, wallet, money, etc.

Conclusion
Russia is indeed a must-see destination. This country possesses great historical, cultural, and scientific background. You will be able to cognize the traditions and customs of its multinational population along with its breathtaking historical and up-to-date constructions. All you need now is to apply for a visa and get it. Then you only have to pack your luggage and you are ready to go. Be safe, have fun, and enjoy your trip!